SYSTEM OF AT LEAST ONE HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE, AT LEAST ONE AUTOMATICALLY MOVING CLEANING DEVICE AND A CONTROL DEVICE

Abstract

A system has at least one household appliance, at least one automatically moving cleaning device, and a control device for controlling an operation of the cleaning device. To attain a fully automatic operation of the system, the control device is set up to control an operation of the cleaning device as a function of an operating status of the household appliance.

Claims

1. A system of at least one household appliance, at least one automatically moving cleaning device, and a control device for controlling an operation of the cleaning device, wherein the control device is configured to control an operation of the cleaning device as a function of an operating status of the household appliance, and wherein the household appliance and/or the cleaning device is configured to transmit its device type, current device location and/or current operating status to the control device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the household appliance is selected from the group consisting of a kitchen machine, a window cleaning device, a washing machine and a clothes dryer.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control device is an integrated control device of the cleaning device or an external control device, and wherein the control device has a communication connection to the cleaning device and to the household appliance.

4. The system according claim 1, wherein the system has a communication network, in which the household appliance and the cleaning device are in communication connection with one another via the control device.

5. A method for operating a system of at least one household appliance, at least one automatically moving cleaning device, and a control device for controlling an operation of the cleaning device, comprising the following steps: controlling with the control device an operation of the cleaning device as a function of an operating status of the household appliance, and transmitting by the household appliance and/or the cleaning device information regarding a device type, current device location and/or current operating status to the control device.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of outputting with the control device a control command for moving the cleaning device to the device location of the household appliance and for performing a cleaning operation at the device location, whereupon the cleaning device moves to the household appliance and performs a cleaning there.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the control command for the cleaning device is output at the beginning and/or upon completion of an operation of the household appliance.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising transmitting with the control device a confirmation inquiry to a user of the system prior to transmitting the control command to the cleaning device, and displaying the confirmation inquiry on a mobile end device of the user.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein an operating plan of the cleaning device, in which future operating tasks are stored, is adapted as a function of an operating status of the household appliance.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The invention will be described in more detail below by means of exemplary embodiments.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a system of a plurality of household appliances and a cleaning device comprising a central control device during a first point in time,

[0031] FIG. 2 shows the system according to FIG. 1 during a second point in time,

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a system of a household appliance and a cleaning device comprising a local control device during a first point in time,

[0033] FIG. 4 shows the system according to FIG. 3 during a second point in time,

[0034] FIG. 5 shows the cleaning device in a detailed view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a room of a home, namely a kitchen here. A plurality of kitchen cabinets 4 and household appliances 1 is present in the room, wherein the kitchen cabinets 4 furthermore have a worktop 5 resting thereon. Here, the household appliances 1 comprise appliances, such as, for example, a washing machine, a dishwasher and a stove-oven combination. An electric motor-operated kitchen machine comprising a preparation vessel 14 is furthermore located on the worktop 5.

[0036] An autonomous cleaning device 2, which can move automatically inside the room or, if applicable, also in adjacent rooms, is located on a floor 11 of the room. Here, the cleaning device 2 is for example a vacuum cleaner robot. In the alternative, however, it is also possible to embody the cleaning device 2 as a mopping robot or as a vacuuming-mopping combination. The cleaning device 2 has wheels 9, which are driven via an electric motor, as well as a cleaning element 10, which is also driven by means of an electric motor, here for example a bristle roller for treating the floor 11. The cleaning device 2 also has a navigation and self-localization device, by means of which the cleaning device 2 can orientate itself inside the room. The navigation and self-localization device include a distance measuring device 7 and an image capturing device 8, by means of which the cleaning device 2 captures its surrounding area. From the data, a surrounding area map 15 can be generated, which can include the kitchen cabinets 4, the household appliances 1 and, if applicable, further cleaning devices 2. The generated surrounding area map 15 is displayed, for example, on a display 6 of the cleaning device 2, among other things.

