EP3440975B1 - Method for operating a self-propelled cleaning device - Google Patents

Method for operating a self-propelled cleaning device Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3440975B1
EP3440975B1 EP18186774.8A EP18186774A EP3440975B1 EP 3440975 B1 EP3440975 B1 EP 3440975B1 EP 18186774 A EP18186774 A EP 18186774A EP 3440975 B1 EP3440975 B1 EP 3440975B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cleaning device
surface section
cleaning
degree
area
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP18186774.8A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP3440975A1 (en
Inventor
Pia Hahn
Gerhard Isenberg
Harald Windorfer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Vorwerk and Co Interholding GmbH
Original Assignee
Vorwerk and Co Interholding GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Vorwerk and Co Interholding GmbH filed Critical Vorwerk and Co Interholding GmbH
Publication of EP3440975A1 publication Critical patent/EP3440975A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3440975B1 publication Critical patent/EP3440975B1/en
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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L5/00—Structural features of suction cleaners
    • A47L5/12—Structural features of suction cleaners with power-driven air-pumps or air-compressors, e.g. driven by motor vehicle engine vacuum
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
    • A47L9/2805—Parameters or conditions being sensed
    • A47L9/2826—Parameters or conditions being sensed the condition of the floor
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/4002—Installations of electric equipment
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
    • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
    • A47L11/4011—Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/009—Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
    • A47L9/2805—Parameters or conditions being sensed
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
    • A47L9/2836—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means characterised by the parts which are controlled
    • A47L9/2852—Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
    • A47L9/2857—User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L2201/00—Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
    • A47L2201/04—Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L2201/00—Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
    • A47L2201/06—Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for operating a cleaning device that moves automatically within an environment, with the cleaning device cleaning a defined, spatially limited subarea of the environment, thereby completing a planned movement path.
  • the invention relates to a cleaning device that moves automatically within an environment, which is designed to carry out cleaning of a defined, spatially limited subarea of the environment and to carry out a planned movement path in the process.
  • the cleaning device can be a mobile robot, for example, which can independently carry out a suction task and/or a wiping task.
  • the publications DE 10 2011 000 536 A1 and DE 10 2008 014 912 A1 disclose, for example, methods in connection with automatically movable suction and/or cleaning robots for cleaning floors.
  • the robots are equipped with distance sensors that measure distances to obstacles such as furniture or room boundaries be able.
  • a map of the surroundings is created from the measured distance data, which can be used to plan a travel route that avoids a collision with obstacles.
  • the distance sensors preferably work without contact, for example with the help of light and/or ultrasound.
  • the detected distance data are processed and stored by a computing device of the robot to form a map of the surroundings, so that this map of the surroundings can be accessed in the course of a work operation for the purpose of orientation.
  • the robot intensively cleans a smaller area of the surrounding area of, for example, 2 by 2 meters. Within this partial area, the robot moves, for example, in straight, parallel lines. When the robot has completed its predefined path within the spot, it returns to a starting point.
  • a cleaning robot which measures a degree of contamination in an area adjacent to a currently cleaned area and travels there to clean this adjacent area if a degree of contamination above a reference degree of contamination is detected. Furthermore, it is disclosed that dirt is detected at a point in time Location to carry out a spot cleaning mode, in which, starting from the detected dirty location, the cleaning area is expanded spirally.
  • the disadvantage here is that the cleaning of the spatially limited partial surface area takes place independently of the degree of soiling of this partial surface area.
  • a detection device of the cleaning appliance measure the degree of soiling of the partial surface area during the cleaning of this defined partial surface area, with the degree of soiling being compared with a defined reference degree of soiling and the partial surface area being automatically cleaned by adding a defined additional partial area adjacent to the partial surface area via a den Surface sub-area delimiting peripheral track is also increased when a degree of pollution within the surface sub-area above the reference pollution level.
  • a sub-area processed by the cleaning device is now enlarged as a function of a determined degree of contamination of the sub-area under certain conditions.
  • a boundary of the partial area is changed by adding a defined additional partial area to the previous area of the partial area.
  • the additional portion may be defined in terms of its size, shape, and/or position.
  • the subarea can be defined how sensitively the subarea is expanded as a function of a detected degree of soiling, so that, for example, the subarea is adapted differently in the case of only light soiling than in the case of relatively high degrees of soiling.
  • the degree of soiling of the subarea is determined, for example, with a dust sensor.
  • the reference degree of soiling can be defined manually by a user or can also be derived from a degree of soiling from an earlier cleaning cycle.
  • the reference degree of soiling can be stored location-dependently in an environment map for the cleaning device, so that different partial areas of an environment, for example different rooms in an apartment, are assigned different reference degrees of soiling.
  • Information about the sub-area cleaned in this way can then be stored in the area map for future use Cleaning cycles of the cleaning device are saved.
  • the user can carry out a number of different actions after a cleaning cycle, for example deciding whether the previously cleaned partial area including the additional partial area should be cleaned again or not.
  • the user can use an application installed on an external device to store information about completed cleaning cycles, for example information about whether an added additional sub-area was too large or too small, whether the cleaning quality met the user's expectations, or similar. Through this procedure, for example, a learning behavior of the cleaning device can also be achieved.
  • a spot cleaning mode with increased cleaning performance compared to a standard mode of the cleaning device is carried out in the defined spatially limited partial area.
  • a decision is made as to whether the subarea is supplemented by additional subareas, which are then also subject to cleaning according to the settings of the spot cleaning mode.
  • the cleaning device can, for example, first be placed on a peripheral line of the subarea to be cleaned. From there, the cleaning device moves, for example, in straight, parallel lines through the subarea and cleans it.
  • the partial area can have an area of 2 by 2 meters, for example.
  • the degree of contamination of the subarea is measured by the detection device and compared with the defined reference degree of contamination. If the detected contamination is greater than the reference contamination, the subarea is enlarged by an additional subarea. Otherwise, the spot cleaning is ended or at least limited to the area of the previous partial area.
  • the cleaning device moves within the partial surface area and/or within the additional partial area on a meandering path of movement or on paths of movement oriented parallel to one another.
  • the subarea is thus not traversed according to a random pattern, but rather along a defined travel route, which can have regular or irregular patterns.
  • a movement along parallel movement paths or along a meandering movement path is particularly preferably carried out. If an additional partial area is added to the surface partial area, the trajectory or trajectories of the cleaning robot are correspondingly extended into the additional partial area, with the movement pattern preferably remaining the same in principle.
  • the degree of contamination is detected along a circumferential path delimiting the subarea.
  • the detection device can detect contamination at any point of the subarea, but it is advisable to evaluate a necessary enlargement of the subarea in particular, if necessary exclusively, to evaluate the contamination of an outer peripheral path of the subarea.
  • the cleaning device can specifically move along the circumferential path delimiting the subarea and measure contamination along the circumferential path there.
  • the cleaning device can move on a meandering path of motion or paths of motion oriented parallel to one another through the subarea and measure the degree of soiling where the path of motion crosses the peripheral path.
  • the detection device detects the contamination exclusively in the area of the peripheral path delimiting the partial surface area, or also centrally within the partial surface area, preferably only one degree of soiling on the outer peripheral path is compared with the reference degree of soiling, to decide whether to increase the area portion by adding an additional portion.
  • the surface sub-area be extended beyond a peripheral track delimiting the surface sub-area by an additional sub-area at least in the area of a peripheral track section.
  • the sub-area be expanded in the area of a peripheral path section which has a degree of soiling above the defined reference degree of soiling. This refinement takes into account on which side of the sub-area a contamination limit value was exceeded, so that the sub-area is only expanded where the limit value was exceeded.
  • the sub-area is, for example, a rectangular sub-area with four straight peripheral path sections, the sub-area can be expanded on one of the sides of the rectangle, so that the corresponding peripheral path section is displaced and thus the partial surface area is enlarged on one side.
  • the partial surface area is preferably expanded in the direction of the increased amount of dirt, which is particularly advantageous from the point of view of cleaning efficiency.
  • the cleaning device moves forward through the enlarged subarea, it is avoided that certain locations are repeatedly run over by the cleaning device. This can be avoided if the cleaning device first cleans one of the added additional sub-areas in the case of surface expansions on opposite circumferential path sections and optionally expands this radially outward step by step, and only then moves to the opposite additional sub-area to clean there. As a result, the proportion of locations within the sub-area or additional sub-areas that are traveled over several times is kept as small as possible. Overall, the widening of the partial surface area results in an uneven expansion of the partial surface area on only some of the existing circumferential path sections, so that the shape of the partial surface area can also change asymmetrically in the course of cleaning.
  • the sub-area be expanded spirally and/or by adding one or more rectangular additional sub-areas in relation to a circumferential track delimiting it.
  • the original surface of the partial surface area is continuously and continuously enlarged by an additional partial area of defined width.
  • a detected amount of dirt is continuously compared with a limit value, while the cleaning device moves along the circumferential track. Due to the spiral-shaped widening of the partial surface area, the partial surface area is expanded essentially uniformly in all directions.
