Cleaning robot and control method thereof

A control method of a cleaning robot which has a main body, a main cleaning tool mounted on the lower surface of the main body, and a first sub-cleaning tool and a second sub-cleaning tool mounted on the left and right side surfaces of the main body so as to be protruded from or inserted into the inside of the main body, the control method comprising:

• detecting an obstacle;
• protruding at least one of the first sub-cleaning tool and the second sub-cleaning tool to the outside of the main body, when the obstacle is detected;
• and
• judging the rotation direction of the main body and inserting the sub-cleaning tool mounted in the judged rotation direction is inserted into the main body, when the obstacle is detected and the main body is rotated.

A cleaning robot comprising:

• a main body;
• an obstacle detector to detect an obstacle around the main body;
• sub-cleaning units, each of which includes a side arm mounted on the main body so as to be protruded from the inside to the outside of the main body and a side brush rotatably mounted on the side arm;
• and
• a controller to control protrusion of the side arms of the sub-cleaning units so that the side arms are protruded from the main body and to increase the rotational speed of the side brushes of the sub-cleaning units, when the obstacle is detected.

A cleaning robot comprising:

• a main body;
• sub-cleaning units, each of which includes a side arm mounted on the main body so as to be protruded from the inside to the outside of the main body and a side brush rotatably mounted on the side arm;
• and
• a controller to judge whether or not cleaning has been completed, and to control insertion of the side arms of the sub-cleaning units, to decrease the rotational speed of the side brushes of the sub-cleaning units, and to control docking of the main body, when cleaning has been completed.

A cleaning robot comprising:

• a main body;
• a detector to detect an obstacle and a moving amount of the main body;
• sub-cleaning units mounted on the main body so as to be protruded from the inside to the outside of the main body;
• and
• a controller to judge whether or not jam of the obstacle into the sub-cleaning tools occurs by comparing a target moving amount corresponding to traveling of the main body and the detected moving amount when the obstacle is detected, and to control the sub-cleaning units and a traveling direction of the main body when jam of the obstacle into the sub-cleaning tools has occurred.

A control method of a cleaning robot which has a main body, a main cleaning tool mounted on the lower surface of the main body to perform cleaning, and a first sub-cleaning tool and a second sub-cleaning tool mounted at the left and right side surfaces of the main body so as to be protruded from or inserted into the inside of the main body and to perform cleaning, the control method comprising:

• detecting an obstacle;
• protruding a side arm provided on the first sub-cleaning tool and a side arm provided on the second sub-cleaning tool, when the obstacle is detected;
• and
• increasing the rotational speed of at least one of a side brush provided on the first sub-cleaning tool and a side brush provided on the second sub-cleaning tool.

A control method of a cleaning robot which has a main body, a main cleaning tool mounted on the lower surface of the main body to perform cleaning, and sub-cleaning tools mounted on the side surfaces of the main body so as to be protruded from the inside to the outside of the main body, the control method comprising:

• judging whether or not cleaning has been completed;
• and
• controlling insertion of side arms of the sub-cleaning tools into the main body, when cleaning has been completed;
• decreasing the rotational speeds of side brushes of the sub-cleaning tools;
• and
• performing docking of the main body with a charging station.

A control method of a cleaning robot which has a main body, a main cleaning tool mounted on the lower surface of the main body to perform cleaning, and sub-cleaning tools mounted on the side surfaces of the main body so as to be protruded from the inside to the outside of the main body, the control method comprising:

• detecting an obstacle while performing traveling of the main body;
• detecting a movement amount of the main body, when the obstacle is detected;
• comparing a target movement amount corresponding to traveling of the main body and the detected movement amount;
• judging that a jam of the obstacle into the sub-cleaning tools occurs, when the target movement amount and the detected movement amount are different;
• inserting the sub-cleaning tools into the main body when jam of the obstacle into the sub-cleaning tools has occurred;
• and
• controlling traveling of the main body.

A cleaning robot comprising:

• a main body;
• at least one sub-cleaning tool mounted on the main body configured to be protruded from or inserted into the inside of the main body;
• a user interface to receive a command for a test mode to test whether or not the at least one sub-cleaning tool is abnormal and to output results of the test mode;
• and
• a controller to control operation of the at least one sub-cleaning tool,
• wherein the controller, when the command for the test mode is input through the user interface, controls at least one of protrusion and insertion of the at least one sub-cleaning tool and judges whether or not the at least one sub-cleaning tool is abnormal based on a signal generated when the at least one sub-cleaning tool is operated.