[0037] The cleaning device 2 and the household appliances 1, together with an external control device 3, form a system according to the invention. Here, the control device 3 is illustrated in a purely exemplary manner as a control panel, which has display elements for a current activity of the household appliances 1 and/or of the cleaning device 2. The control device 3, the household appliances 1 and the cleaning device 2 have communication modules, which are not illustrated in detail, here for example WLAN modules, with the help of which they can communicate with one another and with the central control device 3. The central control device 3 serves for example as access point of the WLAN network, with which the household appliances 1 as well as the cleaning device 2 communicate. According to this embodiment, a communication between for example a household appliance 1 and the cleaning device 2 or two household appliances 1 among one another, respectively, does not take place directly, but only via the control device 3.

[0038] The household appliances 1 and the cleaning device 2 can now cooperate in such a way in terms of the invention that a fully automatic operation of the system results without assistance from a user. With regard to this, a first embodiment will be described below by means of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0039] In FIG. 1, the household appliance 1, which is embodied as kitchen machine, is in an operating mode. Food located in the preparation vessel 14 is thereby prepared, for example comminuted, stirred, heated or the like. Prior to the preparation, a user has to introduce the ingredients into the preparation vessel 14, wherein ingredients might fall next to the household appliance 1 onto the worktop 5 and further onto the floor 11 of the displayed room. Parts of an ingredient are illustrated on the floor 11 here, which will be identified as dirt 12 below. When the preparation operation of the household appliance 1 has ended, the user removes the food from the preparation vessel 14, whereby dirt 12 can in turn reach the floor 11. To now attain a fully automatic elimination of the dirt 12, i.e. without assistance from the user, the household appliance 1 transmits information about its current operating state to the central control device 3 by means of its communication module. Here, the information can include information, for example, that the preparation of the food has been fully completed. The operating status of the household appliance 1 can thereby for example be identified as preparation completed.

[0040] The control device 3 receives the information from the household appliance 1 and processes it into a control command for the cleaning device 2. The control command includes instructions for moving the cleaning device 2 to that partial area of the floor 11, on which dirt might be present. For this purpose, the control command includes information about the location of the household appliance 1. The control device 3 accesses a surrounding area map 15 of the room and can determine the corresponding location by means of a transmitted device identification of the household appliance 1. After receiving the control command, the cleaning device 2 moves towards the dirt 12 and performs a cleaning using suction, using the cleaning element 12 and a motor-fan device, which is not illustrated in more detail. FIG. 2 shows the reaction of the cleaning device 2 to the control command, which is transmitted by the control device 3, suggested by an arrow as well as the target position, which is illustrated in a dashed manner.

[0041] So that the household appliances 1 and the cleaning device 2 or also a plurality of cleaning devices 2, respectively, can cooperate advantageously within the system, they need to first be registered at the central control device 3. In response to the registration, each of the household appliances 1 or of the cleaning devices 2, respectively, has to transmit its device identification, its current or permanent device location (provided that it is a stationary device, such as a kitchen machine), as well as a current operating status, if applicable, to the control device 3. The control device 3 processes this information in a database, within which the information from the household appliances 1 and the cleaning devices 2 is stored. The device ID assigned to each household appliance 1 or cleaning device 2, respectively, is also transmitted in response to the transmission of information to the control device 3. The control device 3 furthermore has routines, which are controlled as a function of an operating status of one of the household appliances 1. In the case of the kitchen machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a control command for a cleaning is generated in the area of the kitchen machine and is transmitted to the cleaning device 2 in response to receiving the operating status preparation concluded. Provided that the system has a plurality of cleaning devices 2, the control device 3 can also check, which cleaning device 2 is available and/or is located closest to the area of the floor 11 to be cleaned, in which dirt 12 can be assumed. In the alternative, the control device 3 could transmit a control command to all cleaning devices 2, whereupon the cleaning devices 2 in each case check by means of their surrounding area map 15, which cleaning device 2 is closest to the location of the dirt 12, and only that cleaning device 2, which has the shortest way, then moves to that location. The other cleaning devices 2 remain at their previous device location.

