DE102022209066A1 - Method for operating a mobile, self-propelled device - Google Patents

Abstract

An operating method of a mobile, self-propelled device (1) is specified, in which the following steps are carried out in a wall following mode: driving the mobile, self-propelled device (1) along a first wall (2); Detecting a second wall (3), which in particular forms a wall corner (4) with the first wall (2); removing from the second wall (2) until a first predetermined distance is formed between a front point of a housing corner of the mobile self-propelled device (1) and the second wall (3); Rotating the mobile, self-propelled device (1) about a center point such that the front point of the housing corner points to the second wall (3) and is a second predetermined distance from it; Forward travel of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) in such a way that the mobile, self-propelled device (1) aligns itself parallel to the second wall (3), the second predetermined distance between the front point of the housing corner and the second wall (1) during forward travel in Essentially kept constant. A mobile, self-propelled device (1) is also specified, which is operated using such a method.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a mobile, self-propelled device, in particular a floor cleaning device, such as a vacuum and/or sweeping robot, in a wall following mode, as well as a mobile, self-propelled device that is operated according to such a method.

Mobile, self-propelled devices such as vacuum robots have the task of cleaning an entire floor area autonomously. In particular, vacuum robots are intended to relieve their users of the task of regularly removing dust and dirt from the floor. Particular attention is paid to cleaning along walls and in corners. If the vacuum robot reaches a large part of the floor area to be cleaned, but not areas near the wall or corners, this will become visually noticeable over time.

• - der Saugroboter fährt entlang einer Wand, bis er die Ecke erreicht,
• - der Saugroboter fährt so weit zurück, dass dieser seine vordere Ecke an der frontalen Wand vorbeidrehen kann,
• - der Saugroboter dreht sich auf der Stelle soweit, dass seine vordere Ecke an der frontalen Wand vorbeigedreht wird und dieser seine Fahrt in Richtung der nun nahezu parallelen frontalen Wand ohne Kollision fortsetzen kann, oder der Saugroboter fährt entlang einer Bahn, bis dieser möglichst parallel zu der frontalen Wand steht,
• - der Saugroboter fährt entlang der frontalen Wand weiter.

The vacuum robots often have a base body that has a D-shape. For example, with a D-shaped vacuum robot, the following steps are followed when cleaning corners:

• - the vacuum robot moves along a wall until it reaches the corner,
• - the vacuum robot moves back so far that it can turn its front corner past the front wall,
• - the vacuum robot turns on the spot so that its front corner is turned past the front wall and it can continue its journey towards the now almost parallel front wall without collision, or the vacuum robot moves along a path until it is as parallel as possible stands on the front wall,
• - the vacuum robot continues along the front wall.

If the robot vacuum moves or turns too far away from one of the walls, its side brush no longer has contact with this wall and dirt residue remains near the wall. To ensure that the front corner of the robot vacuum cleaner does not collide with the wall as it rotates and travels to the wall, some robot vacuum cleaners maintain a distance from the wall that can lead to an unsatisfactory result. Other vacuum robots drive extra close to the wall for optimal wall cleaning until a front collision sensor is triggered, whereby the vacuum robot then rotates. However, the robot vacuum cleaner regularly collides with the wall, which means that damage to the wall cannot be ruled out.

• - der Saugroboter nähert sich der Ecke, indem dieser im Wandfolgemodus entlang einer ersten Wand fährt, bis er eine zweite Wand mittels zum Beispiel einem Bumper ertastet,
• - der Saugroboter entfernt sich von der Wand, bis er einen gewünschten Frontabstand hat,
• - der Saugroboter dreht sich auf der Stelle um 90 Grad um seinen Mittelpunkt, bis er parallel zur zweiten Wand ausgerichtet ist,
• - der Saugroboter fährt im Wandfolgemodus entlang der zweiten Wand und entfernt sich von der Ecke.

Some robot vacuum cleaners from well-known manufacturers have a base body with a round shape. Since these vacuum robots do not have any protruding or protruding structures, the movements of these vacuum robots can be controlled using simple algorithms. Round vacuum robots carry out corner cleaning, for example, as follows:

• - the vacuum robot approaches the corner by driving along a first wall in wall following mode until it feels a second wall using, for example, a bumper,
• - the vacuum robot moves away from the wall until it has a desired front distance,
• - the vacuum robot rotates on the spot by 90 degrees around its center until it is aligned parallel to the second wall,
• - the vacuum robot moves along the second wall in wall following mode and moves away from the corner.

