Surface cleaning apparatus
AssigneeBISSELL Inc.
InventorJason W. Pruiett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surface cleaning apparatus includes a controller coupled to a sensor or a set of sensors that collects and transmits data to a remote computing device. The surface cleaning apparatus can use wireless or networking technology with a protocol for wireless communication with the remote computing device. The remote computing device is configured to identify an event at the surface cleaning apparatus and/or a change in the cycle of operation of the surface cleaning apparatus based on the transmitted data. Sensor data can be transmitted from the remote computing device to a different surface cleaning apparatus.
Claims20
A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
- an upright body comprising a handle and a frame;
- a base adapted for contacting a surface to be cleaned, the base coupled with the upright body;
- a moveable joint assembly mounting the base to the upright body, wherein the upright body is pivotable up and down about at least one axis relative to the base;
- a floor type sensor configured to generate floor type data during a cycle of operation of the surface cleaning apparatus, the floor type data indicative of the surface being contacted by the base;
- a controller configured to process the floor type data generated by the floor type sensor and to transmit at least one control signal based on the floor type sensor data generated by the floor type sensor, the at least one control signal comprising one of:
- a pump control signal to adjust a flow rate of cleaning fluid from a pump;
- a brush motor control signal adjust a brushroll rotation speed of a brush motor;
- and
- a suction source control signal to adjust suction generated by a suction source;
- and
- a connectivity component configured to wirelessly transmit the floor type sensor data to a remote computing device;
- wherein the remote computing device is configured to identify, based on the transmitted floor type sensor data, at least one of:
- a type of surface being contacted by the base;
- a change in the floor type of the surface being contacted by the base;
- a change in the flow rate of cleaning fluid;
- a change in the brushroll rotation speed;
- and
- a change in the suction generated.
A method of controlling a component of a surface cleaning apparatus having a base adapted for contacting a surface of a surrounding environment to be cleaned, the method comprising:
- sensing a type of the surface to be cleaned by generating floor type data during a cycle of operation of the surface cleaning apparatus with a floor type sensor on-board the surface cleaning apparatus, the floor type data correlating to a floor type of the surface being contacted by the base;
- processing the floor type data to generate at least one control signal based on the floor type data, the at least one control signal comprising one of:
- a pump control signal that instructs a pump to change a flow rate of cleaning fluid from the pump;
- a brush motor control signal that instructs a brush motor to change a brushroll rotation speed produced by the brush motor;
- and
- a suction source control signal that instructs a suction source to change a suction generated by the suction source;
- and
- transmitting the at least one control signal;
- transmitting the floor type data to a remote computing device;
- receiving the floor type data at the remote computing device;
- processing the received floor type data to identify, based on the transmitted floor type data, at least one of:
- a floor type event at the surface cleaning apparatus;
- and
- a change in the cycle of operation of the surface cleaning apparatus;
- and
- providing to a user of the surface cleaning apparatus, via the remote computing device, a notification of at least one of the floor type event at the surface cleaning apparatus and the change in the cycle of operation of the surface cleaning apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.