Patent Description:
Typically, a robot cleaner may suck foreign matters such as dust from a floor face while traveling by itself within a region to be cleaned without user's manipulation. In other words, the robot cleaner refers to an apparatus that automatically cleans the region area to be cleaned.

Such a robot cleaner may perform cleaning via a cleaning path or automatic travel preset based on an embedded program. In order to perform the cleaning operation while traveling the path automatically, a large number of sensors are used to detect a position, a travel distance, an obstacle, and the like of the robot cleaner.

In one example, various obstacles may exist in the region to be cleaned by the robot cleaner. Further, various methods for controlling the robot cleaner are proposed for the robot cleaner to effectively clean the region to be cleaned with the obstacles.

For example, in order to determine whether to avoid or climb an obstacle, Patent Document <NUM> (<CIT>) discloses a control of sensing an obstacle using a front sensor while a robot cleaner travels, measuring angles of inclination before crossing the obstacle and while crossing the obstacle, and comparing the angles of inclination with each other to determine whether to climb the obstacle.

Further, in order to determine a cleaning order of regions where obstacles are located, Patent Document <NUM> (<CIT>) discloses a method in which a robot cleaner senses the obstacles using a front sensor, then divides regions to be cleaned in advance, then identifies the number of the obstacles in the region sensed by the sensor, then prioritizes the regions in order of ease of cleaning, and then controls a motion of the robot to preferentially clean a region that is easy to clean.

According to the above-described prior art, when there is an obstacle of a low height such as a step, a carpet, or the like in the cleaning area, since the robot cleaner repeatedly climbs and moves the obstacle without any avoidance operation while traveling the cleaning area, the robot cleaner may be restrained at a boundary of the obstacle or the obstacle may be caught by the robot cleaner.

Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed by the present disclosure are intended to solve the problems of the robot cleaner described above.

One of the various challenges of the present disclosure is to provide a robot cleaner and a method for controlling the same in which the robot cleaner may travel a cleaning area while minimizing the number of climbing low height obstacles in the cleaning area.

One of the various challenges of the present disclosure is to provide a robot cleaner and a method for controlling the same in which, when a cleaning area is defined by a threshold, the robot cleaner may climb the threshold to clean the remaining cleaning area after completing cleaning of the cleaning area where the robot cleaner is located.

One of the various challenges of the present disclosure is to provide a robot cleaner and a method for controlling the same in which, when there is a region such as a carpet and a mat that the robot cleaner needs to climb the region to perform cleaning, after completing cleaning of a cleaning area where the robot cleaner is located, the robot cleaner may climb a low height obstacle such as the carpet and the mat and then perform the cleaning.

One of the various challenges of the present disclosure is to provide a robot cleaner and a method for controlling the same in which cleaning may be performed while avoiding a climbable low height obstacle in a cleaning area. <CIT> discloses a cleaning robot of creating a 3Dimensional (3D) obstacle map including information about a height of an object existing on an area to be cleaned, and cleaning the area to be cleaned based on the 3D obstacle map, and a method of controlling the cleaning robot. Another aspect is to provide a cleaning robot of matching, when it moves to another area by an external force during cleaning, a feature point map of an area where the cleaning robot is located before moving with a feature point map of another area where the cleaning robot is located after moving, and performing cleaning based on the matched feature point map, and a method of controlling the cleaning robot. There is provided A cleaning robot including: a main body; a moving portion configured to move the main body; an obstacle sensor configured to sense a height of an obstacle; and a controller configured to create an obstacle map including information about the height of the obstacle. <CIT> presents a robotic vacuum cleaner that comprises: a main body including a drive unit for moving the cleaner; an obstacle detection sensor disposed in the main body so as to detect an obstacle; a tilt measurement sensor for obtaining tilt information of the main body; a storage unit for storing a cleaning map produced on the basis of danger zones including the zone where an obstacle is located; and a control unit for allowing the cleaner to perform cleaning while the main body moves and avoids the danger zones contained in the cleaning map, wherein the control unit determines whether the main body can pass through an obstacle on the basis of the tilt information of the main body, and when the obstacle is determined as an obstacle which restricts the travel of the main body, records the zone in which the obstacle is located as the danger zone on the cleaning map.

