KR101849970B1 - Robot Cleaner and Method for Controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a robot cleaner, which comprises: a main body having a drive unit for movement; an image detection unit installed at one side of the main body to photograph a ceiling scene and acquire an image from the photographed image; and a control unit determining that the main body enters a lower space of a specific object based on brightness measured in the image obtained from the image detection unit. The control unit determines the lower space of the specific object as a cleanable area or a cleaning restricting area based on a change in the brightness in the acquired image.

Description

(Robot Cleaner and Method for Controlling the Same)

The present invention relates to a robot cleaner and a method for controlling the robot cleaner.

Generally, a vacuum cleaner is a household appliance that sucks and removes foreign matters on the floor. A robot cleaner that automatically performs cleaning of such a cleaner is called a robot cleaner. The robot cleaner sucks foreign matter on the bottom surface by moving it by the driving force of the motor operated by the battery. In addition, the robot cleaner includes an obstacle sensor so as to avoid an obstacle while driving, and runs and cleans itself.

In order to clean all the areas while the robot cleaner travels by itself, a cleaning map should be created, and the area that has been cleaned and the area that has not been cleaned should be determined in the created cleaning map.

Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2011-0056161 (published on May 26, 2011) discloses a position recognition unit that includes at least one distance sensor and recognizes the position of the robot cleaner in the cleaning area. And a control unit that divides the cleaning area into a plurality of sectors, adjusts the moving angle according to the moving path, and corrects the position of the robot cleaner based on the moving path and the moving angle .

The robot cleaner includes an obstacle detection unit for detecting an obstacle. When an obstacle is detected during traveling, the robot cleaner performs an operation to avoid the obstacle.

The robot cleaner can not avoid the obstacle and is caught by the obstacle, so that the traveling can be stopped. In this case, the robot cleaner must forcibly escape from the obstacle by the user.

On the other hand, in a state where the robot cleaner enters the lower space of an object such as a bed, a table, and a couch, the obstacle obstructs the traveling of the robot and the traveling can be stopped. In this case, since the robot cleaner is difficult to be identified by the user, the user can not confirm the position of the robot cleaner, so that the robot cleaner can not escape from the lower space of the object.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot cleaner and a control method of the robot cleaner that can determine whether or not to continue entering the space in which the robot is traveling.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a robot cleaner and a control method of the robot cleaner that can accurately determine whether or not the robot continues to enter a space in a running state.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a robot cleaner capable of switching directions and traveling in different directions when it is determined that a lower space of a specific object can not enter, and a control method thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a robot cleaner capable of designating a limited area on a cleaning map and avoiding a limited area in a cleaning process when it is determined that a lower space of a specific object can not enter, have.

A robot cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body having a drive unit for movement; An image detecting unit installed at one side of the main body to photograph a ceiling scene and acquire an image from the photographed image; And a control unit that determines that the main body enters the lower space of the specific object based on the brightness measured in the image obtained from the image detection unit.

The control unit determines the lower space of the specific object as the cleanable area or the cleaning clean area based on the brightness change in the acquired image.

The control unit determines that when the first detection region having a brightness lower than the brightness set in the acquired image is detected, the control unit enters the lower space of the specific object.

When the second detection region having a brightness higher than the first detection region is detected in the image obtained after the first detection region is detected, the control unit determines that the lower space of the specific object is a cleanable region .

The control unit may be configured to determine whether the second detection region having a brightness higher than the first detection region is detected until the first detection region is moved a predetermined distance from the point of time when the first detection region is detected, , The lower space of the specific object is determined as a cleaning restriction area.

The control unit switches the direction to a second traveling direction different from the first traveling direction when the main space is determined as the cleaning restriction area while the lower space of the specific object is in the first traveling direction And the vehicle is running.

And an output unit capable of outputting the state of the main body to at least one of sound, text, and an image.

The control unit may output a warning alarm through the output unit when the main body can not escape from the lower space of the specific space within the second set time.

And the image detection unit includes an area dividing section for dividing the area of the obtained image based on the measured brightness.

The area dividing unit may divide the image into at least one area in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the main body.

Each of the detection regions is a region within each divided region.

The region dividing unit may divide the image based on at least one predetermined brightness value.

And a block dividing unit for dividing the image obtained by the image detecting unit into a set number of blocks.

And a brightness measuring unit for measuring an average brightness of the blocks divided by the block dividing unit.

The control unit determines the first state block when the brightness of the measured block in the brightness measuring unit is equal to or greater than the set brightness.

The control unit determines the second state block when the brightness of the block is equal to or less than the set brightness.

The control unit is characterized in that the first detection area is determined as the area where the number of the second state blocks attached to each other is equal to or larger than the set number.

Then, the second detection region is determined as one or more first state blocks.

The control unit switches the direction of the first state block in a concentrated direction when the lower space of the specific object is determined as the cleaning restriction area while the main body travels in one direction.

