Abstract
An automatically moving floor treating device has an electric motor-driven drive, an obstacle detection device, a sensor system, and an evaluation and control device. To analyze further properties of the floor surface, the evaluation and control device controls the drive of the floor treating device so that the floor treating device rotates around a defined location point of the floor surface. The evaluation and control means is furthermore configured to evaluate the parameter, which is detected by the sensor system during the rotation or movement of the floor treating device around the defined location point of the floor surface, and to determine an angle-dependent anisotropy of the parameter of the floor surface based on an anisotropy of the parameter of the floor surface based on defined different directions in space of the surrounding area, and to enter them in the surrounding area map by specifying an angular coordinate.
Claims
1. An automatically moving floor treating device comprising: an electric motor-driven drive configured for moving the floor treating device within a surrounding area, an obstacle detection device configured for detecting obstacles in the surrounding area, a sensor system configured for detecting a parameter of a floor surface, which is navigated by the floor treating device, and an evaluation and control device for creating a surrounding area map from the detected obstacle data and the parameters, wherein the evaluation and control device is configured to control the drive of the floor treating device in such a way that the floor treating device rotates around a defined location point of the floor surface, and wherein the evaluation and control device is configured to evaluate the parameter, which is detected by means of the sensor system during the rotation or movement of the floor treating device around the defined location point of the floor surface, and to determine an anisotropy of the parameter of the floor surface based on defined different directions in space of the surrounding area, and to enter the defined different directions in the surrounding area map by specifying an angular coordinate.
2. The floor treating device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation and control device is configured to form an average value of the angle-dependent anisotropy from a plurality of detections at different location points of the surrounding area.
3. The floor treating device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor system is configured to detect a power consumption or change of power consumption of the drive.
4. The floor treating device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor system is configured to detect a power consumption or a change of a power consumption for a drive of a floor treating element of the floor treatment device, the drive of the floor treating element being electric motor-driven in a rotating or oscillating manner.
5. The floor treating device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor system has a microphone, which is configured to detect noises created by moving over the floor surface by means of the floor treating device.
6. The floor treating device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor system is configured to detect a natural oscillation, or a change of a natural oscillation, of a device subregion of the floor treating device, wherein the sensor system has an acceleration sensor and/or a gyroscope.
7. The floor treating device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation and control device is configured to specify a strategy for moving the floor treating device within the surrounding area as a function of the determined angle-dependent anisotropy of the parameter of the floor surface.
8. The floor treating device according to claim 7, wherein the evaluation and control device is configured to additionally specify the strategy for the movement as a function of a type of a floor treating activity, which is performed during the movement, wherein the floor treating activity is characterized according to one of the following parameters: intensity of the floor treatment, speed of the floor treatment, use of consumables during the floor treatment, wear of the floor surface due to the floor treatment, energy consumption during the floor treatment.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] 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.
[0020] In the drawings,
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a floor treating device according to the invention at a location point of a surrounding area;
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a surrounding area map with a layout of the surrounding area and location points recorded therein;
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a spiral trajectory according to a first embodiment;
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a spiral trajectory according to a further embodiment;
[0025] FIG. 5 shows a surrounding area map with trajectories stored therein at different location points; and
[0026] FIG. 6 shows a surrounding area map with stored direction specifications as well as a planned treatment path.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] FIG. 1 initially shows an exemplary automatically moving floor treating device 1, which is formed, for example, as cleaning robot here. The floor treating device 1 has a drive means 2 in the form of an electric motor for motor-driven wheels 13. The electric motor as well as further electrical consumers of the floor treating device 1 are supplied with energy by means of an energy storage, which is not illustrated here, in particular an accumulator. The floor treating device 1 furthermore has an obstacle detection means 3, which is configured to detect distances to obstacles 4, which are present in the surrounding area of the floor treating device 1. Here, an obstacle detection means 3 is, for example, an optical distance measuring means in the form of a laser triangulation measuring means. The obstacle detection means 3 emits, for example, a laser beam, which rotates by 360 degrees and which strikes obstacles 4 and is reflected thereon. From the obstacles 4, a conclusion can be drawn to a distance of the floor treating device 1 by means of the reflected radiation. With the help of an evaluation and control means 7 of the floor treating device 1, the detection signals of the obstacle detection means 3 are processed into a surrounding area map 8, which includes a layout of the surrounding area with obstacles 4 stored therein as well as a current natural position of the floor treating device 1 at a location point 9. For the floor treatment of a floor surface 6 of the surrounding area, the floor treating device 1 furthermore has a floor treating element 12, here for example a brush roller, which rotates around an essentially horizontal axis. An electric motor, which is not illustrated here and which is used to drive the floor treating element 12, is also assigned to the floor treating element 12. The floor treating device 1 furthermore has a sensor system 5, which is formed and configured to detect a parameter of the floor surface 6, which is navigated by the floor treating device 1. Here, the sensor system 5 is assigned, for example, to the drive means 2 of the wheels 13. The sensor system 5 detects a power consumption or a change, respectively, of a power consumption of the drive means 2, and, as a function thereof, can draw a conclusion to one or several parameters of the floor surface 6. The surrounding area map 8 is used by the evaluation and control means 7 of the floor treating device 1 in order to plan a treatment path 14 of the floor treating device 1.