  • the peripheral path of the partial surface area or the added additional partial areas does not necessarily have to be curved, for example along a circular shape, but can also be square, triangular or otherwise shaped.
  • a rectangular partial area can be expanded on one or more sides by adding additional rectangular partial areas. As a result, an asymmetrical expansion of the subarea can also be created.
  • the partial surface area is extended by a frame-like additional partial area.
  • the subarea is expanded along its entire circumference. In relation to a square partial area, this means that all sides of the square are expanded by an additional partial area of the same or different width. This in turn creates a square surface sub-area.
  • the frame-like additional sub-area is a ring of defined width, which expands the radius of the sub-area in all possible radial directions.
  • the sub-area be supplemented by one or more additional sub-areas until contamination below the defined reference contamination is detected.
  • the expansion of the partial surface area by one or more additional partial areas is thus continued until a termination criterion is met.
  • the termination criterion includes here that a contamination measured by the detection device is less than a defined reference contamination.
  • the invention also proposes a cleaning device that moves automatically within an environment, which is designed to carry out cleaning of a defined, spatially limited subarea of the environment and in doing so a planned To complete a trajectory, wherein the cleaning device has a control device which is set up to control the cleaning device to carry out a previously proposed method.
  • control device is set up to measure the degree of soiling of the partial area during the cleaning, to compare the measured degree of soiling with a defined reference soiling and to automatically enlarge the partial area by adding a defined additional partial area if a degree of soiling above the reference soiling is determined.
  • control device can control the cleaning device and the detection device in such a way that the contamination is detected along a peripheral path delimiting the subarea.
  • control device can extend the partial surface area beyond a circumferential path delimiting the partial surface area, at least in Area of a peripheral path section, to expand by an additional sub-area, in particular in the area of a peripheral path section, which has contamination above the defined reference contamination.
  • control device can also be set up to expand the partial surface area in a spiral manner and/or by adding one or more rectangular additional partial areas and/or by adding a frame-like additional partial area.
  • control device can be assigned a storage device with a file which contains reference degrees of soiling as well as sizes, shapes and/or positions for corresponding additional partial areas.
  • a specific size and/or shape and/or position of an additional partial area can be assigned to a specific detected degree of contamination, for example in tabular form.
  • the file that the control device can access can either be stored locally within the cleaning device, or on an external terminal device, an external server or, for example, on a web server (cloud).
  • FIG 1 shows a cleaning device 1, which is designed here as a vacuum robot.
  • the cleaning device 1 has wheels 12 driven by an electric motor 14, with the help of which the cleaning device 1 can move within an environment.
  • the cleaning device 1 has cleaning elements 13, namely here a side brush protruding laterally beyond a housing of the cleaning device 1 and a brush roller, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation.
  • the brush roller In the usual operating position of the cleaning device 1 shown here, the brush roller is oriented horizontally in relation to its longitudinal extent, ie essentially parallel to a surface to be cleaned.
  • the cleaning elements 13 are used to loosen dirt from the surface to be cleaned.
  • the cleaning device 1 in the area of the cleaning elements 13 has a suction mouth opening (not shown) via which air loaded with suction material can be sucked into the cleaning device 1 by means of a motor/fan unit.
  • the cleaning device 1 has a rechargeable battery, not shown.
  • the cleaning device 1 also has a distance measuring device 15 which, for example, contains a triangulation measuring device.
  • the distance measuring device 15 is arranged within the housing of the cleaning device 1 and has a laser diode, the emitted light beam of which is guided out of the housing via a deflection device and can be rotated about an axis of rotation that is vertical in the orientation of the cleaning device 1 shown, in particular with a measuring angle of 360 Degree. An all-round distance measurement around the cleaning device 1 is thereby possible.
  • the distance measuring device 15 measures distances to obstacles, for example pieces of furniture, in the vicinity of the cleaning appliance 1.
  • the cleaning device 1 also has a detection device 3, namely here a dust sensor arranged at the front in the direction of travel of the cleaning device 1, which can detect contamination of a subarea 2 currently traveled over by the cleaning device 1.
  • the dust sensor contains, for example, an image acquisition device, in particular a camera, which records images of the subarea 2 and compares them with images of reference contamination.
  • the cleaning device 1 has a control device 11 which is designed to carry out the comparison between a contamination recorded by the detection device 3 and the reference contamination.
  • the control device 11 can access an internal or external storage device (not shown) in which information on reference contamination is stored.
  • the cleaning device 1 follows a path of movement 5 within the environment.
  • This trajectory 5 can be determined, for example, by means of an environment map 16 (see Figure 5 and 6 ) be planned, which the cleaning device 1 has previously created.
  • the trajectory 5 can, for example, also be a route of movement of the cleaning device 1 during a spot cleaning mode in which the cleaning device 1 cleans a limited partial surface area 2 with an increased cleaning performance compared to a standard mode. In this cleaning mode, the cleaning device 1 travels over the partial surface area 2, for example, on a large number of paths parallel to one another and removes dirt.
  • the spot cleaning begins first within a partial area 2, which has a previously defined standard size for spot cleaning, here for example a rectangular area with a size of 2 by 2 meters.
  • a peripheral track 6 as a peripheral line of the partial surface area 2 delimits the spot area and has four peripheral track sections 7, 8, 9, 10 each at a 90° angle to one another.
  • the cleaning device 1 first carries out a cleaning of the partial area 2 along parallel paths in the usual way (not shown in the figures).
  • the detection device 3 detects contamination of the subarea 2 .
  • the cleaning device 1 then moves along a path 5 along a path that runs along the circumferential path 6 of the subarea 2 .
  • the movement path 5 is oriented, for example, in such a way that the cleaning device 1 is still completely within the circumferential path 6 during the movement along the movement path 5 , but moves as close as possible to the circumferential path 6 .
  • the detection device detects during movement 3 again a contamination of the partial surface area 2, which is then used to assess a necessary enlargement of the partial surface area 2. If necessary, the previously detected contamination of the entire partial surface area 2 can also be taken into account, but this is not absolutely necessary.
  • the control device 11 of the cleaning device 1 determines a degree of contamination of the subarea 2 and compares it with one or more defined reference degrees of contamination, which are stored in a data memory that the control device 11 can access.
  • the sub-area 2 is supplemented by an additional sub-area 4 along the entire peripheral path 6, i.e. in the area of all peripheral path sections 7, 8, 9, 10, so that the in figure 2 shown on the right enlarged subarea 2 results.
  • the size of the additional partial area 4 can be varied depending on the degree of soiling, so that a wider additional partial area 4 is added in the case of heavy soiling than in the case of only light soiling.
  • the cleaning device 1 also carries out a spot cleaning in the added additional partial area 4 of the surface partial area 2, which can also be carried out by traveling through parallel paths. During the cleaning operation carried out within the additional partial area 4, contamination is again detected by means of the detection device 3 and compared with one or more defined reference contaminations. If, in turn, a reference degree of contamination is exceeded, the subarea 2 is again expanded by an additional subarea 4 . This procedure is repeated until a determined degree of contamination falls below a relevant reference degree of contamination.
  • figure 3 shows a modified procedure, in which it is taken into account at which peripheral path section 7, 8, 9, 10 of the partial area 2 a reference degree of soiling is exceeded, so that the original partial area 2 is only supplemented by an additional partial area 4 at those peripheral path sections 7, 8, 9, 10 which have an increased amount of dirt compared to the reference dirt.
  • this relates to the peripheral web sections 7, 8 and 9.
  • the partial surface area 2 is expanded exclusively in the direction of the continued accumulation of dirt, so that the partial surface area 2 can be cleaned particularly effectively, in particular as part of a spot cleaning.
  • FIG. 12 shows a further procedure which prevents or at least reduces a region of the partial surface region 2 being driven over several times.
  • the partial surface area 2 is first expanded in one direction when there is increased contamination in the area of opposite peripheral track sections 7, 9 until the detected contamination there falls below a reference contamination level. In the figure, this is the area next to the circumferential track section 7.
  • the surface sub-area 2 is expanded there by one or more additional sub-areas 4, here two additional sub-areas 4, until the defined limit value for contamination is undershot.
  • the cleaning device 1 then moves to the opposite peripheral path section 9 and moves there into the additional partial area 4 that has also been added, cleans it and, if necessary, continues cleaning in a further additional partial area 4 next to the peripheral path section 9 until the degree of soiling determined there is below the defined reference degree of soiling .
  • the partial surface area 2 can basically be enlarged in different ways, for example by means of a figure 2 shown frame-like additional partial area 4, by an in figure 3 illustrated extension of the partial surface area 2 by additional partial areas 4 on only certain peripheral path sections 7, 8, 9, 10 or by a spiral expansion of the partial surface area 2 according to a direction of movement of the cleaning device 1 along the path of movement 5 parallel to the peripheral path 6 of the partial surface area 2, with additional partial areas being successively added 4 are supplemented in the direction of movement on the circumferential path 6 of the subarea 2 .
  • figure 5 shows an area map 16 created by the cleaning device 1, in which subareas 2 are stored on which a spot cleaning is to be carried out.
  • the subareas 2 are shown with a standard size of 2 by 2 meters, for example.
  • a user can access the map 16 of the surroundings of the cleaning device 1 by means of an external terminal device 17 .
  • An application is installed on the external terminal 17 , here a tablet computer, which shows the map of the surroundings 16 on a display 18 of the external terminal 17 .
  • the user can transmit feedback to the cleaning device 1, for example after spot cleaning has ended.
  • the user can select a partial area 2 which is to be cleaned again.
  • the user can enter information about a cleaning that has been carried out, for example information about whether a Partial area 2 was selected too large or too small. The cleaning quality can also be assessed.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Electric Vacuum Cleaner (AREA)
  • Control Of Position, Course, Altitude, Or Attitude Of Moving Bodies (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)