However, robot vacuum cleaners with a round shape have disadvantages when it comes to cleaning wall corners. Due to its round shape, the robot vacuum cleaners cannot reach the corner with their cleaning elements, such as their suction mouth and/or their side brush, which can leave dust behind in corners. Therefore, vacuum robots that have a D-shape are more advantageous, at least for corner cleaning. These robot vacuum cleaners have a straight edge on their front, the outer corners of which can extend into the corners of the room. However, the housing corners increase the outer radius of an imaginary collision avoidance circle, which must be taken into account when rotating the vacuum robot, which in turn can create areas near the wall where the floor is not cleaned.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for operating a mobile, self-propelled device in which collisions with walls are avoided in a wall following mode, especially when cleaning corners, while at the same time optimally cleaning difficult areas, such as corners.

This object is achieved by a method for operating a mobile, self-propelled device with the features of claim 1 and by a mobile, self-propelled device with the features of claim 10. Advantageous refinements and further developments are the subject of the subclaims.

• - Fahren des mobilen, selbstfahrenden Geräts entlang einer ersten Wand; insbesondere Annähern des Geräts an eine Wandecke, indem das Gerät im Wandfolgemodus entlang der ersten Wand fährt,
• - Detektieren einer zweiten Wand, die insbesondere mit der ersten Wand eine Wandecke bildet; insbesondere, indem das Gerät die zweite Wand beispielsweise mittels Bumper ertastet beziehungsweise bis ein Mindestabstand zur zweiten Wand erreicht ist,
• - Entfernen von der zweiten Wand, bis ein erster vorbestimmter Abstand - insbesondere der Mindestabstand - zwischen einem vorderen Punkt eines Gehäuseecks des mobilen, selbstfahrenden Geräts und der zweiten Wand ausgebildet ist,
• - Drehen des mobilen, selbstfahrenden Geräts um einen Mittelpunkt derart, dass der vordere Punkt des Gehäuseecks zur zweiten Wand zeigt und zu dieser einen zweiten vorbestimmten Abstand einnimmt,
• - Vorwärtsfahrt des mobilen, selbstfahrenden Geräts derart, dass sich das mobile, selbstfahrende Gerät parallel zur zweiten Wand ausrichtet, wobei der zweite vorbestimmte Abstand zwischen vorderem Punkt des Gehäuseecks und zweiter Wand bei der Vorwärtsfahrt im Wesentlichen konstant gehalten wird.

According to the invention, a method for operating a mobile, self-propelled device, in particular a floor cleaning device such as a suction and/or sweeping and/or mopping robots, in a wall following mode the following steps:

• - Driving the mobile, self-propelled device along a first wall; in particular approaching the device to a wall corner by moving the device along the first wall in wall following mode,
• - Detecting a second wall, which in particular forms a wall corner with the first wall; in particular, by the device feeling the second wall, for example using a bumper, or until a minimum distance to the second wall is reached,
• - removing from the second wall until a first predetermined distance - in particular the minimum distance - is formed between a front point of a housing corner of the mobile, self-propelled device and the second wall,
• - rotating the mobile, self-propelled device about a center point in such a way that the front point of the housing corner points to the second wall and is at a second predetermined distance from it,
• - Forward travel of the mobile, self-propelled device such that the mobile, self-propelled device aligns itself parallel to the second wall, the second predetermined distance between the front point of the housing corner and the second wall being kept essentially constant during the forward travel.

According to the invention, an alternative wall following mode is used, which explicitly focuses on the front corner of the housing of the device and ensures that it is at the optimal distance from the wall, particularly when cornering or corner cleaning. This advantageously makes it possible to avoid collisions between the corner of the housing and the wall. Evasive maneuvers to the rear can be avoided, while at the same time a side brush has optimal coverage of the edge of the wall during wall or corner cleaning.

