KR102320560B1 - A moving robot and controlling method for the moving robot - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile robot, and more particularly, to a body including a wheel unit; a top cover covering at least a portion of an upper portion of the body; a first sensing unit mounted on the main body to perform sensing while driving to obtain external environment information; a controller for controlling driving based on the acquired state information; and a sensing device having a base detachably coupled to the top cover, wherein the base includes a second terminal 221 electrically connected to a first terminal 121 formed on the top cover, and the The sensing device relates to a mobile robot including a second sensing unit mounted on the sensing device to perform sensing while driving to obtain external environment information.

Description

A MOVING ROBOT AND CONTROLLING METHOD FOR THE MOVING ROBOT

The present invention relates to a mobile robot, and more particularly, to a mobile robot to which an external sensing device is coupled.

In general, robots have been developed for industrial use and have been responsible for a part of factory automation. Recently, the field of application of robots has been further expanded, and medical robots and aerospace robots have been developed, and household robots that can be used in general households are also being made. Among these robots, those capable of driving by their own force are called mobile robots. A typical example of a mobile robot used at home is a robot vacuum cleaner.

On the other hand, recently, mobile robots have been actively researched for use in various fields such as health care, smart home, remote control, etc. by applying the Internet of Things (IoT), away from simply autonomously driving and performing functions. is being done The Internet of Things refers to intelligent technologies and services that connect things based on the Internet and communicate information between people and things and between things and things.

In general, such a mobile robot is equipped with a sensor, detects a current position and surrounding obstacles, etc. while driving, avoids obstacles, sets a path, and can drive by itself.

The sensor may include various sensors such as a distance sensor, a cliff sensor, an image sensor, and a 3D sensor, which are mounted on a part of the mobile robot.

For example, in the prior art (Korea Patent Publication No. 10-1878675), the sensor is disposed on one side of the main body of the mobile robot, that is, in front of the main body, so that the mobile robot does not collide with the obstacle. start the technique.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1878675 (published on July 18, 2018)

When the sensor is disposed on one side of the main body of the mobile robot as in the prior art, the detection range of the sensor is narrow and there may be a blind spot, so there is a problem that the obstacle or the topographical object in front is not detected. , there is a problem that the mobile robot can easily collide with obstacles accordingly. A first object of the present invention is to significantly increase the possibility of avoiding obstacles of the mobile robot by solving such a problem.

A second object of the present invention is to increase a command response speed by shortening a path for receiving a command through an external device interlocked with a mobile robot.

A mobile robot such as a robot vacuum cleaner has a basically flat shape, and since it is attached to the ground and travels at a low height, there is a problem in that it is difficult for a user to recognize the information displayed by the display no matter where the display is placed. A third object of the present invention is to solve this problem so that the user can easily recognize the display.

A fourth object of the present invention is to increase the recognition rate by expanding the range for recognizing the user's command, thereby increasing the command execution ability of the mobile robot.

The problems of the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to achieve the above object, a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a body including a wheel unit; a top cover covering at least a portion of an upper portion of the body; a first sensing unit mounted on the main body to perform sensing while driving to obtain external environment information; a controller for controlling driving based on the acquired state information; and a sensing device having a base detachably coupled to the top cover, wherein the base includes a second terminal electrically connected to a first terminal formed on the top cover, and the sensing device includes the sensing device. and a second sensing unit mounted on the device to perform sensing while driving to obtain external environment information.

The second sensing unit may be positioned higher than the first sensing unit.

The mobile robot further includes a coupling protrusion 123 protruding upward from the top cover,

The base may include a coupling groove 223 that is recessed in a shape corresponding to the coupling protrusion.

The mobile robot may further include a first magnet 125 attached to a lower portion of the top cover, and the base may include a second magnet 225 attached to a position corresponding to the first magnet. .

The second sensing unit may transmit the acquired external environment information to the controller through the contact when the first terminal and the second terminal come into contact.

The sensing device may include a display for outputting an image.

The display may be disposed to be inclined while looking forward.

The sensing device may further include at least one microphone for detecting an external sound.

The details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

According to the mobile robot of the present invention, there are one or more of the following effects.

First, apart from the first sensing unit mounted on the main body of the mobile robot, a sensing device including a second sensing unit is detachably coupled to the mobile robot, so that the sensing range for external environment information can be expanded if necessary. In this case, there is an advantage in that the possibility of avoiding the obstacle of the mobile robot is significantly increased.

Second, since the sensing device can transmit external environment information acquired through contact between terminals to the mobile robot, there is an advantage in that signals can be exchanged quickly even when an external device is coupled.

Third, since the sensing device including the display inclined to face forward upward is detachably coupled to the mobile robot, there is also an advantage that the user can easily recognize the display.

Fourth, since a microphone for detecting a user's voice command is mounted on the upper portion of the sensing device and detachably coupled to the mobile robot, there is also an advantage in that the recognition rate for recognizing a voice command from the user is increased.

Effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

1 is a perspective view showing a robot cleaner, which is an example of a mobile robot according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mobile robot shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a side view of the mobile robot shown in FIG. 1 .
4 is a block diagram illustrating components of the mobile robot shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 .
5 is a perspective view illustrating the mobile robot and an external device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 .
6 is a view showing the upper surface of the top cover and the lower surface of the base separated from the mobile robot shown in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the lower surface of the top cover and the upper surface of the base separated from the mobile robot shown in FIG. 5 .
8 is a block diagram illustrating components of the mobile robot and an external device shown in FIG. 5 .
9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 illustrates a predetermined network system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 illustrates a predetermined network system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the embodiments disclosed in the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the technical terms used in this specification are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are intended to limit the spirit of the technology disclosed in the present specification. It should be noted that it is not In addition, the technical terms used in this specification should be interpreted in the meaning generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the technology disclosed in this specification belongs, unless otherwise defined in this specification. It should not be construed in a very comprehensive sense or in an excessively reduced meaning. In addition, when the technical terms used in the present specification are incorrect technical terms that do not accurately express the spirit of the technology disclosed herein, they should be understood by being replaced with technical terms that can be correctly understood by those skilled in the art. In addition, the general terms used in this specification should be interpreted according to the definition in the dictionary or according to the context before and after, and should not be interpreted in an excessively reduced meaning.

1 is a perspective view showing an example of a robot cleaner 100 according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the robot cleaner 100 shown in FIG. 1 , and FIG. 3 is a robot cleaner 100 shown in FIG. 1 . is a side view of

For reference, in this specification, a mobile robot, a robot cleaner, and a cleaner performing autonomous driving may be used as the same meaning.

