Patent Publication Number: US-2013228199-A1

Title: Cleaning robot and control method thereof

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/606,106 filed on Mar. 2, 2012, and Taiwan Patent Application No. 101124360, filed on Jul. 6, 2012, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a cleaning robot, and more particularly to a cleaning robot comprising a shock sensor module. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Cleaning floors takes a lot of time. To reduce the time for cleaning a floor, many cleaning devices have been developed, such as a broom, a mop and so forth. However, the cleaning devices must be manually operated for cleaning. Thus, conventional cleaning devices are inconvenient. 
     With technological development, many electronic devices have been developed, such as robots. Taking a cleaning robot as an example, the cleaning robot can autonomously execute a cleaning action. A user is not required to manually operate the cleaning robot to clean a floor. Thus, the cleaning robot has gradually replaced conventional cleaning devices. However, the conventional cleaning robot cannot satisfy with different surrounding environments. Additionally, the conventional cleaning robot is easily affected by magnetic fields, and surrounding light and voices. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a cleaning robot comprises a movement module, a cleaning module, a shock sensor module and a control module. The movement module comprises a plurality of rollers. The cleaning module comprises a suction aperture, a cleaning brush, and a dust collection box. The shock sensor module detects a shock and generates a detection signal. The control module controls at least one of the movement module and the cleaning module according to the detection signal. 
     In accordance with a further embodiment, a control method for a cleaning robot comprises: moving the robot; detecting a shock to generate a detection signal; and controlling an operation of the robot according to the detection signal. 
     A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning robot; 
         FIG. 2  is a surface diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning robot; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a control method for a cleaning robot. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot  100  comprises a shock sensor module  110 , a control module  130 , a movement module  150 , and a cleaning module  170 . The shock sensor module  110  detects a shock to generate a detection result and generates a detection signal S D  according to the detection result. The control module  130  controls at least one of the movement module  150  and the cleaning module  170  according to the detection signal S D . 
     In an embodiment, the control module  130  utilizes a control signal S C1  to control the movement module  150  to adjust a traveling route of the cleaning robot  100 . In another embodiment, the control module  130  utilizes a control signal S C2  to control the cleaning module  170  to adjust a cleaning function of the cleaning robot  100 . 
     The control module  130  obtains information about the surrounding environment according to the detection signal S D  and controls at least one of the movement module  150  and the cleaning module  170  according to the obtained information about the surrounding environment. Thus, the traveling route or the cleaning function of the cleaning robot  100  can be adjusted when the surrounding environment is changed. Additionally, the traveling route or the cleaning function of the cleaning robot  100  is not affected by magnetic fields, light or voices in the surrounding environment. 
       FIG. 2  is a surface diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a cleaning robot. The cleaning robot  100  comprises a base case  200 . The movement module  150  is disposed under the base case  200 . In this embodiment, the movement module  150  comprises rollers  151 ˜ 153 . 
     The control module  130  controls the rotational direction and the rotational of speed of the rollers  151 ˜ 153  according to the control signal S C1 . The control module  130  sends a stop command, a start command, a speed-up command, and a speed-down command to control the rollers  151 ˜ 153  such that the cleaning robot  100  has a rotation function and a cruise function. 
     For example, when the cleaning robot  100  collides with an obstacle or the cleaning robot  100  is slantwise or jumps due to an external force applied to the cleaning robot  100 , the shock sensor module  110  is capable of detecting a shock and generating the detection signal S D . The control module  130  adjusts the rotational direction of the cleaning robot  100  according to the detection signal S D  to avoid the obstacle or to leave an uneven ground area. 
     In this embodiment, the shock sensor module  110  comprises a gravity sensor  111  to detect the shock generated by the base case  200 , but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the shock sensor module  110  comprises a plurality of gravity sensors to detect other shocks generated by other sources. 
     The invention does not limit the type of the gravity sensor. In one embodiment, the gravity sensor  111  is a one-axis sensor to detect a shock coming from a specific direction. In other embodiments, to detect the shocks coming from multi-direction, the shock sensor module  110  comprises a plurality of one-axis sensors or the gravity sensor  111  is a multi-axis sensor. 
     Since the gravity sensor can detect the shocks coming from different directions, when the position of the cleaning robot  100  shifts due to an external force applied to the cleaning robot  100 , the external force causes a shock and the gravity sensor can detect the shock to generate a detection signal S D . The control module  130  obtains information about the source and the strength of the external force according to the detection signal S D  generated by the gravity sensor and then controls the operation of the cleaning robot  100 , such as to stop all movement or change a rotational direction. 
     Since the rotational direction of the cleaning robot  100  relates to the shock event, when the surrounding environment comprises magnetic fields, light or a voice and the magnetic field, the light or the voice cannot be eliminated from the surrounding environment, the rotational direction of the cleaning robot  100  is not affected by the magnetic field, the light or the voice. Furthermore, to use the cleaning robot  100 , a user is not required to remove some electronic apparatuses because the cleaning robot  100  is not affected by the electronic apparatuses. 
     In this embodiment, the cleaning module  170  comprises a cleaning brush  171 , a suction aperture  173 , and a dust collection box  175 . The control module  130  obtains information about the surrounding environment according to the detection signal S D  and then controls the operation of the cleaning module  170  according to the control signal S C2  such that the cleaning module  170  provides a different cleaning effects for different surrounding environments. For example, the control module  130  controls the rotational speed of the cleaning brush  171 , the suction of the suction aperture  173  or the air flow rate of the dust collection box  175  to adjust the cleaning function of the cleaning robot  100 . 