In the present case, a distance between the front point of the housing corner of the device and the wall is advantageously controlled in the wall following mode. This not only takes into account the shape of the robot, but also ensures that the part of the device relevant to floor cleaning is always at the appropriate distance from the wall. In particular, when cleaning the corner, a control approach is chosen when the device is moving, which ensures that the front point of the corner of the housing always maintains a suitable, sufficient, but not too large, distance from the wall, while the device as a whole aligns itself parallel to the wall.

In wall following mode, a cascaded controller is used for speed, direction, rotation and distance control. However, it is not the distance from the center of the device to the wall that is used as an input value for the controller, but rather the distance from the front point of the housing corner to the wall. Collisions of the housing corner with the wall are avoided by controlling the distance between the front point and the wall. No additional rear evasive maneuvers are necessary because the device does not come too close to the wall when the distance between the front point and the wall is controlled. This means that one of the device's side brushes is always at an optimal distance from the wall, so that no areas along the wall are missed and all areas are cleaned reliably.

A mobile, self-propelled device is to be understood in particular as a floor cleaning device which, for example, processes floor surfaces autonomously in the household sector. This includes, among other things, vacuum and/or sweeping and/or wiping robots such as vacuum cleaner robots. During operation (cleaning operation), these devices preferably work without or with as little user intervention as possible. For example, the device automatically moves into a specified room in order to clean the floor according to a specified and programmed process strategy.

In order to be able to take into account any individual environmental characteristics, an exploration trip with the mobile, self-propelled device is preferably carried out. An exploration trip is to be understood in particular as an exploration trip that is suitable for exploring a floor area to be worked on for obstacles, room layout and the like. The aim of an exploration trip is, in particular, to be able to assess and/or represent the conditions of the soil cultivation area to be worked.

After the exploration trip, the mobile, self-driving device knows its surroundings and can pass this on to the user in the form of a map of the surroundings, for example in an app (cleaning app) on a mobile device. In the surrounding map, the user can be given the opportunity to interact with the mobile, self-driving device. The user can advantageously view information on the surrounding map and change and/or adapt it if necessary.

An environmental map is to be understood in particular as any map that is suitable for displaying the surroundings of the tillage area with all its obstacles and objects. For example, the area map shows sketch the floor processing area with the furniture and walls it contains.

The surrounding map with the obstacles is preferably displayed in the app on a portable additional device. This serves in particular to visualize possible interaction for the user. In the present case, an additional device is to be understood in particular as any device that is portable for a user, which is arranged outside the mobile, self-propelled device, in particular is external and/or differentiated from the mobile, self-propelled device, and is used for display, provision, transmission and/or or transmission of data, such as a cell phone, a smartphone, a tablet and/or a computer or laptop.

The app, in particular a cleaning app, is installed on the portable additional device, which serves to communicate between the mobile, self-propelled device and the additional device and in particular enables visualization of the floor processing area, i.e. the living space to be cleaned or the apartment or the living area to be cleaned. The app preferably shows the user the area to be cleaned as a map of the surrounding area.

A wall-following mode is to be understood in particular as meaning any cleaning mode parallel along a first wall, which preferably includes a change in direction at a wall corner in a direction parallel along a second wall.

Process steps are understood to mean, in particular, steps that can be carried out one after the other and which influence the driving behavior of the device. The steps can be carried out directly one after the other or contain intermediate steps.

The first wall and the second wall preferably adjoin one another and form a wall corner when they come into contact. A wall corner is in particular any interruption of a straight alignment of the first wall. The second wall and its extension begins adjacent to the corner of the wall.

A first predetermined distance between the front point of the housing corner of the mobile, self-propelled device and the second wall is to be understood in particular as a set distance that is stored during the manufacture of the device and cannot be changed by the user. The first predetermined distance is set in such a way that the device can rotate on the corner of the wall without colliding with one of the walls. In particular, the first predetermined distance is preset via a parameter. A target or target position is parameterized in such a way that the device can rotate on the corner of the wall without colliding with one of the walls.

A front point of the housing corner is to be understood in particular as a point on the housing that is located in a front, side area of the housing. In particular, the front point is located near the front corner of the housing or directly on the front corner of the device, preferably the front right corner of the housing.