1 to 3 , the robot cleaner 100 performs a function of cleaning the floor while traveling on its own in a predetermined area. The cleaning of the floor referred to herein includes sucking in dust (including foreign matter) on the floor or mopping the floor.

The robot cleaner 100 includes a main body 110 , a top cover 120 , a suction unit 130 , a first sensing unit 140 , and a dust container 150 .

The main body 110 is provided with a control unit (not shown) for controlling the robot cleaner 100 and a wheel unit 111 for driving the robot cleaner 100 . By the wheel unit 111 , the robot cleaner 100 may be moved or rotated forward, backward, left and right.

The wheel unit 111 includes a main wheel 111a and a sub wheel 111b.

The main wheel 111a is provided on both sides of the main body 110, and is configured to be rotatable in one direction or the other according to a control signal of the controller. Each of the main wheels 111a may be configured to be driven independently of each other. For example, each of the main wheels 111a may be driven by different motors.

The sub wheel 111b supports the main body 110 together with the main wheel 111a, and is configured to assist the driving of the robot cleaner 100 by the main wheel 111a. Such a sub wheel 111b may also be provided in the suction unit 130 to be described later.

As described above, as the controller controls the driving of the wheel unit 111 , the robot cleaner 100 autonomously travels on the floor.

Meanwhile, a battery (not shown) for supplying power to the robot cleaner 100 is mounted on the main body 110 . The battery is configured to be rechargeable, and may be configured to be detachably attached to the bottom of the main body 110 .

A top cover 120 is disposed on the body 110 . As illustrated, the top cover 120 is disposed to cover at least a portion of the upper portion of the main body, and can protect the cleaner from the outside while accommodating the internal configuration of the robot cleaner 100 together with the main body 110 .

The top cover 120 may be detachably coupled to an external device (eg, the sensing device 200 ). The top cover 120 may be formed with a coupling portion for coupling with an external device. For example, the top cover 120, the coupling protrusion 123 may be formed on the upper surface in a shape corresponding to the coupling groove recessed in the lower surface of the external device. The coupling protrusion 123 may be inserted into a coupling groove of an external device and coupled thereto. For example, the magnet may be attached to the top cover 120 at a position corresponding to the magnet attached to the lower surface of the external device.

The mobile robot 100 may be electrically connected to an external device (eg, the sensing device 200 ) through a terminal formed on the top cover 120 . For example, the top cover 120 may include a first terminal 121 electrically connected to the terminal of the external device. When the external device is coupled to the top cover 120 , the terminal formed on the external device and the first terminal 121 may come into contact with each other to be electrically connected to each other.

The mobile robot 100 may receive information from an external device through an electrical connection. Also, the mobile robot 100 may transmit power to an external device through the electrical connection. Also, the external device may be, for example, a communication robot 1 having a sensing function. Details on this will be described later.

The suction unit 130 is disposed to protrude from one side of the body 110, and is configured to suck air containing dust. The one side may be the side on which the main body 110 travels in the forward direction F, that is, the front side of the main body 110 .

In this figure, it is shown that the suction unit 130 has a shape protruding from one side of the main body 110 to both the front and left and right sides. Specifically, the front end of the suction unit 130 is disposed at a position spaced forward from one side of the body 110 , and both left and right ends of the suction unit 130 are spaced apart from one side of the body 110 to the left and right sides, respectively. is placed on

As the body 110 is formed in a circular shape, and both sides of the rear end of the suction unit 130 protrude from the body 110 to the left and right sides, respectively, there is an empty space between the body 110 and the suction unit 130 , that is, A gap may be formed. The empty space is a space between the left and right both ends of the main body 110 and the left and right ends of the suction unit 130 , and has a shape recessed inside the robot cleaner 100 .

When an obstacle is caught in the empty space, a problem in that the robot cleaner 100 is caught by the obstacle and cannot move may occur. To prevent this, the cover member 139 may be disposed to cover at least a portion of the empty space. The cover member 139 may be provided in the body 110 or the suction unit 130 . In this embodiment, it is shown that the cover member 139 is formed to protrude on both sides of the rear end of the suction unit 130 , and is arranged to cover the outer peripheral surface of the body 110 .

The cover member 139 is disposed to fill at least a portion of the empty space, that is, the empty space between the body 110 and the suction unit 130 . Accordingly, a structure in which an obstacle is prevented from being caught in the empty space or can be easily separated from the obstacle can be implemented even if the obstacle is caught in the empty space.

The cover member 139 protruding from the suction unit 130 may be supported on the outer peripheral surface of the body 110 . If the cover member 139 is formed to protrude from the body 110 , the cover member 139 may be supported on the rear surface of the suction unit 130 . According to the structure, when the suction unit 130 collides with an obstacle and receives an impact, a portion of the impact is transmitted to the body 110 so that the impact may be dispersed.

The suction unit 130 may be detachably coupled to the body 110 . When the suction unit 130 is separated into the body 110 , a mop module (not shown) may be detachably coupled to the body 110 to replace the separated suction unit 130 . Therefore, the user can mount the suction unit 130 on the main body 110 to remove the dust on the floor, and mount the mop module on the main body 110 to wipe the floor.

When the suction unit 130 is mounted to the main body 110 , the mounting may be guided by the above-described cover member 139 . That is, the cover member 139 is disposed to cover the outer circumferential surface of the main body 110 , so that the relative position of the suction unit 130 with respect to the main body 110 can be determined.

The first sensing unit 140 is disposed on the body 110 . As shown, the first sensing unit 140 may be disposed on one side of the main body 110 in which the suction unit 130 is located, that is, in front of the main body 110 .

The first sensing unit 140 may be disposed to overlap the suction unit 130 in the vertical direction of the body 110 . The first sensing unit 140 is disposed on the suction unit 130 so that the suction unit 130 located at the front of the robot cleaner 100 does not collide with the obstacle to detect an obstacle or a feature in the front. is done

The first sensing unit 140 may include at least one of a front detection sensor, a cliff detection sensor, and a camera.

For example, the camera 145 may be disposed on one side of the main body 110 in which the suction unit 130 is located, that is, in front of the main body 110 .

The camera 145 may be disposed to overlap the suction unit 130 in the vertical direction of the body 110 . The camera 145 is disposed on the suction unit 130 and is configured to detect an obstacle or a feature in front so that the suction unit 130 positioned at the front of the robot cleaner 100 does not collide with the obstacle.

The first sensing unit 140 is configured to additionally perform a sensing function other than the sensing function. A detailed description thereof will be given later.

