Abstract: A cleaning apparatus including a main body, a dust collection unit detachably installed on the main body and provided with a plurality of inlets, through which foreign substances are introduced into the dust collection unit, and a connection hole, to which an external instrument is connected, a shutter to open and close one inlet, and a cap to open and close the connection hole. The shutter opens and closes the inlet in cooperation with one of whether or not the dust collection unit is attached to or detached from the main body and whether or not the connection hole is opened or closed.

Abstract: A robot cleaner that cleans a cleaning region while traveling the cleaning region and a method to control the same are provided. The robot cleaner can uniformly clean a cleaning region based on a wall-following technique which allows the robot cleaner to travel along the outline of the cleaning region. The method selects, as a reference wall, a wall at a left or right side of the robot cleaner at a start position of the robot cleaner based on a left or right-based travel algorithm, which allows the robot cleaner to travel along a left or right wall, and controls the robot cleaner to travel the cleaning region in a zigzag travel pattern in which the robot cleaner moves a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the reference wall at specific intervals along the selected reference wall while following the selected reference wall.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an autonomous cleaning machine with a brush cleaning unit to clean a brush unit. The autonomous cleaning machine includes a main body, the brush unit rotatably provided on the main body, first brush cleaning members contacting the brush unit to move foreign substances wound on the brush unit in a lengthwise direction of the brush unit, and second brush cleaning members contacting the brush unit to remove the foreign substances wound on the brush unit from the brush unit.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus including a main body, a dust collection unit detachably installed on the main body and provided with a plurality of inlets, through which foreign substances are introduced into the dust collection unit, and a connection hole, to which an external instrument is connected, a shutter to open and close one inlet, and a cap to open and close the connection hole. The shutter opens and closes the inlet in cooperation with one of whether or not the dust collection unit is attached to or detached from the main body and whether or not the connection hole is opened or closed.

Abstract: A robot cleaner system is described including a docking station to form a docking area within a predetermined angle range of a front side thereof, to form docking guide areas which do not overlap each other on the left and right sides of the docking area, and to transmit a docking guide signal such that the docking guide areas are distinguished as a first docking guide area and a second docking guide area according to an arrival distance of the docking guide signal. The robot cleaner system also includes a robot cleaner to move to the docking area along a boundary between the first docking guide area and the second docking guide area when the docking guide signal is sensed and to move along the docking area so as to perform docking when reaching the docking area.

Abstract: A robot cleaner system is described including a docking station to form a docking area within a predetermined angle range of a front side thereof, to form docking guide areas which do not overlap each other on the left and right sides of the docking area, and to transmit a docking guide signal such that the docking guide areas are distinguished as a first docking guide area and a second docking guide area according to an arrival distance of the docking guide signal. The robot cleaner system also includes a robot cleaner to move to the docking area along a boundary between the first docking guide area and the second docking guide area when the docking guide signal is sensed and to move along the docking area so as to perform docking when reaching the docking area.

Abstract: A robot cleaner system is described including a docking station to form a docking area within a predetermined angle range of a front side thereof, to form docking guide areas which do not overlap each other on the left and right sides of the docking area, and to transmit a docking guide signal such that the docking guide areas are distinguished as a first docking guide area and a second docking guide area according to an arrival distance of the docking guide signal. The robot cleaner system also includes a robot cleaner to move to the docking area along a boundary between the first docking guide area and the second docking guide area when the docking guide signal is sensed and to move along the docking area so as to perform docking when reaching the docking area.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a control method of a robot cleaner in which a robot cleaner is moved at an arbitrary starting angle along a rotation trajectory having an arbitrary rotational center and rotation radius during obstacle-following traveling, whereby an obstacle-following traveling time is reduced and consequently, a movement time of the robot cleaner is reduced.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus including a main body, a dust collection unit detachably installed on the main body and provided with a plurality of inlets, through which foreign substances are introduced into the dust collection unit, and a connection hole, to which an external instrument is connected, a shutter to open and close one inlet, and a cap to open and close the connection hole. The shutter opens and closes the inlet in cooperation with one of whether or not the dust collection unit is attached to or detached from the main body and whether or not the connection hole is opened or closed.

Abstract: A robot cleaner that travels straight through alignment of drive wheels to move the robot cleaner and a method of controlling travel of the same. Information related to a movement angle of the robot cleaner is detected from angle information of a caster wheel rotating depending upon a state of a floor, such as a carpet in a state in which texture of the carpet occurs in one direction, and, when the movement angle of the robot cleaner deviates due to slippages of the drive wheels, rates of rotation of the drive wheels are adjusted to correct the slippages of the drive wheels such that the robot cleaner easily travels straight.