And a storage unit in which the cleaning restriction area and the cleanable area are stored.

The control unit controls the drive unit to avoid the cleaning restriction area when the main body approaches the cleaning restriction area.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a robot cleaner, including: performing a cleaning while the robot cleaner travels; Determining that the robot cleaner has entered a lower region of a specific object when a first detection region is detected in a traveling process; And determining whether the robot cleaner can be cleaned according to whether or not the second detection region having a higher brightness than the first detection region is detected after the robot cleaner enters the lower region of the specific object.

The step of determining whether or not the second detection area is detected may include determining whether or not the second detection area is detected when the second detection area is detected within the set time or until the set distance is moved after entering the lower area of the specific object And storing the unit as a cleanable area.

The step of determining whether or not the second detection area is detected may include storing the second detection area as a cleaning restriction area in the storage unit if the second detection area is not detected.

When the robot cleaner enters the cleaning restriction area pre-stored in the storage unit during the cleaning process, the robot cleaner further includes a step of switching the direction to another direction different from the current driving direction.

According to the robot cleaner and the control method of the robot cleaner according to the present embodiment, the robot cleaner captures an image of the upper space of the robot cleaner in the running space and acquires an image. The robot cleaner has an advantage of improving the accuracy of determining whether a specific object such as a desk or a chair enters a space below the object based on the brightness of the obtained image.

In particular, when it is determined that the lower space of a specific object in running can not be entered, the robot cleaner can be turned in the other direction by switching the direction so as not to enter the lower space. Therefore, there is an advantage that the robot cleaner is forced to stop the obstacle by the obstacle in a space that is difficult to be recognized by a person.

In addition, since the image detecting unit acquires an image at a set time interval, there is an advantage that the robot cleaner can more accurately determine whether a specific object enters a lower space.

In addition, at the time of the next cleaning, the robot cleaner does not enter the area set as the cleaning restricting area, but cleans the other area, so that the cleaning speed is improved.

1 is a perspective view of a robot cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a simplified view for explaining conditions of an indoor space in which the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment performs cleaning.
3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment.
4 is a flowchart showing a control method of the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a comparison area acquisition algorithm for determining whether a robot cleaner according to the first embodiment can enter a lower space.
6 is a flowchart showing a control method of the robot cleaner for determining whether or not the robot can be escaped with respect to a lower space of a specific object using the designated comparison area according to the first embodiment.
7 is a view showing divided areas based on an image of a specific object obtained in accordance with the running of the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment.
8 is a view showing divided areas based on images of other specific objects obtained in accordance with the running of the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment.
9 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the robot cleaner according to the second embodiment.
10 is a flowchart showing a control method of a robot cleaner showing a method of setting a type of a block based on an obtained image to determine whether a robot cleaner according to the second embodiment can enter a lower space.
11 is a flowchart showing a control method of the robot cleaner for determining whether or not an escape is possible with respect to a lower space of a specific object, using the kind of the set block, according to the second embodiment.
12 is a diagram showing how the number of blocks of a set type is changed based on an image of a specific object obtained according to the running of the robot cleaner according to the second embodiment.
13 is a diagram showing how the number of blocks of a set type is changed based on the image of another specific object obtained according to the running of the robot cleaner according to the second embodiment.
14 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image detection unit according to the third embodiment.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. It should be noted that, in adding reference numerals to the constituent elements of the drawings, the same constituent elements are denoted by the same reference symbols as possible even if they are shown in different drawings. In the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the difference that the embodiments of the present invention are not conclusive.

In describing the components of the embodiment of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are intended to distinguish the constituent elements from other constituent elements, and the terms do not limit the nature, order or order of the constituent elements. When a component is described as being "connected", "coupled", or "connected" to another component, the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, Quot; may be "connected," "coupled," or "connected. &Quot;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a robot cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a simplified view for explaining conditions of an indoor space in which the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment performs cleaning, Is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment.

1 to 3, the robot cleaner 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a main body 10 forming an outer shape.

Inside the main body 10, a suction unit (not shown) for suction force may be provided. In addition, a suction port (not shown) for sucking air including dust may be provided on the lower side of the main body 10.

The robot cleaner 1 may include an input unit 100 that receives a control command from the outside or receives a command to output one or more pieces of information.

The input unit 100 may include one or more input buttons. The input button may be provided on the upper surface of the main body 10 so that the user can easily press the input button. The user can input a command for controlling the robot cleaner 1 such as a cleaning map, a cleaning area, position information, obstacle information, and a cleaning mode through the input button.

In addition, a separate terminal connected to the robot cleaner 1 by radio or wire is additionally provided, and a user can input a control command to the robot cleaner using the terminal.