Description

Gebiet der Technikfield of technology

Die Erfindung betrifft ein Verfahren zum Betrieb eines sich selbsttätig innerhalb einer Umgebung fortbewegenden Reinigungsgerätes, wobei das Reinigungsgerät eine Reinigung eines definierten räumlich begrenzten Flächenteilbereiches der Umgebung durchführt und dabei eine geplante Bewegungsbahn vollzieht.The invention relates to a method for operating a cleaning device that moves automatically within an environment, with the cleaning device cleaning a defined, spatially limited subarea of the environment, thereby completing a planned movement path.

Des Weiteren betrifft die Erfindung ein sich selbsttätig innerhalb einer Umgebung fortbewegendes Reinigungsgerät, welches ausgebildet ist, eine Reinigung eines definierten räumlich begrenzten Flächenteilbereiches der Umgebung durchzuführen und dabei eine geplante Bewegungsbahn zu vollziehen.Furthermore, the invention relates to a cleaning device that moves automatically within an environment, which is designed to carry out cleaning of a defined, spatially limited subarea of the environment and to carry out a planned movement path in the process.

Stand der TechnikState of the art

Reinigungsgeräte der vorgenannten Art sowie Verfahren zu deren Betrieb sind im Stand der Technik bekannt.Cleaning devices of the type mentioned above and methods for their operation are known in the prior art.

Bei dem Reinigungsgerät kann es sich beispielsweise um einen mobilen Roboter handeln, welcher selbständig eine Saugaufgabe und/oder Wischaufgabe ausführen kann.The cleaning device can be a mobile robot, for example, which can independently carry out a suction task and/or a wiping task.

Die Veröffentlichungen DE 10 2011 000 536 A1 und DE 10 2008 014 912 A1 offenbaren beispielsweise Verfahren im Zusammenhang mit selbsttätig verfahrbaren Saug- und/oder Reinigungsrobotern zur Reinigung von Fußböden. Die Roboter sind mit Abstandssensoren ausgestattet, welche Abstände zu Hindernissen, wie beispielsweise Möbelstücken oder Raumbegrenzungen, messen können. Aus den gemessenen Abstandsdaten wird eine Umgebungskarte erstellt, anhand welcher eine Fortbewegungsroute geplant werden kann, die eine Kollision mit Hindernissen vermeidet. Die Abstandssensoren arbeiten bevorzugt berührungslos, beispielsweise mit Hilfe von Licht und/oder Ultraschall. Es ist des Weiteren bekannt, den Roboter mit Mitteln zur Rundum-Abstandsmessung zu versehen, beispielsweise mit einem optischen Triangulationssystem, welches auf einer um eine Vertikalachse rotierenden Plattform oder dergleichen angeordnet ist. Die erfassten Abstandsdaten werden mittels einer Recheneinrichtung des Roboters zu einer Umgebungskarte verarbeitet und gespeichert, so dass im Zuge eines Arbeitsbetriebs auf diese Umgebungskarte zum Zwecke der Orientierung zurückgegriffen werden kann.The publications DE 10 2011 000 536 A1 and DE 10 2008 014 912 A1 disclose, for example, methods in connection with automatically movable suction and/or cleaning robots for cleaning floors. The robots are equipped with distance sensors that measure distances to obstacles such as furniture or room boundaries be able. A map of the surroundings is created from the measured distance data, which can be used to plan a travel route that avoids a collision with obstacles. The distance sensors preferably work without contact, for example with the help of light and/or ultrasound. It is also known to provide the robot with means for all-round distance measurement, for example with an optical triangulation system, which is arranged on a platform or the like rotating about a vertical axis. The detected distance data are processed and stored by a computing device of the robot to form a map of the surroundings, so that this map of the surroundings can be accessed in the course of a work operation for the purpose of orientation.

Im Stand der Technik ist es des Weiteren bekannt, den Betrieb des Reinigungsgerätes automatisch zu steuern, beispielsweise indem das Reinigungsgerät eine im Voraus geplante Fortbewegungsroute abfährt oder eine Spotreinigung an einem definierten räumlich begrenzten Flächenteilbereich ausführt, welcher mit einer gegenüber einem Standardmodus erhöhten Reinigungsleistung ausgeführt wird. Während des Spotreinigungsmodus reinigt der Roboter intensiv einen kleineren Flächenteilbereich der Umgebung von beispielsweise 2 mal 2 Metern. Innerhalb dieses Flächenteilbereiches bewegt sich der Roboter beispielsweise in geraden, parallelen Linien fort. Wenn der Roboter seine vordefinierte Bahn innerhalb des Spots abgefahren hat, kehrt er zu einem Ausgangspunkt zurück.It is also known in the prior art to automatically control the operation of the cleaning device, for example by having the cleaning device follow a route planned in advance or carry out spot cleaning on a defined spatially limited partial area, which is carried out with an increased cleaning performance compared to a standard mode. During the spot cleaning mode, the robot intensively cleans a smaller area of the surrounding area of, for example, 2 by 2 meters. Within this partial area, the robot moves, for example, in straight, parallel lines. When the robot has completed its predefined path within the spot, it returns to a starting point.

Aus der US 2014/0124004 A1 ist ein Reinigungsroboter bekannt, welcher einen Verschmutzungsgrad in einem zu einem aktuell gereinigten Bereich benachbarten Bereich misst und dort hinfährt, um diese Nachbarbereich zu reinigen, wenn ein Verschmutzungsgrad über einem Referenzverschmutzungsgrad detektiert wird. Des Weiteren ist offenbart, an einem detektierten verschmutzen Ort einen Spotreinigungsmodus durchzuführen, bei welchem ausgehend von dem detektierten verschmutzen Ort der Reinigungsbereich spiralförmig erweitert wird.From the U.S. 2014/0124004 A1 a cleaning robot is known which measures a degree of contamination in an area adjacent to a currently cleaned area and travels there to clean this adjacent area if a degree of contamination above a reference degree of contamination is detected. Furthermore, it is disclosed that dirt is detected at a point in time Location to carry out a spot cleaning mode, in which, starting from the detected dirty location, the cleaning area is expanded spirally.

Des Weiteren ist aus der DE 102 62 191 bekannt, während einer Reinigungsfahrt eines Bodenbearbeitungsgerätes positionsabhängige Referenzwerte mit momentanen Verschmutzungsgraden einer gereinigten Bodenfläche zu vergleichen und in Abhängigkeit von dem Vergleichsergebnis eine Fahrtgeschwindigkeit des Bodenreinigungsgerätes, eine Leistung einer Saugturbine und einen Drehantrieb einer Bürstenwalze zu steuern.Furthermore, from the DE 102 62 191 It is known to compare position-dependent reference values with the current degree of soiling of a cleaned floor area during a cleaning run of a floor treatment device and to control a travel speed of the floor cleaning device, a power of a suction turbine and a rotary drive of a brush roller depending on the result of the comparison.

Nachteilig dabei ist, dass die Reinigung des räumlich begrenzten Flächenteilbereiches unabhängig von einem Grad der Verschmutzung dieses Flächenteilbereiches erfolgt.The disadvantage here is that the cleaning of the spatially limited partial surface area takes place independently of the degree of soiling of this partial surface area.

Zusammenfassung der ErfindungSummary of the Invention

Ausgehend von dem vorgenannten Stand der Technik ist es Aufgabe der Erfindung, den Reinigungsbetrieb des Reinigungsgerätes in Abhängigkeit von einer Verschmutzung des Flächenteilbereiches zu variieren.Proceeding from the aforementioned state of the art, it is the object of the invention to vary the cleaning operation of the cleaning device depending on how dirty the subarea is.

Zur Lösung dieser Aufgabe wird vorgeschlagen, dass eine Detektionseinrichtung des Reinigungsgerätes während der Reinigung dieses definierten Flächenteilbereiches einen Verschmutzungsgrad des Flächenteilbereiches misst, wobei der Verschmutzungsgrad mit einem definierten Referenzverschmutzungsgrad verglichen wird und wobei der Flächenteilbereich automatisch durch Hinzunahme eines definierten an den Flächenteilbereich angrenzenden Zusatzteilbereiches über eine den Flächenteilbereich begrenzende Umfangsbahn hinaus vergrößert wird, wenn innerhalb des Flächenteilbereichs ein Verschmutzungsgrad oberhalb des Referenzverschmutzungsgrades festgestellt wird.To solve this problem, it is proposed that a detection device of the cleaning appliance measure the degree of soiling of the partial surface area during the cleaning of this defined partial surface area, with the degree of soiling being compared with a defined reference degree of soiling and the partial surface area being automatically cleaned by adding a defined additional partial area adjacent to the partial surface area via a den Surface sub-area delimiting peripheral track is also increased when a degree of pollution within the surface sub-area above the reference pollution level.

Erfindungsgemäß wird ein von dem Reinigungsgerät bearbeiteter Flächenteilbereich nun in Abhängigkeit von einem ermittelten Verschmutzungsgrad des Flächenteilbereiches unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen vergrößert. Eine Begrenzung des Flächenteilbereiches wird geändert, indem ein definierter Zusatzteilbereich zu der bisherigen Fläche des Flächenteilbereiches hinzugenommen wird. Der Zusatzteilbereich kann in Bezug auf seine Größe, Form und/oder Position definiert sein.According to the invention, a sub-area processed by the cleaning device is now enlarged as a function of a determined degree of contamination of the sub-area under certain conditions. A boundary of the partial area is changed by adding a defined additional partial area to the previous area of the partial area. The additional portion may be defined in terms of its size, shape, and/or position.

