A cleaner and a method for controlling the same. The cleaner includes a brush module comprising a brush configured to scatter foreign substances on a floor, and a brush motor configured to rotate the brush. The cleaner includes a suction module configured to suction the foreign substances; a sensor configured to detect a load applied to the brush; and a controller configured to control suction force of the suction module based on the load detected by the sensor.

A cleaner includes a cleaner body, a power supply including a first battery and a second battery that are accommodated in the cleaner body, and a power supply circuit configured to operate in a charge mode for receiving power from the outside to recharge the first and second batteries or in a discharge mode for supplying the power recharged in the first and second batteries to a load, a charging terminal connected to an external charging stand and configured to supply direct current (DC) power to the first and second batteries in the charge mode, and a controller configured to control an operation of the power supply in the discharge mode and the charge mode.

A floor processing device automatically moves within an environment, with a driving attachment, a floor processing unit, an obstacle detection unit, a control unit and a detection unit for detecting device parameters and/or environment parameters control unit is set up to determine an error of the floor processing device based upon the detected parameters that prevents the floor processing device from moving and/or the floor processing device from processing a surface to be processed in such a way that the floor processing device is unable to automatically extricate itself from the error situation. The control unite is set up to analyze the parameters detected by the detection unit with respect to recurring patterns that have a repeatedly encountered combination of an error and at least one chronologically preceding environment and/or device parameter.

A dock assembly is provided. The dock assembly is configured for docking with a robot. An alignment platform of said dock assembly is configured to receive a sweeper module from the robot when the robot is docked and said sweeper module disengages from the robot. The alignment platform has a plurality of cones positioned on a top side of the alignment platform. The plurality of cones are configured to engage a plurality of holes positioned on an underside of the sweeper module when the sweeper module becomes disengaged from the robot. The plurality of cones enable self-alignment of the alignment platform to the sweeper module as the plurality of cones engage the plurality of holes. The alignment platform has a plurality of support pads positioned on a bottom side of the alignment platform. The support pads are configured to rest on a plurality of bearings that permit lateral movement of the alignment platform when the plurality of cones engage the plurality of holes and the alignment platform self-aligns to the sweeper module.

An autonomous sweeper is provided, including a sweeper module, and a robot chassis having a length along a pair of sides, a front side, a back side and a top side that define an interior space. The sweeper module is configured to fit within the interior space when the robot chassis moves over the sweeper module. A pair of wheels is disposed proximate to the back side of the robot chassis and a single wheel is disposed proximate to the front side. A pair of scissor lifts is disposed along said pair of sides. A lift frame including alignment pegs that fit into corresponding alignment holes is disposed on the top side of the sweeper module. The lift frame is raised and lowered by said pair of scissor lifts, and said scissor lifts assist in lifting the sweeper module while aligning said sweeper module to the robot chassis using said alignment pegs and alignment holes.

Methods and software for setting parameters for operating a modular robot are disclosed. One method includes receiving, by a server, communications data from a controller of the modular robot. The modular robot has storage for storing program instructions for executing autonomous movement at a location. The method includes sending, by the server, calibrated mapping data for the location. The calibrated mapping data identifies an outline at the location. The method includes sending, by the server, identification of at least two zones at the location, where the at least two zones define different areas at the location. The method includes sending, by the server, a work function to be performed by the modular robot for each of the at least two zones. The work function in each of the at least two zones set to be different at said server. The controller of the modular robot is configured to use the calibrated mapping data for said autonomous movement at the location and the controller is configured to operate said respective work function in each of the at least two zones. The work function can be to sweep, to scrub, to polish, to mow or to perform different work functions over zones of a location, and providing remote access to view real-time operation of the modular robot, and to program zones and other control parameters of the modular robot.

A modular robot is provided. The modular robot includes a sweeper module having a container for collecting debris from a surface of a location. The sweeper module is coupled to one or more brushes for contacting the surface and moving said debris into said container. Included is a robot module having wheels and configured to couple to the sweeper module. The robot module is enabled for autonomous movement and corresponding movement of the sweeper module over the surface. A controller is integrated with the robot module and interfacing with the sweeper module. The controller is configured to execute instructions for assigning of at least two zones at the location and assigning a work function to be performed using the sweeper module at each of the at least two zones. The controller is further configured for programming the robot module to activate the sweeper module in each of the two zones. The assigned work function is set for performance at each of the at least two zones. The work function can be to sweep, to scrub, to polish, to mow or to perform different work functions over zones of a location, and providing remote access to view real-time operation of the modular robot, and to program zones and other control parameters of the modular robot.

A motor driving apparatus for a home appliance includes: a power supply part configured to supply DC power, a DC-Link capacitor connected to the power supply part, an inverter connected to the DC-Link capacitor and comprising a plurality of switching elements, the inverter being configured to convert, by operating the plurality of switching elements, the DC power into AC power and output the converted AC power to a motor, a DC-Link resistor element disposed between the DC-Link capacitor and the inverter, a signal generator connected to the DC-Link resistor element and configured to generate and output a plurality of signals based on an output current flowing through the DC-Link resistor element, and a controller configured to control the inverter based on the plurality of signals received from the signal generator.

A vacuum cleaner includes a housing, a debris chamber defined within the housing, a filter disposed within the debris chamber, a motor assembly including a motor and an impeller connected to the housing and operable to generate airflow through the debris chamber and filter, a voltage sensor positioned to detect an input voltage applied to the motor, a temperature sensor positioned to detect a temperature associated with the motor and a controller communicatively coupled to the voltage sensor, temperature sensor, and motor. The controller includes a processor and memory having instructions that program the processor to determine a threshold temperature based at least in part on the input voltage detected by the voltage sensor, compare the temperature associated with the motor to the threshold temperature, and output a warning that the filter is full of debris when the temperature associated with the motor exceeds the threshold temperature.

A vacuum cleaner includes a housing, a debris chamber defined within the housing, a filter disposed within the debris chamber, a motor assembly including a motor and an impeller connected to the housing and operable to generate airflow through the debris chamber and filter, a voltage sensor positioned to detect an input voltage applied to the motor, a temperature sensor positioned to detect a temperature associated with the motor and a controller communicatively coupled to the voltage sensor, temperature sensor, and motor. The controller includes a processor and memory having instructions that program the processor to determine a threshold temperature based at least in part on the input voltage detected by the voltage sensor, compare the temperature associated with the motor to the threshold temperature, and output a warning that the filter is full of debris when the temperature associated with the motor exceeds the threshold temperature.