Robot cleaner and control method thereof

A robot cleaner to clean an area comprising:

• a main body which forms an external appearance of the robot cleaner;
• driving wheels installed on the main body;
• and
• a control unit to control the driving wheels to enable the main body to move rectilinearly or be rotated, wherein:
• the control unit controls the robot cleaner to move in a first travel pattern, the first travel pattern includes:
• a first travel path to enable the robot cleaner to proceed from one point in the area toward a designated wall;
• a second travel path parallel to the first travel path to enable the robot cleaner to move a distance from the designated wall;
• a third travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change a direction after the first travel path or the second travel path and then to travel until the robot cleaner is separated from the first travel path or the second travel path by designated intervals;
• and
• a fourth travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change the direction after the first travel path and then to move alongside the designated wall,
• wherein a route of the first travel path and a route of the second travel path respectively maintain the designated intervals;
• in response to determining that the robot cleaner encountered an obstacle while moving the robot cleaner in one of the first travel path and the second travel path, the control unit controls the robot cleaner to move alongside of the obstacle in an obstacle contour following path to obtain a separation distance of the robot cleaner in the obstacle contour following path in a perpendicular direction from a projection of one of the first travel path and the second travel path, to move the robot cleaner in the other of the first travel path and the second travel path, when the separation distance reaches the designated intervals, and to move the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path, when the separation distance reaches zero;
• and
• in response to determining that a forward direction of the robot cleaner is within a designated angle range based on a direction of one of the first travel path and the second travel path while moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle, moving the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path.

At least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions that when executed control at least one processor to

• move a robot cleaner in a first travel pattern, the first travel pattern including:
• a first travel path enabling the robot cleaner to proceed from one point in the area toward a designated wall;
• a second travel path parallel to the first travel path enabling the robot cleaner to move a distance from the designated wall;
• a third travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change a direction after the first travel path or the second travel path and then to travel until the robot cleaner is separated from the first travel path or the second travel path by designated intervals,
• a fourth travel path enabling the robot cleaner to change the direction after the first travel path and then to move alongside the designated wall;
• wherein a route of the first travel path and a route of the second travel path respectively maintain the designated intervals;
• in response to determining that the robot cleaner encountered an obstacle while moving the robot cleaner in one of the first travel path and the second travel path, move the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle in an obstacle contour following path;
• obtain a separation distance of the robot cleaner in the obstacle contour following path in a perpendicular direction from a projection of one of the first travel path and the second travel path;
• in response to the separation distance reaching the designated intervals, move the robot cleaner in the other of the first travel path and the second travel path;
• in response to the separation distance reaching zero, move the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path;
• and
• in response to determining that a forward direction of the robot cleaner is within a designated angle range based on a direction of one of the first travel path and the second travel path while moving the robot cleaner alongside of the obstacle, moving the robot cleaner in the one of the first travel path and the second travel path.