The main body 110 is provided with a dust container accommodating part 113 , and a dust container 150 for separating and collecting dust in the suctioned air is detachably coupled to the dust container accommodating part 113 . As illustrated, the dust container accommodating part 113 may be formed on the other side of the main body 110 , that is, at the rear of the main body 110 .

A part of the dust container accommodating part 113 is accommodated in the main body 110 , and the other part of the dust container accommodating part 113 is toward the rear of the main body 110 (that is, the reverse direction R as opposed to the forward direction F). It may be formed to protrude. The dust container 150 has an inlet (not shown) through which air containing dust is introduced and an outlet (not shown) through which air from which dust is separated is discharged.

Air containing dust introduced through the suction unit 130 passes through the intake passage inside the main body 110 and flows into the dust container 150 , and the air and dust interact with each other while passing through the filter or cyclone of the dust container 150 . are separated The dust is collected in the dustbin 150 , and the air is discharged from the dustbin 150 , through the exhaust passage inside the main body 110 , and finally discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 112 .

An embodiment related to the components of the mobile robot 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 below.

The mobile robot 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a power supply unit 1100 , a communication unit 1200 , a driving unit 1300 , a sensing unit 1400 , an input unit 1500 , an output unit 1600 , and a memory 1700 . ) and the control unit 1800 may include at least one or a combination thereof.

At this time, since the components shown in FIG. 4 are not essential, it goes without saying that the mobile robot 100 having more or fewer components may be implemented. Hereinafter, each component will be described.

First, the power supply unit 1100 is provided with a battery that can be charged by an external commercial power supply to supply power into the mobile robot 100 . The power supply unit 1100 may supply driving power to each component included in the mobile robot 100 to supply operating power required for the mobile robot 100 to drive or perform a specific function.

In this case, the controller 1800 may detect the remaining power of the battery. For example, when the remaining power of the mobile robot 100 is insufficient, the controller 1800 may control the mobile robot 100 to move to a charging station connected to an external commercial power source to receive charging current from the charging station to charge the battery. The battery may be connected to the battery detection unit so that the remaining battery amount and charging state may be transmitted to the control unit 1800 . The output unit 1600 may display the remaining battery level on the screen by the control unit 1800 .

Meanwhile, among the mobile robots 100 , the mobile robot 100 may further include a driving unit 1300 . The driving unit 1300 includes a motor, and by driving the motor, the left and right main wheels are rotated in both directions to rotate or move the main body. The driving unit 1300 may move the main body of the mobile robot 100 forward, backward, left and right, or curve it, or rotate it in place. The controller 1800 may apply a command to the driving unit 1300 by setting a driving route.

Meanwhile, the input unit 1500 receives various control commands for the mobile robot 100 from the user. The input unit 1500 may include one or more buttons, for example, the input unit 1500 may include a confirmation button, a setting button, and the like. The confirmation button is a button for receiving a command to check various information of the mobile robot 100 from the user. The setting button is a button for receiving a command for setting the information from the user.

Also, the input unit 1500 may include an input reset button for canceling the previous user input and receiving the user input again. The input unit 1500 may include a delete button for deleting a preset user input. The input unit 1500 may include a button for setting or changing an operation mode. For example, the input unit 1500 of the mobile robot 100 may further include a button for receiving a command to return to the charging station.

In addition, the input unit 1500 may be installed as a hard key, a soft key, a touch pad, or the like. Also, the input unit 1500 may have the form of a touch screen together with the output unit 1600 . The input unit 1500 may include a microphone for receiving a voice command.

Meanwhile, the output unit 1600 may visually output various types of information. The output unit 1600 may include a display. For example, the output unit 1600 of the mobile robot 100 may display a battery state or a driving method on the screen.

Also, the output unit 1600 may output information about the internal state of the mobile robot 100 detected by the sensing unit 1400 . The output unit 1600 may output a current state of each component included in the mobile robot 100 . Also, the output unit 1600 may output external state information detected by the sensing unit 1400 . For example, the output unit 1600 of the mobile robot 100 may display obstacle information, location information, map information, and the like on a screen. The output unit 1600 may be any one of a light emitting diode (LED), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel, and an organic light emitting diode (OLED). It may include a display formed of a device of.

The output unit 1600 may audibly output various types of information. The output unit 1600 may include a speaker. The output unit 1600 may include a speaker that audibly outputs an operation process or operation result of the mobile robot 100 performed by the controller 1800 . For example, the output unit 1600 may output a warning sound to the outside according to the warning signal generated by the control unit 1800 .

In this case, the speaker may be a means for outputting sound such as a beeper or a speaker, and the output unit 1600 uses audio data or message data having a predetermined pattern stored in the memory 1700 through the speaker. It can be output externally.

On the other hand, the communication unit 1200 is connected to the terminal device and/or other devices (peripheral devices) located in a specific area in one communication method among wired, wireless, and satellite communication methods to transmit and receive signals and data. In the present description, other devices in the network or around the mobile robot 100, which are the criteria to which the present invention is applied, may be referred to as 'peripheral devices'.

The communication unit 1200 may transmit/receive data to/from a peripheral device located within a specific area. In this case, the peripheral device may be any device capable of transmitting and receiving data by connecting to the network. For example, the peripheral device may be a device such as a mobile robot, an air conditioner, a heating device, an air purification device, a light, a TV, or a car. In addition, the peripheral device may be a device for controlling a door, a window, a water valve, a gas valve, and the like. In addition, the peripheral device may be a sensor that senses temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, gas, or the like.

Meanwhile, the memory 1700 stores a control program for controlling or driving the robot cleaner and data corresponding thereto. The memory 1700 may store audio information, image information, and the like. For example, the memory 1700 of the mobile robot 100 may store obstacle information, location information, map information, and the like. Also, the memory 1700 of the mobile robot 100 may store information related to a driving pattern.

The memory 1700 mainly uses a non-volatile memory. Here, the non-volatile memory (NVM, NVRAM) is a storage device capable of continuously maintaining stored information even when power is not supplied, for example, a ROM, a flash memory, a magnetic computer. It may be a storage device (eg, hard disk, diskette drive, magnetic tape), an optical disk drive, magnetic RAM, PRAM, or the like.

Meanwhile, the sensing unit 1400 may sense external environment information while driving. The sensing unit 1400 may include an external signal detection sensor. For example, the sensing unit 1400 of the mobile robot 100 may include at least one of a forward detection sensor, a cliff detection sensor, and a camera.

In this case, the control unit 1800 may receive the external environment information data sensed by the sensing unit, extract the traveling path, and transmit it to the driving unit to control the traveling of the mobile robot 100 .

