Method and Apparatus for Detecting State of Sweeping Robot, Sweeping Robot, and Storage Medium

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application is a National Stage Entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT International Application No. PCT/CN2023/112343 filed on Aug. 10, 2023, which claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202210954054.6, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Detecting State of Sweeping Robot, Sweeping Robot, and Storage Medium”, filed to China National Intellectual Property Administration on Aug. 10, 2022, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002]This application belongs to the technical field of smart cleaners, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for detecting a state of a sweeping robot, a sweeping robot, and a storage medium.

BACKGROUND

[0003]Currently, an increasing number of people have started using sweeping robots for household cleaning. Although these sweeping robots bring a lot of convenience to our lives, if they are not equipped with a dust collection bin while users forget to empty a dust box, the dust box may be filled with trash and dust, which can result in two problems: firstly, the cleaning rate of the sweeping robot is reduced; and secondly, the accumulated trash over time can harbor bacteria, which is detrimental to health.

SUMMARY

[0011]This application aims to at least solve one of technical problems in the related art to some extent. Therefore, one objective of this application is to provide a method and apparatus for detecting a state of a sweeping robot, a sweeping robot, and a storage medium.

[0012]In order to solve the above technical problems, the embodiments of this application provide the following technical solutions:

[0058]An embodiment of this application further provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium includes a stored computer program. The computer program, when running, controls a device where the computer-readable storage medium is located to perform the above method.

[0062]Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be partially given in the following description, and partially will become apparent from the following description, or may be learned from practices of this application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a structure of a dust box according to an embodiment of this application;

[0064]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a structure of another dust box according to another embodiment of this application;

[0065]FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart of a method for detecting a state of a sweeping robot according to an embodiment of this application;

[0066]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of changes in body included angle when a sweeping robot is in an obstacle-crossing posture according to an embodiment of this application;

[0067]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of changes in first difference when a sweeping robot is in an obstacle-crossing posture according to an embodiment of this application;

[0068]FIG. 6 is an example of a schematic flowchart of a method for detecting a state of a sweeping robot according to an embodiment of this application; and

[0069]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a structure of an apparatus for detecting a state of a sweeping robot according to an embodiment of this application.

[0070]In the figures: 100—dust box; 101—magnetic structure; 102—magnetic detection structure; 103—one-way valve; 104—dust suction port; and 105—working surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0071]Embodiments of this application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, and the same or similar numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout the description. The following embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary, and are intended to explain this application but are not to be construed as limiting this application.

[0078]According to this embodiment of this application, the magnetic detection structure 102 may be achieved based on a Hall sensor, where the farther the distance between the magnetic structure 101 and the magnetic detection structure 102, the smaller the magnetic value detected by the magnetic detection structure 102. Therefore, there is a negative correlation between the magnetic value and the dust suction included angle.

[0079]The controller is configured to determine a dust collection state of the dust box 100 according to the body posture information and the magnetic value.

[0080]According to this embodiment of this application, the controller is arranged inside the sweeping robot, where the controller may be in communication connection with the magnetic detection structure 102 and the posture detection structure based on communication means such as the network.

[0081]Further, the controller converts the acquired magnetic value into the dust suction included angle based on a preset algorithm, where the preset algorithm is an existing algorithm. This embodiment of this application does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0082]According to this embodiment of this application, a fan is further included and is arranged inside the sweeping robot. An air outlet of the fan is connected with the dust box 100 and is configured to provide suction force into the dust box 100 for trash or dust collection, where the higher the real-time working gear of the fan, i.e., the greater the real-time output power of the fan, the greater the real-time suction value provided into the dust box 100 for trash collection.

[0083]According to an optional embodiment of this application, the magnetic structure 101 may be achieved based on a lightweight and small-sized magnet. A specific installation position of the magnetic structure 101 may be selected according to actual needs. For example, the magnetic structure 101 may be installed at the positions shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, or on another edge outside the one-way valve 103, or on a bottom edge of the one-way valve 103, etc.

