Mobile robot system and control method thereof

1. A mobile robot comprising:

a memory that stores a map of an area through which the mobile robot travels;

a communication interface that receives a command from a terminal;

an obstacle sensor that detects an obstacle in the area; and

a controller that updates the map to include information on a travelable portion of the area based on information on the obstacle received from the obstacle sensor, and controls a movement of the mobile robot to pass or avoid the obstacle while traveling in the area based on the map,

wherein, when the command relates to a virtual wall to restrict the movement of the mobile robot, the controller further registers the virtual wall on the map and controls the movement of the mobile robot through the area to avoid a location associated with the virtual wall, and

wherein the controller analyzes data of the virtual wall received from the terminal, determines an area on the map with respect to the virtual wall, and expands the area of the virtual wall to a wider range to register on the map, and the controller recognizes and avoids the expanded area of the virtual wall as an obstacle even when the obstacle sensor does not detect an actual obstacle in the location associated with the virtual wall.

2. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller registers the virtual wall as an obstacle on the map.

3. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller calculates coordinates of the virtual wall in the area and controls the movement of the mobile robot so as not to contact or enter the coordinates of the virtual wall.

4. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein, when the command is received from the terminal, the controller:

determines a current location corresponding to the map,

moves the mobile robot to a designated area to perform cleaning,

generates a new map for the area when the current location cannot be determined, and

initializes a preset virtual wall when generating the new map.

5. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller further forwards data related to the map via the communication interface to the terminal, the data including information on the travelable area of the mobile robot, and

wherein the terminal displays the map, and sets the virtual wall for restricting the movement of the mobile robot in response to a user input with respect to the displayed map.

6. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sets the virtual wall in a form of a line connecting two points or in a form of a surface connecting a plurality of points.

7. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sets the virtual wall to at least one of a rectangular shape, a circular shape, a polygonal shape, or a free shape.

8. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sets the virtual wall in response to at least one of an input by touch, a drag after touch, or a multi-touch.

9. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the terminal sets the virtual wall corresponding to at least one of a number of touched points, a number of touches, a dragged direction, or a dragged shape.

10. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the terminal changes at least one of a location, a shape, or a size of the virtual wall corresponding to one of a touched location, a dragged direction, and a dragged shape associated with a user input.

11. A method of controlling a mobile robot, the method comprising:

acquiring, by the mobile robot, obstacle information when traveling in an area, the obstacle information being used to generate a map for the area;

receiving, by the mobile robot, instructions from a terminal related to setting a virtual wall restricting a movement of the mobile robot;

analyzing data of the virtual wall received from the terminal and determining an area on the map with respect to the virtual wall;

expanding the area of the virtual wall to a wider range;

registering, by the mobile robot, the expanded area of the virtual wall on the map;

calculating, by the mobile robot, a location of the virtual wall for the cleaning area;

calculating coordinates of the virtual wall in the cleaning area; and

avoiding a region associated with the coordinates of the virtual wall as an obstacle, even when an actual obstacle is not detected by the mobile robot in the region associated with the coordinates, while traveling through the area.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining a current location corresponding to the map, when the instructions are received from the terminal;

moving to a designated area and performing cleaning, when the current location is determined;

generating a new map for the area, when the current location cannot be determined; and

initializing a preset virtual wall, when generating the new map.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

forwarding, by the mobile robot, information on a travelable area of the mobile robot based on the map,

the terminal displaying the map on a touch screen and receiving, via the touch screen, a user input related to the virtual wall on the map.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the virtual wall is set in a form of one or more of a point, a line, a surface, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, a polygonal shape, or a free shape.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the virtual wall is set based on at least one of connecting a plurality of touch points associated with the user input or a dragged direction or a dragged shape associated with the user input.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising at least one of moving, rotating, or changing the virtual wall, in response to a dragged direction of a touch input selecting the virtual wall after the virtual wall is set.

17. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the obstacle sensor includes a first pattern emitter, a second pattern emitter, and an image sensor to acquire an image of patterns irradiated by the first pattern emitter and the second pattern emitter,

wherein a first pattern irradiation unit, a second pattern irradiation unit, and an image acquiring unit are positioned to be arranged vertically along a line.

18. The mobile robot of claim 1 , wherein the controller, when controlling the movement of the mobile robot to avoid the location associated with the virtual wall is further configured to control the movement such that the moving robot maintains a certain distance from the virtual wall.