Robot Vacuum Wall-Following Control for Corner Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum robots face challenges in effectively cleaning corners and avoiding collisions with walls during wall-following mode, leading to incomplete cleaning and potential damage due to their shape and control methods.
Innovation Solution
A method for operating a mobile, self-propelled device that focuses on maintaining an optimal distance between the front corner of the device and the wall, using a cascaded controller for speed, direction, and distance control, ensuring the side brush has optimal coverage and avoiding collisions by controlling the distance from the front point of the housing corner to the wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the robot vacuum moves extra close to the wall for optimal wall cleaning, then cleaning quality is improved, but collisions with the wall occur causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical distance control (based on robot center position) with a control system that directly manages the distance from the housing corner to the wall. This substitution enables precise positioning that prevents collisions while maintaining optimal cleaning contact, resolving the contradiction between cleaning quality and collision avoidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback control mechanism that continuously monitors and adjusts the robot's position relative to the wall based on the distance from the housing corner. This feedback system ensures the robot maintains the optimal distance for cleaning without colliding, dynamically balancing cleaning effectiveness with collision prevention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the robot vacuum maintains a distance from the wall to avoid collisions, then wall damage is prevented, but cleaning coverage near the wall becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the traditional control reference point (robot center) with the housing corner as the control reference. This mechanical system substitution allows the robot to maintain a precise distance that simultaneously ensures collision avoidance and optimal cleaning coverage, eliminating the trade-off between these two requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If the robot vacuum uses a D-shaped base with protruding corners to reach into corners, then corner cleaning capability is improved, but the outer radius of the collision avoidance circle increases creating uncleaned areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional control approach by not controlling the robot center position, but rather controlling the position of the housing corner directly. This inversion enables the D-shaped robot to utilize its corner geometry for cleaning while the control system compensates for the increased outer radius, preventing uncleaned areas by maintaining precise corner-to-wall distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality control by managing the distance specifically at the housing corner (the critical local point for cleaning) rather than controlling the entire robot body position uniformly. This localized control approach allows the corner cleaning elements to reach into corners while preventing the increased outer radius from creating uncleaned areas.
4Ease of operation
If the robot vacuum turns on the spot to change direction, then maneuverability is improved, but housing corners may collide with walls during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional spot-turning maneuver with a controlled rotational movement where the housing corner distance to the wall is continuously managed. This substitution maintains maneuverability by enabling direction changes while the control system prevents collisions by adjusting the rotation path based on real-time corner-to-wall distance measurements.
Data Source
Figure 1A~2A
Figure 2B~3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
An operating procedure for a mobile, self-propelled device (1) is described, in which the following steps are performed in a wall-following mode: driving the mobile, self-propelled device (1) along a first wall (2); detecting a second wall (3), which in particular forms a wall corner (4) with the first wall (2); moving away from the second wall (2) until a first predetermined distance is established between a front point of a housing corner of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) and the second wall (3); rotating the mobile, self-propelled device (1) about a center point such that the front point of the housing corner points towards the second wall (3) and assumes a second predetermined distance to it;Forward travel of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) such that the mobile, self-propelled device (1) aligns itself parallel to the second wall (3), the second predetermined distance between the front point of the housing corner and the second wall (1) being kept substantially constant during forward travel. A mobile, self-propelled device (1) operated in such a manner is further described.