[0084]Further, regardless of where the magnetic structure 101 is installed, correspondingly, the magnetic detection structure 102 is installed at a position on the outer side of the working surface 105 opposite to the magnetic structure 101. That is, when the free end of the one-way valve 103 is attached to the dust suction port 104, the magnetic detection structure 102 is opposite to the magnetic structure 101, thereby achieving accurate detection of the magnetic force by the magnetic detection structure 102. After the magnetic value is sent to the controller, the controller may accurately calculate the dust suction included angle according to the acquired magnetic value.

[0085]According to this embodiment of this application, the controller may accurately detect the dust collection state of the dust box 100 according to the acquired current posture of the sweeping robot and the corresponding dust suction included angle.

[0086]As shown in FIG. 3, an embodiment of this application further provides a method for detecting a state of a sweeping robot, applied to the sweeping robot shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 as above, including:

[0087]Step S301: a state of the fan of the sweeping robot is judged.

[0088]According to this embodiment of this application, when the sweeping robot is in the operating state, the fan is in an on state, and when the sweeping robot is not in the operating state, the fan is in an off state. When the fan is in the on state, the air outlet of the fan provides the suction force into the dust box 100 for trash collection, creating a negative pressure that causes the free end of the one-way valve 103 to move away from the dust suction port 104, forming a dust suction included angle between the fixed end of the one-way valve 103 and a surface of the dust suction port 104. Therefore, according to this embodiment of this application, when the dust box 100 is not yet full, the dust suction included angle is positively correlated with the magnitude of the suction force provided by the fan. Therefore, according to this embodiment of this application, when the dust collection state of the dust box 100 is detected, it is necessary to first detect whether the fan is on, and then detect the gear of the fan or the magnitude of the suction force of the fan for subsequent algorithms to perform more accurate detection or calculation.

[0089]Step S302: body posture information of the sweeping robot is acquired based on a posture detection structure when the fan is in the on state.

[0097]According to this embodiment of this application, the first posture may be a horizontal posture, the second posture may be an obstacle-crossing posture, the third posture may be an uphill posture, and the fourth posture may be a downhill posture.

[0098]When the sweeping robot is in the horizontal posture, the body included angle between the body of the sweeping robot and the horizontal plane is zero.

[0099]As shown in FIG. 4, when the sweeping robot is in the obstacle-crossing posture, due to the instability of the body, the body included angle between the body and the horizontal plane is also in the oscillating change state. For example, the body included angle may be positive, negative, or zero, and as the position of the body of the sweeping robot constantly changes, the body included angle also continuously changes.

[0100]When the sweeping robot is in the uphill posture, since the position of the body of the sweeping robot is in a stable changing process, the body included angle is also in a stable changing state. In the uphill process of the sweeping robot, the body included angle continuously increases, that is, the rate of change of the body included angle is greater than 0.

[0101]When the sweeping robot is in the downhill posture, since the position of the body of the sweeping robot is in a stable changing process, the body included angle is also in a stable changing state. In the downhill process of the sweeping robot, the body included angle continuously decreases, that is, the rate of change of the body included angle is less than 0.

[0102]According to this embodiment of this application, after determining that the fan is in the on state, the current posture of the sweeping robot is first judged based on the posture detection structure, and the current posture is applied to the determination of the dust collection state of the dust box 100, thereby solving the problem of misjudgment of the dust collection state of the dust box 100 caused by changes in the posture of the sweeping robot.

[0103]Step S303: a magnetic value is acquired based on a magnetic detection structure 102, and a dust suction included angle between the surface of the dust suction port 104 of the dust box 100 of the sweeping robot and the fixed end of the one-way valve 103 is determined according to the magnetic value, where the outer side of the one-way valve 103 is provided with the magnetic structure 101, an outer side of a working surface 105 of the dust box 100 is provided with a magnetic detection structure 102, and the magnetic detection structure 102 is configured to detect the magnetic value of the magnetic structure 101.

[0107]According to this embodiment of this application, the magnetic structure 101 is arranged on the outer side of the one-way valve 103 and when the free end of the one-way valve 103 is attached to the outer side of the working surface 105, the magnetic structure 101 is opposite to the magnetic detection structure 102 in position, but the fan is in the off state at this time, no dust suction area is formed, as a result, the trash cannot be collected, and therefore the magnetic detection structure 102 is in the off state, and does not detect magnetic force. After the fan is in the on state, influenced by the negative pressure formed by the suction force of the fan, the free end of the one-way valve 103 moves away from the outer side of the working surface 105, and in this case, the magnetic detection structure 102 is in the on state, starts to detect the acquired magnetic force, and sends the detected magnetic value to the controller in the form of signals.