     In other embodiments, the suction aperture  173  has an air-stream flow channel. A piezoelectric film (not shown) is disposed in the air-stream flow channel. Before particles enter the dust collection box  175 , the particles first pass through the piezoelectric film. The particles collide with or are compressed into the piezoelectric film to change the shape of the piezoelectric film. Thus, the voltage of the piezoelectric film is changed due to the deformed shape. The shock sensor module  110  detects the voltage change of the piezoelectric film to generate the detection signal S D . The control module  130  obtains information about the amount of the particles according to the detection signal S D  and controls the operation of the cleaning module  170  according to the obtained result. 
     For example, when the cleaning robot  100  is in a dirty region, the voltage change of the piezoelectric film is larger. Thus, the control module  130  increases the cleaning effect of the cleaning module  170 . Contrarily, when the cleaning robot  100  exists in a region, that does not have a lot of particles, the voltage change of the piezoelectric film is smaller. Thus, the control module  130  decreases or maintains the cleaning effect of the cleaning module  170 . 
     Since the control module  130  can dynamically adjust the cleaning function of the cleaning module according to the surrounding environment, the cleaning effect of the cleaning module  170  can be maintained in an optimum effect to increase the cleaning function of the cleaning robot  100 . Additionally, since the cleaning module  170  is not required to provide a high cleaning effect, the power consumption of the cleaning robot  100  is reduced. 
     When the cleaning robot  100  operates on a hard floor, such as a wood floor, the shock sensor module  110  can detect a first shock. When the cleaning robot  100  operates on a soft floor, such as a floor with a rug, the shock sensor module  110  can detect a second shock. The control module  130  adjusts the operation of the cleaning module  170  according to the different shocks. 
     Furthermore, when the cleaning robot  100  moves from the hard floor to the soft floor, since the height of the floor is changed, the shock sensor module  110  detects a shock. The control module  130  adjusts the operation of the cleaning module  170  according to the shock such that the cleaning module  170  provides a different cleaning effect for different surrounding environments. 
     In other embodiments, the control module  130  generates a control signal S C3  to a notice module  190  according to the detection signal S D . The notice module  190  provides notice information according to the control signal S C3 . A user obtains information about a present cleaning status according to the notice information. 
     The invention does not limit the type of the notice information. In one embodiment, the type of the notice information is an image, a voice or a shock. In other embodiments, the type of the notice information is light or data. 
     In one embodiment, the notice module  190  is a display panel, an indicator light, a voice generator or a shock generator. A user obtains information about the current cleaning status according to the image displayed in the display panel, the on-off status of the indicator light, the voice generated by the voice generator and the status of the shock generator. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a control method for a cleaning robot. First, the cleaning robot is controlled to move (step S 310 ). In one embodiment, the cleaning robot comprises rollers. The rotational direction and speed of the rollers are controlled to control the traveling route of the cleaning robot. 
     A shock is detected (step S 330 ). In one embodiment, the shock is detected by at least one gravity sensor. The invention does not limit the type of the gravity sensor. For example, the gravity sensor is a single-axis sensor, a two-axis sensor or a three-axis sensor. The gravity sensors are arranged to detect shocks coming from different directions. 
     The invention does not limit the source of the shock detected by step S 330 . In one embodiment, the shock detected by step S 330  comes from a base case of the cleaning robot. When the cleaning robot collides with an obstacle or suffers a blow from an external force, a shock is generated from the base case of the cleaning robot. Thus, the conditions of the surrounding environment can be obtained according to the shock. 
     In another embodiment, step S 330  detects the voltage change of the piezoelectric film disposed in the suction aperture of the cleaning robot. In this case, a piezoelectric film is disposed in an air-stream flow channel of the suction aperture of the cleaning robot (step S 300 ). When particles pass through the piezoelectric film, since the piezoelectric film is compressed or collided, the shape of the piezoelectric film is changed. Thus, the voltage of the piezoelectric film is changed. The amount of the particles can be obtained according to the voltage change of the piezoelectric film. 
     The operation of the cleaning robot is controlled according to the detection result (step S 350 ). In one embodiment, step S 350  controls the traveling route of the cleaning robot. For example, when the cleaning robot moves, the cleaning robot may collide with an obstacle or suffer a blow from an external force, accordingly, the position of the cleaning robot shifts such that a shock is generated. Thus, the conditions of the surrounding environment can be obtained according to the result of detecting the shock. The traveling route of the cleaning robot is adjusted to avoid the obstacle according to the obtained information about the surrounding environment. 
     In other embodiments, step S 350  controls at least one of the suction and the air flow rate of the cleaning robot. For example, when the cleaning robot is in a region and the region has a lot of particles, the voltage change of the piezoelectric film is larger. Thus, at least one of the suction or the air flow rate of the cleaning robot or both is increased. Alternatively, if the voltage change of the piezoelectric film is smaller, at least one of the suction or the air flow rate of the cleaning robot or both is reduced or maintained to reduce the power consumption of the cleaning robot. 
     In another embodiment, step S 350  controls one or a combination of a display light, a display panel and a voice generator of the cleaning robot to display a dynamic image, a static image, or a light or data. A user obtains information about the current cleaning status according to the displayed information. In other embodiments, the cleaning robot generates a shock according to the detection result such that the user immediately obtains information about the current cleaning status. 
     Since the operation of the cleaning robot is determined by the conditions of the surrounding environment, the cleaning robot provides a different cleaning effect for different surrounding environments. Further, the operation of the cleaning robot is associated with a shock such that magnetic fields, light and a voice occurring in the surrounding environment do not interfere with the cleaning robot. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.