In particular, rotating the device around its center does not rotate the device 90 degrees. Preferably, the device rotates from its parallel direction to the first wall into an oblique orientation such that the front point of the housing corner points to the second wall or is at a minimum distance from it. The rotation therefore essentially takes place at an angle of less than 90 degrees, in particular in a rotation range of 30 degrees to 60 degrees for parallel alignment to the first wall.

Only after turning does the device begin a forward movement or forward travel, during which, however, the second predetermined distance between the front point and the second wall is kept constant. When moving forward, the device also makes a superimposed rotational movement until the device is aligned parallel to the second wall. The device carries out the following steps one after the other on wall corners: Move along the first wall; approaching the corner of the wall; Reversing (away from the wall corner) until the first predetermined distance between the front point and the second wall is reached; rotating the device less than 90 degrees until the second predetermined distance between the front point and the second wall is reached; Driving the device forward with simultaneous rotational movement with a constant second predetermined distance between the front point and the second wall until an alignment as close as possible or essentially parallel to the second wall is achieved; Drive along the second wall.

A center point of the device is to be understood in particular as its actual device center or a center point of the wheel axles.

A second predetermined distance is to be understood in particular as a distance set by the manufacturer, which cannot be changed by the user. In particular, the second predetermined distance is a distance at which the side brush of the device still reaches the wall with its bristles. So the second predetermined distance is less than the bristle length, but chosen large enough so that the corner of the housing does not collide with the second wall.

In an advantageous embodiment, the process steps control the driving behavior of the mobile, self-propelled device in such a way that the second predetermined distance between the front point of the housing corner and the first wall and then the second wall is kept as constant as possible. The side brush of the device is preferably arranged at the front point of the housing corner. The constant distance ensures that the side brush has optimal coverage with the edge of the wall, so that reliable and, in particular, complete wall and corner cleaning can be guaranteed.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the front point of the housing corner is selected such that a distance between the front point and an actual housing boundary of the mobile, self-propelled device is essentially constant in cleaning directions. The front point is therefore chosen so that the distance between the point and the actual housing boundary of the device is constant or almost constant in all directions close to the point, i.e. in particular frontally, laterally and obliquely forward. The cleaning directions are any directions in which a cleaning element mounted in the front area, such as a side brush in the front right corner of the housing, has its cleaning area.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the front point of the housing corner is selected such that an effective distance of at least one cleaning element is essentially constant in the cleaning directions. For example, the cleaning element is a side brush and the front point is a side brush axis, whose distance from the first or second wall is used as a control parameter of the wall following mode. A front point chosen in this way advantageously takes into account the shape of the housing, in particular a D-shape of the housing, as well as the range or effective distance of the side brush, which is arranged in particular at the corner of the housing. In this way, the side brush always has optimal coverage of the edge, regardless of the orientation of the device when moving towards the wall. In particular, the axis of the side brush of the housing corner is always at the same distance from the wall. The side brush axis or its distance from the first or second wall is used as the basis for the controller of the wall following mode.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the second predetermined distance has a tolerance range in which the front point can remain without a driving movement of the mobile, self-propelled device being adjusted. In particular, a deviation range is defined around the target distance in which the front point can stay without the controller intervening in the travel movement of the device.

In a further advantageous embodiment, a forward movement of the front point is implemented by a first, for example right, drive of the mobile, self-propelled device and an alignment of the mobile, self-propelled device is implemented by a second, for example left, drive of the mobile, self-propelled device. The forward movement of the front point is therefore mainly caused by the first drive, while the orientation of the device is mainly influenced by the second drive. The interaction of the movements of the two drives leads to a path of the device in which it is not the center of the device that is regulated in its path, but rather the front point, in particular the side brush axis.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the mobile, self-propelled device has a D-shape. In particular, the housing shape of the device is D-shaped. This shape of the device with a straight front means that the device rotates less than 90 degrees when cleaning corners or in wall following mode. In particular, the rotation only takes place until the front point is aligned with the second wall.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the mobile, self-propelled device slows down its speed before reaching the second wall. In the final part of the approach of the mobile, self-propelled device to the second wall, the device brakes and reduces its speed in order to ensure a safe, reliable and collision-free approach to the second wall.