The external signal detection sensor may detect an external signal of the mobile robot 100 . The external signal detection sensor may be, for example, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a radio frequency sensor, or the like.

Meanwhile, the front detection sensors of the mobile robot 100 may be installed at regular intervals in front of the mobile robot 100 , specifically along the outer peripheral surface of the side of the mobile robot 100 . The forward detection sensor is located on at least one side of the mobile robot 100 to detect an obstacle in front. may be transmitted to the controller 1800 . That is, the front detection sensor may detect protrusions, household appliances, furniture, walls, wall corners, etc. existing on the movement path of the mobile robot 100 , and transmit the information to the controller 1800 .

The front detection sensor may be, for example, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an RF sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, or the like. The mobile robot 100 may use one type of sensor as a front detection sensor, or may use two or more types of sensors together as needed.

For example, the ultrasonic sensor may be mainly used to generally detect a distant obstacle. The ultrasonic sensor includes a transmitter and a receiver, and the controller 1800 determines the presence of an obstacle by whether the ultrasonic wave emitted through the transmitter is reflected by an obstacle and is received by the receiver, and determines the ultrasonic radiation time and ultrasonic reception time. can be used to calculate the distance to the obstacle.

In addition, the controller 1800 may detect information related to the size of an obstacle by comparing the ultrasonic waves emitted from the transmitter and the ultrasonic waves received by the receiver. For example, the controller 1800 may determine that the size of the obstacle increases as more ultrasound waves are received by the receiver.

In an embodiment, a plurality of (eg, five) ultrasonic sensors may be installed on the front side of the mobile robot 100 along the outer circumferential surface. In this case, preferably, the ultrasonic sensor may be installed in the front of the mobile robot by a transmitter and a receiver alternately.

That is, the transmitter may be disposed to be spaced apart on the left and right sides from the center of the front of the main body, and one or more transmitters may be disposed between the receiver to form a receiving area of the ultrasonic signal reflected from an obstacle or the like. With this arrangement, the reception area can be expanded while reducing the number of sensors. The transmission angle of the ultrasonic wave may maintain an angle within a range that does not affect different signals to prevent a crosstalk phenomenon. Also, the reception sensitivities of the receivers may be set differently.

In addition, the ultrasonic sensor may be installed upward by a certain angle so that the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the ultrasonic sensor are output upward, and in this case, a predetermined blocking member may be further included to prevent the ultrasonic waves from being radiated downward.

On the other hand, as the front detection sensor, as described above, two or more types of sensors may be used together, and accordingly, the front detection sensor may use any one type of sensor such as an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an RF sensor. .

For example, the front detection sensor may include an infrared sensor as a sensor other than the ultrasonic sensor.

The infrared sensor may be installed on the outer peripheral surface of the mobile robot 100 together with the ultrasonic sensor. The infrared sensor may also detect obstacles existing in front or on the side and transmit obstacle information to the controller 1800 . That is, the infrared sensor detects protrusions, household appliances, furniture, walls, wall corners, etc. existing on the movement path of the mobile robot 100 , and transmits the information to the controller 1800 . Accordingly, the mobile robot 100 can move its main body within a specific area without colliding with an obstacle.

On the other hand, the cliff detection sensor (or cliff sensor) may detect an obstacle on the floor supporting the main body of the mobile robot 100 mainly by using various types of optical sensors.

That is, the cliff detection sensor is installed on the rear surface of the mobile robot 100 on the floor, but may be installed at different positions depending on the type of the mobile robot 100 . The cliff detection sensor is located on the back of the mobile robot 100 to detect obstacles on the floor, and the cliff detection sensor is an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an RF sensor, It may be a Position Sensitive Detector (PSD) sensor or the like.

For example, any one of the cliff detection sensors may be installed in front of the mobile robot 100 , and the other two cliff detection sensors may be installed in the relatively rear side.

For example, the cliff detection sensor may be a PSD sensor, but may also include a plurality of different types of sensors.

The PSD sensor detects the short and long-distance position of the incident light with one p-n junction using the semiconductor surface resistance. The PSD sensor includes a one-dimensional PSD sensor that detects light in only one axial direction and a two-dimensional PSD sensor that can detect a light position on a plane, both of which may have a pin photodiode structure. The PSD sensor is a kind of infrared sensor and measures the distance by using infrared rays to transmit infrared rays and then measure the angle of infrared rays reflected back from obstacles. That is, the PSD sensor calculates the distance to the obstacle using the triangulation method.

The PSD sensor is provided with a light emitting unit that emits infrared rays to an obstacle and a light receiving unit that receives infrared rays reflected back from the obstacle, but is generally configured in the form of a module. When an obstacle is detected using the PSD sensor, a stable measurement value can be obtained regardless of the difference in reflectance and color of the obstacle.

The control unit 1800 may measure an infrared angle between an infrared light emitting signal emitted by the cliff detection sensor toward the ground and a reflected signal received by being reflected by an obstacle to detect the cliff and analyze its depth.

Meanwhile, the controller 1800 may determine whether to pass or not according to the ground state of the cliff sensed using the cliff sensor, and may determine whether to pass the cliff according to the determination result. For example, the controller 1800 determines the existence of a cliff and the depth of the cliff through the cliff sensor, and then passes the cliff only when a reflection signal is detected through the cliff sensor.

As another example, the controller 1800 may determine the lift-up phenomenon of the mobile robot 100 using the cliff detection sensor.

Meanwhile, the camera may include a digital camera. The digital camera includes at least one optical lens and an image sensor (eg, CMOS image sensor) configured to include a plurality of photodiodes (eg, pixels) on which an image is formed by light passing through the optical lens. and a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to construct an image based on the signals output from the photodiodes. The digital signal processor may generate a still image as well as a moving image composed of frames composed of still images.

Meanwhile, the camera may be a 3D vision sensor (eg, a TOF camera or a structured light camera) that acquires 3D information in real time.

For example, a preferred three-dimensional vision sensor in the present invention is an RGB-D camera, and the RGB-D camera may be composed of a part for receiving a color image and a part for acquiring a distance image. A part for receiving a color image may be composed of a general color CMOS imaging sensor. The RGB-D camera can use infrared structured light to obtain distance information. To this end, the RGB-D camera can be composed of an infrared projector that outputs infrared and a monochrome CMOS imaging sensor that detects infrared.

Meanwhile, the camera, for example, the camera of the mobile robot 100 may include an upper camera (sensor) or a lower camera (sensor) disposed above or below the robot cleaner 100 .

