U.S. patent application number 11/579776 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-20 for domestic surface treatment appliance provided with tracking means and tracking module for use with such appliance.
This patent application is currently assigned to Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.. Invention is credited to Pieter Johannes Bax.
Application Number | 20070214596 11/579776 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34967371 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070214596 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bax; Pieter Johannes |
September 20, 2007 |
Domestic Surface Treatment Appliance Provided with Tracking Means
and Tracking Module for Use with Such Appliance
Abstract
The invention relates to a domestic surface treatment appliance
(1), such as a vacuum cleaner, iron or lawn mower, provided with a
treatment head (2) for treating a surface by wiping along or
passing over said surface. The appliance (1) furthermore comprises
tracking means (12) for recording wiping movements of the treatment
head (2), and a user interface (15) for presenting the recorded
wiping movements as strokes (S) on a display (16), enabling a user
to readily spot missed surface parts. The appliance (1) may further
comprise quality detection means (14), for measuring a parameter
representative of the achieved quality. This quality parameter can
be presented to a user by the color of the strokes (S). The
invention furthermore relates to a module (10), comprising tracking
means (12), a user interface (15) and possible quality detection
means (14), for use with a domestic surface treatment appliance
(1).
Inventors: |
Bax; Pieter Johannes;
(Drachten, NL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY &
STANDARDS
370 W. TRIMBLE ROAD MS 91/MG
SAN JOSE
CA
95131
US
|
Assignee: |
Koninklijke Philips Electronics
N.V.
Groenewoudseweg 1
Eindhoven
NL
5621 BA
|
Family ID: |
34967371 |
Appl. No.: |
11/579776 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
May 9, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB05/51494 |
371 Date: |
November 6, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/339 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/2894 20130101;
G05D 2201/0215 20130101; G05D 1/0219 20130101; A47L 9/2857
20130101; A47L 9/2805 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/339 |
International
Class: |
A47L 7/00 20060101
A47L007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 12, 2004 |
EP |
04102045.4 |
Claims
1. Domestic surface treatment appliance comprising a treatment head
arranged to be passed over or wiped along a surface to be treated,
characterized in that the appliance comprises tracking means for
recording wiping movements of the treatment head, and a user
interface for presenting the recorded wiping movements to a user
and/or a central processing unit.
2. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the user
interface comprises a display arranged to display at least a
relevant portion of the surface to be treated and each recorded
wiping movement as a stroke or brush on said surface portion.
3. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the
tracking means comprise at least one position, velocity or
acceleration sensor.
4. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the
appliance further comprises quality detection means, arranged to
record one or more parameters that are representative of a quality
of the surface treatment.
5. Appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the
quality detection means are arranged to record the quality of the
surface treatment during each wiping movement of the treatment
head.
6. Appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that the user
interface is arranged to present, for each stroke displayed by the
interface, an average quality recorded for that stroke.
7. Appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that the
recorded quality is presented to a user by a color of the relevant
surface portion or stroke displayed on the user interface.
8. Appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the user
interface is arranged to instantaneously present recorded quality
data, measured during each wiping movement.
9. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the user
interface is arranged to indicate a current position of the
treatment head with regard to the surface being treated.
10. Appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the
appliance is a vacuum cleaner, the treatment head is a suction
nozzle and the quality detection means comprise a particle sensor,
which is mounted in a flowpath of the air sucked up during use by
the suction nozzle, said particle sensor being arranged for
measuring a quantity of dust or other particles contained in said
sucked up air, per unit of time unit and/or per unit of volume.
11. Module for use with a domestic surface treatment appliance
provided with a treatment head for wiping along the surface to be
treated, characterized in that the module comprises tracking means
for recording wiping movements of the treatment head and a user
interface for presenting the recorded wiping movements to a
user.
12. Module according to claim 11, characterized in that the user
interface Comprises a display, arranged to display at least a
relevant part of the surface to be treated as well as each recorded
wiping movement as a stroke or brush on said surface.
13. Module according to claim 11, characterized in that the module
further comprises quality detection means for detecting one or more
parameters representative of the quality of the treatment,
preferably for each wiping movement of the treatment head.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a domestic surface treatment
appliance comprising a treatment head arranged to be passed over or
wiped along a surface to be treated.
[0002] The invention further relates to a module for use with a
domestic surface treatment appliance provided with a treatment head
for wiping along the surface to be treated.