[0028] The invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of FIGS. 2 to 6.
[0029] To detect a parameter of the floor surface 6 of the surrounding area, and to thus improve the information, which is stored in the surrounding area map 8 and which is used for a planning of a treatment path 14 based thereon, the evaluation and control means 7 of the floor treating device 1 is configured to control the floor treating device 1 along certain trajectories 10 of the floor treating device 1, along which the sensor system 5 then detects parameters of the traversed subregions of the floor surface 6. A surrounding area map 8 with several rooms is illustrated in an exemplary manner in FIG. 2, wherein one of the rooms has wooden floorboards here, which are installed, for example, in parallel. To obtain information about the direction, in which the wooden floorboards are installed within the surrounding area, the evaluation and control means 7 controls the drive means 2 of the floor treating device 1 in such a way that the floor treating device 1 performs a natural rotation around the respective location point 9 at, for example, three location points 9 here. Here, the rotation takes place clockwise only as an example, but can alternatively or additionally also take place counterclockwise. During the natural rotation of the floor treating device 1, the sensor system 5 detects a power consumption of the drive means 2 for the wheels 13 of the floor treating device 1. Based on each location point 9, the power is thereby stored individually as a function of a current angle of rotation of the floor treating device 1 around the location point 9. The evaluation and control means 7 then evaluates the determined power consumption or change of the power consumption as a function of the assigned angle of rotation of the floor treating device 1, and stores the determined angle-dependent anisotropy of the floor surface 6 for the detected parameter “power consumption”. An angle-dependent amount of the respective measuring parameter can be stored in this way for each location point 9, wherein other measuring parameters can also be detected, which vary as a function of the properties of the floor surface 6, alternatively or additionally to the measuring parameter “power consumption”. A power consumption of a drive means for the floor treating element 12 can also be considered alternatively to a detected power consumption of the drive means 2 of the wheels 13. The sensor system 5 can furthermore also be configured to detect a natural oscillation of a device subregion 11, to which the floor treating device 1 or the device subregion 11 thereof, respectively, is subjected due to the rotation around the location point 9 and the respective angle-dependent structure of the floor surface 6. The natural oscillation of the device subregion 11 can in particular be detected by means of an acceleration sensor or a gyroscope. Even though this is not further illustrated here, further or additional types of sensor system 5 can furthermore also be used. For example, the sensor system 5 can have a microphone, which is configured to detect noises, which are generated during a traversing of the floor surface 6 by means of the floor treating device 1. With this type of indirect detection, the natural oscillations and/or noises of the floor treating device 1, which occur during a movement or rotation around the location point 9 and which change as a function of the properties of the floor surface 6, are used. The position for the sensor system 5 for detecting natural oscillations can generally be selected at every device subregion 11 of the floor treating device 1. Depending on the design of the floor treating device 1, the person of skill in the art will find that device subregion 11, which reacts particularly sensitively to property changes of the floor surface 6, i.e. that device subregion 11, which shows a change of the frequency of the natural oscillation particularly clearly as a function of the direction of movement of the floor treating device 1 on the floor surface 6.
