Automatic floor cleaning method - using sensors to determine relative wall positions for real-time calculation of nested cleaning contours

摘要

The floor cleaning is performed using the automatic cleaner which first moves from its rest position to a start position parallel to one wall and at a certain minimum distance from it. Then the cleaning is initiated with simultaneous acquisition of information on the positions of the other walls by means of machine-mounted sensors. This is to maintain the machine at a constant distance from the adjacent wall for this cleaning contour. On completion of this contour, a second contour within it is calculated and the machine is controlled to follow it. The process is repeated until the whole floor has been cleaned. Machine speed and direction is calculated from the relative wall distances by a "fuzzy logic" circuit. ADVANTAGE - Allows automatic cleaning without prior knowledge of room shape.