[0003] Examples of such a known domestic surface treatment
appliance are a vacuum cleaner, a window cleaner, a lawn mower, a
shaving device, a paint dispenser or the like. These appliances all
have in common that they comprise some sort of treatment head, such
as a suction nozzle, spraying nozzle, cutter head or roller, which
is passed over or wiped along the surface while performing the
desired treatment, like suctioning, rinsing, cutting, painting or
the like.
[0004] When treating a surface with these known appliances, a user
can easily lose track of which parts of the surface have already
been treated and which have not, especially when the surface is
large and/or of complex shape and the treated parts are not readily
distinguishable over the untreated ones. This may result in some
spots being inadvertently treated twice and other spots being
skipped altogether, resulting in a sub-optimal and inefficient
surface treatment.
[0005] It is an object of the invention to provide a domestic
surface treatment appliance and a module for use with a domestic
surface treatment appliance of the kinds mentioned in the opening
paragraphs, wherein the above signaled problem is overcome.
[0006] In order to achieve this object a domestic surface treatment
appliance in accordance with the invention is characterized in that
the appliance comprises tracking means for recording wiping
movements of the treatment head, and a user interface for
presenting the recorded wiping movements to a user and/or a central
processing unit.
[0007] In order to achieve this object a module for use with a
domestic surface treatment appliance in accordance with the
invention is characterized in that the module comprises tracking
means for recording wiping movements of the treatment head, and a
user interface for presenting the recorded wiping movements to a
user.
[0008] By providing a surface treatment appliance with tracking
means for recording wiping movements of the treatment head along a
surface being treated, and by presenting these recorded wiping
movements to a user, this user can be given clear and positive
feedback, during or after the treatment, regarding which surface
parts have been treated and which have not. This will prevent the
user from treating the same spot twice and help him to identify
untreated parts, resulting ultimately in a more complete and more
efficient treatment. Additionally or alternatively, the recorded
data may be communicated to a central processing unit, arranged to
guide or help a user guiding the treatment head along the
surface.
[0009] The tracking means are preferably capable of detecting
movements in all six degrees of freedom. To that end a series of
position, velocity and/or acceleration sensors can be permanently
mounted to the treatment head, or detachably for instance via a
click connection, clamping means, a threaded connection, Velcro,
wax or the like. A detachable connection offers the advantage that
the tracking means can be exchanged for other tracking means, or
used with other domestic appliances. The term position sensor is to
be understood to comprise any means with which a position can be
determined, including for instance cameras, radar or sonar
technology.
[0010] The user interface preferably comprises a display on which
the recorded movements of the treatment head can be depicted as
strokes having a contrasting color with the rest of the display,
which represents the remaining (untreated) surface. Thanks to such
a graphic presentation the user can see at a single glance which
parts of the surface have been skipped. This immediate feedback and
the fun of seeing the display being colored during treatment of the
surface may contribute to making the activity a more enjoyable
one.
[0011] In a further preferred embodiment, the appliance comprises
quality detection means for measuring the quality of the treatment,
i.e. at least a parameter representative thereof. This quality
information can subsequently be fed back to the user, giving him
the opportunity to adjust, i.e. improve the treatment. The quality
detection means may comprise various sensors, depending on the type
of surface treatment appliance. For instance, if the appliance is a
vacuum cleaner, the quality detection means may comprise a dust
sensor, arranged to count the number of dust particles passing a
suction nozzle of the vacuum cleaner, for example per unit of
volume or unit of time. If the appliance is a shaver or lawn mower,
the quality detection means may comprise a sensor for measuring the
average size of the cut-off particles. If the appliance is a paint
dispenser the quality detection means may measure the reflectivity
or absorption, in order to establish the color of the treated
surface. If the appliance is a window cleaner, high-pressure
cleaner or a scrubber or the like, the quality detection means may
comprise a sensor for measuring the pollution of collected
wastewater. It will be appreciated that many other quality
detection means are feasible, depending on the type of
treatment.
[0012] In a highly preferred embodiment, the tracking and quality
data can be recorded simultaneously. In that case, the quality can
be determined as an average quality, yielding one quality value per
wiping movement of the treatment head, or as an instantaneous
quality, which may vary during one wiping movement. In either case,
the recorded quality data may inform the user whether the
particular wiping movement was sufficient. If not, the wiping
movement or part thereof can be repeated, till the quality is
acceptable.
