Robot cleaner, robot cleaner system and control method of the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9750382-B2
Application number	US-201414583954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	Dec 27, 2013
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A robot cleaner includes a case, a suction device provided in the case, a suction nozzle for sucking dust from a floor by driving of the suction device, a dust collection device for collecting foreign substances contained in the air sucked via the suction nozzle, a driving unit for allowing the case to drive automatically, a controller for controlling the driving of the suction device and the driving unit, and for generating cleaning history information comprising map information on a cleaning area and moving path information, a memory unit for storing the cleaning history information; and a wireless communication module provided in the case to transmit the cleaning history information to the external terminal, when the external terminal asks the cleaning history information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot cleaner comprising:
a case;
a suction device provided in the case;
a suction nozzle configured to suck dust from a floor by driving of the suction device;
a dust collection device for collecting foreign substances contained in the air sucked via the suction nozzle;
a drive module including wheels to allow movement;
a controller configured to control the driving of the suction device and the drive module, and configured to generate cleaning history information, the cleaning history information including map information on a cleaning area and moving path information;
a memory configured to store the cleaning history information; and
a wireless communication module provided in the case and configured to transmit the cleaning history information to an external terminal when the robot cleaner receives a signal requesting cleaning history information transmitted from an external terminal,
wherein the cleaning history information includes bibliographical information for distinguishing a series of cleanings from start to end of the cleanings from other cleanings,
wherein the robot cleaner creates the bibliographical information as an individual list, wherein a preset number of individual lists are stored in a chronological order, and a new individual list replaces an oldest individual list for storage when the preset number has been reached.

2. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the bibliographical information includes at least one of a cleaning date, a cleaning start time, a cleaning end time and a cleaning mode.

3. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the robot cleaner starts to record the cleaning history information when the cleaning starts, and
the robot cleaner stores the individual list based on the recorded cleaning information when the cleaning ends normally.

4. The robot cleaner of claim 3 , wherein the normal ending of the cleaning comprises at least one of restituting of the robot cleaner to a recharging base after the cleaning, restituting of the robot cleaner after charging a battery and external inputting of the cleaning ending.

5. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the individual list is not stored by the robot cleaner when the cleaning ends abnormally.

6. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the robot cleaner stores a map file corresponding to a map information on a cleaning area for each of the individual lists and a moving path file corresponding to the moving path information.

7. The robot cleaner of claim 6 , wherein the robot cleaner transmits the individual list and the moving path file separately.

8. The robot cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication module comprises a Wi-Fi module provided with an Access Point (AP) by the robot cleaner.

9. The robot cleaner of claim 8 , further comprising:
an NFC module provided in the case to provide an AP (Access Point) information to an external terminal via NFC communication for access to the AP.

10. A robot cleaner system comprising:
a robot cleaner configured to provide cleaning history information including map information of a cleaning area and moving path information; and
a mobile terminal configured to wirelessly communicate with the robot cleaner, to request the robot cleaner for the cleaning history information, to display a map based on the received cleaning history information and to display a sequential moving path of the robot cleaner on the displayed map,
wherein the robot cleaner transmits the cleaning history information to the mobile terminal when the robot cleaner receives, from the mobile terminal, a signal requesting cleaning history information,
wherein the cleaning history information includes bibliographical information for distinguishing a series of cleanings from start to end of the cleanings from other cleanings, and
wherein the robot cleaner creates the bibliographical information as an individual list, wherein a preset number of individual lists are stored in a chronological order, and a new individual list replaces an oldest individual list for storage when the preset number has been reached.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Bongju
• Choe Suuk
• Lee Sunghun

Classifications

• G05D2105/10

  for cleaning, vacuuming or polishing · CPC title

• G05D1/221

  Remote-control arrangements · CPC title

• G05D1/43

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

• G05D2201/0203

  Physics · mapped topic

• A47L11/4011 Primary

  Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor · CPC title