The robot cleaner 1 may further include an output unit 200 for displaying status information or displaying output information for a command input to the input unit 100. [

 The output unit 200 may be any of a light emitting diode (LED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel, and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) It is formed of one element, and can output text, an image, or the like. In addition, the output unit 200 may include means for outputting a sound such as a beeper, a speaker, or the like.

The robot cleaner 1 may further include an obstacle detection unit 300.

The obstacle detection unit 300 can detect obstacles in the vicinity of the robot cleaner while moving in the cleaning area or during cleaning. The obstacle detection unit 300 may transmit obstacle information such as the presence or absence of the detected obstacle, or the position, size, and the like to the control unit 900.

The obstacle detection unit 300 may be provided in front of the main body 10, for example, in order to easily detect an obstacle in the traveling direction of the robot cleaner 1.

The robot cleaner 1 may further include a drive unit 400 for moving the robot cleaner 1.

The driving unit 400 may include one or more wheels 410 and one or more motors (not shown) for driving the wheels 410. The motor can be controlled by a control unit 900 described below. Therefore, under the control of the control unit 900, the robot cleaner 1 can advance or backward, and can turn left or right. The driving unit 400 may be provided at a lower portion of the main body 10, for example.

The robot cleaner 1 may further include a position recognition unit 500 for recognizing the current position of the robot cleaner in the cleaning area.

The position recognition unit 500 may be, for example, an acceleration sensor, an encoder, a gyro sensor, or a laser sensor. The acceleration sensor can recognize a speed and a position of the robot cleaner according to the movement of the robot cleaner. The encoder may be connected to a motor for driving the wheels of the robot cleaner to detect the speed. The gyro sensor can detect the rotation speed of the robot cleaner.

The robot cleaner 1 may further include a power unit 600 having power supply means for supplying power to the robot cleaner.

The power supply unit 600 supplies the operation power for moving the robot cleaner 1 and performing cleaning. In addition, when the power supply is insufficient, the robot cleaner 1 may be docked to a charging stand (not shown) provided separately. The power supply unit of the power unit 600 may be charged by receiving a charging current from the charging unit.

The robot cleaner 1 may further include an image detecting unit 700 for photographing the upper side (ceiling direction) of the robot cleaner 1.

The image detecting unit 700 may be installed on the upper surface of the robot cleaner. The image detection unit 700 may include, for example, a camera.

The image detecting unit 700 may include an image obtaining unit 710 for extracting an image at a predetermined time interval from the photographed image. In one example, the image acquiring unit 710 can acquire images from the photographed image, once every 0.1 second. Alternatively, the image obtaining unit 710 may obtain an image from the photographed image every time the robot cleaner 1 moves a certain distance.

The image detecting unit 700 may further include a brightness measuring unit 720 for measuring the brightness of the image obtained by the image obtaining unit 710. The brightness measuring unit 720 may obtain the brightness of each pixel constituting the obtained image.

The image detecting unit 700 may further include an area dividing unit 730 that can divide the area of the image into one or more areas based on the values measured by the brightness measuring unit 720. [ The region dividing unit 730 may divide the image obtained in the image obtaining unit 710 into at least one region by grouping pixels having similar brightness of the robot cleaner 1. At this time, the image obtained by the image obtaining unit 710 may be divided in the vertical direction with respect to the moving direction of the robot cleaner 1.

7A, the image obtained by the image obtaining unit 710 is divided into a first area A1 and a second area A2 according to the moving direction of the robot cleaner 1, ). ≪ / RTI > At this time, the second area A2 may be lower in brightness than the first area A1. That is, the second area A2 may be darker than the second area A1.

On the other hand, when the brightness of the second area A2 is smaller than the set brightness, the second area may be set as the comparison area by the control unit 900. [ The set brightness may be a value preset by the user. In addition, the set brightness can be varied by the user. The user can select and change the setting brightness through the input unit (100).

For example, the illuminance of the indoor space may vary depending on day and night, or on or off of the interior lighting. In this case, the comparison region can be set more accurately by the control unit 900 by the user adjusting the setting brightness.

The comparison region may be an area for judging whether the robot cleaner 1 enters a lower space of an object such as a chair, a desk or a bed. A process of determining whether or not an object enters the lower space using the comparison area will be described later.

1 to 3, the robot cleaner 1 may further include a storage unit 800 for storing various information such as status information, location information, and a cleaning mode.

In the storage unit 800, predetermined map information can be stored. The control unit 900 can grasp the current position of the robot cleaner 1 on the map and grasp the cleaning area and the non-cleaning area based on the moving path of the robot cleaner 1. [

In addition, the image obtained by the image obtaining unit 710 may be stored in the storage unit 800.

Also, in the storage unit 800, brightness of each area of the image divided by the area dividing unit 730 may be stored.

The robot cleaner 1 searches the cleaning area of the indoor space to generate a cleaning map and generates a cleaning map for each module (the input unit 100, the output unit 200, the obstacle detection unit 300, the driving unit 400, The control unit 900 may further include a control unit 900 that can perform cleaning by controlling the recognition unit 500, the power source unit 600, the image detection unit 700, and the storage unit 800).