Insbesondere kann definiert sein, wie sensibel der Flächenteilbereich in Abhängigkeit von einem detektierten Verschmutzungsgrad erweitert wird, so dass beispielsweise bei nur leichten Verschmutzungen eine andere Anpassung des Flächenteilbereiches erfolgt als bei demgegenüber relativ hohen Verschmutzungsgraden. Der Verschmutzungsgrad des Flächenteilbereiches wird beispielsweise mit einem Staubsensor ermittelt. Der Referenzverschmutzungsgrad kann manuell von einem Nutzer definiert sein oder auch aus einem Verschmutzungsgrad eines früheren Reinigungszyklus abgeleitet sein. Der Referenzverschmutzungsgrad kann des Weiteren ortsabhängig in einer Umgebungskarte für das Reinigungsgerät gespeichert sein, so dass unterschiedlichen Flächenteilbereichen einer Umgebung, beispielsweise verschiedenen Räumen einer Wohnung, verschiedene Referenzverschmutzungsgrade zugeordnet sind. Bei einem Vergleich eines aktuell detektierten Verschmutzungsgrades eines Flächenteilbereiches mit dem definierten Referenzverschmutzungsgrad wird beispielsweise entschieden, ob die Reinigung des Flächenteilbereiches beendet wird oder der Flächenteilbereich durch Hinzunahme eines Zusatzteilbereiches vergrößert wird. Informationen über den auf diese Art und Weise gereinigten Flächenteilbereich können anschließend in der Umgebungskarte für zukünftige Reinigungszyklen des Reinigungsgerätes gespeichert werden. Des Weiteren kann der Nutzer eine Mehrzahl verschiedener Aktionen nach einem Reinigungszyklus vornehmen, beispielsweise entscheiden, ob der zuvor gereinigte Flächenteilbereich inklusive des Zusatzteilbereiches erneut gereinigt werden soll oder nicht. Des Weiteren kann der Nutzer über eine auf einem externen Endgerät installierte Applikation Informationen über abgeschlossene Reinigungszyklen hinterlegen, beispielsweise eine Information darüber, ob ein ergänzter Zusatzteilbereich zu groß oder zu klein gewählt war, ob die Reinigungsqualität den Erwartungen des Nutzers entsprach oder ähnliches. Durch diese Vorgehensweise kann beispielsweise auch ein lernendes Verhalten des Reinigungsgerätes erreicht werden.In particular, it can be defined how sensitively the subarea is expanded as a function of a detected degree of soiling, so that, for example, the subarea is adapted differently in the case of only light soiling than in the case of relatively high degrees of soiling. The degree of soiling of the subarea is determined, for example, with a dust sensor. The reference degree of soiling can be defined manually by a user or can also be derived from a degree of soiling from an earlier cleaning cycle. Furthermore, the reference degree of soiling can be stored location-dependently in an environment map for the cleaning device, so that different partial areas of an environment, for example different rooms in an apartment, are assigned different reference degrees of soiling. When a currently detected degree of contamination of a subarea is compared with the defined reference degree of contamination, a decision is made, for example, whether the cleaning of the subarea is ended or the subarea is enlarged by adding an additional subarea. Information about the sub-area cleaned in this way can then be stored in the area map for future use Cleaning cycles of the cleaning device are saved. Furthermore, the user can carry out a number of different actions after a cleaning cycle, for example deciding whether the previously cleaned partial area including the additional partial area should be cleaned again or not. Furthermore, the user can use an application installed on an external device to store information about completed cleaning cycles, for example information about whether an added additional sub-area was too large or too small, whether the cleaning quality met the user's expectations, or similar. Through this procedure, for example, a learning behavior of the cleaning device can also be achieved.

Des Weiteren wird vorgeschlagen, dass in dem definierten räumlich begrenzten Flächenteilbereich ein Spotreinigungsmodus mit gegenüber einem Standardmodus des Reinigungsgerätes erhöhter Reinigungsleistung durchgeführt wird. Gemäß dieser Ausgestaltung wird während eines Spotreinigungsmodus des Reinigungsgerätes darüber entschieden, ob der Flächenteilbereich um Zusatzteilbereiche ergänzt wird, welche dann ebenfalls einer Reinigung gemäß den Einstellungen des Spotreinigungsmodus unterliegen. In dem Spotreinigungsmodus kann das Reinigungsgerät beispielsweise zunächst an einer Umfangslinie des zu reinigenden Flächenteilbereiches platziert werden. Von dort aus bewegt sich das Reinigungsgerät beispielsweise in geraden, parallelen Linien durch den Flächenteilbereich und reinigt diesen. Der Flächenteilbereich kann beispielsweise eine Fläche von 2 mal 2 Metern aufweisen. Während der Spotreinigung wird der Verschmutzungsgrad des Flächenteilbereiches mittels der Detektionseinrichtung gemessen und mit dem definierten Referenzverschmutzungsgrad verglichen. Sofern die detektierte Verschmutzung größer ist als die Referenzverschmutzung, wird der Flächenteilbereich um einen Zusatzteilbereich vergrößert. Anderenfalls wird die Spotreinigung beendet oder zumindest auf die Fläche des bisherigen Flächenteilbereiches beschränkt.Furthermore, it is proposed that a spot cleaning mode with increased cleaning performance compared to a standard mode of the cleaning device is carried out in the defined spatially limited partial area. According to this embodiment, during a spot cleaning mode of the cleaning device, a decision is made as to whether the subarea is supplemented by additional subareas, which are then also subject to cleaning according to the settings of the spot cleaning mode. In the spot cleaning mode, the cleaning device can, for example, first be placed on a peripheral line of the subarea to be cleaned. From there, the cleaning device moves, for example, in straight, parallel lines through the subarea and cleans it. The partial area can have an area of 2 by 2 meters, for example. During the spot cleaning, the degree of contamination of the subarea is measured by the detection device and compared with the defined reference degree of contamination. If the detected contamination is greater than the reference contamination, the subarea is enlarged by an additional subarea. Otherwise, the spot cleaning is ended or at least limited to the area of the previous partial area.

Des Weiteren kann vorgesehen sein, dass sich das Reinigungsgerät innerhalb des Flächenteilbereiches und/oder innerhalb des Zusatzteilbereiches auf einer mäanderförmigen Bewegungsbahn oder auf parallel zueinander orientierten Bewegungsbahnen fortbewegt. Der Flächenteilbereich wird somit nicht nach einem zufälligen Muster abgefahren, sondern entlang einer definierten Fortbewegungsroute, welche regelmäßige oder unregelmäßige Muster aufweisen kann. Besonders bevorzugt wird eine Bewegung entlang paralleler Bewegungsbahnen oder entlang einer mäanderförmigen Bewegungsbahn durchgeführt. Bei Hinzunahme eines Zusatzteilbereiches zu dem Flächenteilbereich wird die Bewegungsbahn bzw. werden die Bewegungsbahnen des Reinigungsroboters entsprechend in den Zusatzteilbereich hinein verlängert, wobei das Bewegungsmuster vorzugsweise grundsätzlich gleich bleibt.Furthermore, it can be provided that the cleaning device moves within the partial surface area and/or within the additional partial area on a meandering path of movement or on paths of movement oriented parallel to one another. The subarea is thus not traversed according to a random pattern, but rather along a defined travel route, which can have regular or irregular patterns. A movement along parallel movement paths or along a meandering movement path is particularly preferably carried out. If an additional partial area is added to the surface partial area, the trajectory or trajectories of the cleaning robot are correspondingly extended into the additional partial area, with the movement pattern preferably remaining the same in principle.

Insbesondere wird vorgeschlagen, dass der Verschmutzungsgrad entlang einer den Flächenteilbereich begrenzenden Umfangsbahn detektiert wird. Grundsätzlich kann die Detektionseinrichtung eine Verschmutzung an jedem Punkt des Flächenteilbereiches detektieren, es empfiehlt sich jedoch zur Beurteilung einer erforderlichen Vergrößerung des Flächenteilbereiches insbesondere, gegebenenfalls ausschließlich, die Verschmutzung einer äußeren Umfangsbahn des Flächenteilbereiches zu bewerten. Dazu kann das Reinigungsgerät die den Flächenteilbereich begrenzende Umfangsbahn gezielt entlang fahren und dort eine Verschmutzung entlang der Umfangsbahn messen. Alternativ kann sich das Reinigungsgerät auf einer mäanderförmigen Bewegungsbahn oder parallel zueinander orientierten Bewegungsbahnen durch den Flächenteilbereich bewegen und den Verschmutzungsgrad dort messen, wo die Bewegungsbahn die Umfangsbahn kreuzt. Unabhängig davon, ob die Detektionseinrichtung die Verschmutzung ausschließlich im Bereich der den Flächenteilbereich begrenzenden Umfangsbahn detektiert, oder auch zentral innerhalb des Flächenteilbereiches, wird vorzugsweise nur ein Verschmutzungsgrad an der äußeren Umfangsbahn mit dem Referenzverschmutzungsgrad verglichen, um darüber zu entscheiden, ob der Flächenteilbereich durch Hinzunahme eines Zusatzteilbereiches vergrößert wird.In particular, it is proposed that the degree of contamination is detected along a circumferential path delimiting the subarea. In principle, the detection device can detect contamination at any point of the subarea, but it is advisable to evaluate a necessary enlargement of the subarea in particular, if necessary exclusively, to evaluate the contamination of an outer peripheral path of the subarea. For this purpose, the cleaning device can specifically move along the circumferential path delimiting the subarea and measure contamination along the circumferential path there. Alternatively, the cleaning device can move on a meandering path of motion or paths of motion oriented parallel to one another through the subarea and measure the degree of soiling where the path of motion crosses the peripheral path. Irrespective of whether the detection device detects the contamination exclusively in the area of the peripheral path delimiting the partial surface area, or also centrally within the partial surface area, preferably only one degree of soiling on the outer peripheral path is compared with the reference degree of soiling, to decide whether to increase the area portion by adding an additional portion.

Des Weiteren wird vorgeschlagen, dass der Flächenteilbereich über eine den Flächenteilbereich begrenzende Umfangsbahn hinaus zumindest im Bereich eines Umfangsbahnabschnitts um einen Zusatzteilbereich erweitert wird. Insbesondere wird vorgeschlagen, dass der Flächenteilbereich im Bereich eines Umfangsbahnabschnitts, welcher einen Verschmutzungsgrad oberhalb des definierten Referenzverschmutzungsgrades aufweist, erweitert wird. Diese Ausgestaltung berücksichtigt, an welcher Seite des Flächenteilbereiches ein Verschmutzungsgrenzwert überschritten wurde, so dass es nur dort zu einer Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches kommt, wo der Grenzwert überschritten wurde. Sofern es sich bei dem Flächenteilbereich beispielsweise um einen rechteckigen Flächenteilbereich mit vier geraden Umfangsbahnabschnitten handelt, kann der Flächenteilbereich an einer der Rechteckseiten erweitert werden, so dass es zu einer Verschiebung des entsprechenden Umfangsbahnabschnitts und somit zu einer einseitigen Vergrößerung des Flächenteilbereiches kommt. Somit wird eine Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches vorzugsweise in Richtung des erhöhten Schmutzaufkommens vorgenommen werden, was unter dem Aspekt der Reinigungseffizienz besonders vorteilhaft ist.Furthermore, it is proposed that the surface sub-area be extended beyond a peripheral track delimiting the surface sub-area by an additional sub-area at least in the area of a peripheral track section. In particular, it is proposed that the sub-area be expanded in the area of a peripheral path section which has a degree of soiling above the defined reference degree of soiling. This refinement takes into account on which side of the sub-area a contamination limit value was exceeded, so that the sub-area is only expanded where the limit value was exceeded. If the sub-area is, for example, a rectangular sub-area with four straight peripheral path sections, the sub-area can be expanded on one of the sides of the rectangle, so that the corresponding peripheral path section is displaced and thus the partial surface area is enlarged on one side. Thus, the partial surface area is preferably expanded in the direction of the increased amount of dirt, which is particularly advantageous from the point of view of cleaning efficiency.