The lower camera sensor is provided on the rear surface of the mobile robot 100, and acquires image information on the lower side, that is, the floor surface (or the surface to be cleaned) during movement. The lower camera sensor is also referred to as an optical flow sensor in other words. The lower camera sensor converts a lower image input from an image sensor provided in the sensor to generate image data in a predetermined format. The generated image data may be stored in the memory 1700 .

Also, one or more light sources may be installed adjacent to the image sensor. One or more light sources irradiate light to a predetermined area of the floor surface photographed by the image sensor. That is, when the mobile robot moves in a specific area along the floor surface, a constant distance is maintained between the image sensor and the floor surface if the floor surface is flat. On the other hand, when the mobile robot 100 moves on the non-uniform surface of the floor, it moves away from it by a certain distance or more due to irregularities and obstacles on the floor. In this case, one or more light sources may be controlled by the controller 1800 to adjust the amount of light irradiated. The light source may be a light emitting device capable of controlling the amount of light, for example, a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

For example, by using the lower camera sensor of the mobile robot 100 , the controller 1800 may detect the position of the mobile robot 100 irrespective of the sliding of the mobile robot 100 . The control unit 1800 of the mobile robot 100 compares and analyzes the image data captured by the lower camera sensor over time to calculate the moving distance and the moving direction, and based on this, the position of the mobile robot 100 can be calculated. have. By using the image information on the lower side of the mobile robot 100 using the lower camera sensor, the control unit 1800 can perform a robust correction against the sliding with respect to the position of the mobile robot 100 calculated by other means.

On the other hand, the upper camera sensor of the mobile robot 100 may be installed to face upward or forward of the mobile robot 100 to photograph the surroundings of the mobile robot. When the mobile robot 100 includes a plurality of upper camera sensors, the camera sensors may be formed on the top or side of the mobile robot 100 at a certain distance or at a certain angle.

5 to 7 below, an embodiment related to the mobile robot 100 of FIGS. 1 to 4 and the sensing device 200 applied to the mobile robot will be described.

The mobile robot 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 110 , a top cover 120 , a suction unit 130 , a first sensing unit 140 , and a dust container 150 . Also, the sensing device 200 may be detachably coupled to the mobile robot 100 .

The main body 110 , the suction unit 130 , the first sensing unit 140 , and the dust container 150 have the same functions and sub-configurations as in the examples of FIGS. 1 to 3 , and detailed description thereof will be omitted. . Hereinafter, the top cover 120 and the sensing device 200 detachably coupled thereto will be described.

The top cover 120 is disposed to cover at least a portion of an upper portion of the main body 100 of the mobile robot 100 , and may be formed to be coupled to the sensing device 200 . The top cover 120 and the sensing device 200 are formed in a structure that can be detachably coupled, so that the sensing device 200 can be separated from or combined with the mobile robot 100 according to the user's needs. The top cover 120 may include a coupling protrusion 123 protruding upward. Also, the top cover 120 may include a first magnet 125 . Details on this will be described later.

The top cover 120 may be electrically connected to the terminal through a contact with the terminal of the sensing device 200 is formed. The top cover 120 may include a first terminal 121 . Details on this will be described later.

The sensing device 200 includes a sensing device case 210 , a base 220 , and a second sensing unit 240 .

The sensing device case 210 forms an exterior along the circumference of the sensing device 200 . The sensing device case 210 accommodates the internal configuration of the sensing device 200 and protects it from the outside.

The sensing device case 210 includes a base 220 that forms an exterior along the circumference from the lower end of the sensing device case 200 . The base 220 includes a bottom portion forming a bottom surface. The base 220 may be disposed to overlap with the lower end of the sensing device case 210 . The base 220 may be formed in a form coupled to the sensing device case 210 or may be formed integrally.

The base 220 may include a coupling groove 223 recessed in a shape corresponding to the coupling protrusion 121 protruding upward from the top cover 120 . The mobile robot 100 may be coupled to the sensing device 200 by inserting the coupling protrusion 123 protruding from the top cover 120 into the coupling groove 223 formed in the base 220 . In this case, the top cover 120 and the base 220 are detachably coupled, so that the sensing device 200 can be coupled and separated from the mobile robot 100 according to a user's request.

The mobile robot 100 and the sensing device 200 are coupled so that the second sensing unit 240 provided in the sensing device 200 is disposed in front of the main body 110 in which the suction unit 130 is located. can In this way, while determining the arrangement direction of the second sensing unit 240 at the same time as the coupling, in order to prevent the problem that the second sensing unit 240 is unexpectedly twisted, the coupling protrusion 123 and the coupling groove 223 are It may be formed by bending at least once as shown. However, it is not necessarily limited to the illustrated shape.

Meanwhile, the base 220 may include a second magnet 225 corresponding to the first magnet 125 attached to the lower surface of the top cover 120 . The second magnet 225 may be attached to the upper surface of the base 220 . The top cover 120 and the base 220 may be detachably coupled to each other through the attractive force between the first magnet 125 and the second magnet 225 . As above, while determining the arrangement direction of the second sensing unit 240 at the same time as the coupling, in order to prevent the problem that the second sensing unit 240 is unexpectedly twisted, the first magnet 125 and the second magnet 225 are At least two or more may be disposed on one side of the top cover 120 and the base 220 as shown. However, it is not necessarily limited to the illustrated arrangement.

As shown, a method in which the coupling protrusion 123 is inserted into the coupling groove 223 and a coupling method by an attractive force between magnets may be applied at the same time. In addition, the coupling structure is not limited to the insertion method or the magnetic coupling as described above, and the two structures may be coupled by a known detachable coupling method such as a coupling structure through a bolt or a hook.

A second terminal 221 may be formed on the lower surface of the base 220 at a position corresponding to the first terminal 121 formed on the top cover 120 . When the mobile robot 100 and the sensing device 200 are coupled, the first terminal 121 and the second terminal 221 may be electrically connected to each other through contact.

The mobile robot 100 may transmit/receive data such as external environment information acquired by the sensing device 200 through terminal-to-terminal contact.

The mobile robot 100 may transmit/receive data from the sensing device 200 through a wireless communication connection. However, if the communication connection is cut off, a problem may occur that cannot transmit/receive data. In addition, since the processing speed is slow compared to receiving information through contact between terminals, that is, through a wired communication connection, there is a problem in that it cannot respond to an obstacle that appears suddenly. Therefore, it is preferable to receive data from the sensing device 200 through the terminal-to-terminal contact as in the above example.

The mobile robot 100 may further include a power transmission device 1101 . The power transmitter 1101 may transmit power to a rechargeable battery (not shown) provided in the sensing device 200 . In this case, the sensing device 200 includes a power receiving device 2101 . The power receiving device may receive power to charge the battery.

