Robot cleaner, robot cleaning system having the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robot cleaners often operate autonomously and may inadvertently clean undesirable substances like pet excrement or toys, leading to contamination or spreading of messes, as they lack real-time user intervention and detection capabilities.
Innovation Solution
Equipping the robot cleaner with sensors (optical, humidity, metal, and smell sensors) and cameras that transmit cleanliness information to a remote device for user confirmation before proceeding with cleaning, allowing the user to decide via a mobile terminal whether to continue or stop the cleaning operation based on the detected substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot cleaner operates autonomously without user intervention, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to distinguish desirable from undesirable substances
Solution Approach 1:
The system transmits cleanliness information captured by sensors and cameras to a remote device, where user feedback determines whether cleaning should proceed. This feedback loop enables the autonomous system to make reliable decisions about desirable versus undesirable substances by incorporating human judgment into the cleaning process.
Solution Approach 2:
A communication unit acts as an intermediary between the autonomous robot cleaner and the user. It transmits cleanliness information to a remote device and receives cleaning command information, mediating between autonomous operation and user control to resolve the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
2Productivity
If the robot cleaner cleans all detected substances, then productivity is improved, but object-affected harmful factors increase due to contamination from undesirable substances
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection and classification of substances using sensors and cameras before cleaning. By identifying undesirable substances in advance and transmitting this information to the user, the system prevents contamination before it occurs, allowing comprehensive cleaning of desirable substances while avoiding harmful effects.
Solution Approach 2:
User feedback on detected substances enables selective cleaning decisions. The system receives cleaning command information that specifies which substances should be cleaned and which should be avoided, thereby maintaining high productivity while preventing contamination from undesirable substances like pet excrement or toys.
3Reliability
If the robot cleaner stops to verify each substance, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to reduced cleaning efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The communication unit serves as an intermediary that enables remote verification without physical stopping. The robot can continue moving while transmitting cleanliness information to the user, who provides cleaning decisions remotely. This maintains cleaning speed while ensuring reliable substance identification through user input.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical action of stopping and physically verifying substances with an electronic/information-based system. Sensors and cameras capture substance information, which is transmitted electronically to the user for verification, eliminating the need to halt cleaning operations while maintaining reliable identification.
4Measurement precision
If the robot cleaner is equipped with multiple sensors and cameras, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting various types of substances (dust, pet excrement, toys), capturing images, and providing cleanliness information. This multi-functionality justifies the complexity by enabling comprehensive substance identification and differentiation, improving measurement precision across diverse cleaning scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication unit acts as an intermediary that manages the data from multiple sensors and cameras. It processes and transmits cleanliness information to the remote device, coordinating the complex sensor inputs into actionable cleaning decisions, thereby making the complex system manageable and effective.
Data Source
Figure 1~2a
Figure 2b~2c
Figure 2d~2e
AI summary
The invention relates to a robot cleaner and to a method for operating the robot cleaner. To provide an robot cleaner and a method for operating the robot cleaner allowing an improved cleaning process avoiding any undesired cleaning operation and preferably providing a possibility for an interaction with the user, even if the user has left the apartment or could not manually control the robot cleaner, an robot cleaner (10) is provided, comprising: a main body (210) having a suction port; a travelling device (280) to move the main body (210); a cleaning device or brush assembly (245) installed on the main body (210); a controller (270); a communication unit (222) adapted to transmit cleaning status information to a remote device (600) and to receive cleaning command information from a remote device (300); at least one sensor (180, 190, 195) sensing the floor to be cleaned and providing cleanliness information to the controller (270); wherein the controller (270) is adapted to determine whether to stop cleaning operation or whether to continue the cleaning operation based on the cleanliness information and (or) based on the cleaning command information.