A cleaning system may include a vacuum cleaner and a docking station. The vacuum cleaner may include an air inlet, a suction motor having a suction motor inlet and a suction motor outlet, and a cleaner dust cup configured to transition between a collection position and an emptying position, the cleaner dust cup being upstream of the suction motor inlet when in the collection position and downstream of the suction motor outlet when in the emptying position. The docking station may include a base, a support extending from the base, a station dust cup removably coupled to the support, and a receptacle coupled to the support and configured to receive at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner, the cleaner dust cup being fluidly coupled to and upstream of the station dust cup when the vacuum cleaner is inserted in the receptacle.

A pool-cleaning robot is provided, comprising: a robot body with a moving mechanism controlled to move the robot body forward or backward; wherein the robot body has a weight difference between its left and right sides; the moving mechanism includes a driver to drive the moving mechanism unilaterally; the robot body is provided with a fluid inlet-outlet, at least one first fluid inlet, and at least one first fluid outlet, which are communicated with each other. The fluid inlet-outlet is provided with a fluid driver that applies a suction force to the first fluid inlet or a discharge force to the first fluid outlet; a controller in the robot body, connected to and controlling the operation of the moving mechanism and the fluid driver; when the robot body is on a floor or walls of a pool, combinations of discharge forces, suction forces and weight differences steer the robot.

A pool-cleaning robot is provided, comprising: a robot body with a moving mechanism controlled to move the robot body forward or backward; wherein the robot body has a weight difference between its left and right sides; the moving mechanism includes a driver to drive the moving mechanism unilaterally; the robot body is provided with a fluid inlet-outlet, at least one first fluid inlet, and at least one first fluid outlet, which are communicated with each other. The fluid inlet-outlet is provided with a fluid driver that applies a suction force to the first fluid inlet or a discharge force to the first fluid outlet; a controller in the robot body, connected to and controlling the operation of the moving mechanism and the fluid driver; when the robot body is on a floor or walls of a pool, combinations of discharge forces, suction forces and weight differences steer the robot.

A hollow articulating structure includes a plurality of pipes interconnected with a plurality of knuckle assemblies. The hollow articulating structure may be connected to a vacuum source to allow a user to move the articulating structure to position an end of the articulating structure in a desired location to move dust and particles through the hollow articulating structure to the vacuum source. Each knuckle assembly includes a first knuckle member and a second knuckle member that are rotationally movable with each other to allow the articulating structure to be adjusted and moved.

The present invention relates to a moving robot capable of recognizing a position on a map and a control method of the moving robot, and the moving robot according to the present invention includes: a travel drive unit configured to move a main body; an image acquisition unit configured to acquire images of surroundings; and a controller configured to recognize a current position. The controller is further configured to separate the travel area by the predetermined criterion into a plurality of large areas, into which the plurality of small areas is grouped; compute each large area feature distribution and the at least one recognition descriptor by a predetermined superordinate estimation rule to select a large area in which the current position is included; and compute the small area feature distribution and the at least one recognition descriptor by the predetermined estimation rule to select a small area, in which the current position is included, from among a plurality of small areas included in the selected large area.

The control method according to the present invention includes: a learning process of learning a travel area to generate a map and separating the travel area into a plurality of small areas by a predetermined criterion; and a recognition process of selecting a current position on the map. The recognition process includes: a recognition descriptor generation process of acquiring an image of the current position, extract at least one recognition feature from the acquired image, and generating a recognition descriptor corresponding to the at least one recognition feature. The recognition process includes: a large area selection process of computing each large area feature distribution and the at least one recognition descriptor by a predetermined superordinate estimation rule to select a large area in which the current position is included.

The present invention relates to a moving robot capable of recognizing a position on a map and a control method of the moving robot, and the moving robot according to the present invention includes: a travel drive unit configured to move a main body; an image acquisition unit configured to acquire images of surroundings; and a controller configured to recognize a current position. The controller is further configured to separate the travel area by the predetermined criterion into a plurality of large areas, into which the plurality of small areas is grouped; compute each large area feature distribution and the at least one recognition descriptor by a predetermined superordinate estimation rule to select a large area in which the current position is included; and compute the small area feature distribution and the at least one recognition descriptor by the predetermined estimation rule to select a small area, in which the current position is included, from among a plurality of small areas included in the selected large area.

The control method according to the present invention includes: a learning process of learning a travel area to generate a map and separating the travel area into a plurality of small areas by a predetermined criterion; and a recognition process of selecting a current position on the map. The recognition process includes: a recognition descriptor generation process of acquiring an image of the current position, extract at least one recognition feature from the acquired image, and generating a recognition descriptor corresponding to the at least one recognition feature. The recognition process includes: a large area selection process of computing each large area feature distribution and the at least one recognition descriptor by a predetermined superordinate estimation rule to select a large area in which the current position is included.

A robotic cleaning device having main body, at least one driving wheel to move the robotic cleaning device across a surface to be cleaned, and a brush for removing debris from the surface to be cleaned. The brush is arranged on a protrusion in a front end portion of the main body. The widest part of the main body is located between the protrusion and the opposite sidewall of the main body, and within the front end portion of the main body.

A robotic cleaning device having main body, at least one driving wheel to move the robotic cleaning device across a surface to be cleaned, and a brush for removing debris from the surface to be cleaned. The brush is arranged on a protrusion in a front end portion of the main body. The widest part of the main body is located between the protrusion and the opposite sidewall of the main body, and within the front end portion of the main body.

A vacuum cleaner includes a motor and an alternating current to direct current (AC-to-DC) converting unit including first and second power supplies, a DC stabilizer and a rechargeable battery. The first and second power supplies respectively convert mains electricity from a power socket into first and second DC electricity. The DC stabilizer stabilizes the first DC electricity to output stabilized DC electricity to the motor. The rechargeable battery is to be charged by the second DC electricity. When the vacuum cleaner is turned on and mains electricity is provided to the AC-to-DC converting unit, the vacuum cleaner operates in an external power supply mode, in which the first and second power supplies are activated to respectively drive the motor and charge the rechargeable battery.

A vacuum cleaner includes a motor and an alternating current to direct current (AC-to-DC) converting unit including first and second power supplies, a DC stabilizer and a rechargeable battery. The first and second power supplies respectively convert mains electricity from a power socket into first and second DC electricity. The DC stabilizer stabilizes the first DC electricity to output stabilized DC electricity to the motor. The rechargeable battery is to be charged by the second DC electricity. When the vacuum cleaner is turned on and mains electricity is provided to the AC-to-DC converting unit, the vacuum cleaner operates in an external power supply mode, in which the first and second power supplies are activated to respectively drive the motor and charge the rechargeable battery.