Robot Cleaner Start-Position Control for Automatic Spot Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional robot cleaners are unable to change their cleaning patterns based on their starting position, leading to user inconvenience as they cannot automatically remove dust accumulated at their current location, requiring manual control for spot cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A robot cleaner equipped with sensors to detect its charging status and a controller that adjusts the cleaning pattern to perform a spot cleaning process if started outside the charger, using patterns like square spiral or curved spiral, before transitioning to automatic cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the robot cleaner uses a fixed traveling pattern regardless of start position, then the control system is simple, but the cleaning efficiency and user convenience deteriorate when starting outside the charger
Solution Approach 1:
The robot cleaner dynamically adjusts its traveling pattern based on its starting position. When starting outside the charger, it automatically selects a spot cleaning pattern (e.g., spiral or concentric circles) to clean the current area first, then transitions to the standard lattice pattern for the rest of the cleaning region. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system flexible enough to handle different starting scenarios while maintaining reasonable control complexity through pre-defined pattern selection logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller changes the traveling pattern parameters based on the detected start position. It detects whether the robot is at the charger or outside, and accordingly switches between different cleaning patterns (spot cleaning pattern vs. standard lattice pattern). This parameter-based approach allows the system to adapt its behavior without requiring complex decision-making, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Productivity
If the robot cleaner always performs standard lattice cleaning from any position, then the cleaning coverage is comprehensive, but the ability to clean the current position first deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning process is segmented into two distinct phases: spot cleaning phase and standard cleaning phase. When starting outside the charger, the robot first executes a spot cleaning pattern to clean the immediate area, then transitions to the standard lattice pattern for comprehensive coverage. This segmentation allows the system to prioritize local cleaning efficiency while maintaining overall cleaning completeness, resolving the contradiction between productivity and automatic spot cleaning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot performs preliminary spot cleaning at its current position before executing the standard lattice cleaning pattern. This preliminary action ensures that dust accumulated at the starting location is removed first, which is particularly important when users manually move the robot to specific areas. This approach maintains comprehensive cleaning coverage while enhancing automatic spot cleaning capability, resolving the productivity-ease of operation contradiction.
3Extent of automation
If the robot cleaner requires manual control for spot cleaning, then the cleaning pattern remains simple, but the user convenience and automation level deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The robot cleaner autonomously determines whether to perform spot cleaning based on its detected starting position. When it detects it is outside the charger, it automatically initiates spot cleaning without requiring user intervention or complex command interpretation. This self-service approach enhances automation level while keeping the control system relatively simple, as the decision logic is based on straightforward position detection rather than complex user commands.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the position detection mechanism (charger contact detection) to automatically adjust its cleaning behavior. The sensor detects whether the robot is at the charger or outside, and this feedback triggers the appropriate cleaning pattern selection. This feedback-based automation achieves a high extent of automation with minimal control system complexity, as the decision-making is driven by simple sensor input rather than complex processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot cleaner to perform a cleaning process by changing a traveling pattern according to a cleaning start position and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The robot cleaner recognizes a current position of the robot cleaner upon receiving the automatic cleaning command. If the automatic cleaning process starts from the charger, the robot cleaner performs the automatic cleaning process using a conventional cleaning method. Otherwise, if the automatic cleaning process starts from the outside of the charger, the robot cleaner changes a traveling pattern, performs the spot cleaning process and then selectively performs the automatic cleaning process.