Pool Robot Return Navigation for Safe Wall-Side Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pool robots require manual recovery, leading to low recovery efficiency and potential damage due to collisions with pool walls and dirt accumulation on power cables.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that control pool robots to automatically move to a designated stop position on the pool wall within the water, using onboard sensors to map the pool and plan a path that avoids obstacles, ensuring efficient and safe recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual recovery by pulling power cable is used, then the pool robot can be recovered, but the robot may collide with pool wall causing damage and dirt sticks to user hands

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecovery operationVSAvoidrobot safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pool robot autonomously navigates to the pool wall and positions itself for recovery without human intervention. The robot uses its onboard sensors and navigation system to return to the starting position automatically, eliminating the need for users to manually pull the robot by the power cable, thus preventing collisions and dirt transfer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical recovery process (pulling by hand) with an automated navigation system. The robot uses electronic control and sensor-based positioning to return to the pool wall, substituting human mechanical action with an automated electromechanical system that precisely controls the robot's movement.

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

2Productivity

If manual recovery is used, then the pool robot can be retrieved, but recovery efficiency is low due to manual handling requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecovery efficiencyVSAvoidmanual handling
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pool robot autonomously navigates to the pool wall and positions itself for recovery without human intervention. The robot uses its onboard sensors and navigation system to return to the starting position automatically, eliminating the need for users to manually pull the robot by the power cable, thus preventing collisions and dirt transfer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If the robot moves to side wall position automatically, then recovery efficiency improves and collisions are prevented, but navigation and path planning complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecovery efficiencyVSAvoidnavigation system
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robot performs preliminary mapping of the pool environment during its cleaning operations. This pre-acquired spatial information is stored and later used during the return navigation phase, allowing the robot to efficiently calculate its path to the pool wall without requiring complex real-time decision-making, thus reducing navigation complexity while maintaining high recovery efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4711879A1Pool robot control method and apparatus, storage medium and electronic device
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 XINGMAI INNOVATION TECH (SUZHOU) CO LTD
  • EP4711879A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4711879A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4711879A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A pool robot control method and apparatus, a storage medium, and an electronic device are provided. The control method includes: obtaining a start position from which the pool robot executes a current task, where the start position is an entering-water position or a pool bottom position of the pool robot in a target map at which the pool robot executes the current task, and the target map is a map established by identifying a target pool (S202); and when the pool robot needs to be instructed to return during execution of the current task or after the current task is executed, controlling the pool robot to move to a target stop position in the water of the target pool, where the target stop position is a position on a side wall of the target pool, where the position corresponds to the start position (S204).