For example, the power transmitter may supply power from a battery (not shown) provided in the mobile robot 100 to the power receiver through contact between the first terminal 121 and the second terminal 221 . have. The power transmission may be wireless power transmission, but in the case of wireless power transmission, a charging speed is slower than in the case of wired power transmission, and there may be a problem in that power loss occurs. Therefore, it is preferable to transmit power through a wire through electrical contact as in the above example. The sensing device 200 may not include a battery, and may directly supply power received from the power transmission device to each component in the sensing device 200 .

A second sensing unit 240 is disposed in the sensing device 200 . As shown, the second sensing unit 240 may be disposed on one side of the sensing device 200 , that is, in front of the sensing device 200 so as to face the front of the main body 110 where the suction unit 130 is located. have.

Like the first sensing unit 140 , the second sensing unit 240 detects an obstacle or a feature in front so that the suction unit 130 does not collide with the obstacle. The second sensing unit 240 may be positioned higher than the first sensing unit 140 to cover a range that the first sensing unit 140 cannot detect, that is, to sense a wider range. Preferably, as shown, the second sensing unit 240 may be disposed on the sensing device 200 .

Like the first sensing unit 140 , the first sensing unit 140 may include at least one of a front detection sensor, a cliff detection sensor, and a camera. A description of this has been described above, and a redundant description thereof will be omitted.

The sensing device 200 may include a microphone 250 , a display 260 , and a speaker (not shown).

The microphone 250 may detect an external sound and extract a user's command. The microphone 250 may be mounted on the sensing device 200 at a position capable of detecting a user's voice. In general, the closer to the sound source, the higher the voice recognition rate, the microphone 250 is preferably mounted on the upper side of the sensing device (200). A plurality of microphones 250 may be provided and mounted on all sides of the sensing device 200 .

The display 260 may output an image. The display 260 may display predetermined information or an emotional emoticon based on a user's command, setting, or detected external environment information data.

The display 260 may be disposed on the sensing device 200 . The display 260 is inclined with respect to the front of the sensing device 200 so that the screen of the display 260 may look upward. In the case of the mobile robot 200 , for example, a robot cleaner, it has a basically flat shape, and it is attached to the ground and travels at a low height, so it is difficult for a user to recognize information displayed by the display no matter where the display is placed. Therefore, when the display 260 provided in the sensing device 200, which can be detachably coupled according to circumstances, is inclined to face upward, the user may easily recognize the information displayed by the display 260 .

A speaker (not shown) may audibly output information. A hole (not shown) through which a sound of a speaker (not shown) passes may be formed in the sensing device case 210 .

The sensing device 200 may be, for example, a communication robot 1 that communicates with a user. Details on this will be described later.

In FIG. 8 below, an embodiment related to the components of the mobile robot 100 and the sensing device 200 applied to the mobile robot will be described.

The mobile robot 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a power supply unit 1100 , a communication unit 1200 , a driving unit 1300 , a sensing unit 1400 , an input unit 1500 , an output unit 1600 , and a memory 1700 . ) and the control unit 1800 may include at least one or a combination thereof.

Descriptions of the above components that the mobile robot 100 may include are the same as those described above in FIG. 4 . A detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The sensing device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a power supply unit 2100, a communication unit 2200, a driving unit 2300, a sensing unit 2400, an input unit 2500, an output unit 2600, a memory 2700. and at least one of the control unit 2800 or a combination thereof.

The components shown in FIG. 8 are not essential, so it goes without saying that the mobile robot 100 and the sensing device 200 having more or fewer components may be implemented.

On the other hand, each component of the sensing device 200, the power supply unit 1100, the communication unit 1200, the driving unit 1300, the sensing unit 1400, the input unit 1500, the output unit 1600 of the mobile robot 100, ), the memory 1700 and the control unit 1800 are substantially the same, and below, the differences will be mainly described.

First, the power supply unit 2100 may supply driving power to the respective components included in the sensing device 200 , thereby supplying operating power required for the sensing device 200 to perform a specific function.

The power supply unit 2100 may include a power receiving device 2101 for receiving power. In this case, the power receiving device 2101 may receive power from the power transmitting device 1101 of the mobile robot 100 . For example, the power transmitter 1101 of the mobile robot 100 transmits power to the power receiver 2101 of the sensing device 200 through contact between the first terminal 121 and the second terminal 221 . can supply

At this time, the power supply unit 2100 is provided with a battery that can be charged by an external commercial power supply to supply power into the sensing device 200, the battery is not provided, and the power transmitted from the power transmission device directly to the sensing device ( 200) may be supplied to each of the components within.

When the sensing device 200 includes a battery, the controllers 1800 and 2800 may detect the remaining power of the battery. The controllers 1800 and 2800 may control the power receiving device 2101 to receive power from the power transmitting device 1101 when the battery power of the sensing device 200 is equal to or less than a set remaining amount.

At this time, the control unit 1800, 2800 detects the remaining power of the mobile robot 100 so as not to interfere with the driving function of the mobile robot 100, when the remaining power of the mobile robot 100 is insufficient, the power is transmitted You can control not to do it.

Meanwhile, the sensing device 200 may further include a driving unit 2300 . The driving unit may, for example, when the sensing device 200 is provided with a tilting shaft, the sensing device may perform a tilting motion inclined to one side by the driving unit 2300 . For example, when a rotary motor is provided under the sensing device 200 , the driving unit 2300 receives a command from the control units 1800 and 2800 in order to widen the sensing range of the sensing device 200 in a direction in which sensing is required. to rotate the sensing device.

Meanwhile, the input unit 2500 receives various control commands for the mobile robot 100 and the sensing device 200 from the user. The input unit 2500 may include a microphone 250 capable of recognizing a user's command by sensing an external sound.

In this case, the microphone 250 may transmit the sensed sound to the controller 2800 provided in the sensing device 200 . The controller 2800 may extract a command by recognizing the user's voice detected through the microphone 250 . In this case, the communication unit 2200 may transmit the command data processed in the sensing device 200 to the control unit 1800 of the mobile robot 100 through the terminal. Alternatively, the communication unit 2200 may transmit the sound sensed by the microphone 250 to the control unit 1800 of the mobile robot 100 . In this case, the controller 1800 may extract a command by recognizing the user's voice sensed through the microphone 250 .

Meanwhile, the communication unit 2200 included in the sensing device 200 is connected to the mobile robot 100 by one of wired, wireless, and satellite communication methods to transmit and receive signals and data. However, as described above, in a state in which the sensing device 200 is coupled to the mobile robot 100, it is preferable that the sensing device 200 is connected through electrical contact on a wire to transmit/receive signals and data. For example, the sensing device 200 may exchange signals and data with the mobile robot 100 through contact between the first terminal 121 and the second terminal 221 . The communication unit 2200 may transmit a command input to the sensing device 200 or data related to sensed external environment information to the communication unit 1200 of the mobile robot 200 .