Abstract: A robot cleaner system is described including a docking station to form a docking area within a predetermined angle range of a front side thereof, to form docking guide areas which do not overlap each other on the left and right sides of the docking area, and to transmit a docking guide signal such that the docking guide areas are distinguished as a first docking guide area and a second docking guide area according to an arrival distance of the docking guide signal. The robot cleaner system also includes a robot cleaner to move to the docking area along a boundary between the first docking guide area and the second docking guide area when the docking guide signal is sensed and to move along the docking area so as to perform docking when reaching the docking area.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a robot cleaner having an improved travel pattern and a control method thereof. The robot cleaner performs cleaning using zigzag travel as a basic cleaning traveling manner, and then performs cleaning using random travel as a finishing cleaning traveling manner so as to clean areas skipped during the zigzag travel. The robot cleaner performs the zigzag travel while maintaining a designated interval with a travel route proceeding to a wall regardless of a direction proceeding to the wall, and employs an improved zigzag travel method to maintain a zigzag travel pattern, if the robot cleaner senses an obstacle during the zigzag travel.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a robot cleaner that has an improved traveling performance, and a method of controlling traveling thereof. The robot cleaner allows driving wheels, which move the robot cleaner, and a brush unit, which sweeps dust on a floor, to be rotated in the same direction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an autonomous cleaning machine with a brush cleaning unit to clean a brush unit. The autonomous cleaning machine includes a main body, the brush unit rotatably provided on the main body, first brush cleaning members contacting the brush unit to move foreign substances wound on the brush unit in a lengthwise direction of the brush unit, and second brush cleaning members contacting the brush unit to remove the foreign substances wound on the brush unit from the brush unit.

Abstract: A robot cleaner to perform a cleaning process by changing a traveling pattern according to a cleaning start position and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The robot cleaner recognizes a current position of the robot cleaner upon receiving the automatic cleaning command. If the automatic cleaning process starts from the charger, the robot cleaner performs the automatic cleaning process using a conventional cleaning method. Otherwise, if the automatic cleaning process starts from the outside of the charger, the robot cleaner changes a traveling pattern, performs the spot cleaning process and then selectively performs the automatic cleaning process.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a mobile robot system to restrict a traveling region of a robot and to guide the robot to another region, and a method of controlling the same. Only when a remote controller reception module of a beacon senses a signal transmitted from a mobile robot, the sensed result is reported to the mobile robot in the form of a response signal. In addition, the Field-of-View (FOV) of the remote control reception module is restricted by a directivity receiver. Only when the signal transmitted from the mobile robot is sensed within the restricted FOV, the sensed result is reported to the mobile robot.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a localization system and method to recognize the location of an autonomous mobile platform. In order to recognize the location of the autonomous mobile platform, a beacon (three-dimensional structure) having a recognizable image pattern is disposed at a location desired by a user, the mobile platform which knows image pattern information of the beacon photographs the image of the beacon and finds and analyzes a pattern to be recognized from the photographed image. A relative distance and a relative angle of the mobile platform are computed using the analysis of the pattern such that the location of the mobile platform is accurately recognized.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an ultrasonic distance sensor that is capable of extending an ultrasonic wave transmitted from a wave transmitter to sense the distance between an object located in a wide region and an installation body having the sensor installed therein and a robot cleaner using the same. The ultrasonic distance sensor includes a wave transmitter to transmit an ultrasonic wave, an ultrasonic wave extender to extend the ultrasonic wave, and a wave receiver to receive the ultrasonic wave reflected from an object.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a robot cleaner that is capable of reflecting an obstacle sensed by obstacle sensors on a local map and a control method and medium of the same. The robot cleaner includes an obstacle sensor to sense an obstacle, a memory to store a local map, and a control unit to calculate an obstacle position using the obstacle sensor and to reflect the obstacle position around the robot cleaner on the local map.

Abstract: A robot cleaner that cleans a cleaning region while traveling the cleaning region and a method to control the same are provided. The robot cleaner can uniformly clean a cleaning region based on a wall-following technique which allows the robot cleaner to travel along the outline of the cleaning region. The method selects, as a reference wall, a wall at a left or right side of the robot cleaner at a start position of the robot cleaner based on a left or right-based travel algorithm, which allows the robot cleaner to travel along a left or right wall, and controls the robot cleaner to travel the cleaning region in a zigzag travel pattern in which the robot cleaner moves a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the reference wall at specific intervals along the selected reference wall while following the selected reference wall.