Robot cleaner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional robot cleaners lack the ability to effectively navigate and reach a call position using voice commands when they are not rotatable in the desired direction, leading to user dissatisfaction and potential misinterpretation as a malfunction.

Innovation Solution

The robot cleaner employs a voice recognition unit, direction detection, and control unit to analyze voice commands, detect the call direction, and if not rotatable, it sets and moves along a detour route to reach the call position, while also outputting informative messages for non-movable situations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the robot cleaner is not rotatable in the call direction, then it cannot directly move to the call position, but it can navigate using detour routes to reach the call position

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenavigation capabilityVSAvoidmovement responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The robot cleaner dynamically adjusts its movement strategy based on its rotatability status. When not rotatable, it automatically switches from direct movement to detour navigation, making the system adaptable to different operational constraints without requiring manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit acts as an intermediary that processes the voice command, determines the call direction, checks rotatability status, and automatically selects the appropriate navigation mode (direct movement or detour route), resolving the contradiction between limited mobility and navigation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If the robot cleaner outputs informative messages when not movable, then user understanding is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication clarityVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robot cleaner implements a feedback mechanism where the control unit monitors its own movability status and automatically generates informative messages when movement is restricted. This feedback loop ensures clear communication with the user about the robot's operational state without requiring complex external monitoring systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If the robot cleaner uses detour routes to reach call position, then it can overcome rotatability limitations, but movement time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemovement flexibilityVSAvoidresponse time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit performs preliminary assessment of the robot's rotatability status upon receiving a voice command. By determining beforehand whether direct movement or detour navigation is required, the system minimizes unnecessary delays and optimizes the response time despite the potential need for detour routes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2741159B1Robot cleaner
Publication Date: 2020.09.23 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2741159B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2741159B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2741159B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a robot cleaner. The robot cleaner includes a main body defining an outer appearance of the robot cleaner, a moving unit for moving or rotating the main body, a plurality of receiving units disposed in the main body to receive a user's voice command, and a control unit recognizing a call command occurring direction when the voice command inputted from the plurality of receiving units is a call command. The control unit controls the moving unit so that the main body is moved in the recognized call command occurring direction along the preset detour route.