Robot cleaner, system thereof and method for controlling same

A robot cleaner system, comprising:

• a robot cleaner that performs a cleaning operation while communicating wirelessly with an external device, the robot cleaner having a plurality of proximity switches arranged in a row on a lower portion of the robot cleaner;
• a remote controller including a wireless relay unit for receiving and transmitting a wireless signal from and to the robot cleaner and a control unit having a memory unit;
• and
• a guiding plate disposed in a floor of a work area, the guiding plate having metal lines formed in a predetermined pattern, the metal lines being detectable by the proximity switches.

A method for controlling a robot cleaner, the robot cleaner recognizing a travel location by using a detection signal detected by a plurality of proximity switches arranged on a lower surface of the robot cleaner at a predetermined space from each other and from metal lines formed on a floor surface of a work area in a predetermined pattern, the controlling method comprising the steps of:

• generating and storing a pattern map of the metal lines while moving the robot cleaner within the work area;
• when inputted with an operation request signal, recognizing the location of the robot cleaner by comparing the pattern map with the detection signal detected by the proximity switches, and calculating a traveling path from the recognized location to a targeting location;
• and
• moving the robot cleaner along the floor surface of the work area according to the calculated traveling path while utilizing the metal lines as an indicator of location, wherein odd numbers of at least three proximity switches are arranged in a row and in a symmetrical manner parallel along a line connecting the axes of wheels of the robot cleaner which are opposed to each other, and
• when a detection signal is received from outermost proximity switches during the travel process, changing moving direction such that the metal line can be detected by the proximity switch arranged in the middle.