The invention further relates to a mobile, self-propelled device which is operated as described above and which comprises a distance measuring unit which is designed to determine a distance between the front point of the housing corner and the adjacent wall.

Any features, refinements, embodiments and advantages relating to the method also apply in connection with the device according to the invention, and vice versa.

• 1A: eine schematische Aufsicht auf ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines mobilen, selbstfahrenden Geräts, das zum Betrieb eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens geeignet ist,
• 1 B: eine Teilansicht des Ausführungsbeispiels des mobilen, selbstfahrenden Geräts aus 1A,
• 2A: ein erfindungsgemäßes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Verfahrens zum Betrieb eines mobilen, selbstfahrenden Geräts im Wandfolgemodus,
• 2B detaillierte Verfahrensschritte des Schritts 5 des erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsbeispiels der 2A,
• 3 Ablaufdiagramme betreffend Ausführungsbeispiele eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens zum Betrieb eines mobilen, selbstfahrenden Geräts, und
• 4A-4D jeweils ein Ablaufdiagramm betreffend ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines Betriebsverfahrens im Wandfolgemodus nach dem Stand der Technik.

The invention is explained in more detail using the following embodiments of the invention, which only represent examples. Show it:

• 1A : a schematic top view of an exemplary embodiment of a mobile, self-propelled device that is suitable for operating a method according to the invention,
• 1 B : a partial view of the exemplary embodiment of the mobile, self-propelled device 1A ,
• 2A : an exemplary embodiment according to the invention of a method for operating a mobile, self-propelled device in wall following mode,
• 2 B detailed method steps of step 5 of the exemplary embodiment according to the invention 2A ,
• 3 Flow charts relating to exemplary embodiments of a method according to the invention for operating a mobile, self-propelled device, and
• 4A-4D each a flowchart relating to an exemplary embodiment of an operating method in wall following mode according to the prior art.

Cleaning robots, such as vacuum robots, are used to regularly remove dust and dirt from the floor. However, there are increased difficulties in reliable cleaning along walls and in corners. For example, if a vacuum robot reaches most of the floor area to be cleaned, but not areas close to the wall, this is a disadvantage. Collisions during corner cleaning with the risk of damage can also occur in areas close to the wall or corner areas.

4A shows a corner cleaning method according to the state of the art, in which a round vacuum robot 1 is in use. Driving maneuvers for wall and corner cleaning are easily implemented here. In a first method step 1, the vacuum robot approaches the corner 4 by moving along a first wall 2 in wall following mode until it feels a second wall 3 in step 2, for example by means of a bumper. The vacuum robot 1 moves away again from the second wall 3 (step 3) until it has a first predetermined (front) distance that corresponds to the planned side distance to the wall. In step 4, the vacuum robot immediately rotates 90° around its center until it is aligned parallel to the second wall 3. The vacuum robot 1 now moves along the second wall 3 in wall following mode and moves away from the corner 4 (steps 5, 6).

Due to its round shape, the vacuum robot does not reach the corner 4 with its cleaning elements and leaves dirt and dust behind, which can be viewed as disadvantageous by the user.

In order to improve or even completely avoid this lack of corner cleaning, vacuum robots are used that do not have a round shape, but a D-shape. These robot vacuum cleaners have a straight edge on their front, the outer corners of which can extend into the corner of the room. However, these protruding housing corners can lead to collisions with the wall when the robot vacuum cleaner rotates. There is also a risk that uncleaned areas of the floor will remain.

4B shows a corner cleaning of a D-shaped vacuum robot 1, in which the robot rotates very far to avoid a wall collision, which disadvantageously leaves out areas 5 on the wall during cleaning. Steps 1 to 3 correspond to steps 1 to 3 of the round vacuum robot. In order to avoid collisions, in step 4 the vacuum robot 1 rotates further than is absolutely necessary, which creates the wall areas 5 that have not been cleaned. In step 5, the vacuum robot 1 approaches the second wall 3 again in order to follow it in step 6 in wall following mode.

