Patent · US Expired

Robot cleaner, robot cleaning system and method for controlling same

US6732826B2 · kind B2 · utility

210Cited by
19References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 4, 2002
Grant dateMay 11, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 10, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA47L2201/04
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A robot cleaner, robot cleaning system, and a method for controlling the same, using wireless communications an upwardly-looking camera for photographing an upper image perpendicular to a forward-looking direction of driving the robot cleaner; and a controller for controlling the driving unit to allow the robot cleaner to drive within a cleaning area according to a predetermined driving path, and compensating the driving path by analyzing the image photographed by the upwardly-looking camera. Optional features include second forwardly directed camera to provide a three dimensional image sensors for sensing walls or obstacles and transmission of data to external processor/controllers by a radio antenna. The inventive system can recognize the robot cleaner position more accurately by using a relatively constant upper image reducing movement error to a target position.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.