Aktiebolaget Electrolux

Magnus Lindhé

Petter Forsberg

Anders Haegermarck

Andreas Klintemyr

Niklas Nordin

A method of controlling movement of a robotic cleaning device over an area to be cleaned. The method includes storing at least one representation of the area over which the robotic cleaning device is to move, receiving an instruction to execute a cleaning program, localizing, in response to the instruction, the robotic cleaning device relative to the stored representation, and moving over the area to be cleaned as stipulated by the cleaning program by taking into account the stored representation.

Controlling movement of a robotic cleaning device

A method of controlling movement of a robotic cleaning device over an area to be cleaned. The method includes acquiring a visual representation of the robotic cleaning device on a display of a wireless communication device, identifying the robotic cleaning device in the visual representation, computing a coordinate transform between the visual representation and a robotic cleaning device coordinate system, creating an instruction by receiving user-indicated spatial information on the display or how the robotic cleaning device should move over the area to be cleaned, applying the transform to the spatial information, transforming the spatial information to the robot coordinate system, and sending the instruction to the robotic cleaning device via wireless communication, to cause the robotic cleaning device to move over said area in accordance with the transformed spatial information.

Using augmented reality to exchange spatial information with a robotic cleaning device

A method for a robotic cleaning device of detecting a difference in level of a surface in front of the robotic cleaning device moves. The method includes illuminating the surface with light, capturing an image of the surface, detecting a luminous section in the captured image caused by the light, identifying at least a first segment and a second segment representing the detected luminous section, and detecting, from a positional relationship between the identified first and second segment, the difference in level of the surface.

Method of detecting a difference in level of a surface in front of a robotic cleaning device

A robotic cleaning device and a method at the robotic cleaning device of performing cliff detection along a surface over which the robotic cleaning device moves. The method includes illuminating the surface with at least one light source, capturing an image of the surface, detecting at least one illuminated section in the captured image, and determining distance to objects in the at least one illuminated section of the captured image. The method further comprises comparing at least two of the determined distances and detecting an object in the captured image as a cliff when cliff when a relation between the at least two compared determined distances complies with a predetermined increase criterion.

Robotic cleaning device and a method at the robotic cleaning device of performing cliff detection

A robotic cleaning device having an inertia measurement unit and a controller. The inertia measurement unit is arranged to sense a displacement of the robotic cleaning device and the controller is arranged to determine a characteristic of the displacement of the robotic cleaning device, and to set the robotic cleaning device in an operational mode being associated with the determined characteristic of the displacement.

Robotic cleaning device and a method of controlling the robotic cleaning device

A robotic cleaning device and a method for operating the robotic cleaning device to detect a structure of a surface over which the robotic cleaning device moves. The method includes illuminating the surface with structured vertical light, capturing an image of the surface, detecting at least one luminous section in the captured image, and determining, from an appearance of the at least one luminous section, the structure of the surface.

Using laser sensor for floor type detection

A method of operating a robotic cleaning device over a surface to be cleaned, the method being performed by the robotic cleaning device. The method includes: following a boundary of a first object while registering path markers including positional information at intervals on the surface; tracing previously registered path markers at an offset upon encountering one or more of the previously registered path markers; and switching from tracing the previously registered path markers to following an edge of a second object upon detection of the second object.

Cleaning method for a robotic cleaning device

A robotic cleaning device having a main body, a propulsion system configured to move the device across a surface and an obstacle detecting device configured to detect obstacles. The device further includes a processing unit configured to position the robotic cleaning device with respect to the detected obstacles from obstacle detecting device output data, and further to control the propulsion system to move the robotic cleaning device across the surface. The processing unit is configured to identify a landmark and its position from the obstacle detecting device output data, to derive at least one characteristic from the landmark to create and store a generated landmark signature. The processing unit is also configured to compare the generated landmark signature with predetermined landmark signatures and to determine whether the generated landmark signature matches one of the predetermined landmark signatures or not and operate the robotic cleaning device based on the determination.

Robotic cleaning device and method for landmark recognition

A method of operating a robotic cleaning device over a surface to be cleaned. The method includes: registering roadmap nodes at intervals on the surface during cleaning, the roadmap nodes including positional information; and linking the roadmap nodes to form roadmap links in a roadmap graph, if the robotic cleaning device is driving directly from a previously registered roadmap node to a currently registered roadmap node. The roadmap links in the roadmap graph facilitate navigation of the robotic cleaning device.

Experience-based roadmap for a robotic cleaning device

A method of controlling rotating side brushes of a robotic cleaning device and a robotic cleaning device performing the method. The robotic cleaning device has a main body, a propulsion system arranged to move the robotic cleaning device across a surface to be cleaned, and a controller arranged to control the propulsion system to move the robotic cleaning device across the surface to be cleaned in accordance with navigation information. The robotic cleaning device has an opening arranged in a bottom side of the main body via which debris is removed from the surface to be cleaned, and at least one rotating side brush adjacent to the opening. The controller registers a speed with which the robotic cleaning device moves across the surface to be cleaned, and controls a rotational speed of the rotating side brush on the basis of the registered speed of movement of the robotic cleaning device.

Adaptive speed control of rotating side brush

A robotic cleaning device having a body, and an obstacle detecting device configured to obtain data from a vicinity of the robotic cleaning device. The robotic cleaning device further has a propulsion system configured to drive the robotic cleaning device across a surface to be cleaned, and a cleaning member. The device also has a processing unit arranged to extract at least one feature from data obtained by the obstacle detecting device, compare the attained feature with stored features and when the attained feature matches one of the stored features, deduce a position of the robotic cleaning device.

Robotic cleaning device

A robotic cleaning device having a main body and a propulsion system to move the robotic cleaning device, an obstacle detecting device, a controller to control the propulsion system to move the robotic cleaning device, and an angle-measuring device to measure tilt angles of the robotic cleaning device. The controller controls the angle-measuring device to measure a first tilt angle of the robotic cleaning device before the obstacle is traversed, and to measure a second tilt angle of the robotic cleaning device while the robotic cleaning device traverses the obstacle. The controller compares the second tilt angle with the first tilt angle, and controls the operation of the robotic cleaning device based on a difference between the second tilt angle and the first tilt angle.

Sensing climb of obstacle of a robotic cleaning device

A method of controlling operation of a robotic cleaning device and a robotic cleaning device performing the method. The robotic cleaning device includes a main body, a propulsion system arranged to move the robotic cleaning device, and an obstacle detection device arranged to detect obstacles. The robotic cleaning device further includes a controller arranged to control the propulsion system to move the robotic cleaning device. The controller is further arranged to identify one or more sections to be cleaned where the robotic cleaning device is likely to move without being hindered by the detected obstacles, and to control movement of the robotic cleaning device such that cleaning of the identified one or more sections is prioritized before sections of the surface where the robotic cleaning device is more likely to be hindered by the detected obstacles.

Prioritizing cleaning areas

The invention relates to a robotic cleaning device having a main body, a cleaning portion configured to clean a floor of an area of interest, and a propulsion system configured to move the robotic cleaning device across a surface of the area. The robotic cleaning device may further include an obstacle detecting device and a processing unit, the processing unit being configured to control the propulsion system, wherein the obstacle detecting device is configured to monitor a perimeter of at least part of the area and to follow and continuously record a position of an object, while the object is moving along the perimeter. The processing unit is configured to create positional data of the perimeter out of the continuously recorded positions.

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Stockholm, Sweden

Magnus Lindhé