The control unit 900 can search the cleaning area for the command input to the input unit 100 based on the generated cleaning map. For example, the control unit 900 may generate a cleaning map using a technique such as a wall search, a cell division, or the like in the running or cleaning process of the robot cleaner 1.

In this specification, generation of a cleaning map using techniques such as wall search, cell division, etc. is a well-known technique, and therefore, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

A space for the robot cleaner 1 to enter can be formed in a lower portion of a specific object such as a bed B, a chair C and a table D provided in an indoor space.

When the robot cleaner 1 does not have information on whether or not the robot cleaner 1 can clean the lower space of the specific object, the robot cleaner 1 can enter the lower space of the specific object. The control unit 900 may determine the lower space of the specific object as a cleanable area or a cleaning clean area based on the information obtained by the image detecting unit 700. [

In detail, the robot cleaner 1, according to the brightness measured in the image obtained in the lower region of the specific object, the control unit 900 controls the storage unit 800 to move the lower space of the specific object to the cleanable region Or as a cleaning restriction area.

Hereinafter, a method for the robot cleaner 1 to recognize a lower space of a specific object and determine whether or not the lower space of the specific object can be cleaned will be described.

4 is a flowchart showing a control method of the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, the control unit 900 of the robot cleaner 1 may perform cleaning by a command from the user. That is, the control unit 900 can control the driving unit 400 based on a user's command input to the input unit 100. [ Accordingly, the robot cleaner 1 can perform the cleaning while driving the area designated by the user in the map of the generated indoor space (S1).

Meanwhile, the control unit 900 may control the image detecting unit 700 to detect entry into a specific object lower space during traveling (S3).

In this case, the control unit 900 may refer to the storage unit 800 to check whether the specific object lower space is a pre-stored cleaning area (S5).

When the specific object lower space is not the pre-stored area, the control unit 900 can determine whether or not the specific space is cleanable with respect to the lower space of the specific object. The availability of the cleanable area may be determined based on the brightness of the image obtained in the image detection unit 700. [

The lower space of the specific object can be determined as an area which can be cleaned by the control unit 900. [ At this time, the control unit 900 may store the lower space of the specific object in the storage unit 800 as a cleanable area. Then, the control unit 800 controls the driving unit 800 to continuously perform the traveling to clean the set indoor space.

Meanwhile, the lower space of the specific object may be a region where cleaning is limited. In this case, the control unit 900 may store the lower space of the specific object as a cleaning restriction area (S7).

Therefore, when the lower space of the specific object is set as the cleaning restriction area, the control unit 900 can switch the traveling direction to move out of the cleaning restriction area. For example, if the robot cleaner 1 travels in the first travel direction, the control unit 1 may switch to the second travel direction, which is different from the first travel direction, have.

The control unit 900 can confirm whether the cleaning restriction area is removed within the set time (S8).

If it is determined that the robot cleaner 1 is out of the cleaning restriction area within the set time, the robot cleaner 1 may travel to another area and continue cleaning (S9).

On the contrary, if the control unit 900 does not leave the cleaning restriction area within the set time, the control unit 900 may stop driving the driving unit 400 in order to prevent additional battery consumption (S10).

Also, the control unit 900 can output the warning notice to the outside through the output unit 200, and can recognize the warning notice. The alert notification may be a sound or a message displayed on the screen.

Hereinafter, a process of setting a comparison area in order to determine whether or not a lower space of a specific object enters in an image acquired by the image detection unit will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a comparison area acquisition algorithm for determining whether a robot cleaner according to the first embodiment can enter a lower space.

Referring to FIG. 5, the robot cleaner 1 can photograph the upper surface of the robot cleaner 1 using the image detecting unit 700 while traveling in an indoor space. Then, the control unit 900 can acquire an image from the photographed image at a set time interval using the image obtaining unit 710 (S21).

The control unit 900 may control the brightness measuring unit 720 to measure the brightness of the obtained image pixel (S23).

The control unit 900 may control the area dividing unit 730 to divide the image into one or more areas based on the measured brightness (S25). At this time, the control unit 900 can divide the image obtained in the vertical direction with respect to the traveling direction of the robot cleaner 1 as described above.

The control unit 900 may obtain the sizes of the areas occupied by the respective regions in the acquired image (S27).

In addition, the control unit 900 may set an area in which the obtained brightness of each area is equal to or less than a set value, as a comparison area (S29).

Hereinafter, a process of determining whether the robot cleaner can clean the lower space of the object using the comparison area will be described.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control method of the robot cleaner for determining whether or not it is possible to escape from a lower space of a specific object using the designated comparison area according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment. Fig. 8 is a view showing a divided area based on an image of one specific object obtained in accordance with the running. Fig. 8 is a view showing a divided image of the specific object obtained on the basis of the image of another specific object obtained in accordance with the running of the robot cleaner according to the first embodiment Fig.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, (a) is the first image obtained, and (c) may be the image obtained the last time.