The output unit 2600 may output internal state information of the mobile robot 100 and the sensing device 200 detected by the sensing units 1400 and 2400 . The output unit 2600 may output current states of components included in the mobile robot 100 and the sensing device 200 . Also, the output unit 2600 may output external state information detected by the sensing unit 2400 . For example, the output unit 2600 of the sensing device 200 may display obstacle information, location information, map information, and the like on the screen. Hereinafter, the contents of the display are the same as described above.

The output unit 2600 may audibly output various types of information. The output unit 2600 may include a speaker that audibly outputs the operation process or operation result of the mobile robot 100 performed by the controllers 1800 and 2800 . Hereinafter, the contents of the speaker are the same as described above.

Meanwhile, the sensing unit 2400, like the sensing unit 1400 of the mobile robot 100, may include at least one of a forward sensing sensor, a cliff sensing sensor, and a camera. The content is the same as described above.

When the sensing device 200 is coupled to the mobile robot 100, the two sensing units 1400 and 2400 sense the external environment information, and the control units 1800 and 2800, if necessary, Power can be saved by controlling the sensing unit 2400 to perform sensing only.

Hereinafter, a control method of the mobile robot 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9 .

First, the mobile robot 100 recognizes whether the sensing device 200 is coupled to the top cover 120 (S1). The coupling between the structures may be identified through contact between the first terminal 121 and the second terminal 221 and whether electricity is energized.

When the combination of the mobile robot 100 and the sensing device 200 is recognized, the control unit 1800, 2800 determines a sensing unit to perform sensing among the first sensing unit 140 and the second sensing unit 240, The command may be applied (S2).

When the combination of the mobile robot 100 and the sensing device 200 is recognized, the controllers 1800 and 2800 generally control the second sensing unit 240 with a wider sensing range to detect the external environment information. Control. In this case, the controllers 1800 and 2800 may control the first sensing unit 140 to also perform sensing together with the second sensing unit 240 in order to increase detection accuracy. In this case, the controllers 1800 and 2800 may control the sensing to be performed only by the second sensing unit 240 provided in the sensing device 200 as necessary to save power. In addition, when the battery power of the mobile robot 100 is equal to or less than a set remaining amount, the controllers 1800 and 2800 may control the sensing to be performed only by the first sensing unit 140 .

When a sensing unit to perform sensing is determined, the determined sensing unit performs sensing of surrounding external environment information, such as an obstacle or a feature (S3).

After detection, the sensing unit transmits data on the sensed information to the controllers 1800 and 2800 (S4).

After processing the received information, the controllers 1800 and 2800 control driving by setting a driving route and applying a command to the driving unit 1300 ( S5 ).

Hereinafter, a home network system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 10 .

The sensing device 200 may be a communication robot 1 that communicates with people and peripheral devices. Hereinafter, the sensing device 200 will be described in more detail by taking the case where the sensing device 200 is the communication robot 1 as an example.

Referring to FIG. 10, the home network system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an accessory (accessary, 2, 3a, 3b), a gateway (4) that transmit information to each other through a wired or wireless network; It may include a router (Access Point, 7) and a communication robot (hub robot, 1). In addition, the home network system may further include a server 8 and a terminal 6 .

The network may be constructed based on technologies such as Wi-Fi, Ethernet, zigbee, z-wave, and Bluetooth. The accessories 2 , 3a , 3b , the gateway 4 , the router 7 , and the communication robot 1 may include a communication module connectable to the network according to a predetermined communication protocol.

According to the configuration of the network, the communication module provided in each of the devices 2 , 3a , 3b , 4 , 7 and 1 constituting the network system is determined. A plurality of communication modules may be provided in the device according to a communication method between the device and the network or between the devices.

The accessories 2 , 3a , 3b include at least one communication module for connection with a network. The communication module communicates with a predetermined network.

The accessories 2, 3a, and 3b may include a sensor module that detects a predetermined surrounding situation. The accessories 2 , 3a , 3b may include a control module that exerts a specific function affecting the surrounding environment. The accessories 2, 3a, and 3b may include a remote control module that transmits an optical signal (eg, an infrared signal) for controlling a predetermined peripheral device.

Accessories (2, 3a, 3b) equipped with a sensor module include a barometric pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a radiation sensor, a heat sensor, a gas sensor, an air quality sensor, an electronic nose sensor, a healthcare sensor, and a biometric sensor. , sleep sensor (e.g., attached to the user's pajamas or underwear to detect snoring, apnea, toss and turn while the user is sleeping), proximity sensor, light sensor, accelerometer, magnetic sensor, gravity sensor, gyroscope sensor, For example, a device equipped with a motion sensor, RGB sensor, infrared sensor (IR sensor), ultrasonic sensor, remote sensing sensor, SAR, radar, optical sensor (eg, image sensor, image sensor), etc. may be exemplified. .

Accessories (2, 3a, 3b) with control modules are smart lighting to control lighting, smart plugs to control the application and degree of power, and smart thermostats to control whether or not the boiler or air conditioner operates and its strength, etc. , a smart gas lock that controls whether to shut off gas, etc. are examples.

The accessories 2, 3a, and 3b provided with the remote control module may include, for example, a device equipped with an infrared LED that transmits an infrared (IR) signal to a remote-controllable home appliance or the like.

Accessories (eg, 3a, 3b) may be installed only for a predetermined purpose in order to exhibit a predetermined performance. For example, the accessory 3a is a video camera, and the accessory 3b is a smart plug.

The accessory 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be provided so that it can be installed at any location desired by the user. In addition, it may be provided so that it can be utilized for various purposes. For example, the accessory 2 may be attached to an external object such as a home appliance, a door, a window, or a wall.

The gateway 4 mediates communication between one or more accessories 2 , 3b and the router 7 . The gateway 4 communicates with the accessory 2 wirelessly. The gateway 4 communicates with the router 7 by wire or wirelessly. For example, communication between the gateway 4 and the router 7 may be based on Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

The router 7 may be connected to the server 8 through wired or wireless communication. The server 8 is accessible via the Internet. Various terminals 6 connected to the Internet can communicate with the server 8 . The terminal 6 may be, for example, a mobile terminal such as a personal computer (PC) or a smart phone.

Accessories 2 , 3b may be provided to communicate with gateway 4 . As another example, the accessory 3a may be provided to communicate directly with the router 7 without going through the gateway 4 .

