Directional control of robotic pool cleaners

1. A robotic pool cleaner comprising:

a housing;

a propulsion mechanism configured to propel the robotic pool cleaner along an interior surface of a pool;

a suction mechanism to draw liquid from the pool into the housing;

a cable that extends outward from the housing;

a pull sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of at least a direction in which the cable is pulled; and

a controller configured to receive the signal and to operate the propulsion mechanism to propel the robot in accordance with the received signal.

2. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pull sensor comprises a bendable component to which the cable is attached and a bending sensor, wherein the generated signal is indicative of bending of the bendable component relative to the housing.

3. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 2 , wherein the bendable component comprises a sleeve through which the cable is configured to pass from outside of the housing to an interior of the housing.

4. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 2 , wherein the pull sensor comprises a proximity sensor for sensing proximity of a side of the bendable component to the housing.

5. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 4 , wherein the proximity sensor comprises at least one magnetic sensor that is configured to measure a magnetic field that is indicative of proximity of one or a plurality of magnets to the sensor.

6. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 5 , wherein said one or a plurality of magnets are mounted on the bendable component, and said one or a plurality of magnetic sensors are mounted to the housing.

7. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the propulsion mechanism to propel the robotic pool cleaner toward the direction from which cable was pulled if the bendable component is bent from an unbent orientation by an angle that exceeds a threshold bending angle.

8. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pull sensor comprises an accelerometer.

9. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pull sensor comprises a tilt sensor.

10. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the propulsion to propel the robotic pool cleaner toward the direction from which cable is pulled.

11. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the propulsion mechanism to reverse a direction of travel of the robotic pool cleaner when the direction from which the cable is pulled is substantially opposite a current direction of travel of the robotic pool cleaner.

12. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pull sensor comprises a motion sensor configured to detect a deviation from a predetermined motion of the robotic pool cleaner.

13. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the robotic pool cleaner to begin traveling when the signal is received from the pull sensor when the robotic pool cleaner is standing stationary in a standby mode.

14. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the traveling comprises traveling to a wall of the pool.

15. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 14 , wherein the traveling further comprises traveling up the wall to a waterline.

16. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the propulsion mechanism and the suction mechanism to cause the robotic pool cleaner to remain at the waterline after traveling up the wall to the waterline.

17. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the cable comprises a power cable.

18. The robotic pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the cable includes a float.