[0042] In addition, provision can be made for a confirmation inquiry to be initially transmitted to a user of the system after receiving a control command from the control device 3 at a cleaning device 2. This confirmation inquiry can for example be displayed on the display 6 of the cleaning device 2. The user has to respond to this confirmation inquiry, so that the control command takes effect, i.e. the cleaning device 2 is controlled according to the content of the control command. In the event that the display 6 is for example a touchscreen, the user can confirm the confirmation inquiry by touching the display 6. In the alternative, provision can also be made for an external end device to be in communication connection with the cleaning device 2, for example a mobile telephone of the user. The confirmation inquiry can likewise be illustrated and confirmed thereon.

[0043] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the invention, in which the system does not have an external control device 3, but a local control device 3 of the cleaning device 2 simultaneously forms a central control device 3 of the system. The system has a plurality of household appliances 1 as well as the cleaning device 2. In the illustrated situation according to FIG. 3, the household appliance 1, which is embodied as washing machine, has just completed a washing process. The user has opened an appliance door 13 of the household appliance 1 to remove laundry, wherein liquid drops have dropped from the laundry onto the floor 11. Without further assistance from the user, the system is now set up to eliminate the liquid drops located on the floor 11. For this purpose, the household appliance 1 transmits its operating status washing process completed and/or door open to the control device 3 of the cleaning device 2, which acts as central control device 3 of the system. With the operating status, the device identification of the household appliance 1 is also transmitted to the control device 3. The control device 3 receives the information and checks by means of the surrounding area map 15 of the cleaning device 2, at which device location the household appliance 1 is located. The control device 3 then generates a control command for the cleaning device 2, which includes the instructions to move to the area of the floor 11, which has the liquid drops, and to mop up the liquid drops there by means of the cleaning element 10. Here, the cleaning element 10 of the cleaning device 2 is advantageously a cleaning roller covered with a cleaning textile. The cleaning process is illustrated in FIG. 4. The cleaning device 2 thereby mops the area of the floor 11 below the appliance door 13 of the household appliance 1.

[0044] Provided that, in addition to the illustrated cleaning device 2, the system furthermore also has other cleaning devices 2, the one cleaning device 2 can nonetheless have the central control device 3 and can transmit a generated control command to another cleaning device 2, if applicable.

[0045] Finally, FIG. 5 shows an enlarged illustration of an exemplary cleaning device 2. A surrounding area map 15 of the cleaning device 2, which includes a floor plan of the room, in which the cleaning device 2 is currently located is displayed on the display 6. The kitchen cabinets 4, household appliances 1 and, if applicable, further cleaning devices 2, are furthermore denoted in the surrounding area map 15. A current activity of one of the household appliances 1 or of a cleaning device 2 can be displayed in the surrounding area map 15 for example by an illumination, a special chromaticity or the like. A user of the cleaning device 2 can thus recognize, which household appliance 1 currently has an active operating status and, if applicable, will shortly call the cleaning device 2. An additional file, in which an operating plan of the cleaning device 2 is stored, can furthermore be associated with the surrounding area map 15. This operating plan includes work tasks of the cleaning device 2, advantageously in a calendar-like table with days of the week and times of day. Provided that the cleaning device 2 now receives a control command for moving into a certain area of the room, the cleaning device 2 can initially check by means of its operating plan, whether a different cleaning task is currently present or in the near future. If applicable, a consideration then has to be made whether the control command is maintained or changed, if applicable as a function of whether further cleaning devices 2 are available within the system, which could alternatively follow the control command.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0046] 1 household appliance [0047] 2 cleaning device [0048] 3 control device [0049] 4 kitchen cabinet [0050] 5 worktop [0051] 6 display [0052] 7 distance measuring device [0053] 8 image capturing device [0054] 9 wheel [0055] 10 cleaning element [0056] 11 floor [0057] 12 dirt [0058] 13 appliance door [0059] 14 preparation vessel [0060] 15 surrounding area map