In order to solve the various challenges of the present disclosure, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide an improved travel method for a robot cleaner to reduce a restraint of the robot cleaner that may occur at obstacles of climbable height in a cleaning area.

An exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure is to provide a robot cleaner and a method for controlling the same in which the robot cleaner may avoid an obstacle of a climbable height in a cleaning area, then perform all of cleaning of the cleaning area and mapping, and then climb the obstacle.

An exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure is to provide a robot cleaner and a method for controlling the same that may minimize travel at a boundary with an obstacle step of a climbable height.

In an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling a robot cleaner, the method including when the robot cleaner approaches an obstacle in a cleaning area, determining whether the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle, upon determination that the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle, storing a position of a boundary of the obstacle, after storing the position of the boundary, traveling, by the robot cleaner, from the boundary of the obstacle to the cleaning area, and defining a region of the obstacle in the cleaning area based on the boundary.

In one implementation, the method may further include upon determination that the robot cleaner is unable to climb the obstacle, changing a travel path of the robot cleaner. In one implementation, when the region of the obstacle is not definable based on the boundary, the robot cleaner may travel the cleaning area. In one implementation, each of the determining step, the storing step, the traveling step, and the defining step may be performed while mapping the cleaning area and before the robot cleaner starts cleaning.

In one implementation, each of the determining step, the storing step, the traveling step, and the defining step may be performed while the robot cleaner performs cleaning. In one implementation, the cleaning area may include a second region defined by the boundary of the obstacle and a first region defined as a region other than the second region. The defining step may include defining the first region and the second region in the cleaning area.

In one implementation, the robot cleaner may enter the second region after completing cleaning of the first region. In one implementation, the robot cleaner may enter the second region, then complete cleaning of the second region, and then leave the second region.

In one implementation, when the obstacle interferes with the robot cleaner while the robot cleaner is traveling, the robot cleaner may change a travel path thereof.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a robot cleaner includes a body for traveling a cleaning area, a cliff sensor disposed on the body for measuring a height change value, a position sensor for tracking and storing a position of the body, a first controller that determines whether the body is able to climb an obstacle based on information recognized by the cliff sensor, and a second controller that upon determination that the body is able to climb the obstacle, obtains a boundary of the obstacle using the position sensor and defines a region of the obstacle in the cleaning area based on the boundary.

In one implementation, the cleaning area may include the obstacle region and a non-obstacle region other than the obstacle region. The body may have cleaned the non-obstacle region and then enter and clean the obstacle region.

In one implementation, upon determination that the robot cleaner is unable to climb the obstacle, the first controller may change a travel path of the robot cleaner. In one implementation, upon determination that the obstacle region is not definable based on the boundary of the obstacle, the second controller may perform travel of the body.

In one implementation, when the obstacle interferes with the robot cleaner, the second controller may change the travel path of the robot cleaner.

In one implementation, the cleaning area may include the obstacle region and a non-obstacle region other than the obstacle region. The body may have cleaned the non-obstacle region, then enter the obstacle region, and then leave the obstacle region.

Each of the features of the above-described embodiments may be implemented in a combined manner in other embodiments as long as they are not inconsistent or exclusive with other embodiments.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, travel of going up and down a boundary of an environment (a mat, a carpet, a threshold, or the like) having a step in the cleaning area is minimized to reduce a restraint of the robot cleaner and increase an emotional quality of the travel.

Further, restraint and sensor misdetection that may occur in a cleaning environment with a step may be reduced.

Further, intensive cleaning may be performed in a region where an environment of a floor face varies, such as the carpet or the mat.

Further, when creating a map of the cleaning area, the region of the climbable obstacle is defined, which enables more accurate defining of the cleaning area.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification and in which like numerals depict like elements, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numbers in different figures denote the same or similar elements, and as such perform similar functionality. Further, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood that the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present disclosure.

Examples of various embodiments are illustrated and described further below. It will be understood that the description herein is not intended to limit the claims to the specific embodiments described. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

It will be further understood that the terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", and "including" when used in this specification, specify the presence of the stated features, integers, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, operations, elements, components, and/or portions thereof. Expression such as "at least one of" when preceding a list of elements may modify the entire list of elements and may not modify the individual elements of the list.

<FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a robot cleaner according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a control system of a robot cleaner according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, a robot cleaner of the present embodiment may include a body <NUM>, cleaning units <NUM> and <NUM>, a driving unit <NUM>, a sensor unit <NUM>, and a controller <NUM>. Then, a battery (not shown) that provides power to electrically operate the cleaning units <NUM> and <NUM>, the driving unit <NUM>, and the sensor unit <NUM> may be further included.

The battery may be provided as a secondary battery and repeatedly charged. Therefore, a user may use the robot cleaner by repeatedly charging the battery without having to replace the battery or add a battery when a remaining quantity of the battery is small.

The robot cleaner may be coupled to a charging station <NUM> and charged. The charging station <NUM> may be formed to correspond to at least a portion of an outer surface of the robot cleaner. Thus, the robot cleaner may be reliably coupled to the charging station <NUM>.

The body <NUM> may provide a space for parts of the robot cleaner to be embedded therein. Further, the cleaning unit <NUM> and <NUM>, the driving unit <NUM>, the sensor unit <NUM>, and the controller <NUM> to be described below may be coupled to or embedded in the body <NUM>. Thus, the body <NUM> of the robot cleaner may form the outer surface of the robot cleaner.

An upper cover <NUM> is disposed on a top of the body <NUM>. The upper cover <NUM> may be hinge-coupled to one side of the body <NUM> to be pivotable. The upper cover <NUM> may be separated from the body <NUM> and detachable. In a state in which the upper cover <NUM> is disposed to cover a dust collector <NUM>, separation of the dust collector <NUM> may be limited.

Then, a handle <NUM> is provided on a top of the upper cover <NUM> so that the user may grasp the handle <NUM> and pivot or detach the upper cover <NUM> from the body <NUM>.

As the body <NUM> moves, the cleaning unit may perform cleaning of dust, foreign matters, and the like in a cleaning area. The cleaning unit may include a dust suction unit <NUM> for sucking the dust, a nozzle unit (not shown) for moving the sucked dust, a filter unit (not shown) for separating air and the dust from each other, and the dust collector <NUM> for collecting the dust therein. The nozzle unit and the filter unit are provided inside the body <NUM> to suck the dust, the foreign matters, and the like introduced using the dust suction unit <NUM> and filter the dust.

In addition, the cleaning unit is not limited as being illustrated in <FIG>. For example, in <FIG>, a rear-wheel-drive type robot cleaner in which the dust suction unit <NUM> is positioned at a front portion of the robot cleaner, the dust collector <NUM> is provided to have a predetermined height in the robot cleaner, and the driving unit <NUM> is positioned rearward relative to the dust suction unit <NUM> is illustrated, but the robot cleaner is not limited thereto. Robot cleaners with various shapes such as a front-wheel-drive type robot cleaner in which the dust suction unit is positioned at a rear portion of the robot cleaner, a robot cleaner having a shape in which the dust collector <NUM> is disposed inside the body <NUM> and is not exposed to the outside, or the like.

While the robot cleaner travels the cleaning area, the dust suction unit <NUM> may operate to suck in dust, foreign matter, or the like on a floor. In this connection, since the dust and the air are sucked together, the air and the dust moved to the nozzle unit may be separated from each other by the filter unit. The air passed through the filter unit is discharged back to the outside and the sucked dust or foreign matter may be accommodated in the dust collector <NUM>.

The filter unit may be provided in a form of a filter or may be provided to separate the air and the dust in a structural scheme using a cyclone phenomenon.

The dust collector may be provided detachably. When the dust collector is full while the cleaning or after the cleaning, the user may recognize, by a display panel (not shown) or the like, that the dusts collector is full. When the dust collector is full, the dust inside the dust collector may be emptied to perform the cleaning again smoothly.

The cleaning unit may be coupled to the body <NUM>. The cleaning unit and the body <NUM> are not necessarily provided separately and may be integrally formed. However, in order for effective cleaning, the dust suction unit <NUM> may be provided in a polygonal shape to clean a large region. In particular, since the robot cleaner generally performs a straight travel, the suction unit may be preferably provided in a quadrangle.

The driving unit <NUM> may move the body <NUM>. Therefore, it is preferable that the driving unit <NUM> may be provided in a form of wheels and a motor is provided to provide a driving force to the wheels. Further, the wheels may be provided at left and right sides of the body <NUM>, respectively.