[0013] The quality can for instance be presented by acoustic means,
such as an alarm or a change of pitch when the quality drops. This
offers the advantage that the user will be made aware of quality
changes, without him continuously having to check visual
presentation means, allowing him to keep his eyes on the surface to
be treated. Alternatively, the quality may be presented
graphically. For instance, the recorded average quality may be
presented by displaying the strokes in different colors or
shadings, each color or shading being associated with a distinct
quality level or range. Additionally, the recorded instantaneous
quality may for instance be presented by means of a separate bar,
displayed adjacent the surface, of which the color may vary
(continuously) with the recorded quality. Such a graphical
presentation provides the user with a very detailed, yet clear
overview, wherein the quality can be evaluated per wiping movement,
and poor quality spots can be easily identified and accurately
tracked, also at a later stage, e.g. at the end of a treatment
session.
[0014] In a further elaboration, the appliance preferably comprises
memory means, for storing recorded data. The stored information can
for instance be used in subsequent treatment sessions or by a third
party, for verifying whether the treatment was performed
correctly.
[0015] Furthermore, the appliance is advantageously provided with a
central processing unit. Such a unit can be loaded with a suitable
algorithm for determining particulars of the treated surface, such
as boundaries and obstacles. Demarcation of the boundaries helps to
improve the treatment, because it often occurs that near these
boundaries spots are skipped or forgotten. Moreover, the module
will be able to more quickly determine that a spot has been
forgotten and hence signal a user in an early stage. The treatment
particulars may be determined on the basis of the tracking and/or
quality data, preferably as the treatment progresses or is near
completion. This information may subsequently be shown on the
display and stored in the memory means, for use during a subsequent
treatment of the same or a similar surface. Different particulars
may be stored for different uses and users. Of course, the data may
also be inputted manually by a user, via suitable input means.
[0016] Furthermore, the user interface is preferably provided with
means for indicating the current position of the treatment head.
Thus, the user can orient himself with regard to the surface and
easily find back missed spots on the real surface, using the
indication on the display. The indication can for instance be
provided by means of a cursor or by making the last stroke blink or
adopt a different color.
[0017] Additionally, the module is preferably loaded with an
algorithm for adapting the scale of the surface portion and strokes
displayed on the user interface. By virtue thereof, the recorded
data can be displayed at an appropriate scale throughout the
treatment session, applying a rather large scale at the start of
the session and gradually reducing said scale as the treatment
progresses along, and the treated surface becomes larger.
[0018] Communication between the or each recording means (tracking
and quality) and the user interface is preferably wireless,
allowing the user interface to be positioned freely at any
convenient location, independent of the tracking and quality means,
which are preferably located on or near the treatment head.
[0019] A module for use with a domestic surface treatment appliance
according to the invention can advantageously be used with
different appliances, wherein the tracking means can be attached to
a treatment head of the appliance, and the quality detection means,
if added, may be adjusted to the quality parameter to be measured.
Thus, existing appliances can be easily upgraded with a module
according to the invention.
[0020] Embodiments of a domestic surface treatment appliance in
accordance with the invention and of a module for use therein will
be described in detail in the following description with reference
to the drawings, wherein:
[0021] FIGS. 1A,B show a domestic surface treatment appliance, in
particular a vacuum cleaner, provided with a suction nozzle and a
module according to the invention for providing a user with
feedback regarding which surface parts have already been treated
and which have not;
[0022] FIG. 2 shows, in further detail, a user interface of the
module of FIG. 1, in particular a display; and
[0023] FIGS. 3A-F show tracking and quality information displayed
at the display of FIG. 2, at six consecutive stages of a treatment
session.
[0024] In this description, the invention will be explained by
means of a vacuum cleaner 1, as shown in FIG. 1. It should however
be understood that the invention can be applied in every surface
treatment appliance wherein the treatment is based on some sort of
treatment head being wiped along or passed over a surface, which
surface may be of two or three-dimensional shape. Other examples of
surface treatment appliances include for instance floor or carpet
scrubbing devices, window cleaners, high-pressure cleaners, paint
dispensers, lawn mowers, shavers, irons and the like.
[0025] The vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 comprises a treatment head 2,
in particular a suction nozzle, which is provided with at least one
suction inlet 3, and possibly some brushes or the like, allowing
the nozzle 2 to be smoothly passed over a surface to be treated.