[0108]Step S304: a dust collection state of the dust box 100 is determined according to the body posture information of the sweeping robot and the dust suction included angle.

[0113]According to this embodiment of this application, the first threshold is first determined according to the real-time suction value of the fan.

[0121]For example, when the sweeping robot is in the first posture, namely the horizontal posture, and the dust suction included angle is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the dust box 100 is already in a full state, and needs to be cleaned, and after the fan is turned off, due to the dust box 100 being full, resulting in overflow of trash, dust, etc., the one-way valve 103 still cannot reset.

[0122]When the dust suction included angle is less than the first threshold, the dust box 100 is not full, and does not need to be cleaned, and after the fan is turned off, due to the dust box 100 being not full, the one-way valve 103 can reset.

[0127]According to this embodiment of this application, when the sweeping robot is in the obstacle-crossing posture, the body of the sweeping robot is in the oscillating change state, and therefore the body included angle between the body of the sweeping robot and the horizontal plane is in the oscillating change state as well. Therefore, the dust suction included angle is also in the oscillating change state, to facilitate the determination about whether the dust box 100 is full.

[0134]According to this embodiment of this application, when the sweeping robot is in the uphill posture, the dust suction included angle increases, and therefore the difference between the dust suction included angle and the first threshold is positive, that is, the difference between the dust suction included angle and the first threshold is greater than zero when the sweeping robot is in the uphill posture. However, the difference between the dust suction included angle and the first threshold is also positive when the sweeping robot is in the uphill posture and the dust box 100 is full. Therefore, when the sweeping robot is in the uphill posture, it is not possible to determine whether the dust box 100 is full according to the difference between the dust suction included angle and the first threshold.

[0135]Therefore, after determining that the sweeping robot is in the uphill posture, the controller does not detect the dust collection state of the dust box 100. However, in household and other scenarios, the sweeping robot is unlikely to maintain a stable uphill posture all the time and will only briefly be in the stable uphill posture. For example, after 10, 20, or 30 seconds, the sweeping robot will end the uphill posture and present other postures. Therefore, after the controller determines that the sweeping robot is in the uphill posture, although the controller does not detect whether the dust box 100 is full, the problem of untimely cleaning of the dust box 100 cannot be caused.

[0140]According to this embodiment of this application, when the controller determines that the sweeping robot is in the downhill posture, the dust suction included angle decreases, and when the first difference is less than zero, it may be determined that the dust box 100 is not full.

[0141]However, when the first difference is greater than or equal to zero, it indicates that the dust and trash in the dust box 100 will overflow, creating resistance to the resetting of the one-way valve 103. Therefore, it may be determined that the dust box 100 is full.

[0142]According to this embodiment of this application, the dust collection state of the dust box 100 is determined in combination with the current posture of the sweeping robot, the real-time dust suction included angle between the fixed end of the one-way valve 103 and the surface of the dust suction port 104, or the real-time rate of change of the dust suction included angle, thereby improving the accuracy of judging the dust collection state of the dust box 100. At the same time, the user does not need to frequently check whether the dust box 100 is full or to consciously remember the usage time of the dust box 100. The user may also be notified in time to clean the dust box 100, thereby preventing the growth of bacteria, etc., and enhancing user satisfaction.

[0149]According to this embodiment of this application, when the sweeping robot stops cleaning or returns to a base station each time, the fan will be in the off state. In this case, the posture detection structure detects whether the sweeping robot is in the horizontal posture. When the sweeping robot is in the horizontal posture, the dust suction included angle is continuously detected. When the dust suction included angle is equal to zero, it indicates that the dust box 100 is not full, and there is no overflow of dust or trash. Due to the gravity of the one-way valve 103 itself, the free end of the one-way valve 103 automatically resets, is attached to the outer side of the working surface 105, and covers the outer portion of the dust suction port 104. When the dust suction included angle is greater than or equal to zero, it indicates that the dust box 100 is full, and the dust or trash overflows, causing resistance to the resetting of the free end of the one-way valve 103, as a result, the free end of the one-way valve 103 cannot automatically reset due to the gravity of the one-way valve itself, and therefore it may be determined that the dust box 100 is full.