Referring to FIG. 6, the robot cleaner 1 may photograph the upper portion of the robot cleaner 1 using the image detecting unit 700 while driving. The control unit 900 controls the image acquisition unit 710 of the image detection unit 700 to acquire an image at a set interval on the photographed image (S41).

The control unit 900 can check the presence or absence of the comparison area in the acquired image using the comparison area acquisition algorithm (FIG. 5) (S42). That is, the control unit 900 may control the image detecting unit 700 to determine the presence or absence of the comparison area in each of the obtained images. As described above, the comparison region may be a region having a brightness lower than a set value (or a set brightness) of each region of the obtained image.

The robot cleaner 1 can perform the cleaning of the indoor space while continuing to travel until the comparison area is identified in the image detection unit 700 (S43)

If the comparison area is first identified (S45), it can be understood that the robot cleaner 1 first enters the lower space of a specific object such as a table, a chair, and a table.

For example, referring to FIGS. 6, 7A and 8A, the obtained image obtained from the image obtaining unit 710 is divided into a first area A1 and a second area A1, And the second area A2. At this time, the second area A2 may be a value lower than the set brightness. The control unit 900 may set the second area A2 as a comparison area. When the second area A2 is initially set as the comparison area, the control unit 900 can set the robot cleaner 1 as the first entry into the lower space of a specific object.

Thus, the control unit 900 can store the point at which the comparison area is first identified in the storage unit 800 as a point at which a lower space of a specific object exists. Accordingly, the robot cleaner 1 can perform the cleaning by avoiding the lower space of the specific object when the lower space of the specific object is in the cleaning restriction area. Accordingly, the cleaning speed of the robot cleaner 1 can be increased.

The control unit 900 can use the image detection unit 700 to acquire an additional image according to the running of the robot cleaner 1. [

On the other hand, if the comparison area is not first identified (S45), it can be understood that the robot cleaner 1 is entering a lower space of a specific object.

In this case, the control unit 900 may compare the comparison area size of the currently obtained image with the comparison area size of the previously obtained image (S47).

When the comparison area of the currently obtained image is smaller than the comparison area of the previously obtained image, the lower space of the specific object is a space that can easily escape even if the robot cleaner 1 continues to travel in the direction in which the robot cleaner 1 originally traveled . In addition, the lower space of the specific object may be understood as a space in which the position of the robot cleaner 1 can be easily recognized by the user because the lightness is low, that is, the dark area is not wide.

Accordingly, the control unit 900 may store the lower space of the specific object in the storage unit 800 as a cleanable area (S61).

6, 7 (b) and 8 (b), the size of the second area A2 set as the comparison area is increased after the robot cleaner 1 is driven for the set time . The size of the increased second area A2 may be larger than that of the first area A1.

In this case, the control unit 900 may acquire an additional image after the elapse of the set time (S53). Then, the control unit 900 controls the image detecting unit 700 to check whether a new area having a brightness greater than that of the comparison area with respect to the running direction is identified in the further acquired image (S55)

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 (c), after a second area A2 set as a comparison area, a third area A3 set as an area separated from the brightness of the second area A2 is set . The third area A3 may be greater than the brightness value of the second area A2. That is, the third area A3 may be a brighter area than the second area A2.

Accordingly, when an area having a brightness value larger than the comparison area A2 of the previous image is identified, the control unit 900 can store the lower space of the specific object in the storage unit 800 as a cleanable area (S61). Then, the control unit 900 may control the drive unit 400 so that the robot cleaner 1 can continue to travel.

On the other hand, referring to FIGS. 6 and 8 (c), after the set time has elapsed, the new area may not be identified (S55). It can be understood that the new area is not identified because the robot cleaner 1 continues to have a low brightness, that is, a dark space, in the traveling direction in which the robot cleaner 1 travels to the lower space of the specific object. If the robot cleaner 1 is limited in driving by the obstacle in the lower space of the specific object or the area of the lower space is wide, the robot cleaner may not be separated from the lower space of the specific object. In this case, the robot cleaner 1 entering the lower space of the specific object may be difficult to identify by the user.

Accordingly, the control unit 900 may store the lower space of the specific object as a cleaning restriction area (S57).

Then, the control unit 900 may switch the direction to the other direction with respect to the direction of entering the lower space, and escape the cleaning restriction area (S59). Alternatively, while switching the direction, an area in which the brightness is relatively bright may be identified, and the area may be out of the cleaning restriction area.

On the other hand, the robot cleaner 1 may be disturbed by any obstacle in the lower space of the specific object. In addition, the robot cleaner 1 may not escape from the lower space of the specific object (S58).

