Abstract
A self-propelled surface treatment unit has a drive device for the autonomous travel of the surface treatment unit within an environment, an energy storage device, a data storage device having an environmental map of the environment, and a navigation device for the navigation and self-location of the surface treatment unit within the environment on the basis of the environmental map having environmental zones. In order to improve the efficiency and service life of the energy storage device, the environmental map has energy data for at least two environmental zones, which indicates the amount of energy that the surface treatment unit will require to treat the surface in each one of the environmental zones.
Claims
1. A self-propelled surface treatment unit comprising: a drive device configured for autonomous travel of the surface treatment unit within an environment, an energy storage device, a data storage device having an environmental map of the environment, and a navigation device configured for navigation and self-location of the surface treatment unit within the environment, on the basis of the environmental map, wherein the environmental map contains environmental zones, and wherein the environmental map contains energy data for at least two of the environmental zones, the energy data for each one of the at least two environmental zones indicating an amount of energy that the surface treatment unit will require for the surface treatment of the respective environmental zone.
2. The surface treatment unit according to claim 1, wherein the amount of energy required for surface treatment of each one of the respective environmental zone is determined as a function of a surface type present in the respective environmental zone, and/or wherein the amount of energy is determined as a function of an empirically determined amount of energy for the treatment of the respective environmental zone.
3. The surface treatment unit according to claim 1, wherein the environmental map contains surface type data for a surface type represented in each one of the at least two environmental zones, wherein the surface type is selected from the group consisting of a hard surface, a short-pile carpeted surface, and a long-pile carpeted surface.
4. The surface treatment unit according to claim 1, wherein the environmental map indicates a characteristic amount of energy per unit surface area required for the surface treatment of each one of the at least two environmental zones.
5. The surface treatment unit according to claim 4, further comprising a control and evaluation device that is equipped to access the environmental map, to compare the characteristic amounts of energy for each one of the at least two environmental zones with one another, and, as a function of the characteristic amounts of energy, to determine a sequence in which the at least two environmental zones are treated in succession.
6. The surface treatment unit according to claim 5, wherein the control and evaluation device is equipped to determine the sequence, such that a first one of the at least two environmental zones, which requires a larger first amount of energy for surface treatment, is treated before a second one of the environmental zones, which requires a smaller second amount of energy for surface treatment, compared to the first amount of energy.
7. The surface treatment unit according to claim 5, wherein the control and evaluation device is equipped to apportion a total amount of energy stored in the energy storage device amongst a plurality of the environmental zones, so that energy-intensive environmental zones are treated first and, in contrast, less energy-intensive environmental zones are subsequently treated with respect to the required amount of energy in descending order, until the total amount of energy stored is fully apportioned.
8. The surface treatment unit according to claim 1, further comprising an obstacle sensor for detection of environmental features, and/or a map generation device for creation of the environmental map on the basis of environmental features, and/or a surface type sensor, which is equipped to determine a surface type that is present in one of the environmental zones.
9. A method for operation of the surface treatment unit according to claim 1, comprising storing data for the at least two environmental zones of the environmental map, which data indicates the amount of energy that the surface treatment unit will require for the surface treatment of the respective environmental zone.
10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of: accessing the environmental map with a control and evaluation device of the surface treatment unit, comparing the data regarding the required amounts of energy with one another, and, as a function of the required amounts of energy, determining a sequence with which the environmental zones are treated in succession, wherein the sequence is determined such that a first one of the environmental zones, which requires a greater first amount of energy for surface treatment, is treated before a second one of the environmental zones, which requires a smaller second amount of energy for surface treatment, compared to the first amount of energy.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.