Im Rahmen dieser Ausführung kann des Weiteren vorgesehen sein, dass bei einer Fortbewegung des Reinigungsgerätes durch den vergrößerten Flächenteilbereich vermieden wird, dass bestimmte Orte mehrfach von dem Reinigungsgerät überfahren werden. Dies kann dadurch vermieden werden, dass das Reinigungsgerät bei Flächenerweiterungen an gegenüberliegenden Umfangsbahnabschnitten zunächst einen der hinzugenommenen Zusatzteilbereiche reinigt und diesen gegebenenfalls schrittweise nach radial außen erweitert, und dann erst in den gegenüberliegenden Zusatzteilbereich fährt, um dort zu reinigen. Dadurch wird der Anteil der mehrfach überfahrenen Orte innerhalb des Flächenteilbereiches bzw. der Zusatzteilbereiche so gering wie möglich gehalten. Insgesamt ergibt sich durch die Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches an nur einigen der vorhandenen Umfangsbahnabschnitten eine ungleichmäßige Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches, so dass sich die Form des Flächenteilbereiches im Verlauf einer Reinigung gegebenenfalls auch unsymmetrisch verändern kann.Within the scope of this embodiment, it can also be provided that when the cleaning device moves forward through the enlarged subarea, it is avoided that certain locations are repeatedly run over by the cleaning device. This can be avoided if the cleaning device first cleans one of the added additional sub-areas in the case of surface expansions on opposite circumferential path sections and optionally expands this radially outward step by step, and only then moves to the opposite additional sub-area to clean there. As a result, the proportion of locations within the sub-area or additional sub-areas that are traveled over several times is kept as small as possible. Overall, the widening of the partial surface area results in an uneven expansion of the partial surface area on only some of the existing circumferential path sections, so that the shape of the partial surface area can also change asymmetrically in the course of cleaning.

Des Weiteren wird vorgeschlagen, dass der Flächenteilbereich bezogen auf eine diesen begrenzende Umfangsbahn spiralförmig und/oder durch Ergänzung eines oder mehrerer rechteckiger Zusatzteilbereiche erweitert wird. Bei der spiralförmigen Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches entlang der Umfangsbahn wird die ursprüngliche Fläche des Flächenteilbereiches vollumfänglich und fortlaufend um einen Zusatzteilbereich definierter Breite vergrößert. Vorteilhaft wird eine detektierte Schmutzmenge dabei kontinuierlich mit einem Grenzwert verglichen, während das Reinigungsgerät entlang der Umfangsbahn verfährt. Durch die spiralförmige Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches kommt es zu einer im Wesentlichen gleichmäßigen Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches in alle Richtungen. Die Umfangsbahn des Flächenteilbereiches bzw. der hinzugenommenen Zusatzteilbereiche muss dabei jedoch nicht zwangsläufig gekrümmt verlaufen, beispielsweise entlang einer Kreisform, sondern kann beispielsweise auch quadratisch, dreieckig oder anders geformt sein. Bei der des Weiteren vorgeschlagenen Ergänzung des Flächenteilbereiches um einen oder mehrere rechteckige Zusatzteilbereiche kann beispielsweise ein rechteckiger Flächenteilbereich an einer oder mehreren Seiten durch Hinzunahme rechteckiger Zusatzteilbereiche erweitert werden. Dadurch kann auch eine unsymmetrische Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches geschaffen werden.Furthermore, it is proposed that the sub-area be expanded spirally and/or by adding one or more rectangular additional sub-areas in relation to a circumferential track delimiting it. With the spiral expansion of the partial surface area along the circumferential path, the original surface of the partial surface area is continuously and continuously enlarged by an additional partial area of defined width. Advantageously, a detected amount of dirt is continuously compared with a limit value, while the cleaning device moves along the circumferential track. Due to the spiral-shaped widening of the partial surface area, the partial surface area is expanded essentially uniformly in all directions. However, the peripheral path of the partial surface area or the added additional partial areas does not necessarily have to be curved, for example along a circular shape, but can also be square, triangular or otherwise shaped. With the addition of one or more additional rectangular partial areas to the partial area, which is also proposed, a rectangular partial area can be expanded on one or more sides by adding additional rectangular partial areas. As a result, an asymmetrical expansion of the subarea can also be created.

Gemäß einer besonders einfachen Ausgestaltung kann vorgesehen sein, dass der Flächenteilbereich um einen rahmenartigen Zusatzteilbereich erweitert wird. Bei dieser Ausgestaltung wird der Flächenteilbereich entlang seines gesamten Umfangs erweitert. Bezogen auf einen quadratischen Flächenteilbereich bedeutet dies, dass alle Seiten des Quadrats um einen Zusatzteilbereich gleicher oder unterschiedlicher Breite erweitert werden. Dadurch entsteht wiederum ein quadratischer Flächenteilbereich. In dem Fall, dass der Flächenteilbereich rund ausgestaltet ist, handelt es sich bei dem rahmenartigen Zusatzteilbereich um einen Ring definierter Breite, welcher den Radius des Flächenteilbereiches in alle möglichen radialen Richtungen erweitert.According to a particularly simple embodiment, it can be provided that the partial surface area is extended by a frame-like additional partial area. In this configuration, the subarea is expanded along its entire circumference. In relation to a square partial area, this means that all sides of the square are expanded by an additional partial area of the same or different width. This in turn creates a square surface sub-area. In the event that the sub-area is round, the frame-like additional sub-area is a ring of defined width, which expands the radius of the sub-area in all possible radial directions.

Es wird vorgeschlagen, dass der Flächenteilbereich solange um einen oder mehrere Zusatzteilbereiche ergänzt wird bis eine Verschmutzung unterhalb der definierten Referenzverschmutzung detektiert wird. Die Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches um einen oder mehrere Zusatzteilbereiche wird somit solange fortgesetzt, bis ein Abbruchkriterium erfüllt ist. Das Abbruchkriterium beinhaltet hier, dass eine von der Detektionseinrichtung gemessene Verschmutzung geringer ist als eine definierte Referenzverschmutzung. Es wird anhand eines von einer Steuereinrichtung des Reinigungsgerätes ausgeführten Algorithmus entschieden, ob die Reinigung aufgrund eines zu geringen Verschmutzungsgrades beendet wird, oder nicht.It is proposed that the sub-area be supplemented by one or more additional sub-areas until contamination below the defined reference contamination is detected. The expansion of the partial surface area by one or more additional partial areas is thus continued until a termination criterion is met. The termination criterion includes here that a contamination measured by the detection device is less than a defined reference contamination. Using an algorithm executed by a control device of the cleaning device, a decision is made as to whether or not cleaning is to be terminated due to the degree of soiling being too low.

Des Weiteren kann vorgesehen sein, dass eine Größe und/oder Form eines Zusatzteilbereiches in Abhängigkeit von einem Verschmutzungsgrad des Flächenteilbereiches variiert wird. Dadurch kann festgelegt werden, wie sensibel der Flächenteilbereich in Abhängigkeit von einem detektierten Verschmutzungsgrad erweitert wird. Insbesondere können unterschiedliche Kategorien für die Größe des Zusatzteilbereiches geschaffen werden, welcher bei einer nur leichten Verschmutzung eine kleinere Größe aufweist als bei einer stärkeren Verschmutzung.Provision can furthermore be made for the size and/or shape of an additional partial area to be varied as a function of the degree of soiling of the surface partial area. In this way, it can be determined how sensitively the partial surface area is expanded as a function of a detected degree of soiling. In particular, different categories can be created for the size of the additional partial area, which is only light soiling has a smaller size than with heavier soiling.

Neben dem zuvor beschriebenen Verfahren zum Betrieb eines sich selbsttätig innerhalb einer Umgebung fortbewegenden Reinigungsgerätes wird mit der Erfindung des Weiteren auch ein sich selbsttätig innerhalb einer Umgebung fortbewegendes Reinigungsgerät vorgeschlagen, welches ausgebildet ist, eine Reinigung eines definierten räumlich begrenzten Flächenteilbereiches der Umgebung durchzuführen und dabei eine geplante Bewegungsbahn zu vollziehen, wobei das Reinigungsgerät eine Steuereinrichtung aufweist, die eingerichtet ist, das Reinigungsgerät zur Ausführung eines zuvor vorgeschlagenen Verfahrens zu steuern.In addition to the above-described method for operating a cleaning device that moves automatically within an environment, the invention also proposes a cleaning device that moves automatically within an environment, which is designed to carry out cleaning of a defined, spatially limited subarea of the environment and in doing so a planned To complete a trajectory, wherein the cleaning device has a control device which is set up to control the cleaning device to carry out a previously proposed method.

Erfindungsgemäß ist die Steuereinrichtung somit eingerichtet, während der Reinigung eines Flächenteilbereiches einen Verschmutzungsgrad des Flächenteilbereiches zu messen, den gemessenen Verschmutzungsgrad mit einer definierten Referenzverschmutzung zu vergleichen und den Flächenteilbereich automatisch durch Hinzunahme eines definierten Zusatzteilbereiches zu vergrößern, wenn ein Verschmutzungsgrad oberhalb der Referenzverschmutzung festgestellt wird. Die Vorteile und weiteren Merkmale des erfindungsgemäßen Reinigungsgerätes ergeben sich dabei wie zuvor in Bezug auf das Verfahren beschrieben.According to the invention, the control device is set up to measure the degree of soiling of the partial area during the cleaning, to compare the measured degree of soiling with a defined reference soiling and to automatically enlarge the partial area by adding a defined additional partial area if a degree of soiling above the reference soiling is determined. The advantages and further features of the cleaning device according to the invention arise as described above in relation to the method.