In this case, the robot cleaner 1 may stop the drive unit 400 in order to reduce the consumption of the power source unit 600 (battery). The state of the robot cleaner 1 may be output to the output unit 200 by sound or may be displayed on the screen (S59).

Alternatively, the robot cleaner 1 may further include a separate communication unit (not shown) capable of communicating with the user's terminal. Then, the control unit 900 can display a warning notification to the terminal through the communication unit. Therefore, the user can easily recognize the warning.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the comparison area may be called a first detection area, and the new area may be called a second detection area.

According to the present embodiment, the robot cleaner 1 includes an image detection unit 700 capable of photographing an upper space. The robot cleaner 1 obtains an image of the upper space of the running robot cleaner 1 through the image detecting unit 700 so that the robot cleaner 1 detects whether a specific object such as a desk, .

In particular, when it is determined that the lower space of a specific object in running can not be entered, the robot cleaner may be turned in a different direction so as not to enter the lower space. Therefore, there is an advantage that the robot cleaner is forced to stop the obstacle by the obstacle in a space that is difficult to be recognized by a person.

In addition, since the image detecting unit 700 acquires an image at a set time interval, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not a specific object enters the lower space. For example, even if the image detecting unit 700 is partially obscured by the shadow of a person or an object, the robot cleaner 1 continues to clean You can proceed.

In addition, when it is determined that the lower space of a specific object in running can not be entered, the robot cleaner 1 may store the specific object lower space as a cleaning restriction area. Accordingly, the next time, when traveling, the lower space of the specific object is no longer considered as a cleaning area, so that the cleaning can be completed quickly.

The second embodiment will be described below.

In the second embodiment, as compared with the previous embodiment, the image detection unit divides the obtained image into blocks of the set number. On the basis of the brightness of the divided blocks, the robot cleaner has a feature of determining whether a specific object such as a desk, a chair, a bed or the like enters the lower space.

Therefore, in the following, the second embodiment will be described focusing on these features, and description of the same parts as those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the robot cleaner according to the second embodiment. Fig.

Referring to FIG. 9, the robot cleaner 1 according to the second embodiment may include an image detection unit 700 for photographing upward (ceiling direction). For this, the image detecting unit 700 may be installed on the upper surface of the robot cleaner 1.

The image detecting unit 700 may include an image obtaining unit 710 for extracting an image at a predetermined time interval from the photographed image.

The image detecting unit 700 may further include a block dividing unit 740 dividing the obtained image into the number of the set blocks. The number of blocks divided by the block dividing unit 740 may be set by the user.

The number of the set blocks may be stored in the storage unit 800. The shape of the block may include at least one of a triangle, a rectangle, and a polygon.

In the present embodiment, for the sake of convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the shape of the block is a rectangle.

The image detecting unit 700 may further include a brightness measuring unit 720 for measuring an average brightness of each block. The brightness information of each block measured by the brightness measuring unit 720 may be stored in the storage unit 800. [

10 is a flowchart showing a control method of a robot cleaner showing a method of setting a type of a block based on an obtained image to determine whether a robot cleaner according to the second embodiment can enter a lower space.

Referring to FIG. 10, the robot cleaner 1 can photograph the upper surface of the robot cleaner 1 using the image detecting unit 700 while traveling in an indoor space. Then, the control unit 900 can acquire an image from the photographed image at a set time interval using the image obtaining unit 710 (S81).

The control unit 900 may control the block dividing unit 740 to divide the obtained image into the number of set blocks (S83). At this time, the number of blocks and the shape of the blocks may be information previously stored in the storage unit 800.

The control unit 900 may control the brightness measuring unit 720 to measure an average brightness of each of the divided blocks (S85).

If the average brightness of the block is greater than the set brightness, the control unit 900 can set the block as the first status block (S87). In other words, if the block is brighter than a preset reference, it can be set as a first state block.

On the contrary, the control unit 900 can set the block as the second state block when the average brightness of the block is brightness less than the set brightness. In other words, if the block is darker than a preset reference, it can be set as a second state block.

Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing a control method of the robot cleaner for determining whether or not the robot can escape with respect to the lower space of a specific object, using the kind of the set block according to the second embodiment. Fig. FIG. 13 is a view showing that the number of blocks of a set type is changed based on an image of a specific object obtained according to the running of the robot cleaner according to the second embodiment. FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing how the number of blocks of a set type is changed based on an image of an object. FIG.

On the other hand, in FIGS. 12 and 13, (a) is the earliest acquired image, and (c) may mean the earliest acquired image.

Referring to FIG. 11, the robot cleaner 1 can photograph the upper portion of the robot cleaner 1 using the image detecting unit 700 while driving. The control unit 900 may control the image acquisition unit 710 of the image detection unit 700 to acquire an image at a set time interval on the photographed image (S101).