The wheels may be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to move or rotate to front, rear, left, and right sides of the body <NUM>. In addition, the wheels may drive independently of each other. To this end, the wheels may be driven by different motors.

As the controller controls the driving of the driving unit <NUM>, the robot cleaner may travel a floor of the cleaning area. The wheel is located below the body <NUM> to travel the body <NUM>. The wheel may be composed of only circular wheels, of circular rollers connected with each other by a belt chain, or of a combination of the circular wheels and the circular rollers connected with each other by the belt chain. Then, an upper portion of the wheel may be placed inside the body <NUM> and a lower portion of the wheel may protrude downward of the body <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the sensor unit and the controller of the present embodiment will be described. The sensor unit <NUM> may collect external environment information required for autonomous travel of the robot cleaner. Then, the travel of the robot cleaner may be controlled by controlling the driving unit <NUM> based on the external environment input from the sensor unit <NUM>.

For example, the sensor unit <NUM> may include an imaging sensor (not shown) that photographs surroundings to create a travel map, a floor detection sensor <NUM> that detects a material of the floor, a cliff sensor <NUM> that may sense a height of a floor face to be traveled by the robot cleaner or an amount of light reflected from the floor face, a position sensor <NUM> that determines a current position of the robot cleaner within the cleaning area, an obstacle sensor <NUM> that senses the obstacle, and the like. In one example, in order for the robot cleaner to recognize the external environment more accurately, additional sensors other than the above-described sensors may be further provided.

For example, a wall detection sensor (not shown) may be included. The robot cleaner may receive information about a cleaning target area by the wall detection sensor, the imaging sensor, the cliff sensor, and the like. That is, while the robot cleaner is traveling, a spatial shape of the cleaning target area may be input by the imaging sensor, the cliff sensor, and the like and the cleaning target area may be segmented into a plurality of cleaning areas by the wall detection sensor.

However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described example, which is merely an embodiment, and the imaging sensor, the cliff sensor <NUM>, or the obstacle sensor <NUM> may simultaneously perform wall sensing.

In one example, the obstacle described in the present disclosure collectively refers to an obstacle that the robot cleaner is unable to climb such as a wall and an obstacle that the robot cleaner is able to climb such as a carpet, a mat, and a threshold. Therefore, in a paragraph, the meaning of the obstacle may be defined by whether the robot cleaner is able climb the obstacle.

The imaging sensor may sense only the cleaning target area and the position sensor <NUM> may specify the position of the body <NUM> to specify the cleaning area where the robot cleaner performs the cleaning. As the position of the robot cleaner in the cleaning area is specified, movement in the cleaning area, or movement to the next cleaning area may be performed.

In an example of the specifying of the cleaning area and the position of the robot cleaner, the robot cleaner may perform mapping while traveling the cleaning target area and form a grid in a space of the cleaning target area set by the mapping. A position of the robot cleaner in the grid may be specified as a coordinate value. In one example, this corresponds to one embodiment, and the mapping of the cleaning area and the specifying of the position of the robot cleaner may be performed by various methods.

Further, the floor detection sensor <NUM> may be a sensor for sensing the material of the floor. The cleaning target area where the robot cleaner is used may vary for each user. For example, the floor material of the cleaning target area may be marble or a floor paper. Further, the floor may be formed of a material other than the above-described examples.

Depending on the material of the floor material, an intensity at which the dust suction unit <NUM> is driven to effectively suck the dust may vary. For example, the dust suction unit <NUM> should be operated more strongly in a region with the carpet than when the cleaning is performed on a general floor paper to effectively perform the cleaning. The controller <NUM> of the robot cleaner may be provided to control the operation intensity of the dust suction unit <NUM> based on a type of the floor material.

The obstacle sensor <NUM> may determine whether the obstacle exists in the cleaning target area. The obstacle sensor <NUM> may be provided integrally with or separately from the above-described imaging sensor, cliff sensor, or the like. In other words, the obstacle sensor <NUM> may serve as the imaging sensor.

As the obstacle sensor <NUM> senses the obstacle, the travel path of the robot cleaner may change. In detail, when the robot cleaner senses the obstacle such as the wall while traveling, the robot cleaner is moved to bypass the obstacle.