Insbesondere kann die Steuereinrichtung das Reinigungsgerät und die Detektionseinrichtung so steuern, dass die Verschmutzung entlang einer den Flächenteilbereich begrenzenden Umfangsbahn detektiert wird.In particular, the control device can control the cleaning device and the detection device in such a way that the contamination is detected along a peripheral path delimiting the subarea.

Des Weiteren kann die Steuereinrichtung den Flächenteilbereich über eine den Flächenteilbereich begrenzende Umfangsbahn hinaus, zumindest im Bereich eines Umfangsbahnabschnitts, um einen Zusatzteilbereich erweitern, insbesondere im Bereich eines Umfangsbahnabschnitts, welcher eine Verschmutzung oberhalb der definierten Referenzverschmutzung aufweist. Die Steuereinrichtung kann jedoch auch eingerichtet sein, den Flächenteilbereich spiralförmig und/oder durch Ergänzung eines oder mehrerer rechteckiger Zusatzteilbereich zu erweitern und/oder durch Hinzunahme eines rahmenartigen Zusatzteilbereiches.Furthermore, the control device can extend the partial surface area beyond a circumferential path delimiting the partial surface area, at least in Area of a peripheral path section, to expand by an additional sub-area, in particular in the area of a peripheral path section, which has contamination above the defined reference contamination. However, the control device can also be set up to expand the partial surface area in a spiral manner and/or by adding one or more rectangular additional partial areas and/or by adding a frame-like additional partial area.

Der Steuereinrichtung kann des Weiteren eine Speichereinrichtung mit einer Datei zugeordnet sein, welche Referenzverschmutzungsgrade sowie Größen, Formen und/oder Positionen für korrespondierende Zusatzteilbereiche enthält. Insbesondere kann, beispielsweise in Tabellenform, einem bestimmten detektierten Verschmutzungsgrad eine bestimmte Größe und/oder Form und/oder Position eines Zusatzteilbereiches zugeordnet sein. Die Datei, auf welche die Steuereinrichtung zugreifen kann, kann entweder lokal innerhalb des Reinigungsgerätes gespeichert sein, oder auf einem externen Endgerät, einem externen Server oder beispielsweise auch auf einem Web-Server (Cloud).Furthermore, the control device can be assigned a storage device with a file which contains reference degrees of soiling as well as sizes, shapes and/or positions for corresponding additional partial areas. In particular, a specific size and/or shape and/or position of an additional partial area can be assigned to a specific detected degree of contamination, for example in tabular form. The file that the control device can access can either be stored locally within the cleaning device, or on an external terminal device, an external server or, for example, on a web server (cloud).

Kurze Beschreibung der ZeichnungenBrief description of the drawings

Im Folgenden wird die Erfindung anhand von Ausführungsbeispielen näher erläutert. Es zeigen:

Fig. 1
eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Reinigungsgerätes,
Fig. 2
ein Reinigungsgerät in einem Flächenteilbereich vor und nach Hinzunahme eines Zusatzteilbereiches gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform,
Fig. 3
ein Reinigungsgerät in einem Flächenteilbereich vor und nach Hinzunahme eines Zusatzteilbereiches gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform,
Fig. 4
einen unsymmetrisch erweiterten Flächenteilbereich,
Fig. 5
eine Umgebungskarte des Reinigungsgerätes mit darin gespeicherten Flächenteilbereichen,
Fig. 6
ein externes Endgerät zur Interaktion mit dem Reinigungsgerät.
The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments. Show it:
1
a perspective view of a cleaning device,
2
a cleaning device in a partial area before and after adding an additional partial area according to a first embodiment,
3
a cleaning device in a subarea before and after adding an additional subarea according to a second embodiment,
4
an asymmetrically extended surface area,
figure 5
a map of the surroundings of the cleaning device with partial surface areas stored therein,
6
an external end device for interacting with the cleaning device.

Beschreibung der AusführungsformenDescription of the embodiments

Figur 1 zeigt ein Reinigungsgerät 1, welches hier als Saugroboter ausgestaltet ist. Das Reinigungsgerät 1 verfügt über von einem Elektromotor 14 angetriebene Räder 12, mit deren Hilfe sich das Reinigungsgerät 1 innerhalb einer Umgebung fortbewegen kann. Des Weiteren verfügt das Reinigungsgerät 1 über Reinigungselemente 13, nämlich hier eine seitlich über ein Gehäuse des Reinigungsgerätes 1 hervorstehende Seitenbürste sowie eine Borstenwalze, welche um eine Rotationsachse rotierbar ist. Die Borstenwalze ist in der hier dargestellten üblichen Betriebsstellung des Reinigungsgerätes 1 bezogen auf ihre Längserstreckung horizontal orientiert, d. h. im Wesentlichen parallel zu einer zu reinigenden Fläche. Die Reinigungselemente 13 dienen zum Lösen von Schmutz von der zu reinigenden Fläche. Des Weiteren weist das Reinigungsgerät 1 im Bereich der Reinigungselemente 13 eine nicht weiter dargestellte Saugmundöffnung auf, über welche mittels einer Motor-Gebläse-Einheit mit Sauggut beaufschlagte Luft in das Reinigungsgerät 1 eingesaugt werden kann. Für die Elektroversorgung der einzelnen Elektrokomponenten weist das Reinigungsgerät 1 einen nicht dargestellten, wieder aufladbaren Akkumulator auf. figure 1 shows a cleaning device 1, which is designed here as a vacuum robot. The cleaning device 1 has wheels 12 driven by an electric motor 14, with the help of which the cleaning device 1 can move within an environment. Furthermore, the cleaning device 1 has cleaning elements 13, namely here a side brush protruding laterally beyond a housing of the cleaning device 1 and a brush roller, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation. In the usual operating position of the cleaning device 1 shown here, the brush roller is oriented horizontally in relation to its longitudinal extent, ie essentially parallel to a surface to be cleaned. The cleaning elements 13 are used to loosen dirt from the surface to be cleaned. Furthermore, the cleaning device 1 in the area of the cleaning elements 13 has a suction mouth opening (not shown) via which air loaded with suction material can be sucked into the cleaning device 1 by means of a motor/fan unit. For the electrical supply of the individual electrical components, the cleaning device 1 has a rechargeable battery, not shown.

Das Reinigungsgerät 1 weist darüber hinaus eine Abstandsmesseinrichtung 15 auf, welche hier beispielsweise eine Triangulationsmesseinrichtung beinhaltet. Die Abstandsmesseinrichtung 15 ist innerhalb des Gehäuses des Reinigungsgerätes 1 angeordnet und weist im Einzelnen eine Laserdiode auf, deren emittierter Lichtstrahl über eine Umlenkeinrichtung aus dem Gehäuse herausgeführt und um eine in der gezeigten Orientierung des Reinigungsgerätes 1 senkrechte Drehachse rotierbar ist, insbesondere mit einem Messwinkel von 360 Grad. Dadurch ist eine Rundum-Abstandsmessung um das Reinigungsgerät 1 möglich. Die Abstandsmesseinrichtung 15 misst Abstände zu Hindernissen, beispielsweise Möbelstücken, innerhalb der Umgebung des Reinigungsgerätes 1.The cleaning device 1 also has a distance measuring device 15 which, for example, contains a triangulation measuring device. The distance measuring device 15 is arranged within the housing of the cleaning device 1 and has a laser diode, the emitted light beam of which is guided out of the housing via a deflection device and can be rotated about an axis of rotation that is vertical in the orientation of the cleaning device 1 shown, in particular with a measuring angle of 360 Degree. An all-round distance measurement around the cleaning device 1 is thereby possible. The distance measuring device 15 measures distances to obstacles, for example pieces of furniture, in the vicinity of the cleaning appliance 1.

Das Reinigungsgerät 1 verfügt zudem über eine Detektionseinrichtung 3, nämlich hier einen in Fahrtrichtung des Reinigungsgerätes 1 vorne angeordneten Staubsensor, welcher eine Verschmutzung eines aktuell von dem Reinigungsgerät 1 befahrenen Flächenteilbereiches 2 detektieren kann. Der Staubsensor beinhaltet hier beispielsweise eine Bilderfassungseinrichtung, insbesondere eine Kamera, die Bilder des Flächenteilbereiches 2 aufnimmt und diese mit Bildern einer Referenzverschmutzung vergleicht. Das Reinigungsgerät 1 verfügt über eine Steuereinrichtung 11, welche ausgebildet ist, den Vergleich zwischen einer von der Detektionseinrichtung 3 aufgenommenen Verschmutzung und den Referenzverschmutzungen durchzuführen. Hierzu kann die Steuereinrichtung 11 auf eine interne oder externe Speichereinrichtung (nicht dargestellt) zugreifen, in welcher Informationen zu Referenzverschmutzungen hinterlegt sind.The cleaning device 1 also has a detection device 3, namely here a dust sensor arranged at the front in the direction of travel of the cleaning device 1, which can detect contamination of a subarea 2 currently traveled over by the cleaning device 1. Here, the dust sensor contains, for example, an image acquisition device, in particular a camera, which records images of the subarea 2 and compares them with images of reference contamination. The cleaning device 1 has a control device 11 which is designed to carry out the comparison between a contamination recorded by the detection device 3 and the reference contamination. For this purpose, the control device 11 can access an internal or external storage device (not shown) in which information on reference contamination is stored.