The router 7 may be provided to communicate directly with the accessory 3a or other device 5 equipped with a communication module without going through the gateway 4 . These devices (5, 3a) is preferably provided with a Wi-Fi communication module, it is possible to communicate directly with the router (7) without going through the gateway (4).

The communication robot 1 may be connected to the router 7 through wired (eg, Ethernet) or wireless (eg, wi-fi) communication. Communication between the communication robot 1 and the accessories 2 and 3b can be made through the gateway 4 and the router 7 as a medium, and as another example, the communication robot 1 and the accessory 3a through the router 7 as a medium ) or other devices 5 can communicate with each other.

Specifically, the signal transmitted from the accessories 2 and 3b may be transmitted to the communication robot 1 via the gateway 4 and the router 7 in turn, and the signal transmitted from the communication robot 1 is transmitted to the router ( 7) and the gateway 4 may be sequentially transmitted to the accessories 2 and 3b. As another example, a signal transmitted from the accessory 3a or other device 5 may be transmitted to the communication robot 1 via the router 7, and the signal transmitted from the communication robot 1 may be transmitted to the router 7 It may be transmitted to the accessory (3a) or other device (5) via.

For example, information acquired by the sensor module of the accessories 2 , 3a , 3b may be transmitted to the server 8 , the terminal 6 or the communication robot 1 via a network. In addition, it is also possible that a signal for controlling the sensor module, the control module, or the remote control module is transmitted to the accessory 2 from the server 8 , the communication robot 1 or the terminal 6 . Transmission of these signals is made via the gateway (4) and/or the router (7).

Communication between the accessories 2 , 3a , 3b and the communication robot 1 is possible only with the gateway 4 and the router 7 . For example, even when the home network is disconnected from an external communication network such as the Internet, communication between the accessories 2 , 3a , 3b and the communication robot 1 is possible.

When the communication robot 1 is connected to the server 8 through the router 7 , information transmitted from the communication robot 1 or the accessory 2 may be stored in the server 8 . The information stored in the server 8 may be received by the terminal 6 connected to the server 8 .

Also, the information transmitted from the terminal 6 may be transmitted to the communication robot 1 or the accessory 2 via the server 8 . Since a smartphone (smart phone), which is a terminal widely used recently, provides a graphic-based convenient UI, the communication robot 1 and/or accessory 2 is controlled through the UI, or the communication robot 1 And/or it is possible to process and display the information received from the accessory (2). In addition, by updating the application mounted on the smartphone, it is also possible to expand the functions that can be implemented through the communication robot 1 and/or the accessory 2 .

On the other hand, although not shown in the drawing, it can be implemented so that the terminal 6 and the communication robot 1 can directly communicate with each other regardless of the server 8 . For example, the communication robot 1 and the terminal 6 may directly communicate with each other using the Blue-Tooth method.

On the other hand, without using the terminal 6, it is also possible to control the accessory 2 only with the communication robot 1 or to process and display information received from the accessory 2 .

The communication robot 1 includes an input unit 1500 for receiving a command for controlling the communication robot 1 . The input unit 1500 may receive a command for controlling the accessory 2 . The input unit 1500 may include a switch (not shown) or a touch-type display 260 . The input unit 1500 may include a microphone 250 . When the communication robot 1 is provided with a microphone 250 , the controller 2800 of the communication robot 1 may recognize the user's voice input through the microphone 250 and extract a command.

11 illustrates a home network system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The home network system according to another embodiment of the present invention is different from the above-described embodiment in that the gateway 4 is not provided, and the communication robot 1 also serves the function performed by the gateway 4 . , and other features are substantially the same as in the case of the above-described embodiment.

In the above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, but the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and in the technical field to which the present invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims. Various modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or perspective of the present invention.

100: mobile robot 110: body
111: wheel unit 120: top cover
121: first terminal 123: coupling projection
125: first magnet 130: suction unit
140: first sensing unit 150: dust bin
200: sensing device 210: sensing device case
220: base 221: second terminal
223: coupling groove 225: second magnet
240: second sensing unit 250: microphone
260: display 1100: power unit
1101: power transmitter 1200: communication unit
1300: driving unit 1400: sensing unit
1500: input unit 1600: output unit
1700: memory 1800: control unit
2100: power unit 2101: power receiving device
2200: communication unit 2300: driving unit
2400: sensing unit 2500: input unit
2600: output unit 2700: memory
2800: control

Claims (13)

a body having a wheel unit;
a top cover covering at least a portion of an upper portion of the body;
a first sensing unit installed on the main body and configured to perform sensing while driving to obtain external environment information;
a controller for controlling driving based on the acquired state information; and
and a sensing device detachably coupled to the top cover,
The sensing device is
and a second sensing unit configured to acquire external environment information by performing sensing while driving at a higher position than the first sensing unit. The method of claim 1,
The sensing device is
A mobile robot comprising a base provided under the sensing device and detachably coupled to the top cover. 3. The method of claim 2,
Further comprising a coupling protrusion protruding upward from the top cover,
The base is a mobile robot including a coupling groove recessed in a shape corresponding to the coupling protrusion. 4. The method of claim 3,
The mobile robot is formed by bending the coupling protrusion at least once. 3. The method of claim 2,
Further comprising a first magnet attached to the lower portion of the top cover,
The base is a mobile robot including a second magnet attached to a position corresponding to the first magnet. The method of claim 1,
a first terminal formed on the top cover; and
It is formed in the sensing device, further comprising a second terminal electrically connectable to the first terminal,
The second sensing unit,
When the first terminal and the second terminal come into contact, the mobile robot transmits the acquired external environment information to the control unit through the contact. 7. The method of claim 6,
The control unit is
When the first terminal and the second terminal are in contact, the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit are operated so that any one of the first sensing unit and the second sensing unit selectively performs the sensing. Controlled mobile robot. The method of claim 1,
a first terminal formed on the top cover; and
It is provided in the main body, further comprising a power transmission device for transmitting power,
The sensing device is
a second terminal electrically connectable to the first terminal; and
A power receiving device for receiving power from the power transmitting device,
The power transmission device,
When the first terminal and the second terminal come into contact, the mobile robot transmits power to the power receiving device through the contact. The method of claim 1,
The sensing device may include a display for outputting an image. 10. The method of claim 9,
The display is a mobile robot that is disposed to be inclined while looking forward. The method of claim 1,
The sensing device, the mobile robot further comprising at least one microphone for sensing an external sound. 12. The method of claim 11,
The microphone is a mobile robot mounted on an upper portion of the sensing device. delete

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