However, when a conventional robot cleaner senses an obstacle while traveling and it is determined by the cliff sensor <NUM> that the obstacle has a low height and therefore the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner will move along an initially input travel path and climb the obstacle. In this case, when the low height obstacle is the obstacle such as the carpet, the mat, or the threshold, as the robot cleaner moves along the initially input travel path, the robot cleaner continuously goes up and down a boundary step of the obstacle. As a result, a restraint phenomenon, increase of battery consumption, stopping of the travel of the robot cleaner due to the obstacle, and the like may occur. Therefore, the present embodiment is intended to provide a method for controlling the robot cleaner that allows the robot cleaner to bypass the obstacle even in a case in which the obstacle has a height low enough to be climbed, perform the cleaning, and then climb the low height obstacle. Further, this will be described below.

As described above, the controller <NUM> basically controls the travel of the robot cleaner depending on the external environment inputted from the sensor unit. In <FIG>, a first controller that determines whether the body is able to climb the obstacle based on information recognized by the cliff sensor <NUM> and a second controller that sets a boundary of the obstacle and defines an obstacle region in the cleaning area are illustrated.

However, the functions of the controller and the components of the controller are not necessarily limited thereto. The first controller may control the travel of the robot cleaner after determining whether the body is able to climb the obstacle. Further, the second controller may control the travel of the robot cleaner after defining the cleaning area. Further, as described above, the material of the floor may be determined based on the external environment input by the floor detection sensor <NUM>.

The first controller <NUM> may measure a height change value from the floor face to the obstacle based on the information recognized by the cliff sensor <NUM> and then determine whether the body <NUM> is able to climb the obstacle. When the obstacle is determined to be out of a body's climbable range, the first controller <NUM> may change the travel path of the body <NUM>.

In addition, when the obstacle is determined within the climbable range of the body <NUM>, the second controller <NUM> may set the boundary of the obstacle by the position sensor <NUM> and define the obstacle region in the cleaning area. Then, when the obstacle interferes with the robot cleaner on the travel path of the body <NUM>, the travel path of the robot cleaner may be changed.

The case in which the obstacle interferes with the robot cleaner means a case in which the robot cleaner climbs the low height obstacle by the cliff sensor <NUM>, the shooting sensor, and the like.

According to the robot cleaner and the method for controlling the same of the present embodiment to be described below, while mapping the cleaning area, the robot cleaner may store a boundary position of the low height obstacle, travel the cleaning area, determine whether the region of the obstacle is able to be defined, and then define the region of the obstacle. Further, while cleaning, the robot cleaner may define first and second regions <NUM> and <NUM> including the second region <NUM>, which is defined by the boundary of the obstacle and the first region <NUM>, which is defined as a region other than the second region in the cleaning area. After cleaning the first region <NUM>, the robot cleaner may enter the second region <NUM>.

Therefore, even when the obstacle of the low height that may be climbed during the travel of the robot cleaner is recognized as described above, when the condition (defining the region of the obstacle during the mapping and completing the cleaning of the first region <NUM>) is not satisfied, the robot cleaner does not climb the obstacle, but travels the cleaning area.

The low height obstacle means, for example, the carpet, the mat, and the threshold. Further, the carpet and mat itself may be set as the cleaning target region. As described above, the carpet and the mat may be entered and cleaned after cleaning the floor face. Then, in the case of the threshold, after cleaning of one of the cleaning areas segmented by the threshold is completed, the robot cleaner may perform the climbing to move to another cleaning area and perform cleaning of another cleaning area. In one example, even in the case of the threshold, since the robot cleaner may perform the cleaning at the same time as climbing, the threshold may be distinguished as the cleaning area.

<FIG> and <FIG> are flowcharts illustrating a method for controlling a robot cleaner according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Operations of the robot cleaner described in each flowchart may be performed by various robot cleaners including the above-described components.

Referring to <FIG>, the body <NUM> of the robot cleaner travels the cleaning area (S100) and then senses the obstacle during the travel (S120). When the robot cleaner senses the obstacle, the robot cleaner determines whether the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle (S200). When the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner stores the position of the obstacle boundary and then travels the cleaning area (S300).