The control unit 900 can divide the image obtained in the image obtaining unit 710 into the number of the set blocks through the block setting algorithm (Fig. 10). Each of the divided blocks can be set to a type by the brightness measuring unit 720 (S102). The block may include a first state block in which the average brightness of the block is larger than the set brightness and a second state block in which the average brightness of the block is less than the set brightness.

The control unit 900 may compare the number of the first state block and the number of the second state block, respectively, in the obtained image (S103). At this time, the second state block may be denser than the set number. In other words, the second state blocks above the set number may be attached to each other. In the dense region of the second setting block, the second state blocks may be referred to as a comparison region.

11 and 12 (a), the sixth block A6, the eleventh block A11, the sixteenth block A16, and the twenty-first block A21 are arranged in such a manner that the average brightness is the set brightness May be determined to be a lower second state block. In the obtained image, the densified second state block, for example, the sixth block A6, the eleventh block A11, the sixteenth block A16, and the twenty-first block A21, Area.

On the other hand, when the comparison area is first identified, it can be understood that the robot cleaner 1 first enters the lower space of a specific object such as a table, a chair, and a table.

Accordingly, the control unit 900 may store the time point at which the comparison area is identified as the first entry point of the lower space of the specific object in the storage unit 800 (S109). Then, the control unit 900 can acquire an additional image according to the traveling of the robot cleaner 1 using the image detection unit 700 (S101).

On the other hand, when the comparison area is not the most discriminated, it can be understood that the robot cleaner 1 is entering a lower space of a specific object.

In this case, the control unit 900 may compare the number of the second state blocks in the comparison region of the currently obtained image with the number of the second state blocks in the comparison region of the previously obtained image (S111).

When the number of the second state blocks in the comparison area in the comparison area of the currently obtained image is smaller than the number of the second state blocks in the comparison area of the previously obtained image, the control unit (900) (S123) as a cleanable area in the storage unit (800).

Referring to Figures 11, 12 (b) and 13 (b), the number of second state blocks in the comparison region of the currently obtained image is greater than the number of second state blocks in the second state The number of blocks can be increased.

In this case, the control unit 900 may acquire an additional image after the elapse of the set time (S115). Then, the control unit 900 can check the presence or absence of the first setting block after the comparison area with respect to the traveling direction of the robot cleaner in the image obtained further (S117).

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12 (c), a first state block may be identified after the comparison region of the image obtained further with respect to the traveling direction of the robot cleaner.

At this time, the lower space of the specific object can be understood as a space that can be easily identified by the user. Accordingly, the control unit 900 may store the lower space of the specific object in the storage unit 800 as a cleanable area (S123). Then, the control unit 900 controls the drive unit 400 so that the robot cleaner 1 can continue to travel.

11 and 13C, the first set block may not be identified after the comparison region of the image obtained further with respect to the traveling direction of the robot cleaner.

At this time, the lower space of the specific object can be understood as a space that is difficult to be identified by the user. Accordingly, the control unit 900 may set the lower space of the specific object in the storage unit 800 as a cleaning restriction area (S119).

Accordingly, when the lower space of the specific object is set as the cleaning restriction area, the control unit 900 can switch the traveling direction to depart from the cleaning restriction area (S120). For example, if the robot cleaner 1 travels in the first travel direction, the control unit 1 may switch to the second travel direction, which is different from the first travel direction, have.

Alternatively, the control unit 900 can identify, in the further acquired image, an area in which the first state block is concentrated. The control unit 900 may switch the direction to a region where the first state blocks are dense, and may exit the cleaning restriction region.

On the other hand, the robot cleaner 1 may be disturbed by any obstacle in the lower space of the specific object. In addition, the robot cleaner 1 may not deviate from the lower space of the specific object. In this case, the robot cleaner 1 may stop the drive unit 400 to reduce the consumption of the battery. The state of the robot cleaner 1 may be output to the output unit 200 by sound or may be displayed on the screen (S121).

According to the present embodiment, the acquired image can be divided into a set number of blocks. Then, based on the brightness of each of the divided blocks, the robot cleaner can more accurately determine whether or not a specific object enters the lower space.

In addition, when the robot cleaner enters the lower space of a specific object, the robot cleaner can switch the traveling direction in a first block state, i.e., a direction in which a relatively bright block is located. There is an advantage in that it travels in the direction in which it has been switched, and can escape from the lower space of the specific object with a higher probability.

The third embodiment will be described below.

14 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image detection unit according to the third embodiment.

The image detecting unit 700 of the third embodiment includes an image obtaining unit 710 that obtains an image at a set interval in the photographed image, and an image obtaining unit 710 that divides the image obtained by the image obtaining unit 710 into the number of set blocks A brightness measuring unit 720 for measuring the brightness of each block divided by the block dividing unit 740 and a brightness measuring unit 720 for calculating a brightness of the area based on the brightness measured by the brightness measuring unit 720. [ And an area dividing unit 730 for dividing the image. Meanwhile, the area dividing unit 730 may divide at least one region in a direction perpendicular to the running direction of the robot cleaner.

