Vacuum cleaner having abilities for automatic moving and posture control and method of controlling the same

A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

• a main body of the vacuum cleaner;
• a wheel rotatably mounted at the main body;
• a driving unit for driving the wheel;
• a sensor positioned at the main body, for sensing an inclined direction of the main body;
• and
• a control unit for controlling the driving unit according to the inclined direction of the main body sensed by the sensor,
• wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises:
• a suction nozzle unit connected to the main body;
• and
• a corresponding sensor pair positioned at the main body and the suction nozzle unit, for measuring a distance between the main body and the suction nozzle unit,
• wherein the control unit drives the driving unit so that a distance between the sensor of the main body and the corresponding sensor can exist within a predetermined range.

A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

• a main body of the vacuum cleaner;
• a wheel rotatably mounted at the main body;
• a driving unit for driving the wheel;
• a sensor positioned at the main body, for sensing an inclined direction of the main body;
• and
• a control unit for controlling the driving unit according to the inclined direction of the main body sensed by the sensor,
• wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises:
• a cord reel;
• and
• a cord reel driving unit,
• wherein the control unit drives the cord reel driving unit according to the operation of the driving unit for driving the wheel.

A method of controlling a vacuum cleaner moving a main body in an inclined direction thereof, comprising:

• a first step of sensing the inclined direction of the main body;
• a second step of computing a driving direction and velocity of the main body;
• and
• a third step of driving a driving unit and a cord reel driving unit according to the values computed in the second step.