Robot Cleaner Interworking with External Devices for Adaptive Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous mobile robots, such as wireless cleaners, face challenges in efficiently performing cleaning operations due to their inability to interwork with external devices, leading to incomplete cleaning tasks, especially when obstacles or hard-to-reach areas are present.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device equipped with communication circuitry to interwork with external devices, allowing it to check the cleaning environment and adjust its cleaning functions based on the presence of external devices, such as cleaning devices and wearable terminals, to perform optimized cleaning operations like rough, detailed, and division cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot cleaner operates autonomously without external device interworking, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cleaning efficiency and completeness deteriorate due to inability to check cleaning environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces external devices (smartphone, server) as intermediaries between the robot cleaner and the cleaning environment information. The server acts as a central mediator that receives image data from cameras, processes cleaning status, and provides guidance to the robot, enabling efficient cleaning without adding complex sensing systems to the robot itself
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses universal communication protocols and interfaces that allow the robot cleaner to interwork with multiple types of external devices (smartphones, tablets, servers). The cleaning control system can operate in multiple modes (autonomous, remote-controlled, hybrid) depending on external device availability, providing multi-functional operation
2Reliability
If the robot cleaner operates without external device assistance, then the ease of operation is improved, but the cleaning completeness deteriorates due to inability to detect obstacles and hard-to-reach areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cleaning execution function (robot cleaner) with the environmental perception function (external camera devices) into a coordinated system. The robot's motors and cleaning mechanisms are combined with external imaging devices and centralized control to achieve complete cleaning coverage
Solution Approach 2:
External cameras and servers serve as intermediaries that detect obstacles and hard-to-reach areas, providing visual information to the robot cleaner without requiring the robot to have complex sensing systems. This intermediary approach ensures cleaning completeness while maintaining simple robot hardware
3Adaptability or versatility
If the robot cleaner operates autonomously without external communication, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to cleaning environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning control system dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on external device availability and cleaning environment conditions. The system can switch between autonomous cleaning, remote-controlled cleaning, and hybrid modes, allowing adaptive response to different situations without requiring fixed complex hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (control mode, cleaning path, cleaning intensity) based on information received from external devices and environmental conditions. The cleaning robot can modify its behavior parameters in real-time based on server instructions and external device status
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates generally to an electronic device and an operation method therefor. The operation method for an electronic device may include: determining whether a cleaning function is activated; searching for at least one external device; and performing a cleaning function according to a result of the searching.