Cleaning robot capable of obtaining map of indoor space and operating method thereof

A cleaning robot for obtaining a map of an indoor space, the cleaning robot comprising:

• a sensor module comprising at least one of a light detection and ranging sensor or an obstacle detection sensor;
• a moving assembly configured to move the cleaning robot;
• a memory which stores at least one instruction;
• and
• at least one processor configured to execute the at least one instruction to
• search the indoor space at a first location of the cleaning robot by using the sensor module,
• obtain a grid map comprising a searched area, which has been searched at the first location, and at least one unsearched area, which has not been searched at the first location,
• detect a first unsearched area from among the at least one unsearched area at a shortest distance from the first location,
• detect, by using the obstacle detection sensor, a plurality of obstacles around the at least one unsearched area,
• determine, as a travel destination, the first unsearched area among the at least one unsearched area based on a result of comparing a distance between the plurality of obstacles and a width of the cleaning robot,
• control the moving assembly to move the cleaning robot toward the first unsearched area,
• obtain area information comprising at least one of location information, structure information, or obstacle information about the first unsearched area,
• update the grid map by using the obtained area information, and
• store, in the memory of the cleaning robot, the updated grid map when the cleaning robot approaches a charging station within a preset threshold distance.

A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer-readable recording medium, the computer-readable recording medium comprising instructions which are readable by at least one processor of a cleaning robot to cause the cleaning robot to:

• search an indoor space at a first location of the cleaning robot by using at least one sensor of the cleaning robot;
• obtain a grid map comprising a searched area, which has been searched at the first location, and at least one unsearched area, which has not been searched at the first location;
• detect a first unsearched area from among the at least one unsearched area at a shortest distance from the first location;
• detect, by using an obstacle detection sensor, a plurality of obstacles around the at least one unsearched area;
• determine, as a travel destination, based on a result of comparing a distance between the plurality of obstacles and a width of the cleaning robot, the first unsearched area among the at least one unsearched area;
• obtain area information comprising at least one of geometry information, structure information, or obstacle information about the first unsearched area while moving the cleaning robot from the first location to the first unsearched area;
• and
• update the grid map by using the obtained area information;
• and
• store, in a memory of the cleaning robot, the updated grid map when the cleaning robot approaches a charging station within a preset threshold distance.