Moving robot and controlling method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019015984-A1
Application number	US-201816033512-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 12, 2018
Priority date	Jul 12, 2017
Publication date	Jan 17, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A moving robot system includes a moving robot which travels in a cleaning area, generates a map of the cleaning area, moves based on the map, and sucks foreign substances; and a terminal which inputs a cleaning command to the moving robot, based on the map, wherein the moving robot determines that the moving robot is in an isolation state, when the moving robot is unable to move due to a surrounding obstacle while traveling in the cleaning area, and sets a virtual wall in an isolation position where isolation is occurred and avoids the isolation position during a next cleaning operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
an autonomous cleaner the travels in and performs cleaning within a cleaning area, the autonomous cleaner including a controller that generates a map of the cleaning area and manages a movement of the autonomous cleaner based on the map; and a terminal that provides a cleaning command to the autonomous cleaner based on the map, wherein the controller of the autonomous cleaner further:
determines when the autonomous cleaner is in an isolation state in which the autonomous cleaner is unable to move from a region due to an obstacle while traveling in the cleaning area, and
sets a virtual wall at an isolation position associated with a location of autonomous cleaner where the isolation state occurs and avoids the isolation position during another travel operation based on setting the virtual wall.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the autonomous cleaner further includes a communication interface that transmits isolation position data including information on the isolation position and a surrounding area to at least one of the terminal or a server.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller of the autonomous cleaner further determines at least one of a position of the obstacle, a height of the obstacle, or a floor material of the surrounding area when the autonomous cleaner is in the isolation state, and includes information about the determined at least one of the position, the height, or the floor material in the isolation position data.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the autonomous cleaner includes a camera and captures a plurality of still images by repeatedly being stopped after rotating at a certain angle, or captures a moving image or a panoramic image by performing a continuous rotation at a current position the autonomous cleaner is determined to be in the isolation state, and stores the captured still images, moving image, or panoramic image.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a server that analyzes the cleaning area and an operation of the autonomous cleaner through data of the autonomous cleaner,
wherein the server further analyzes isolation position data that includes information on the isolation position and a surrounding area and determines a predicted position of the cleaning area where the autonomous cleaner would in the isolated state, and transmits the predicted position to the autonomous cleaner or the terminal.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the server accumulates and stores the isolation position data, and
analyzes at least one of a shape, a size, or a floor material of an area where the isolation position occurs, a position and a size of surrounding obstacle, and a size of the autonomous cleaner so that an area, in the cleaning area, that satisfies at least one of a same floor material, a same size area, or a structure of obstacle is set as a predicted position.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the server accumulates and stores data of a plurality of autonomous cleaners, and
identifies an isolation occurrence position of the autonomous cleaner, based on the data of the plurality of autonomous cleaners.

8 . The autonomous cleaner system of claim 5 , wherein the autonomous cleaner sets another virtual wall at the predicted position and avoids the predicted position during another travel based on setting the other virtual wall.

9 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the terminal displays the isolation position and the predicted position with the map, and visually distinguishes the isolation position and the predicted position in a display using at least one of respective different shapes, colors, or patterns.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the terminal sets an area to be cleaned by setting or releasing the isolation position and the predicted position in response to receiving a user input, calculates a predicted path avoiding at least one of the isolation position or the predicted position, displays the predicted path on the map, displays a time and a cause of the isolation state at the isolation position when the isolation position is selected from the map, and displays an expected cause for the isolation state when the predicted position is selected.

11 . The autonomous cleaner system of claim 10 , wherein, when at least one of the isolated position or the predicted position is released, the terminal displays an icon associated with the released one of the isolated position or the predicted position and releases the set virtual wall, determines that the released position is a travelable area, determines and displays a new predicted path and, when the deactivated icon is selected, resets the one of the isolated position or the predicted position corresponding to the icon.

12 . A method comprising:
traveling in a cleaning area and generating a map for the cleaning area, by an autonomous cleaner; determining that the autonomous cleaner is in an isolation state in which the autonomous cleaner is unable to move from an isolation position due to an obstacle, during the traveling of the autonomous cleaner; setting a virtual wall so that the autonomous cleaner avoids the isolation position during another travel operation; generating isolation position data including information on the isolation position and a surrounding area; and transmitting the isolation position data to at least one of a terminal or a server.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein generating the isolation position data further includes:
determining, by the autonomous cleaner, at least one of a position of the obstacle, a height of the obstacle, or a floor material of the surrounding area, when the autonomous cleaner is in the isolation state.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein generating the isolation position data further includes:
capturing at least one of a still image, a moving image, and a panoramic image when the autonomous cleaner is in the isolation state.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
analyzing, by the server, the isolation position data received from the autonomous cleaner; determining, by the server, a predicted position in the cleaning area in which the autonomous cleaner may enter the isolated state; and transmitting, by the server, data on the predicted position to at least one of the autonomous cleaner or the terminal.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
accumulating and storing the isolation position data, by the server, wherein determining the predicted position includes: analyzing a shape, a size, and a floor material of an area where the isolation state occurs, a position and a size of surrounding obstacle, and a size of the autonomous cleaner so that an area, in the cleaning area, that satisfies at least one of a same floor material, a same size area, and a structure of obstacle is set as a predicted position.

17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
accumulating and storing data of a plurality of autonomous cleaners, by the server; and learning a non-travelable area for the autonomous cleaner, based on the data of the plurality of autonomous cleaners.

18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
setting a virtual wall in the predicted position, by the autonomous cleaner; displaying the isolation position; and displaying the predicted position within the map, by the terminal.

19 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
calculating, by the terminal, a predicted path that avoids the isolation position and the predicted position;

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Jiwoong
• Jo Hanmin
• Cheon Sunhee
• Hong Minwoo

Classifications

• B25J9/1666 Primary

  Avoiding collision or forbidden zones · CPC title

• B25J9/1679

  characterised by the tasks executed · CPC title

• B25J9/0003

  Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use · CPC title

• B25J9/1661

  characterised by task planning, object-oriented languages · CPC title

• B25J11/0085 Primary

  Cleaning · CPC title