Mobile cleaning device and method for one's operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Movable cleaning devices face challenges in adapting their cleaning strategies to different floor types, particularly in avoiding moisture application on surfaces that cannot tolerate water, such as carpets, and in efficiently navigating and cleaning various floor surfaces without prior preparation or mapping.
Innovation Solution
Equipping cleaning devices with a digital camera and evaluation unit that uses digital image processing to recognize and classify floor types based on reflection, patterns, and color space analysis, allowing for adjustments in brush speed, suction power, and moisture application, and enabling autonomous selection of cleaning modes and navigation strategies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a cleaning device uses a fixed cleaning strategy for all surfaces, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cleaning effectiveness and surface protection deteriorate due to inability to adapt to different floor types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sensing systems with optical image capture and digital image processing. The camera system captures images of the floor surface, and software algorithms analyze reflectance, patterns, and color space to identify floor types, substituting mechanical complexity with computational processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device autonomously identifies floor types and adjusts its cleaning strategy without external intervention. The evaluation unit automatically processes images, determines surface characteristics, and modifies cleaning parameters, enabling the device to serve itself in adapting to different environments.
2Productivity
If the cleaning device applies moisture to all surfaces, then the cleaning productivity is improved, but the harmful effects increase due to damage to moisture-sensitive surfaces like carpets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different cleaning qualities to different locations based on surface identification. The device adjusts moisture application, brush speed, and suction power locally according to the detected floor type, ensuring aggressive cleaning for hard surfaces and gentle or no moisture application for carpeted areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device dynamically changes operational parameters such as moisture output, brush rotation speed, and suction power based on detected floor characteristics. This allows optimization of cleaning effectiveness for each surface type while preventing harmful effects on moisture-sensitive materials.
3Measurement precision
If the cleaning device uses simple floor detection, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates leading to misclassification of floor types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends floor type detection from simple single-parameter sensing to multi-dimensional image analysis. By evaluating reflectance, patterns, and color space simultaneously, the system creates a comprehensive surface profile that enables accurate differentiation between various floor types including ceramic, stone, wood, laminate, and carpet.
Solution Approach 2:
The image processing analysis is segmented into multiple independent evaluation dimensions: reflectance analysis for surface sheen, pattern recognition for texture identification, and color space analysis for material differentiation. This segmentation allows complex analysis to be broken down into manageable computational tasks.
4Manufacturing precision
If the cleaning device requires pre-mapping or marking of the area, then the cleaning precision is improved, but the loss of time increases due to preparation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary surface characterization automatically during initial operation without requiring pre-mapping or external marking. The image capture and evaluation system creates an internal understanding of the environment as the device begins cleaning, eliminating preparation time while maintaining cleaning precision through continuous surface monitoring.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective and efficient cleaning by accurately identifying floor types, preventing damage to sensitive surfaces, and optimizing energy use, while allowing for autonomous operation and improved cleaning results without pre-marking or mapping the area.
Implementation Method 1
the photographic image is evaluated with respect to the reflectance of the floor covering
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The device (1) comprises a camera unit that is provided to take the photographic images of a soil surface. The photographic images with respect to the soil surface is evaluated with an evaluating unit (10) based on the evaluation of a traversing strategy, and/or an adjustment of cleaning parameters including ground clearance and/or size of side air vents and/or brush speed is performed. An independent claim is included for a method of operating a movable-type floor-cleaning device or soil cultivation machine.