In order to avoid these uncleaned areas, the path that the vacuum robot covers when reversing (step 3) can be shortened when cleaning corners, as shown in, for example 4C is shown. Steps 1 and 2 again correspond to steps 1 and 2 of the exemplary embodiment 4A . In step 3, the vacuum robot 1 makes a curve to the rear right. This improves the angle of the robot vacuum before its actual rotation in step 4. The robot vacuum stays closer to the wall, thereby improving its cleaning area.

However, by reversing in the curve in steps 3 and 4, the vacuum robot 1 hits the first wall 2 in area 6 and pushes itself along it, which can cause traces of the robot vacuum to appear on the wall over time.

Alternatively, it is known to only allow the robot vacuum cleaner to move backwards very slightly in step 3 (see 4D ), which means that in step 4 the front corner of the housing 7 is moved very close to the wall. When the robot vacuum cleaner 1 rotates, its front housing corner 7 knocks the robot vacuum cleaner against the second wall 3. The robot vacuum cleaner 1 then moves back a small distance in step 5 in order to adjust the directional angle and drive along the second wall 3 again (step 6).

In the operating method according to the invention, an alternative control approach is selected for the wall following mode and in particular for corner cleaning, which ensures that the front corner of the housing of the vacuum robot always maintains a suitable, sufficient, but not too large, distance from the second wall, while the vacuum robot is overall parallel to the aligns with the second wall. This means that collisions between the front corner of the housing and the second wall can be avoided, while at the same time the front corner of the housing always has an optimal overlap with the wall.

1A shows a vacuum robot 1 that can be used in such an operating method according to the invention. The vacuum robot 1 has two drive wheels 8a, 8b, which are connected to a wheel axle. The suction mouth 9 with its brush roller is located in a front area of the vacuum robot 1. A side brush 10 is arranged in a right front corner of the housing, which is used in particular for edge cleaning or corner cleaning. The side brush in particular has a side brush axis 11 around which the bristles of the side brush 10 rotate.

The robot center is located centrally between the drive wheels 8a, 8b and has different distances from the side and front housing walls and the housing corners. The vacuum robot 1 is not designed symmetrically in the front area due to the one-sided design of the side brush 10. In particular, the suction mouth 9 is not aligned centrally due to the right-hand arrangement of the side brush 10. The side brush axis 11 of the side brush 10 is located near the front right corner of the housing of the robot vacuum cleaner and in particular has similar frontal, lateral and diagonal distances from the housing wall of the robot vacuum cleaner. The side brush axis 11 lies in the center of the side brush 10, so that the cleaning or effective distance is always almost the same in the direction of the housing wall of the front right corner of the housing.

1B shows an enlarged section of the front right corner of the housing with the side brush 10 from the exemplary embodiment 1A .

In the wall following mode, a cascaded controller is used for speed, direction, rotation and distance control, in which the robot vacuum cleaner is given a travel speed and a direction or orientation angle. The latter is determined by measuring or estimating the distance of the vacuum robot 1 to the wall. If the distance is greater than a target value, the directional angle towards the wall changes. However, if the distance is smaller than the target value, the directional angle changes away from the wall. A PID controller structure can dampen overshoot and achieve a distance value that is as stationary as possible without a large offset from the setpoint.

According to the invention, a front point of the front right corner of the housing is used as the input value for the controller, in particular the side brush axis 11. The corner cleaning process is in 2A shown. In step 1, the vacuum robot 1 approaches a corner 4 to be cleaned by moving along the first wall 2 in wall following mode until the vacuum robot 1 feels a second wall 3, for example by means of a bumper, or until a minimum distance from the second wall 3 is reached. In the last part of the approach (step 2), the vacuum robot 1 slows down significantly. In step 3, the vacuum robot 1 moves away from the second wall 3 in order to ensure a first predetermined distance between the front corner of the housing and the second wall for the intended robot rotation, which is necessary for the driving maneuver. In step 4, the vacuum robot 1 rotates on the spot about its center of the wheel axis until the side brush axis 11 points to the second wall 3 and thereby forms a second predetermined distance with the second wall 3. In step 5, the vacuum robot switches back to the wall following mode, so that a controlled forward movement automatically begins, in which the directional angle of the vacuum robot slowly changes until it is parallel to the second wall 3 (step 6), with the second predetermined distance of the side brush to the second wall is kept constant. The line in step 5 is not the path that the vacuum robot 1 follows, but rather represents the second predetermined and maintained distance of the side brush axis 11 from the second wall 3.