Then, when the robot cleaner is not able to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner changes the travel path (S210) to travel the cleaning area. In one example, when the robot cleaner stores the boundary position of the obstacle and travels the cleaning area in S300, and when the obstacle is positioned on the travel path of the robot cleaner and interferes with the travel of the robot cleaner as described above, the robot cleaner avoids the obstacle and travels the cleaning area.

In detail, the cleaning area may include the second region <NUM> defined by the boundary of the obstacle and the first region <NUM> defined as the remaining region other than the second region <NUM>. The robot cleaner stores the boundary position of the obstacle and then travels the first region <NUM> of the cleaning area.

In one example, the robot cleaner determines whether the region of the obstacle is definable (S400) while traveling the cleaning area from the boundary of the obstacle. This is because the robot cleaner is able to define the region of the obstacle after storing the boundary position of the obstacle and after storing position data for defining the region of the obstacle.

Therefore, when the obstacle boundary position data is not stored enough to define the region of the obstacle, the robot cleaner travels the cleaning area again (S100). When the obstacle boundary position data is stored enough to define the region of the obstacle, the robot cleaner defines the region of the obstacle (S500).

In addition, the travel of the cleaning area of the present embodiment may mean continuous travel or may mean discontinuous travel. The continuous travel may repeatedly perform, at the same time as the storing of the obstacle boundary position and the traveling, by the robot cleaner, of the cleaning area are started in S300, a series of steps of determining whether the region of the obstacle is definable, traveling the cleaning area defined as a non-obstacle region upon determination that the region of the obstacle is definable, traveling again the cleaning area to sense the obstacle upon determination that the region of the obstacle is not definable, and determining the obstacle boundary position.

The discontinuous travel may be understood as stopping the traveling while performing each process in the above-described steps and then traveling again.

The above-described series of steps may be performed at the step of mapping the cleaning target area before the robot cleaner starts the cleaning. In the mapping step, the second region <NUM> defined by the boundary of the obstacle and the first region <NUM> other than the second region <NUM> are defined. In the step of mapping the cleaning area, the mapping may be performed without climbing a boundary step of the second region <NUM>. In the cleaning of the cleaning area, after the cleaning of the first region <NUM> is completed, the second region <NUM> may be entered and the cleaning of the second region <NUM> may be completed. That is, the step boundary of the second region <NUM> may be climbed to the minimum.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating a series of flows of defining the region of the obstacle while cleaning the cleaning area, then cleaning the non-obstacle region other than the obstacle region, and then entering the obstacle region.

The robot cleaner performs the cleaning while traveling the cleaning area. In detail, the robot cleaner performs the cleaning of the first region <NUM> (S110) and detects the obstacle present in the cleaning area (S120). The robot cleaner detected the obstacle determines whether the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle (S200). Upon determination that the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner stores the position of the boundary of the obstacle and travels the first region <NUM>. Then, upon determination that the robot cleaner is unable to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner changes the travel path thereof S210 to perform the travel of the first region <NUM>.

In addition, even when the robot cleaner is determined to be able to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner does not climb the obstacle. Further, when the obstacle interferes with the robot cleaner on the travel path thereof, the robot cleaner changes the travel path to travel the first region <NUM> while avoiding the obstacle.

Then, the robot cleaner determines whether the region of the obstacle is definable (S400). Upon determination that the obstacle region is definable by the stored position of the obstacle boundary, the robot cleaner defines the obstacle region (S500). Further, upon determination that the obstacle region is not definable, the robot cleaner travels the first region <NUM>.

After the obstacle region is defined, the robot cleaner determines whether the cleaning of the first region <NUM> is completed. Whether the cleaning of the first region <NUM> is completed may mean that determining whether the first region <NUM> travel of the robot cleaner is completed. Therefore, when the cleaning of the first region <NUM> is not completed, the robot cleaner resumes the cleaning while traveling the first region <NUM>. Further, when the cleaning of the first region <NUM> is determined to be completed, the robot cleaner enters the second region <NUM> and performs the cleaning (S700).