The vacuum cleaner 1 furthermore comprises a housing 5, equipped
with wheels 6 or other sliding means, allowing the housing to be
easily moved about the surface to be treated. The housing 5 houses
at least a dust collector 8 such as a filter bag, which is
connected to the or each suction inlet 3 via a suction hose 7. The
suction hose 7 is preferably partly flexible and partly stiff, as
indicated by reference numerals 7A and 7B, allowing a user both
freedom of movement and steering control when wiping the nozzle 2
along the surface. The housing 5 furthermore comprises driving
means (not shown) for establishing a vacuum or at least a
sub-atmospheric pressure in the suction hose 7, causing dust and
other small particles to be sucked up through the suction inlet 3,
as the nozzle 2 is wiped along the surface, e.g. a floor.
[0026] The vacuum cleaner 1 is furthermore equipped with a module
10, comprising tracking means 12 mounted on the suction nozzle 2
(see FIG. 1B), for tracking the movement of the nozzle 2 during
treatment of the surface, and a user interface 15 for presenting
the recorded movements to a user, preferably during the treatment.
The user interface 15 may, to that end, comprise audio and/or video
means, for instance a display 16, as illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0027] The tracking means 12 can comprise any sensor suitable to
record displacement of the nozzle 2 in at least one linear
direction, preferably the direction most frequently used during
vacuum cleaning, i.e. extending substantially perpendicularly to
the width of the nozzle 2 and parallel to the surface to be
treated, as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 1. The sensor can for
instance comprise a velocity sensor or an acceleration sensor, of
which the output signals can be integrated once, respectively
twice, to obtain the desired displacement signal. In a preferred
embodiment, the tracking means 12 comprise a plurality of sensors
arranged to record movements in all six degrees of freedom, that is
three linear directions and three rotational directions.
[0028] The module 10 furthermore preferably comprises quality
detection means 14, for measuring the `quality` of the treatment,
i.e. at least a parameter representative thereof. In the embodiment
illustrated in FIGS. 1A, B, the quality detection means 14 comprise
a particle sensor, mounted in the suction hose 7 for measuring
quantities of particles passing through said hose 7 per unit of
volume and/or per unit of time. It will be clear that the particle
sensor could be located at any other location in the flowpath of
the suctioned air containing dust and other particles to be
measured. It will furthermore be clear that for other surface
treatment appliances, other quality detection means can be used,
depending on the characteristics of the given treatment.
[0029] The module 10 may also comprise a central processing unit
and appropriate software for converting the recorded data into a
presentable form, fit for presentation to a user via the user
interface 15. The central processing unit may furthermore be
arranged to control the movements of the appliance, in particular
the suction nozzle 2, so as to guide said nozzle along the surface
according to a predetermined treatment plan, with or without help
from the user. Furthermore, memory means (not shown) may be
provided for storing data recorded during a treatment session.
These stored data can for instance be used by a third person to
check whether the treatment has been performed satisfactorily.
Alternatively such data can be used in later treatment sessions or
for determining particulars of the surface to be treated.
[0030] The module 10, especially the user interface 15, may
furthermore comprise a keyboard or the like, for allowing a user to
select for instance the format in which the recorded data are to be
presented to him or for entering treatment-related information
regarding for instance the surface, the nature of the treatment,
etc.
[0031] The module 10 is preferably releasably attached to the
vacuum cleaner 1, for instance by means of a clip, a threaded
connection, click mechanism, wax or the like. This allows the
module 10 to be attached at a most convenient location and,
moreover, to be used with different surface treatment appliances 1,
wherein the quality detection means 14 may be exchanged for other
quality detection means, adapted to the given appliance.
Preferably, the different module parts communicate with each other
via wireless transmitting and receiving means. By virtue thereof,
these parts, notably the tracking means 12, quality detection means
14 and user interface 15 can be positioned completely independently
of each other, each at a most convenient location, thereby
enhancing the ease of use and freedom of operation.
[0032] The functioning of the vacuum cleaner 1 and module 10 will
now be explained referring to FIGS. 3A-F, showing six consecutive
steps of a vacuum cleaning session.
[0033] At the start of the cleaning session the user may mount the
tracking means 12 on the suction nozzle 2 and the quality detection
means 14 in the suction hose 7, which hose may be provided, to that
end, with a suitable measuring opening. Furthermore, the user may
install the interface 15 at a convenient location, for instance on
the housing 5, the suction hose 7, a side table, or any other spot
in the room. Next, the user can enter treatment-related
information, for instance details regarding the surface to be
treated, such as a contour, a map of objects located therein or
details regarding the surface material, information regarding the
desired cleaning quality or any other relevant information.