Das Reinigungsgerät 1 vollzieht zur Reinigung eines oder mehrerer Flächenteilbereiche 2 eine Bewegungsbahn 5 innerhalb der Umgebung. Diese Bewegungsbahn 5 kann beispielsweise mittels einer Umgebungskarte 16 (siehe Figur 5 und 6) geplant sein, welche das Reinigungsgerät 1 zuvor erstellt hat. Des Weiteren kann die Bewegungsbahn 5 beispielsweise auch eine Fortbewegungsroute des Reinigungsgerätes 1 während eines Spotreinigungsmodus sein, in welchem das Reinigungsgerät 1 einen begrenzten Flächenteilbereich 2 mit gegenüber einem Standardmodus erhöhter Reinigungsleistung reinigt. In diesem Reinigungsmodus fährt das Reinigungsgerät 1 den Flächenteilbereich 2 beispielsweise auf einer Vielzahl von zueinander parallelen Bahnen ab und beseitigt eine Verschmutzung.In order to clean one or more subareas 2, the cleaning device 1 follows a path of movement 5 within the environment. This trajectory 5 can be determined, for example, by means of an environment map 16 (see Figure 5 and 6 ) be planned, which the cleaning device 1 has previously created. Furthermore, the trajectory 5 can, for example, also be a route of movement of the cleaning device 1 during a spot cleaning mode in which the cleaning device 1 cleans a limited partial surface area 2 with an increased cleaning performance compared to a standard mode. In this cleaning mode, the cleaning device 1 travels over the partial surface area 2, for example, on a large number of paths parallel to one another and removes dirt.

Ausgehend von dem Betrieb des Reinigungsgerätes 1 in einem solchen Spotreinigungsmodus werden nun die Figuren 2 und 4 näher erläutert. Es ist selbstverständlich auch möglich, dass sich das Reinigungsgerät 1 in ähnlicher Weise ausgehend von einem Standardmodus verhält.Based on the operation of the cleaning device 1 in such a spot cleaning mode, the figures 2 and 4 explained in more detail. It is of course also possible for the cleaning device 1 to behave in a similar way, starting from a standard mode.

Die Spotreinigung beginnt zunächst innerhalb eines Flächenteilbereiches 2, welcher eine zuvor definierte Standardgröße für Spotreinigungen aufweist, hier beispielsweise eine rechteckige Fläche mit einer Größe von 2 mal 2 Metern. Eine Umfangsbahn 6 als Umfangslinie des Flächenteilbereiches 2 begrenzt den Spotbereich und weist vier in jeweils einem 90°-Winkel zueinander stehende Umfangsbahnabschnitte 7, 8, 9, 10 auf. Das Reinigungsgerät 1 führt zunächst in üblicher Art und Weise eine Reinigung des Flächenteilbereiches 2 entlang paralleler Bahnen aus (in den Figuren nicht dargestellt). Dabei detektiert die Detektionseinrichtung 3 eine Verschmutzung des Flächenteilbereiches 2. Anschließend fährt das Reinigungsgerät 1 auf einer Bewegungsbahn 5 eine Strecke ab, welche entlang der Umfangsbahn 6 des Flächenteilbereiches 2 verläuft. Hier ist die Bewegungsbahn 5 beispielsweise so orientiert, dass sich das Reinigungsgerät 1 während der Bewegung entlang der Bewegungsbahn 5 noch vollständig innerhalb der Umfangsbahn 6 befindet, jedoch maximal nahe an der Umfangsbahn 6 verfährt. Während der Fortbewegung detektiert die Detektionseinrichtung 3 wiederum eine Verschmutzung des Flächenteilbereiches 2, welche anschließend zur Beurteilung einer erforderlichen Vergrößerung des Flächenteilbereiches 2 herangezogen wird. Gegebenenfalls kann zusätzlich die zuvor detektierte Verschmutzung des gesamten Flächenteilbereiches 2 ebenfalls berücksichtigt werden, dies ist jedoch nicht zwingend erforderlich. Anhand der detektierten Verschmutzung entlang der Bewegungsbahn 5 wird von der Steuereinrichtung 11 des Reinigungsgerätes 1 ein Verschmutzungsgrad des Flächenteilbereiches 2 ermittelt und mit einem oder mehreren definierten Referenzverschmutzungsgraden verglichen, welche in einem Datenspeicher hinterlegt sind, auf den die Steuereinrichtung 11 zugreifen kann. Sofern der ermittelte Verschmutzungsgrad über einem definierten Referenzverschmutzungsgrad liegt, wird der Flächenteilbereich 2 entlang der gesamten Umfangsbahn 6, d. h. im Bereich aller Umfangsbahnabschnitte 7, 8, 9, 10 um einen Zusatzteilbereich 4 ergänzt, so dass sich der in Figur 2 rechts dargestellte vergrößerte Flächenteilbereich 2 ergibt. Die Größe des Zusatzteilbereiches 4 kann in Abhängigkeit von der Stärke der Verschmutzung variiert werden, so dass bei einer stärkeren Verschmutzung ein breiterer Zusatzteilbereich 4 ergänzt wird als bei einer nur leichten Verschmutzung. Das Reinigungsgerät 1 vollzieht auch in dem hinzugenommenen Zusatzteilbereich 4 des Flächenteilbereiches 2 eine Spotreinigung, welche ebenfalls unter Durchfahren paralleler Bahnen ausgeführt werden kann. Während des innerhalb des Zusatzteilbereiches 4 ausgeführten Reinigungsbetriebs wird erneut eine Verschmutzung mittels der Detektionseinrichtung 3 detektiert und mit einer oder mehreren definierten Referenzverschmutzungen verglichen. Sofern wiederum eine Überschreitung eines Referenzverschmutzungsgrades vorliegt, wird der Flächenteilbereich 2 erneut um einen Zusatzteilbereich 4 erweitert. Diese Vorgehensweise wird so oft wiederholt, bis ein ermittelter Verschmutzungsgrad einen relevanten Referenzverschmutzungsgrad unterschreitet.The spot cleaning begins first within a partial area 2, which has a previously defined standard size for spot cleaning, here for example a rectangular area with a size of 2 by 2 meters. A peripheral track 6 as a peripheral line of the partial surface area 2 delimits the spot area and has four peripheral track sections 7, 8, 9, 10 each at a 90° angle to one another. The cleaning device 1 first carries out a cleaning of the partial area 2 along parallel paths in the usual way (not shown in the figures). The detection device 3 detects contamination of the subarea 2 . The cleaning device 1 then moves along a path 5 along a path that runs along the circumferential path 6 of the subarea 2 . Here, the movement path 5 is oriented, for example, in such a way that the cleaning device 1 is still completely within the circumferential path 6 during the movement along the movement path 5 , but moves as close as possible to the circumferential path 6 . The detection device detects during movement 3 again a contamination of the partial surface area 2, which is then used to assess a necessary enlargement of the partial surface area 2. If necessary, the previously detected contamination of the entire partial surface area 2 can also be taken into account, but this is not absolutely necessary. Based on the detected contamination along the movement path 5, the control device 11 of the cleaning device 1 determines a degree of contamination of the subarea 2 and compares it with one or more defined reference degrees of contamination, which are stored in a data memory that the control device 11 can access. If the degree of contamination determined is above a defined reference degree of contamination, the sub-area 2 is supplemented by an additional sub-area 4 along the entire peripheral path 6, i.e. in the area of all peripheral path sections 7, 8, 9, 10, so that the in figure 2 shown on the right enlarged subarea 2 results. The size of the additional partial area 4 can be varied depending on the degree of soiling, so that a wider additional partial area 4 is added in the case of heavy soiling than in the case of only light soiling. The cleaning device 1 also carries out a spot cleaning in the added additional partial area 4 of the surface partial area 2, which can also be carried out by traveling through parallel paths. During the cleaning operation carried out within the additional partial area 4, contamination is again detected by means of the detection device 3 and compared with one or more defined reference contaminations. If, in turn, a reference degree of contamination is exceeded, the subarea 2 is again expanded by an additional subarea 4 . This procedure is repeated until a determined degree of contamination falls below a relevant reference degree of contamination.

Figur 3 zeigt eine abgewandelte Verfahrensführung, bei welcher berücksichtigt wird, an welchem Umfangsbahnabschnitt 7, 8, 9, 10 des Flächenteilbereiches 2 ein Referenzverschmutzungsgrad überschritten wird, so dass der ursprüngliche Flächenteilbereich 2 nur an denjenigen Umfangsbahnabschnitten 7, 8, 9, 10 um einen Zusatzteilbereich 4 ergänzt wird, welche eine gegenüber der Referenzverschmutzung erhöhte Schmutzmenge aufweisen. In der Figur betrifft dies die Umfangsbahnabschnitte 7, 8 und 9. Dadurch wird eine Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches 2 ausschließlich in Richtung des fortgesetzten Schmutzaufkommens vorgenommen, so dass die Reinigung des Flächenteilbereiches 2, insbesondere im Rahmen einer Spotreinigung, besonders effektiv ausgeführt werden kann. figure 3 shows a modified procedure, in which it is taken into account at which peripheral path section 7, 8, 9, 10 of the partial area 2 a reference degree of soiling is exceeded, so that the original partial area 2 is only supplemented by an additional partial area 4 at those peripheral path sections 7, 8, 9, 10 which have an increased amount of dirt compared to the reference dirt. In the figure, this relates to the peripheral web sections 7, 8 and 9. As a result, the partial surface area 2 is expanded exclusively in the direction of the continued accumulation of dirt, so that the partial surface area 2 can be cleaned particularly effectively, in particular as part of a spot cleaning.