<FIG> is a view illustrating a cleaning area travel of an existing robot cleaner. In <FIG>, a first region <NUM> and a third region <NUM> are separated from each other by a second region <NUM> defined as a threshold boundary. In <FIG>, the cleaning area is divided into a second region <NUM> defined as a boundary of the carpet, mat, or the like and a first region <NUM> other than the second region <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, when an obstacle such as a wall that the robot cleaner is unable to climb is detected while traveling in the first region <NUM>, a conventional robot cleaner changes a travel path of the robot cleaner at the wall <NUM> and then travel the first region <NUM>.

Then, when an obstacle with a height low enough to climb, such as the second region <NUM>, is detected, the robot cleaner goes up and down a boundary step of the obstacle while climbing the obstacle.

In other words, after determining whether the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle detected in the cleaning area, when the height of the obstacle is out of a climbable range of the robot cleaner, the robot cleaner changes the travel path thereof to avoid the obstacle. However, when the height of the obstacle is low enough to climb, the robot cleaner climbs the obstacle and travels the cleaning area without changing the travel path thereof.

In this case, as described above, a restraint phenomenon of the robot cleaner may occur as the boundary step of the obstacle is repeatedly climbed. Alternatively, jamming of the obstacle may occur at the boundary of the obstacle. Alternatively, the battery consumption of the robot cleaner may increase due to the continuous climbing travel.

<FIG> is a view illustrating a cleaning area travel of a robot cleaner according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In <FIG>, a first region <NUM> and a third region <NUM> are separated from each other by a second region <NUM> defined as a threshold boundary. In <FIG>, the cleaning area is divided into a second region <NUM> defined as a boundary of the carpet, mat, or the like and a first region <NUM> other than the second region <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a robot cleaner of the present embodiment detects an obstacle while performing cleaning of the first region <NUM>. Further, when the robot cleaner is unable to climb an obstacle, the robot cleaner changes a travel path thereof <NUM> to travel the first region <NUM>. Then, even when the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner changes the travel path thereof <NUM> to travel the first region <NUM>. When the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner may store a boundary position of the obstacle as described above and may divide the second region <NUM> defined by the boundary of the obstacle from the first region <NUM>.

Then, after cleaning of the first region <NUM> is completed, the robot cleaner climbs the second region <NUM> and enters the third region <NUM> to perform cleaning of the third region <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, a robot cleaner of the present embodiment senses the obstacle while performing cleaning of the first region <NUM>. When the robot cleaner is unable to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner changes a travel path thereof <NUM> to travel the first region <NUM>. Then, even when the robot cleaner is able to climb the obstacle, when the obstacle interferes with the robot cleaner on the travel path thereof, the robot cleaner changes the travel path thereof <NUM> to travel the first region <NUM>.

That is, when the obstacle is positioned on the travel path of the robot cleaner and the robot cleaner needs to climb the obstacle, the robot cleaner changes the travel path thereof <NUM>. When the obstacle is positioned out of the travel path of the robot cleaner and does not interfere with the movement of the robot cleaner, the robot cleaner travels <NUM> without changing the travel path thereof.

In other words, the robot cleaner moves along the boundary of the obstacle to store the position of the obstacle boundary, then defines the region of the obstacle, then completes the cleaning of the first region <NUM>, and then enters the second region <NUM>, thereby minimizing the climbing of the obstacle boundary step.

Claim 1:
A method for controlling a robot, the method comprising:
traveling (S100) a cleaning area and then sensing (S120) an obstacle during the travel;
determining (S200) whether the robot is able to travel over the obstacle in the cleaning area;
changing (S210) a travel path of the robot when the robot is determined to be unable to travel over the obstacle; and
storing (S300) position information of a boundary of the obstacle when the robot is determined to be able to travel over the obstacle, and after storing the position information, traveling the cleaning area, by the robot;
characterized in that:
defining (S500), in the cleaning area, an obstacle region and a non-obstacle region based on the boundary of the obstacle, wherein the cleaning area includes: the obstacle region defined by the boundary of the obstacle and the non-obstacle region defined as a region other than the obstacle region;
wherein when the obstacle and a non-obstacle regions are not definable based on the boundary of the obstacle, the robot travels (S100) the cleaning area again;
wherein each of the determining, the storing, the traveling, and the defining are performed while the robot is performing cleaning; and
wherein after completing cleaning of the non-obstacle region, the robot is configured to enter into the obstacle region.