On the other hand, the control unit 900 can identify a comparison area having a brightness lower than that of the setting area among the areas divided by the area dividing unit 730.

When the comparison area is first identified, it can be understood that the robot cleaner enters a lower space of a specific object such as a desk, a sofa, a bed, and the like.

Therefore, the control unit 900 can store the point where the comparison area is identified as the lower area entry area of the specific object.

The control unit 900 can identify a new area that is brighter than the comparison area in the process of entering the lower area of the specific object.

In this case, the control unit 900 may store the lower area of the specific object as a cleanable area.

Conversely, when the control unit 900 fails to identify the new area for the preset time, the control unit 900 may store the lower area of the specific object as the cleaning restriction area.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. That is, within the scope of the present invention, all of the components may be selectively coupled to one or more of them. Furthermore, the terms "comprises", "comprising", or "having" described above mean that a component can be implanted unless otherwise specifically stated, But should be construed as including other elements. All terms, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as predefined terms, should be interpreted to be consistent with the contextual meanings of the related art, and are not to be construed as ideal or overly formal, unless expressly defined to the contrary.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to illustrate rather than limit the scope of the present invention, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention should be construed according to the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope of equivalents should be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (15)

A main body having a drive unit for movement;
An image detecting unit installed at one side of the main body to photograph a ceiling scene and acquire an image from the photographed image; And
And a control unit that determines that the main body enters the lower space of the specific object based on the measured brightness in the image obtained from the image detection unit,
Wherein the control unit determines the lower space of the specific object as a cleanable area or a cleaning clean area based on a change in brightness in the acquired image. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit comprises:
And determines to enter the lower space of the specific object when the first detection region having a brightness lower than the set brightness is detected in the acquired image. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the control unit comprises:
When the second detection region having a brightness higher than the first detection region is detected in the image obtained after the first detection region is detected, the lower space of the specific object is determined as the cleanable region vacuum cleaner. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the control unit comprises:
When the second detection region having a brightness higher than the first detection region is not detected from the time when the first detection region is moved to a predetermined distance or until the first predetermined time has elapsed,
And determining a lower space of the specific object as a cleaning restriction area. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the control unit comprises:
Wherein when the body is judged to be in the cleaning restriction area while the main body is moving in the first travel direction, the controller switches the direction to the second travel direction different from the first travel direction, vacuum cleaner. 5. The method of claim 4,
Further comprising an output unit capable of outputting the state of the main body to at least one of sound, text, and image,
Wherein the control unit comprises:
And outputs a warning alarm through the output unit when the main body fails to escape from the lower space of the specific space within the second set time. 5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
Wherein the image detection unit comprises:
And an area dividing section for dividing the area of the obtained image based on the measured brightness,
Wherein,
And dividing the image into at least one region in a direction perpendicular to the running direction of the main body,
Wherein each of the detection regions is a region within each divided region. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the region dividing unit divides the image based on at least one brightness value set in advance. The method according to claim 3 or 4,
A block dividing unit dividing the image obtained by the image detecting unit into blocks of a set number;
Further comprising a brightness measuring unit for measuring an average brightness of the blocks divided by the block dividing unit,
Wherein the control unit comprises:
A first state block is determined as the brightness of the block measured in the brightness measuring unit,
And determines the second state block as the second state block when the brightness of the block is equal to or less than the set lightness. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the control unit comprises:
The first detection area is determined as the area where the number of the second state blocks attached to each other is equal to or larger than the set number,
And the second detection region is determined as one or more first state blocks. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the control unit comprises:
When the lower space of the specific object is determined as the cleaning restriction area while the main body is running in one direction,
And the first state block is switched in a direction in which the first state blocks are densely packed. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a storage unit in which the cleaning restriction area and the cleanable area are stored,
Wherein the control unit comprises:
Wherein the control unit controls the drive unit to avoid the cleaning restriction area when the main body approaches the cleaning restriction area. Performing cleaning while the robot cleaner is traveling;
Determining that the robot cleaner has entered a lower region of a specific object when a first detection region is detected in a traveling process; And
And determining whether the robot cleaner is capable of cleaning according to whether or not the robot cleaner has detected a second detection region having a higher brightness than the first detection region after entering the lower region of the specific object. 14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the step of determining whether cleaning is possible according to whether or not the second detection area is detected comprises:
Storing a second detection area in a storage unit as a cleanable area when the second detection area is detected within a set time or until a set distance is shifted after entering the lower area of the specific object,
And storing the second detection area as a cleaning restriction area in the storage unit when the second detection area is not detected. 15. The method of claim 14,
When the robot cleaner enters the cleaning restriction area previously stored in the storage unit during the cleaning process,
Wherein the robot cleaner further includes a step of switching the direction to a direction different from the current driving direction and running.

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