Systems and methods for tracking and scoring cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cleaning robots and machines lack the ability to quantify and interpret their cleaning performance effectively, making it difficult for users to determine if an area has been successfully cleaned, requiring time and resources for manual inspection or data calculation.

Innovation Solution

A network system that monitors and scores the cleaning performance of robots or machines by obtaining operational data, computing a clean score based on various factors such as area cleaned, time spent, and cleaning goals, and providing reports through a graphical user interface or mobile application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If cleaning robots collect and store operational data, then cleaning performance can be tracked and analyzed, but the system complexity and data processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning performance measurementVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that receives, processes, and analyzes cleaning data from multiple robots. This centralizes the computational complexity away from individual robots, allowing them to remain relatively simple while still enabling sophisticated performance tracking and analysis through the server's data processing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where cleaning performance data is collected, analyzed, and used to generate reports and insights. This feedback loop enables continuous improvement of cleaning operations by providing actionable information about performance metrics, area cleanliness levels, and resource allocation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If manual inspection methods are used to verify cleaning quality, then cleaning effectiveness can be confirmed, but time and human resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning quality verificationVSAvoidinspection time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection with automated sensor-based detection systems. Sensors on cleaning robots and fixed infrastructure continuously monitor cleaning quality metrics, eliminating the need for human inspectors to physically verify cleaning effectiveness while providing more consistent and comprehensive monitoring coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-verification of cleaning quality through automated sensors and algorithms that independently assess whether cleaning goals have been met. The robots and monitoring system perform self-evaluation of cleaning effectiveness without requiring external human intervention, saving time and resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of information

If detailed operational data is collected from cleaning machines, then performance analysis can be improved, but data interpretation difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance data completenessVSAvoiddata interpretation difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The server acts as an intermediary that aggregates raw operational data from multiple sources and transforms it into meaningful performance metrics and insights. This data mediation process handles the complexity of interpreting diverse sensor readings, operational parameters, and cleaning outcomes, presenting simplified information to users through automated reports and dashboards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transforms raw operational parameters into standardized performance metrics that are easier to interpret and compare. By changing the representation of data from complex sensor readings to meaningful performance indicators, the system maintains complete information while reducing interpretation difficulty for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11972383B2Systems and methods for tracking and scoring cleaning
Publication Date: 2024.04.30 INTELLIGENT CLEANING EQUIPMENT HOLDINGS CO LTD
  • US11972383B2 patent drawing
  • US11972383B2 patent drawing
  • US11972383B2 patent drawing

AI summary

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for tracking and scoring robot or machine performance. The robot or machine performance may comprise a metric that can be computed based on operational data for the robot or machine.