[0021] In the drawings,
[0022] FIG. 1 shows a surface treatment unit in accordance with the invention,
[0023] FIG. 2 shows an environmental map of an environment with a plurality of environmental zones,
[0024] FIG. 3 shows a table with parameters of the environmental zones, together with a sequence for the environmental zones along a route of travel,
[0025] FIG. 4 shows the environmental map with a route of travel for the surface treatment unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] FIG. 1 first shows an exemplary self-propelled surface treatment unit 1, which can, for example, be designed as a cleaning robot. The surface treatment unit 1 has a drive device 2 in the form of wheels, driven by means of an electric motor (not illustrated). The electric motor, together with other electrical loads on the surface treatment unit 1, are supplied with energy by an energy storage device 3. The energy storage device 3 preferably takes the form of a rechargeable accumulator. The surface treatment unit 1 also has an obstacle sensor 14, which is equipped to measure distances to objects that are present in the vicinity of the surface treatment unit 1. Here, the obstacle sensor 14 is, for example, an optical distance measuring device in the form of a laser triangulation measuring device. The obstacle sensor 14 emits a rotating laser beam, which hits objects and is reflected from them. On the basis of the reflected radiation, a distance of the surface treatment unit 1 to the objects can be inferred. The detection signals of the obstacle sensor 14 are used to generate an environmental map 4 (an example of which is illustrated in FIG. 2), which can include a ground plan of the environment, as well as the position of objects within a plurality of environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 in the environment. The environmental map 4 is stored in a data storage device 5 of the surface treatment unit 1, and is used by a navigation device 6 to plan a route of travel 19 of the surface treatment unit 1 (see FIG. 4) through one or a plurality of environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 of the environment. The route of travel 19 is determined so as to be able to perform a plurality of surface treatment activities by means of the surface treatment unit 1 within the environment, in particular with a sequence determined in terms of time and location, which allows efficient surface treatment of a plurality of environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 of the environment. Here the energy storage device 3 of the surface treatment unit 1 is preferably a rechargeable accumulator, which can be recharged at a base station 17, which provides a charging device. The energy accumulator 3 is preferably a lithium-ion accumulator.
[0027] In order to perform one or a plurality of surface treatment activities, the surface treatment unit 1 comprises one or a plurality of surface treatment elements 18. Here, the surface treatment unit 1 has, for example, a cleaning roller, rotating around an essentially horizontal axis, which is suitable for the treatment of hard surfaces and carpeted surfaces. The surface treatment activities, as well as the travel of the surface treatment unit 1, are controlled by a control and evaluation device 13 of the surface treatment unit 1. Furthermore, the surface treatment unit 1 has a surface type sensor 16, which is designed to detect and recognise surface types that are present in the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10. Here the surface type sensor 16 takes the form, for example, of an optical sensor, which is equipped to emit light signals, and to detect which surface type is present in the respective zone 7, 8, 9, 10 on the basis of the light components reflected from the surfaces to be treated. As an alternative to a recognition of the surface type by means of an evaluation of the degree of reflection, an alternative surface type sensor 16 can function on the basis of digital image processing, wherein images of the floor surface taken by the surface type sensor 16 are compared with reference images of known surface types, wherein a surface type is identified, as soon as an image that has been taken is matched with a reference image, or resembles it to a specific degree.
[0028] FIG. 2 shows an environmental map 4, which was generated by means of the map generation device 15 of the surface treatment unit 1. Alternatively, however, it is also possible for an external map generation device 15, for example a computing device located on a server, to generate the environmental map 4, and make it available to the surface treatment unit 1, that is to say, to its control and evaluation device 13 and its navigation device 6, for purposes of planning a route of travel 19. In the environmental map 4, for example, a total of four environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 of the environment are here noted. In the environmental zone 8 are located the surface treatment unit 1, and a base station 17, which is equipped to perform servicing activities on the surface treatment unit 1, including the charging of the energy storage device 3 of the surface treatment unit 1. Furthermore, the environmental map 4 stores surface type data 12 on the surface types detected by the surface type sensor 16 of the surface treatment unit 1, wherein the environmental zone 7 has a long-pile carpeted surface, the environmental zone 8 has a hard surface, the environmental zone 9 has a hard surface, and the environmental zone 10 has a short-pile carpeted surface. Furthermore, in the environmental map 4, energy data 11 associated with each environmental zone 7, 8, 9, 10 is stored, which indicates the amount of energy the surface treatment unit 1 will require to treat the floor surface that is present. The energy data 11 refers, for example, to a standard surface treatment activity, defined in this manner for the surface type in question. With respect to hard surfaces, for example, a specific suction power level of a fan, and a rotational speed of the surface treatment element 18, are defined. Similarly, standard surface treatment activities are also defined for long-pile and short-pile carpeted surfaces or carpets, which the surface treatment unit 1 automatically adopts, that is to say, performs, unless otherwise specified by a user of the surface treatment unit 1. The energy data 11 defined for surface treatment activities are stored directly in the environmental map 4; here for example as x.sub.1 kWh, x.sub.2 kWh, y.sub.1 kWh and y.sub.2 kWh. The amounts of energy relate to the entire surface treatment activity in the respective environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10. Alternatively, it would be possible to store a required amount of energy per unit surface area in addition to the size of the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10, so that the control and evaluation device 13 can calculate the amount of energy required for the respective environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 from this data. If necessary, an environmental zone 7, 8, 9, 10 can also be divided into sub-zones, advantageously in order to be able to determine a route of travel 19 for the surface treatment of the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10. The amount of energy required to treat the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 can be determined empirically on the basis of a plurality of surface treatment activities performed in the past by the surface treatment unit 1. However, the amount of energy can also be calculated theoretically from the surface type present in the environmental zone 7, 8, 9, 10, a knowledge of the energy requirements of the electrical loads on the surface treatment unit 1, a period of time usually required for the surface treatment activity, and other factors.
