Cooperative Pool Cleaning Robots for Downtime-Resilient Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large swimming pools often require a single commercial pool cleaner, which can lead to downtime and inefficiencies if the cleaner needs servicing or repair, and there is a need for alternative systems to ensure continuous cleaning, especially in complex pool setups where multiple basins are present.
Innovation Solution
A set of pool cleaning robots that can cooperate to clean the pool simultaneously or in a partially overlapping manner, with capabilities such as collision and cable entanglement avoidance, different cleaning tasks allocation, and interchangeable modules, allowing for efficient and continuous cleaning even if one robot is unavailable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single commercial pool cleaner is used to clean large pools, then the cleaning equipment cost is reduced, but the pool cleaning reliability deteriorates due to downtime and repair needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pool cleaning system into multiple independent robotic cleaners instead of using a single large cleaner. Each robot operates autonomously and can be serviced independently, eliminating downtime when one unit requires maintenance. This segmentation directly resolves the contradiction by improving reliability through redundancy while keeping individual units simple and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of cleaner quantity from one to multiple units. By deploying several smaller robotic cleaners simultaneously, the system achieves continuous operation capability where if one cleaner needs repair, others continue functioning. This parameter change resolves the reliability-complexity contradiction by distributing the cleaning function across multiple simple units rather than one complex unit.
2Reliability
If multiple pool cleaners are deployed to ensure continuous operation, then the pool cleaning reliability improves, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each robotic cleaner is equipped with autonomous navigation and collision avoidance capabilities, allowing them to operate independently without complex centralized coordination. The robots self-manage their cleaning paths and avoid interfering with each other through onboard sensors and algorithms. This self-service approach resolves the contradiction by enabling multiple units to work together while maintaining individual simplicity, avoiding the need for complex inter-robot communication systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic task allocation where cleaning assignments can be reassigned in real-time based on robot availability and pool conditions. If one cleaner fails or requires servicing, the system dynamically redistributes its cleaning zones to other operational robots. This dynamic adaptation resolves the reliability-complexity contradiction by providing flexible redundancy without requiring rigid, pre-configured complex systems.
3Productivity
If a single pool cleaner is used, then the device complexity is low, but the productivity decreases due to downtime during servicing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cleaning workforce into multiple independent robotic units that can operate in parallel. This allows continuous productivity as one robot can be serviced while others continue cleaning. The segmentation resolves the productivity-complexity contradiction by distributing the workload across simple, maintainable units rather than one complex, vulnerable system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous cleaning operation by deploying multiple robots simultaneously. When one robot undergoes maintenance, others continue performing the useful cleaning action without interruption. This continuity resolves the productivity-complexity contradiction by maintaining constant productive output through simple redundant units rather than risking停产 with a single complex system.
4Productivity
If multiple pool cleaners operate simultaneously, then the productivity increases by reducing downtime, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring cable entanglement and collisions increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each robotic cleaner is equipped with sensors that provide real-time feedback on its position, orientation, and environmental conditions. The robots continuously monitor for potential collisions or cable entanglement and can report their status to the control system. This feedback mechanism resolves the productivity-detection difficulty contradiction by enabling automatic monitoring of multiple robots, making collision detection manageable through distributed sensing rather than manual observation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system that coordinates between multiple robots and the pool environment. This intermediary layer processes sensor data from all robots, detects potential conflicts or entanglements, and manages cable routing to prevent interference. The intermediary resolves the productivity-detection difficulty contradiction by centralizing the complex detection and coordination task, allowing multiple robots to operate productively while simplifying the monitoring burden through a dedicated mediation layer.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and a set of pool cleaning robots (21-23) for cleaning a pool. The set includes a first pool cleaning robot and a second pool cleaning robot that differ from each other by at least one unit out of a propulsion unit and a cleaning unit. Each one of the first pool cleaning robot and the second pool cleaning robot includes a filtering unit, a housing, and a controller.