Automatic pool cleaner traction correction

1. A pool cleaner comprising:

a housing;

a means for traversing a pool surface to be cleaned; and

a computing system having a PID control module stored thereon for maintaining a process variable at a setpoint value, the computing system configured to execute the following instructions:

receive the setpoint value for the process variable;

monitor the process variable of the pool cleaner while it is cleaning a pool surface to obtain a present state of the process variable;

calculate the phase difference between the setpoint value of the process variable and the present state of the process variable; and

tune a gain value of the PID control module to account for the pool surface the pool cleaner is cleaning.

2. The pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the process variable is angular velocity.

3. The pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is housed within the pool cleaner.

4. The pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the computing system includes a network interface for receiving historical error data and new setpoint values of the process variable.

5. The pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the user provides input to the computing system as to what surface the pool cleaner will clean.

6. The pool cleaner of claim 5 , wherein the input comes from a button.

7. The pool cleaner of claim 6 , wherein the input is received from a network interface in the computing system.

8. The pool cleaner of claim 7 , wherein the gain value is a formula that are based on the phase difference.

9. The pool cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the PID control module sends a signal to a motor of the pool cleaner based on the measured process variable.

10. The pool cleaner of claim 9 , wherein the PID control module uses a look-up table to automatically tune the gain value based on the user input of the pool surface.

11. The pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the PID control module is a PI control module in which a derivative value is zero.

12. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein the means for traversing comprises a plurality of wheels.

13. A pool cleaner comprising:

a housing;

a means for traversing a pool surface to be cleaned; and

a computing system having a PID control module stored thereon for maintaining a process variable at a setpoint value, the computing system configured to execute the following instructions:

receive the setpoint value for the process variable;

monitor the process variable of the pool cleaner while it is cleaning a pool surface to obtain a present state of the process variable;

execute a model estimation program to identify a plant model; and

analyze the plant model to determine gain values of the PID control module.

14. The pool cleaner of claim 13 , comprising a response program for maintaining the process variable at the setpoint value, the response program including at least one of (i) a minimum time for cleaning the pool, (ii) minimum energy used by the pool cleaner, and (iii) minimum wear on the pool cleaner.

15. The pool cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the model estimation program can utilize a parametric approach for minimizing at least one of (i) value functions and (ii) metrics.

16. The pool cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the plant model is at least one of (i) a linear dynamic model, (ii) a plucker transformation into body, and (iii) a second order system in the laplace domain.

17. A pool cleaner comprising:

a housing;

a means for traversing a pool surface to be cleaned; and

a computing system having a PID control module stored thereon for maintaining a process variable at a setpoint value, the computing system configured to execute the following instructions:

implement a square wave input for a target angular rate;

demux the target angular rate into motor speeds for left and right drivers to provide rotational motion for said means for traversing the pool surface;

record an actual angular rate;

determine a gain value and a period for a closed loop plant model using a peak detection algorithm;

modify a transfer function of the closed loop plant model using the gain value; and

using the gain value to tune the PID control module.

18. The pool cleaning of claim 17 , wherein the peak detection algorithm uses a first in first out (“FIFO”) buffer.

19. The pool cleaner of claim 17 , wherein the peak detection algorithm determines an open loop system response.

20. The pool cleaner of claim 17 wherein the means for traversing comprises a plurality of wheels.