Robot cleaner and robot cleaning system having the same
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Robot cleaners often operate autonomously and may inadvertently worsen cleaning situations by spreading pet excrement or small toys, as they lack the ability to distinguish and avoid undesirable foreign substances without user intervention.
Innovation Solution
Equipping the robot cleaner with sensors (optical, humidity, metal, and smell sensors) and cameras that transmit cleanliness information to a controller, which can stop or continue cleaning based on predetermined parameters and receive user confirmation via a remote device, allowing for selective cleaning and avoiding undesirable substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot cleaner operates autonomously without user intervention, then cleaning productivity is improved, but harmful factors increase due to inability to distinguish undesirable foreign substances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sensors (optical, humidity, metal, smell) and cameras as intermediary devices between the robot cleaner and the foreign substances. These sensors detect and classify different types of foreign substances, enabling the robot to distinguish between cleanable debris and undesirable substances like pet excrement. The sensor system acts as a mediator that provides information to the controller for intelligent decision-making about whether to clean a detected substance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the robot cleaner uses multiple sensors and cameras for selective cleaning, then harmful factors are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple types of sensors (optical, humidity, metal, smell) that serve multiple functions: detecting presence of foreign substances, classifying their type, and providing data for cleaning decisions. The communication unit also serves dual purposes by both transmitting sensor data to remote devices and receiving cleaning command information. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot cleaner autonomously processes sensor information through its controller to make cleaning decisions without requiring constant user intervention. The system self-manages the complex sensor data processing and cleaning operations, only seeking user input when ambiguous situations arise. This self-service capability reduces the operational burden despite the complex hardware configuration.
3Measurement precision
If the robot cleaner allows user intervention through remote devices, then cleaning accuracy is improved, but loss of time increases due to communication delays
Solution Approach 1:
The robot cleaner performs preliminary cleaning operations based on sensor detection before seeking user confirmation. When a foreign substance is detected, the robot can immediately begin cleaning if the sensors indicate it's a safe substance, or pause only when uncertain substances are detected. This preliminary action approach minimizes waiting time while maintaining accuracy for critical decisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where sensor information is continuously monitored and processed. The communication unit provides feedback to remote devices about detected substances, and user commands are fed back to the controller for execution. This continuous feedback mechanism allows the system to make rapid iterative decisions, reducing overall time loss compared to requiring full user confirmation for every action.
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.