Cleaning robot and method of cleaning thereof

A cleaning robot comprising:

• a primary robot comprising a first controller configured to control a plurality of first sensors, a first communication module, a first moving apparatus, and a first cleaning assembly;
• and
• at least one secondary robot comprising a second controller configured to control a plurality of second sensors, a second communication module, a second moving apparatus, and a second cleaning assembly;
• wherein the plurality of first sensors are configured to collect a plurality of environmental parameters associated with a target zone inaccessible to the primary robot;
• the first controller is configured to drive the first moving apparatus and the first cleaning assembly to perform a first cleaning task outside the target zone, to generate a first command signal based on the plurality of environmental parameters, and to control the first communication module to transmit the first command signal to the second communication module;
• and
• the second controller is configured to drive the second moving apparatus to have a secondary robot moving into the target zone and operate the second cleaning assembly of the secondary robot to perform a second cleaning task inside the target zone, upon receiving the first command signal from the second communication module;
• wherein the primary robot further comprises a chamber configured for holding the at least one secondary robot;
• the second controller is configured to drive the second moving apparatus to have a secondary robot released from the chamber into the target zone;
• the chamber comprises a door panel having a first end coupled to a shaft and configured to rotate around the shaft and a second end;
• the first controller is configured to open the door panel of the chamber such that the door panel rotates relative to a shaft till the second end touching a floor surface at a first location while controlling the first communication module to transmit the first command signal to the second communication module, and configured to record a location information of the first location;
• and
• the second controller is configured to drive the second moving apparatus to have the secondary robot released from a docking position in the chamber via the door panel onto the floor surface at the first location upon receiving the first command signal, and configured to record the location information of the first location before further driving the second moving apparatus to move the secondary robot to any second location in the target zone;
• wherein the cleaning robot further comprises a first power supply having a first charge capacity in the primary robot and a second power supply having a second charge capacity in the secondary robot, the first charge capacity being substantially larger than the second charge capacity;
• the second controller is configured to generate a second command signal based on readout of a current power capacity of the second power supply below a first threshold value and to control the second communication module to transmit the second command signal to the first communication module;
• and
• the second controller is configured to generate a third command signal based on readout of the current power capacity of the second power supply below a third value, the third value being less than the first threshold value;
• or based on a sensed value indicating that the second cleaning task is finished and to control the second communication module to transmit the third command signal to the first communication module;
• wherein, upon receiving the third command signal at the first communication module, the first controller is configured to drive the first moving apparatus to move the primary robot back to the first location based on the recorded location information in the first controller and open the door panel of the chamber so that the door panel rotates relative to the shaft to have one end touching the floor surface at the first location;
• and
• the second controller is configured to drive the second moving apparatus to move the secondary robot from any second location to the first location based on the recorded location information in the second controller.

A method of operating a cleaning robot comprising a primary robot and a secondary robot, comprising:

• sensing a target zone via a plurality of first sensors to collect a plurality of environment parameters;
• determining that the primary robot is larger than the target zone, and transmitting a first command signal to the secondary robot;
• receiving the first command signal by the secondary robot;
• releasing the secondary robot from a docking position in the primary robot upon receiving the first command signal by the secondary robot;
• performing a second cleaning task by the secondary robot in the target zone;
• recording location information in the secondary robot, the location information including a first location of releasing the secondary robot from the primary robot;
• and
• determining whether a power capacity available to the secondary robot is smaller than or equal to a second threshold capacity;
• wherein based on a determination that the second threshold capacity is smaller than a first threshold capacity, the method further comprises:
• sending a third command signal to the primary robot;
• and
• moving the secondary robot from any location in the target zone back to the first location after sending the third command signal.