2 B shows a detailed view of the basic process in wall following mode in step 5 2A . When using the distance of the side brush axis 11 from the wall as the input value of the controller, the second predetermined distance between the housing corner and the second wall 3 is ensured throughout the entire procedure, and an overlap of the effective distance 12 of the side brush 10 with the wall or edge and corner 4 is ensured . The side brush axis 11 moves along a target line (dashed straight line in 2 B) . A tolerance range is formed around the target line in which the side brush axis 11 can stay without the controller intervening (not shown). The dashed lines are not the path that is being followed, but represent them represents the distance to be maintained from the second wall 3. The tolerance range is between two lines (not shown) parallel to the dashed straight lines.

The forward movement of the side brush axis 11 is carried out in particular by the drive of the right drive wheel, while the orientation of the vacuum robot 1 is predominantly controlled by the left drive wheel of the vacuum robot 1. The interaction of the movements of the two drive wheels leads to the 2A , 2 B shown journey of the vacuum robot.

3 shows two possible flowcharts for an operating method of the vacuum robot in wall following mode. In a first step 101a, the vacuum robot moves in wall following mode with distance control over the center of the robot or the center of the wheel axis along a first wall. Shortly before reaching a corner, the robot slows down (step 102). In step 103, the robot feels the second wall and moves backwards a bit. The robot then rotates on the spot about its vertical axis or on a small circular path until its housing corner with side brush points to the second wall and has the second predetermined distance (step 104). In step 105, the robot pushes its front corner of the housing with the side brush in wall following mode with distance control over the side brush axis along the second wall and aligns itself parallel. In step 106a, the robot continues to travel along the second wall in wall following mode with distance control over the center of the robot.

In the present case, the distance control via the side brush axis is only used in step 105. In all other steps, however, the distance control takes place via the middle of the robot. Alternatively, the distance control via the side brush axis can also be used in any steps in which the robot moves along one of the walls, i.e. in steps 101b, 105, 106b, as shown in the right flow diagram in 3 is shown.

Claims (10)

Method for operating a mobile, self-propelled device (1), in particular a floor cleaning device, such as a vacuum and/or sweeping and/or mopping robot, in which the following steps are carried out in a wall following mode: - driving the mobile, self-propelled device (1) along a first wall (2), - detecting a second wall (3), which forms a wall corner (4) in particular with the first wall (2), - removing the second wall (2) until a first predetermined distance is formed between a front point of a housing corner of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) and the second wall (3), - rotating the mobile, self-propelled device (1) about a center point such that the front point of the housing corner points to the second wall (3) and is at a second predetermined distance from it, - Forward travel of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) in such a way that the mobile, self-propelled device (1) aligns itself parallel to the second wall (3), the second predetermined distance between the front point of the housing corner and the second wall (1) during forward travel is kept essentially constant. Procedure according to Claim 1 , with the process steps controlling the driving behavior of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) in such a way that the second predetermined distance between the front point of the housing corner with the first wall (2) and the second wall (3) is kept constant. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the front point of the housing corner is selected such that a distance between the front point and an actual housing boundary of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) is essentially constant in cleaning directions. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the front point of the housing corner is selected such that an effective distance (12) of at least one cleaning element is essentially constant in cleaning directions. Procedure according to Claim 4 , wherein the cleaning element is a side brush (10) and the front point is a side brush axis (11), the distance from which to the first and second walls (2, 3) is used as a control parameter of the wall following mode. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second predetermined distance has a tolerance range in which the front point can remain without a driving movement of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) being adjusted. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a forward movement of the front point by a first drive of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) and an orientation of the mobile, self-propelled device (1) can be implemented by a second drive of the mobile, self-propelled device (1). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile, self-propelled device (1) has a D-shape. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile, self-propelled device (1) slows down its speed before reaching the second wall (3). Mobile, self-propelled device (1) which is operated according to one of the preceding claims and which comprises a distance measuring unit which is designed to determine a distance between the front point of the housing corner and the adjacent wall.

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