Robot cleaner and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9504368-B2
Application number	US-201314050767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2013
Priority date	May 14, 2009
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a robot cleaner, the method comprising:
determining whether the robot cleaner is put down on a floor after being lifted up by a user;
recognizing, if determined that the robot cleaner is put down on the floor after being lifted up by the user, a cleaning start location of the robot cleaner relative to a charger;
determining, by a controller, whether the recognized cleaning start location of the robot cleaner is at the charger;
performing an automatic cleaning process along a first traveling pattern if it is determined that the recognized cleaning start location is at the charger; and
performing a spot cleaning process along a second travelling pattern if it is determined that the recognized cleaning start location is away from the charger.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the performing of the spot cleaning process includes first cleaning a region at which the robot cleaner is presently located, along the second traveling pattern.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the second traveling pattern includes a square spiral traveling pattern, a curved spiral traveling pattern, or a zigzag traveling pattern.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising: selectively performing an automatic cleaning process after performing the spot cleaning process.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recognizing of the robot cleaner location includes:
determining whether a voltage is detected at a charging terminal of the robot cleaner, the charging terminal being used to charge a battery of the robot cleaner when the charging terminal contacts the charger, and
determining that the robot cleaner is located away from the charger when no voltage is detected at the charging terminal.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the recognizing of the robot cleaner location includes:
determining whether a voltage is detected at a charging terminal of the robot cleaner, the charging terminal being used to charge a battery of the robot cleaner when the charging terminal contacts the charger, and
determining that the robot cleaner is located at the charger when the voltage is detected at the charging terminal.

7. A robot cleaner, comprising:
a determination unit to determine whether the robot cleaner is put down on a floor after being lifted up by a user;
a sensor to detect, if determined that the robot cleaner is put down on the floor after being lifted up by the user, a cleaning start location of the robot cleaner relative to a charger; and
a controller to determine whether the detected cleaning start location is at the charger, and to perform an automatic cleaning process along a first traveling pattern if it is determined that the detected cleaning start location is at the charger, and to perform a spot cleaning process along a second travelling pattern if it is determined that the detected cleaning start location is away from the charger.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein the controller first cleans a predetermined region at which the robot cleaner is presently located, along the second traveling pattern.

9. The robot cleaner according to claim 8 , wherein the controller performs the spot cleaning process to clean the predetermined region at which the robot cleaner is presently located, and then stops the spot cleaning process after completely cleaning the predetermined region.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 9 , wherein the controller establishes the predetermined region using either a number of rotations or a rotation radius of the second traveling pattern.

11. The robot cleaner according to claim 8 , wherein the controller selectively performs the automatic cleaning process after performing the spot cleaning process.

12. The robot cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein the controller selectively performs the spot cleaning process or the automatic cleaning process according to the cleaning start position, upon receiving the command to perform the cleaning process from the input unit.

13. The robot cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein the cleaning start location of the robot cleaner is detected by determining whether a voltage is detected at a charging terminal of the robot cleaner, the charging terminal being used to charge a battery of the robot cleaner when the charging terminal contacts the charger, and the controller determines that the robot cleaner is located away from the charger when no voltage is detected at the charging terminal.

14. The robot cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein the cleaning start location of the robot cleaner is detected by determining whether a voltage is detected at a charging terminal of the robot cleaner, the charging terminal being used to charge a battery of the robot cleaner when the charging terminal contacts the charger, and the controller determines that the robot cleaner is located at the charger when the voltage is detected at the charging terminal.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chung Woo Ram
• Joo Jae Man
• Kim Dong Won
• Hong Jun Pyo
• Jung Jae Young
• Yoo Kyung Hwan
• Jang Hwi Chan

Classifications

• G05D2105/10

  for cleaning, vacuuming or polishing · CPC title

• G05D1/43

  Control of position or course in two dimensions [2D] · CPC title

• G05D1/648

  Performing a task within a working area or space, e.g. cleaning · CPC title

• A47L9/2873

  Docking units or charging stations (for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02) · CPC title

• G05D1/0272

  comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels (measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00) · CPC title