Alternatively, such information may be pre-stored in the memory of
the module 10, in which case the user can select, at the start of a
new session, an appropriate treatment profile.
[0034] At the start of the treatment session the display may be
empty (if no information is available from previous sessions) or
show the surface to be treated, for instance in top plan view or
perspective view. In the latter case, a cursor 17 or comparable
indicator may be displayed, showing the vacuum cleaner's 1 current
location with regard to the displayed surface (see FIG. 2). This
information may be based on information from the tracking means 12.
As the user wipes the nozzle 2 along the surface, this movement is
recorded by the tracking means 12, and transmitted to the central
processing unit. Here, the signal is converted so as to be
displayed as a stroke (S.sub.1) on display 16 of the user interface
15, as illustrated in FIG. 3A. In this way, each subsequent wiping
movement of the nozzle 2 is `converted` into a stroke (S.sub.i),
likewise displayed on the display 16, as shown in FIG. 3B. The
orientation and scale of each subsequent stroke (S.sub.i) are
matched to those of the first stroke (S.sub.1). Alternatively, the
orientation of the previous strokes may be adapted to the wiping
direction of the most recent stroke, which most recent stroke may
for instance be displayed as a vertical stroke, extending near the
center of the display. In this way, the orientation of the treated
surface on the display will continuously change with the wiping
direction of the suction nozzle 2, which may help a user to orient
himself even better. As the strokes (S.sub.i) reach the boundary of
the display 16, the scale is automatically adjusted, as illustrated
in FIG. 3C, showing the same strokes (S.sub.1, S.sub.i) as in FIG.
3B but at a smaller scale. Of course, the adjustment may be done
manually, if desired.
[0035] For every wiping movement, the quality detection sensor 14
will detect the quantity of particles passing through the suction
hose 7 per unit of volume or per unit of time. Like the tracking
data, the recorded quantity data are transmitted to the central
processing unit, where they can be compared to the average quantity
of the previous stroke or strokes, resulting in a relative quality
distinction, which may help a user to quickly detect quality
changes. Alternatively the recorded dust quantity can be compared
to a predetermined, i.e. prestored range of dust quantities, which
are associated with different quality levels. Such comparison will
result in an absolute quality distinction. Regardless whether the
quality distinction is relative or absolute, it can be displayed at
the user interface 15, for instance by means of a numerical value
or a letter, which can be updated with every new value (allowing
instantaneous quality detection) and/or every stroke (S) (allowing
average quality detection). In a preferred embodiment the quality
distinction can be presented to the user by means of the color of
the relevant stroke, which is illustrated in FIG. 3D, showing a
situation in which four strokes (S.sub.q) have a color which is
different from the rest, indicating a drop in quality. This may for
instance be caused by a local accumulation of dust, for instance
underneath a chair, or bookshelf, requiring several wiping
movements to achieve the desired level of cleanness. Additionally
or alternatively the quality may be displayed independently of the
strokes, for instance by a bar 18, as shown in FIG. 2, of which the
color changes continuously with every new recorded quality value.
Alternatively or additionally, a change in average or instantaneous
quality may be signaled to the user by an audible signal, informing
the user that additional treatment is required.
[0036] As the surface treatment progresses along, the strokes (S)
start to outline a picture of the surface being treated, as
illustrated in FIG. 3E. This information can be used by software
loaded in the module 10 to reconstruct a possible contour 20 of the
surface (if this information was not pre-stored from an earlier
session or entered by the user) including any obstructions 21,
caused by for instance furniture, as illustrated in FIG. 3F. Thus,
any skipped or insufficiently treated surface portions near the
contour of the surface can be readily identified and corrected
accordingly.
[0037] The reconstructed surface contour and any other useful
information collected during the treatment may be stored in the
module 10, for use in a later session, or for a third person to
verify whether the treatment was performed properly.
[0038] The invention is not in any way limited to the exemplary
embodiment shown in the description and the Figures. Many
variations are possible within the scope of the invention. For
instance, the surface to be treated may be a three-dimensional
surface, which may be displayed by the user interface in
perspective view. The position-indicating means, providing the user
with feedback regarding his current position with regard to the
surface, may act by making the most recent stroke blink on the
display and/or by displaying said stroke in a different color.
Furthermore, the module may be provided with more than one set of
quality detecting means, or means for measuring other particulars
of the treatment, such as the duration of the treatment, date and
time, the amount of additive used, if any, etc.
* * * * *