Robot Cleaner Cliff Detection with User-Adjustable Reference Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wet mop robot cleaners face a driving inability state when they fall due to their design, as they cannot climb back after encountering a low step, and existing solutions fail to allow dynamic adjustment of cliff height settings based on the cleaning environment.
Innovation Solution
A robot cleaner system with a sensor unit and actuators that allow users to set a reference distance for cliff detection via an external control device, enabling the robot to adjust its height settings and avoid cliffs dynamically during cleaning operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed reference height value for cliff detection is used, then the robot cleaner can operate with simple control logic, but it cannot adapt to different usage environments and may fall into driving inability state
Solution Approach 1:
The reference height value for cliff detection is changed from a fixed value to a dynamically adjustable value that can be modified based on different usage environments. The control unit allows the reference height to be updated according to actual cleaning conditions, enabling the robot to adapt to various floor step scenarios while maintaining manageable control complexity through software-based adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of reference height value from a constant to a variable that can be adjusted according to different usage environments. By allowing the reference height parameter to be modified based on actual cleaning conditions, the system achieves adaptability to different floor step heights without requiring complex structural changes.
2Measurement precision
If the robot cleaner uses a low reference height value, then it can detect small cliffs accurately, but it may falsely detect normal floor transitions as cliffs and stop operation
Solution Approach 1:
The reference height value is adjusted dynamically based on the actual usage environment rather than using a fixed low value. This allows the system to maintain high detection precision for actual cliffs while avoiding false detection of normal floor transitions, thereby ensuring reliable continuous operation. The control unit modifies the reference height parameter according to environmental conditions to optimize both precision and reliability.
3Reliability
If the robot cleaner uses a high reference height value, then it can avoid false detection of normal floor transitions, but it cannot detect small cliffs and may fall into driving inability state
Solution Approach 1:
The reference height value is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed at a high value. The control unit allows the reference height to be modified based on the specific usage environment, enabling the system to maintain high reliability by avoiding false detection while also preserving the ability to detect small cliffs when the reference height is appropriately adjusted for the current environment.
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 the robot cleaner to prevent driving inability by dynamically adjusting its height settings based on user-defined cliff references, ensuring continuous operation across varying environments.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor unit that is coupled to the body and includes at least one sensor to detect distance data of the space to be cleaned
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a robot cleaner capable of receiving a user input setting a reference distance for detecting a surrounding environment of a space to be cleaned through an external control device, and controlling driving based on the user input, and a robot cleaner system including the same, and according to the present invention, the actuator of the robot cleaner is controlled based on the reference distance set by the user, so that the robot cleaner can be controlled not to fall into inability to drive according to a cleaning environment.