Figur 4 zeigt eine weitere Verfahrensführung, welche ein mehrfaches Überfahren eines Bereiches des Flächenteilbereiches 2 verhindert oder zumindest reduziert. Bei dieser Ausgestaltung wird der Flächenteilbereich 2 bei Vorliegen einer erhöhten Verschmutzung im Bereich gegenüberliegender Umfangsbahnabschnitte 7, 9 zuerst in eine Richtung erweitert, solange bis die detektierte Verschmutzung dort eine Referenzverschmutzung unterschreitet. In der Figur ist dies der Bereich neben dem Umfangsbahnabschnitt 7. Wie zuvor erläutert, wird der Flächenteilbereich 2 dort um einen oder mehrere Zusatzteilbereiche 4 erweitert, hier zwei Zusatzteilbereiche 4, bis der definierte Grenzwert für die Verschmutzung unterschritten wird. Anschließend fährt das Reinigungsgerät 1 den gegenüberliegenden Umfangsbahnabschnitt 9 an und fährt dort in den ebenfalls ergänzten Zusatzteilbereich 4, reinigt diesen und setzt gegebenenfalls eine Reinigung in einem weiteren Zusatzteilbereich 4 neben dem Umfangsbahnabschnitt 9 fort, solange, bis ein dort ermittelter Verschmutzungsgrad unterhalb des definierten Referenzverschmutzungsgrades liegt. figure 4 FIG. 12 shows a further procedure which prevents or at least reduces a region of the partial surface region 2 being driven over several times. In this embodiment, the partial surface area 2 is first expanded in one direction when there is increased contamination in the area of opposite peripheral track sections 7, 9 until the detected contamination there falls below a reference contamination level. In the figure, this is the area next to the circumferential track section 7. As explained above, the surface sub-area 2 is expanded there by one or more additional sub-areas 4, here two additional sub-areas 4, until the defined limit value for contamination is undershot. The cleaning device 1 then moves to the opposite peripheral path section 9 and moves there into the additional partial area 4 that has also been added, cleans it and, if necessary, continues cleaning in a further additional partial area 4 next to the peripheral path section 9 until the degree of soiling determined there is below the defined reference degree of soiling .

Die Vergrößerung des Flächenteilbereiches 2 kann grundsätzlich auf unterschiedliche Art und Weise geschehen, beispielsweise durch einen wie in Figur 2 dargestellten rahmenartigen Zusatzteilbereich 4, durch eine in Figur 3 dargestellte Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches 2 um Zusatzteilbereiche 4 an nur bestimmten Umfangsbahnabschnitten 7, 8, 9, 10 oder auch durch eine spiralförmige Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches 2 entsprechend einer Verfahrrichtung des Reinigungsgerätes 1 entlang der Bewegungsbahn 5 parallel zu der Umfangsbahn 6 des Flächenteilbereiches 2, wobei nacheinander Zusatzteilbereiche 4 in Bewegungsrichtung an der Umfangsbahn 6 des Flächenteilbereiches 2 ergänzt werden. Dadurch ergibt sich eine schneckenförmige Fortsetzung und Erweiterung des Flächenteilbereiches 2 sowohl in Umfangsrichtung als auch in radialer Richtung.The partial surface area 2 can basically be enlarged in different ways, for example by means of a figure 2 shown frame-like additional partial area 4, by an in figure 3 illustrated extension of the partial surface area 2 by additional partial areas 4 on only certain peripheral path sections 7, 8, 9, 10 or by a spiral expansion of the partial surface area 2 according to a direction of movement of the cleaning device 1 along the path of movement 5 parallel to the peripheral path 6 of the partial surface area 2, with additional partial areas being successively added 4 are supplemented in the direction of movement on the circumferential path 6 of the subarea 2 . This results in a snail-shaped continuation and extension of the partial area 2 both in the circumferential direction and in the radial direction.

Figur 5 zeigt eine von dem Reinigungsgerät 1 erstellte Umgebungskarte 16, in welcher Flächenteilbereiche 2 hinterlegt sind, an welchen eine Spotreinigung durchgeführt werden soll. Die Flächenteilbereiche 2 sind mit einer Standardgröße von hier beispielsweise 2 mal 2 Meter eingezeichnet. figure 5 shows an area map 16 created by the cleaning device 1, in which subareas 2 are stored on which a spot cleaning is to be carried out. The subareas 2 are shown with a standard size of 2 by 2 meters, for example.

Wie in Figur 6 dargestellt kann ein Nutzer mittels eines externen Endgerätes 17 auf die Umgebungskarte 16 des Reinigungsgerätes 1 zugreifen. Auf dem externen Endgerät 17, hier einem Tablet-Computer, ist eine Applikation installiert, welche die Umgebungskarte 16 auf einem Display 18 des externen Endgerätes 17 darstellt. Mittels einer Nutzereingabe auf dem Display 18, welches hier als Touchscreen ausgebildet ist, kann der Nutzer beispielsweise nach dem Ende einer Spotreinigung ein Feedback an das Reinigungsgerät 1 übermitteln. Der Nutzer kann beispielsweise einen Flächenteilbereich 2 auswählen, welcher erneut gereinigt werden soll. Des Weiteren kann der Nutzer eine Information zu einer durchgeführten Reinigung eingeben, zum Beispiel eine Information darüber, ob ein von dem Reinigungsgerät 1 automatisch angepasster Flächenteilbereich 2 zu groß oder zu klein gewählt war. Außerdem kann die Reinigungsqualität beurteilt werden.As in figure 6 shown, a user can access the map 16 of the surroundings of the cleaning device 1 by means of an external terminal device 17 . An application is installed on the external terminal 17 , here a tablet computer, which shows the map of the surroundings 16 on a display 18 of the external terminal 17 . By means of a user input on the display 18, which is embodied here as a touchscreen, the user can transmit feedback to the cleaning device 1, for example after spot cleaning has ended. For example, the user can select a partial area 2 which is to be cleaned again. Furthermore, the user can enter information about a cleaning that has been carried out, for example information about whether a Partial area 2 was selected too large or too small. The cleaning quality can also be assessed.

Liste der BezugszeichenList of References

11
Reinigungsgerätcleaning device
22
Flächenteilbereichsurface area
33
Detektionseinrichtungdetection device
44
Zusatzteilbereichadd-on area
55
Bewegungsbahntrajectory
66
Umfangsbahnperipheral orbit
77
Umfangsbahnabschnittcircumferential track section
88th
Umfangsbahnabschnittcircumferential track section
99
Umfangsbahnabschnittcircumferential track section
1010
Umfangsbahnabschnittcircumferential track section
1111
Steuereinrichtungcontrol device
1212
Radwheel
1313
Reinigungselementcleaning element
1414
Elektromotorelectric motor
1515
Abstandsmesseinrichtungdistance measuring device
1616
Umgebungskarteenvironment map
1717
Externes EndgerätExternal device
1818
Displayscreen

Claims (10)

  1. A method for operating a self-propelled cleaning device (1) that travels within an environment, wherein the cleaning device (1) carries out a cleaning process of a defined, spatially limited surface section (2) of the environment and in the process travels along a planned movement path, characterized in that a detection device (3) of the cleaning device (1) measures a degree of dirt accumulation of the surface section (2) during the cleaning process of this defined surface section (2), wherein the degree of dirt accumulation is compared with a defined reference degree of dirt accumulation, and wherein the surface section (2) is automatically enlarged beyond a peripheral path delimiting the surface section (2) by adding a defined additional section (4) bordering on the surface section (2) if the detected degree of dirt accumulation within the surface section (2) exceeds the reference degree of dirt accumulation.
  2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a spot cleaning mode with a higher cleaning power than in a standard mode of the cleaning device (1) is carried out in the defined, spatially limited surface section (2).
  3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cleaning device (1) travels along a meander-shaped movement path (5) or along movement paths (5) that are oriented parallel to one another within the surface section (2) and/or within the additional section (4).
  4. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the degree of dirt accumulation is detected along a peripheral path (6) delimiting the surface section (2).
  5. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface section (2) is expanded beyond a peripheral path (6) delimiting the surface section (2) by an additional section (4) at least in the region of a peripheral path section (7, 8, 9, 10), particularly in the region of a peripheral path section (7, 8, 9, 10) in which the degree of dirt accumulation exceeds the defined reference degree of dirt accumulation.
  6. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface section (2) is with respect to a peripheral path (6) delimiting this surface section expanded spirally and/or by adding one or more rectangular additional sections (4).
  7. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface section (2) is expanded by a frame-like additional section (4).
  8. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface section (2) is expanded by one or more additional sections (4) until the detected dirt accumulation lies below the defined reference dirt accumulation.
  9. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a size and/or shape of the additional section (4) is varied in dependence on a degree of dirt accumulation of the surface section (2) .
  10. A self-propelled cleaning device (1) that travels within an environment, wherein said cleaning device is designed for carrying out a cleaning process of a defined, spatially limited surface section (2) of the environment and in the process traveling along a planned movement path, characterized by a control unit (11) that is designed for controlling the cleaning device (1) so as to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims.
EP18186774.8A 2017-08-11 2018-08-01 Method for operating a self-propelled cleaning device Active EP3440975B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102017118380.9A DE102017118380A1 (en) 2017-08-11 2017-08-11 Method for operating a self-propelled cleaning device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3440975A1 EP3440975A1 (en) 2019-02-13
EP3440975B1 true EP3440975B1 (en) 2022-09-28

Family

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP18186774.8A Active EP3440975B1 (en) 2017-08-11 2018-08-01 Method for operating a self-propelled cleaning device

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US11771282B2 (en)
EP (1) EP3440975B1 (en)
JP (1) JP2019034127A (en)
CN (1) CN109381106A (en)
DE (1) DE102017118380A1 (en)
ES (1) ES2928285T3 (en)
TW (1) TW201919528A (en)

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US11788860B2 (en) * 2020-01-14 2023-10-17 Vorwerk & Co. Interholding Gmbh Method for operating a system with at least two automatically moving floor processing devices as well as system for implementing such a method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US11771282B2 (en) 2023-10-03
ES2928285T3 (en) 2022-11-16
US20190045993A1 (en) 2019-02-14
JP2019034127A (en) 2019-03-07
EP3440975A1 (en) 2019-02-13
TW201919528A (en) 2019-06-01
CN109381106A (en) 2019-02-26
DE102017118380A1 (en) 2019-02-14

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