[0030] The floor treating device 1 can either rotate around the location point 9 during the performance of a floor treating activity or can do so as part of an exploration operation. Provided that a floor treating activity is performed at the same time, for example by using a floor treating element 12, measuring parameters can in particular also be used, which are a function of the type of a floor treating activity, namely for example when the floor treating device 1 applies a liquid to the floor surface 6, vacuums the floor surface 6, or the like. Not only for example a power change of a drive means 2 for the floor treating element 12 due to the change of a friction coefficient of the floor surface 6 can then be detected thereby in an angle-dependent manner, but, for example, also an angle-dependent water absorption of a floor covering or air permeability of the floor surface 6. Starting at each location point 9 of the floor surface 6, it can thus additionally be determined, in which direction ideal parameters for a low-friction movement, liquid-saving floor treatment, or the like are present in which direction, starting at the location point 9. Angle-dependent profiles, which specify the parameter of the floor surface 6, based on a certain floor treating activity, can thus also be created in a location-dependent manner. Based on this, a particularly advantageous moving strategy can be determined for the floor treating device 1 during a certain floor treating activity. In the concrete example of FIG. 2, an angle-dependent profile of the floor surface 6, which refers to a movement of the floor treating device 1 on the floor surface 6 with as little friction as possible, can be created, for example based on each location point 9. Due to the fact that they are, for example, wooden floorboards, which are installed in parallel, the floor treating device 1 experiences a larger resistance during its rotation, when the rolling direction of the wheels 13 is orthogonal to the joints, which run between wooden floorboards, which are installed in parallel. The frictional resistance is therefore smaller when the wheels 13 rotate parallel to the longitudinal extension of the illustrated wooden floorboards. In addition or in the alternative, the frictional resistance can also be increased, when the wheels 13 are orthogonal to a grain direction of the wood structure. The respective angle-dependent resistance is noticeable due to the power consumption or change of the power consumption, respectively, of the drive means 2.
[0031] With the knowledge of the respective current location of the floor treating device 1 at the location point 9 as well as the respective orientation of the floor treating device 1, an angle-dependent total structure of the floor surface 6 is then calculated from several angle-dependent profiles at different location point 9 of the floor surface 6, which specify the anisotropy of the considered parameter of the floor surface 6. Graphically illustrated, this can correspond, for example, to the strip-like structure of the installed wooden floorboards.
[0032] FIGS. 3 and 4 show two different types of spiral trajectories 10, which the floor treating device 1 can perform as an alternative to a rotation at the location point 9, in order to detect anisotropic properties of the floor surface 6. FIG. 3 shows a rectangular spiral counterclockwise trajectory 10, while FIG. 4 describes a circular spiral clockwise trajectory 10. It goes without saying that it is also possible that the rectangular shape is passed through clockwise, and the circular shape counterclockwise. The trajectory 10 can comprise the entire floor surface 6, or, for example, only a certain subregion of a floor surface 6. In the alternative, it is also possible, as illustrated in FIG. 5, to move along several spiral trajectories 10 around different location points 9 of the floor surface 6. The detection values of the parameter, which are determined during the movement and which are a function of the angle of the respective orientation of the floor treating device 1, can then likewise be averaged again for several different location points 9 and/or different points on the spiral trajectory 10.
[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the angle-dependent parameters of the floor surface 6 are recorded in the surrounding area map 8 with direction specifications 15, wherein the direction specification 15 includes an angle specification of 0 degrees to 90 degrees here, and can generally have any origin, here only as an example an origin in a corner of a room of the layout. The parameter, which is illustrated in an angle-dependent manner, results here according to the installation direction of the wooden floorboards as pattern with strips, which run parallel to one another, wherein each strip runs in 90 degrees direction and specifies that direction of movement or floor treating direction, along which the floor treating device 1 can operate in a particular energy-saving manner and/or quickly. Orthogonally thereto, i.e. in a direction with the direction specification 15 “0 degrees”, the floor treatment or movement, respectively, of the floor treating device 1 is made more difficult in that the floor treating device 1 has to cross the joints between the wooden floorboards, which are installed in parallel.
[0034] With the knowledge of the direction specification 15 recorded in the surrounding area map 8, the evaluation and control means 7 of the floor treating device 1 can then plan a treatment path 14 for the floor treating device 1, along which the floor treating device 1 travels particularly preferably and performs its floor treating activity. A treatment path 14 of this type is illustrated here in an exemplary manner in FIG. 6 and runs in a meander-shaped manner, wherein the large straight portions of the meander are aligned parallel to the joints of the wooden floorboards, which simultaneously corresponds to that direction on the floor surface 6, in which the floor surface 6 can be crossed or treated, respectively, in a particularly low-friction and thus energy-saving manner by the floor treating device 1.
[0035] The strategy for movement of the floor treating device 1 determined by the evaluation and control means 7 can also be determined by using other detected parameters of the floor surface 6, for example the level of consumables during a floor treatment along a specified direction, the level of wear of the floor surface 6 in a certain direction of the floor surface 6, the quality of the attained floor treating result in a certain direction, or others.
[0036] 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 NUMERALS
[0037] 1 floor treating device [0038] 2 drive means [0039] 3 obstacle detection means [0040] 4 obstacle [0041] 5 sensor system [0042] 6 floor surface [0043] 7 evaluation and control means [0044] 8 surrounding area map [0045] 9 location point [0046] 10 trajectory [0047] 11 device subregion [0048] 12 floor treating element [0049] 13 wheel [0050] 14 treatment path [0051] 15 direction specification