[0029] FIG. 3 shows a table, which contains the parameters of the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10. In the first column are the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10. The adjacent column to the right shows the surface type represented in the respective environmental zone 7, 8, 9, 10, differentiated into long-pile carpet, hard surface, short-pile carpet. In principle the surface type can be further sub-divided into various hard surfaces and similar. Furthermore, the next column to the right indicates the energy data 11, which includes an amount of energy required for the surface treatment of the respective environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10, indicated here as x.sub.1, x.sub.2, y.sub.1, y.sub.2. On the basis of the data entered in the “amount of energy” column, the control and evaluation device 13 of the surface treatment unit 1 determines an environmental zone 7, 8, 9, 10 with the greatest energy requirement for the surface treatment of the respective environmental zone 7, 8, 9, 10. Here this is exemplified as the environmental zone 7 with the amount of energy “x.sub.1” which is required for the surface treatment of the environmental zone 7 with a long-pile carpet. The control and evaluation device 13 of the surface treatment unit 1 then determines a sequence of the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 for a route of travel 19 within which the surface treatment unit 1 moves through the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 in order there to perform surface treatment activities in succession. Here the control and evaluation device 13 selects the sequence of the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 such that particularly energy-intensive environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 are cleaned first, and, on the other hand, lower-energy environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10 are only cleaned subsequently. Here, in accordance with the table column shown on the far right, a sequence is determined, which first provides for a surface treatment of the environmental zone 7, then a surface treatment of the environmental zone 10, then a surface treatment activity in the environmental zone 9, and finally a surface treatment of the environmental zone 8. In this case, the environmental zone 8, which has a hard surface, requires the smallest amount of energy “y.sub.1”, which is less than the amounts of energy “x.sub.1”, “y.sub.2” and x.sub.2” required for the treatment of the other environmental zones 7, 9, 10. Prioritisation of the treatment of an energy-intensive environmental zone 7, 8, 9, 10 ensures that the energy storage device 3 of the surface treatment unit 1 is quickly heated up to its operating temperature at the start of the route of travel 19, and the internal resistance of the energy storage device is reduced; this contributes to optimum operation and a prolongation of the service life of the energy storage device 3. Since, for example, the environmental zone 8, which requires the least amount of energy for surface treatment, is cleaned last, the energy storage device 3 can also cool down slowly again at the end of the route of travel 19, before the energy storage device 3 is recharged at the base station 17. This saves time for the entire surface treatment and recharging process, since the energy storage device 3 does not have to be cooled down separately before the actual charging activity can take place.
[0030] Finally, FIG. 4 shows the route of travel 19 that the control and evaluation device 13 of the surface treatment unit 1 has defined for the treatment of the environmental zones 7, 8, 9, 10. It can be seen that, starting from the current location of the surface treatment unit 1, the environmental zone 7 is the first to be cleaned, which does not correspond to the environmental zone 8 in which the surface treatment unit 1 is located at the start of the route of travel 19. Instead, the surface treatment unit 1 first travels to the neighbouring environmental zone 7, from there to the environmental zone 10, which also has a carpeted surface, and only then to the environmental zones 9 and 8, which have hard surfaces to be treated.
[0031] Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0032] 1 Surface treatment unit [0033] 2 Drive device [0034] 3 Energy storage device [0035] 4 Environmental map [0036] 5 Data storage device [0037] 6 Navigation device [0038] 7 Environmental zone [0039] 8 Environmental zone [0040] 9 Environmental zone [0041] 10 Environmental zone [0042] 11 Energy data [0043] 12 Surface type data [0044] 13 Control and evaluation device [0045] 14 Obstacle sensor [0046] 15 Map generation device [0047] 16 Surface type sensor [0048] 17 Base station [0049] 18 Surface treatment element [0050] 19 Route of travel
