Abstract:
A cleaning robot includes a chassis, a cleaning device, a moving device, and a control system. The control system is configured to perform functions: capturing an image in front of a cleaning robot by a camera; comparing the image with a number of reference images to determine whether the image is the same as one of the reference images; storing a position of the cleaning robot and the image when the image is the same as one of the reference images; adjusting the path of the cleaning robot to stop the cleaning robot from cleaning the object; and emitting an alarm.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This present application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application, entitled “OBJECT SEARCHING SYSTEM, OBJECT SEARCHING METHOD, AND CLEANING ROBOT”, with application Ser. No. 13/207,679, filed on Aug. 11, 2011, which claims foreign priority based on Taiwanese Patent application No. 100118565, filed in Taiwan on May 27, 2011. The contents of the above-referenced applications are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a cleaning robot, particularly to a cleaning robot including an object searching system and an object searching method. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Many cleaning robots can sweep the room according to commands preset by a user. However, the cleaning robot may not be able to find a non-trash object when the cleaning robot is cleaning the room. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning robot. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the cleaning robot of  FIG. 1 , wherein the cleaning robot includes an object searching system. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the object searching system of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of an object searching method. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
         [0010]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning robot  1  includes a chassis  10 , a control system  11 , a cleaning device  12 , a moving device  15 , a box  16 , a camera  18 , an object searching system  19 , and a locating device  13 . 
         [0011]    The chassis  10  is to cover the control system  11 , the cleaning device  12 , the moving device  15 , and the box  16 . The cleaning device  12  may be a brush for cleaning the floor. The moving device  15  may include a motor, and wheels driven by the motor to move the cleaning robot  1 . The control system  11  is used to set a path and time, and controls the cleaning device  12  and the moving device  15  according to the path and the time. The box  16  is used to store dirt. 
         [0012]    The camera  18  is mounted on the chassis  10  to capture an image in front of the cleaning robot  1 . The locating device  13  tracks a location of the cleaning robot  1 . In the embodiment, the moving motions of the cleaning robot  1  can be regarded as how the cleaning robot  1  arrives at the present location from a starting point. For example, the cleaning robot  1  first goes one meter forward, then turns left and goes one meter forward, and at last, turns left and goes two meters forward. At this condition, a present location of the cleaning robot  1  can be regarded as “go one meter forward, turn left and go one meter forward, turn left and go two meters forward”. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the object searching system  19  includes a processing unit  100 , and a storage unit  110 . The storage unit  110  includes an image storing module  190 , a comparison module  192 , an information storing module  195 , an adjustment module  196 , and an informing module  198 , which may include computer code to be executed by the processing unit  100 . 
         [0014]    The image storing module  190  stores a plurality of images of different objects. Each object corresponds to a plurality of images shot from different angles. The images are regarded as reference images. The different objects are regarded as important objects. Of course, users can add more images to the image storage module  190  or delete some images stored in the image storing module  190 . 
         [0015]    The comparison module  192  compares the image captured by the camera  18  with the reference images stored in the image storing module  190  to determine whether the image captured by the camera  18  is the same as one of the reference images stored in the image storing module  190 . 
         [0016]    If the image captured by the camera  18  is the same as one of the reference images stored in the image storing module  190 , the information storing module  195  stores a position where the locating device  13  tracks at this time and the image captured by the camera  18 . 
         [0017]    In addition, if the image captured by the camera  18  is the same as one of the reference images stored in the image storing module  190 , the adjustment module  196  adjusts the path of the cleaning robot  1  to stop the cleaning robot  1  from cleaning the object. Moreover, the informing module  198  informs the user, such as by emitting an alarm. In the embodiment, the informing module  198  may include a light-emitting diode and/or a buzzer. The user can check the position and the image stored in the information storing module  195  to find out the object. 
         [0018]    If the user is not at home when the informing module  198  informs the user, the user can check the information stored in the information storing module  195  to determine whether the cleaning robot  1  has found an important object during the cleaning of the room after the user comes back. If the cleaning robot  1  has found an important object, the user can check the position and the image stored in the information storing module  195  to find the important object. Moreover, the cleaning robot  1  further includes a button. When the button is pressed, the control system  11  reads the position stored in the information storing module  195 , and controls the moving device  15  to make the cleaning device  1  go to the position. As a result, the user can find the important object. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , an exemplary embodiment of an object searching method includes the following steps. 
         [0020]    In step S 1 , a plurality of images of different objects are stored in the image storing module  190 . Each object corresponds to a plurality of images shot from different angles. 
         [0021]    In step S 2 , the camera  18  captures an image in front of the cleaning robot  1 . 
         [0022]    In step S 3 , the comparison module  192  compares the image captured by the camera  18  with the images stored in the image storing module  190  to determine whether the image captured by the camera  18  is the same as one of the images stored in the image storing module  190 . If the image captured by the camera  18  is the same as one of the images stored in the image storing module  190 , it flows to step S 4 . If the image captured by the camera  18  is not the same as any image stored in the image storing module  190 , it returns to step S 2 . 
         [0023]    In step S 4 , the information storing module  195  stores a position where the locating device  13  is tracking at this moment and the image captured by the camera  18 . 
         [0024]    In step S 5 , the adjustment module  196  adjusts the path of the cleaning robot  1  to stop the cleaning robot  1  from cleaning the object. 
         [0025]    In step S 6 , the informing module  198  informs the user. 
         [0026]    The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of everything above. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skills in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.