Robot Cleaner Wall-Following Control Without Reverse Backoff
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robot cleaners face inefficiencies in cleaning the area between the wall and themselves due to limitations in existing sensor technologies, which often result in incomplete cleaning and inefficient operations, such as backward driving after collisions.
Innovation Solution
A robot cleaner equipped with a contact sensor system that uses angular velocities to manage contact signals, allowing it to rotate and maintain contact with the wall without reversing, ensuring thorough cleaning of the area between the wall and the cleaner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bumper sensor is used to detect walls, then the robot cleaner can detect obstacles, but it must drive backward after collision which reduces cleaning efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical bumper sensor system with an optical sensing system using infrared sensors. Instead of physically colliding with walls to detect them, the robot uses infrared sensors to detect reflected light from walls and obstacles, enabling non-contact detection and eliminating the need to back up after collisions, thus maintaining continuous forward motion and improving cleaning efficiency
2Reliability
If a distance sensor is used to approach walls, then the robot cleaner can avoid collision, but it cannot effectively clean the area between the wall and the robot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of the robot's driving speed and sensor detection frequency when operating near walls. By using infrared sensors to continuously monitor wall proximity and adjusting the driving speed accordingly, the robot maintains an optimal distance from walls to ensure complete cleaning coverage while avoiding collisions, thus resolving the contradiction between collision avoidance and cleaning coverage
3Ease of operation
If the robot cleaner drives backward after wall contact, then it can reposition itself, but it loses time and reduces operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical backup-and-reposition system with an optical sensing and continuous forward motion system. Infrared sensors detect walls before contact, and the robot dynamically adjusts its speed and angle to maintain optimal cleaning distance, enabling continuous forward progression without backward movement, thus eliminating time loss and improving operational efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A robot cleaner based on wall following and a controlling method thereof are provided. The robot cleaner includes a first detector configured to generate a wall detection signal by detecting a wall, a second detector configured to generate a first contact signal through contact with the wall, a cleaner main body in which the first and second detectors are disposed and which includes a driver configured to drive on a surface to be cleaned, and a controller which is mounted on the cleaner main body and to which the first and second detectors and the driver are electrically coupled. The controller controls the driver so that the robot cleaner moving to one direction moves along the wall by the wall detection signal, the robot cleaner rotates to a first direction to be in contact with the wall in response to the first contact signal not being generated within a preset time, and the robot cleaner rotates to a second direction opposite to the first direction to be spaced from the wall in response to the generated first contact signal.