The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 26, 1994
Filed:
Aug. 27, 1991
Ki Tae Oh, Seoul, KR;
Jin Seong Hwang, Seoul, KR;
Goldstar Co., Ltd., Yongdungpo-Ku, KR;
Abstract
Apparatus and method for determining the condition of the floor to be cleaned by a cleaning robot. The apparatus comprises an ultrasonic wave signal transmitting circuit for transmitting an ultrasonic wave signal to an ultrasonic wave signal transmitter under the control of a microcomputer, a receiving amplifying unit for amplifying the ultrasonic wave signal transmitted from the ultrasonic wave signal transmitter and received in a ultrasonic wave signal receiver, a receiving demodulating unit for smoothing the output signal from the receiving amplifying unit to demodulate it and then apply it to the microcomputer. According to the control of the microcomputer, the ultrasonic wave signal is transmitted for a predetermined period. The period from the time when the ultrasonic wave signal is transmitted to the time when the ultrasonic wave signal is received in the ultrasonic wave signal receiver is measured. Then, the distance between the position of the ultrasonic wave signal receiver and the floor to be cleaned is calculated from the measured period. Accordingly, it can be determined whether the floor to be cleaned is a normal floor, a floor covered with a carpet, or stairs, thereby enabling correct recognition of the condition of the floor to be cleaned, without being adversely affected from environment.