Granted Patent B2

US 12,239,284 · App. 17/289,029 · Granted Mar 4, 2025

Inventors: Junghwan Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Yeongrok Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Hyunseok Hong (Suwon-si, KR)

Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

A47L9/2826A47L9/0072A47L9/2847A47L9/2852A47L2201/04A47L2201/06

Abstract

Claims (67)

1. A method, performed by a cleaning device, of controlling a suction port within the cleaning device, the method comprising:

sensing at least one object within an area to be cleaned by the cleaning device;

identifying, among the at least one object, a first object that is an object changing an inclination of the cleaning device to a preset angle or greater;

identifying a relative location of the first object with respect to the cleaning device;

determining a first area within an entire area of the suction port as an open target area and a second area excluding the first area within the entire area of the suction port as a close target area, based on the identified relative location of the first object; and

opening the open target area or closing the close target area,

wherein the first area includes at least a partial area located over the first object within the entire area of the suction port, and

the second area includes at least a partial area not located over the first object within the entire area of the suction port.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the opening the open target area or closing the close target area comprises opening the open target area or closing the close target area by moving at least one partition from among a plurality of partitions for opening or closing the suction port.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the entire area of the suction port is split into a plurality of areas,

the plurality of areas comprises a first split area, a second split area, and a third split area,

the first split area, the second split area, and the third split area are adjacent to each other,

a first partition from among the plurality of partitions is configured to move to open or close the first split area and the second split area, and

a second partition from among the plurality of partitions is configured to move to open or close the second split area and the third split area.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the opening the open target area or closing the close target area comprises:

determining a direction to move the at least one partition, based on a movement direction of the cleaning device; and

opening the open target area or closing the close target area by moving the at least one partition in the determined direction.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the opening the open target area or closing the close target area comprises rotating a brush provided in the suction port,

wherein movement of the at least one partition in contact with the rotating brush is controlled by the rotating brush.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sensing an inclination of the cleaning device, and

wherein the identifying the first object comprises identifying the first object is an object changing an inclination of the cleaning device to a preset angle or greater based on the sensed inclination.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the opening the open target area or closing the close target area comprises opening the open target area within the entire area of the suction port after the entire area of the suction port is closed.

8. A cleaning device comprising:

a suction port;

at least one sensor configured to sense at least one object;

a driver configured to open or close the suction port;

memory storing at least one instruction; and

a processor configured to execute the at least one instruction stored in the memory,

wherein the processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

sense at least one object within an area to be cleaned by the cleaning device by controlling the at least one sensor;

identify, among the at least one object, a first object that is an object changing an inclination of the cleaning device to a preset angle or greater;

identify a relative location of the first object with respect to the cleaning device;

determine a first area within an entire area of the suction port as an open target area and a second area excluding the first area within the entire area of the suction port as a close target area, based on the identified relative location of the first object; and

open the open target area or close the close target area by controlling the driver,

wherein the first area includes at least a partial area located over the first object within the entire area of the suction port, and

the second area includes at least a partial area not located over the first object within the entire area of the suction port.

9. The cleaning device of claim 8 , further comprising:

a plurality of partitions for opening or closing the suction port, and

wherein the processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

open the open target area or close the close target area by moving at least one partition from among the plurality of partitions.

10. The cleaning device of claim 9 ,

wherein the entire area of the suction port includes a first split area, a second split area and a third split area,

at least two of the first split area, the second split area, and the third split area are adjacent,

a first partition, among the plurality of the partitions, is configured to move for opening or closing the first split area and the second split area,

a second partition, among the plurality of the partitions, is configured to move for opening or closing the second split area and the third split area.

11. The cleaning device of claim 9 , further comprising:

a brush provided in the suction port and contacting the plurality of partitions,

wherein the processor is configured to execute at least one instruction to:

rotate the brush by controlling the driver; and

control movement of the at least one partition contacting the rotating brush by controlling rotation of the brush.

12. The cleaning device of claim 8 ,

wherein the processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to sense an inclination of the cleaning device, and

wherein the identifying the first object comprises identifying the first object is an object changing an inclination of the cleaning device to a preset angle or greater based on the sensed inclination.

13. The cleaning device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

determine a direction to move the at least one partition, based on a movement direction of the cleaning device; and

open the open target area or close the close target area by moving the at least one partition in the determined direction.

14. The cleaning device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:

open the open target area within the entire area of the suction port after the entire area of the suction port is closed.

15. A non-transitory computer program product including a recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing operations comprising:

sensing at least one object within an area to be cleaned by a cleaning device;

identifying, among the at least one object, a first object that is an object changing an inclination of the cleaning device to a preset angle or greater;

identifying a relative location of the first object with respect to the cleaning device;

determining a first area within an entire area of a suction port as an open target area and a second area excluding the first area within the entire area of the suction port as a close target area, based on the identified relative location of the first object; and

opening the open target area or closing the close target area,

wherein the first area includes at least a partial area located over the first object within the entire area of the suction port, and

the second area includes at least a partial area not located over the first object within the entire area of the suction port.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (20)