[0150]According to an optional embodiment of this application, when it is detected that the fan is in the off state but the sweeping robot is not in the horizontal posture, it indicates that the sweeping robot is currently in the process of working, and whether the fan is in the on state is continuously detected. When it is detected that the fan is in the on state, the body posture of the sweeping robot and the dust collection state of the dust box 100 are continuously detected in real time, and the above steps are repeatedly performed. For example, the fan may experience a brief malfunction, causing the fan to be detected as off for a short period, but the sweeping robot is still operating, for example, the fan is in the uphill posture or the downhill posture.

[0151]According to an optional embodiment of this application, when it is detected that the fan is in the off state for a long time, but the sweeping robot is still operating, for example, the sweeping robot is in the obstacle-crossing posture, it indicates that the fan experiences the malfunction, and in this case, the controller may give an alarm to notify a worker to repair the fan, or the controller automatically controls the sweeping robot to stop operating and await repair of the fan by the worker.

[0165]If the body included angle is not equal to zero, whether the fan is in the on state is continuously judged, and the above steps are repeatedly performed.

[0201]An embodiment of this application further provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium includes a stored computer program. The computer program, when running, controls a device where the computer-readable storage medium is located to perform the above method.

[0202]Additionally, the other components and functions of the apparatus in this embodiment of this application are known to those skilled in the art, and are not further elaborated to reduce redundancy.

[0203]It should be noted that the logic and/or steps represented in the flowchart or described herein in other ways may, for example, be considered as a sequenced list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions, which may be specifically implemented in any computer-readable medium for use by, or in combination with, an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device (e.g., a computer-based system, a system including a processor, or other systems that can fetch and execute instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device). In terms of this specification, the “computer-readable medium” may be any apparatus that may include, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit a program for use by, or in combination with, the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium include as below: an electrical connecting portion (an electronic apparatus) with one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (a magnetic apparatus), a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber apparatus, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM). Additionally, the computer-readable medium may even be paper or other suitable medium on which the program may be printed, as the program can be electronically obtained, for example, by optically scanning the paper or other medium, followed by editing, interpretation, or processing in other appropriate ways if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

[0204]It should be understood that various parts of this application may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above implementations, the plurality of steps or methods may be implemented using software or firmware stored in memory and executed by an appropriate instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another implementation, it may be implemented using any one or a combination of the following technologies known in the art: a discrete logic circuit with a logic gate circuit for implementing logical functions on data signals, an application-specific integrated circuit with an appropriate combinational logic gate circuit, a programmable gate array (PGA), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.

[0205]In the description of this specification, descriptions of reference terms “an embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “example”, “specific example”, “some examples”, or the like are intended to imply that specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in combination with the embodiment or the example are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, exemplary descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the described specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more of the embodiments or examples.

[0206]In the description of this application, it should be understood that orientation or position relationships indicated by the terms such as “center”, “longitudinal”, “transverse”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “clockwise”, “anticlockwise”, “axial direction”, “radial direction”, and “circumferential direction” are based on orientation or position relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are intended to facilitate the description of this application and simplify the description only, rather than indicate or imply that the mentioned apparatus or element must have a particular orientation or must be constructed and operated in a particular orientation. Therefore, such terms should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0207]Additionally, the terms “first” and “second” are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of the indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined with “first” and “second” may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of this application, “a plurality of” means at least two, such as two or three, unless otherwise explicitly limited.

[0208]In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms “mounted”, “linked”, “connected”, “fixed”, and the like are to be understood in a broad sense, for example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may be a direct connection, an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, an internal communication of two elements, or interaction between two elements, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those of ordinary skill in the art should understand specific meanings of the above terms in this application according to specific situations.

[0209]In this application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, a first feature being “above” or “below” a second feature may be a direct contact between the first feature and the second feature, or an indirect contact between the first feature and the second feature through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being “over”, “above”, and “on” the second feature may be the first feature being over or above the second feature, or merely means that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. The first feature being “under”, “below”, and “underneath” the second feature may be the first feature being under or below the second feature, or merely means that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0210]Although the embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it should be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting this application. Those of ordinary skill in the art may make changes, modifications, alterations, and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.