IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,826,873
Granted Patent B2
US 9,826,873 · App. 15/102,763 · Granted Nov 28, 2017

Traveling body device

Inventors: Kouichi Abe (Owariasahi, JP); Susumu Hoshino (Owariasahi, JP)
Assignee: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
A47L11/4011A47L9/28A47L11/24A47L11/4041B60L11/1827G05D1/0011G05D1/0094G05D1/0225G05D1/0234G05D1/0242G05D1/0246A47L2201/02A47L2201/022A47L2201/04G05D2201/0215
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,826,873
App. No.
15/102,763
Granted
Nov 28, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is an electric cleaning device capable of easily and reliably directing a camera toward an object and imaging the object. An electric cleaning device includes an electric vacuum cleaner main body capable of autonomously traveling, and a charging device that guides the electric vacuum cleaner main body, and can image an object. A control part has an imaging mode in which the control part makes a main body case travel so as to approach the charging device in line with guide signals received by a light receiving part, and performs imaging in a set direction with a camera based on the guide signals when the main body case reaches a position at a predetermined distance from the charging device.

Claims (35)

1. A traveling body device comprising: an autonomously traveling body that is capable of autonomously traveling; and a beacon device that guides the autonomously traveling body, and capable of imaging an object, wherein

the beacon device includes a transmitting part that transmits a guide signal for guiding the autonomously traveling body corresponding to a set direction that is to be directed toward an object,

the autonomously traveling body includes:

a main body case including an imaging part that images an object,

a drive wheel that enable the main body case to travel,

a control part that makes the main body case autonomously travel by controlling driving of the drive wheel, and

a receiving part that receives the guide signal transmitted by the transmitting part, and

the control part has an imaging mode in which the control part makes the main body case travel so as to approach the beacon device in line with the guide signal received by the receiving part, and performs imaging in the set direction by the imaging part based on the guide signal when the main body case reaches a position at a predetermined distance from the beacon device.

2. The traveling body device according to claim 1 , wherein

in the beacon device, a set direction that is to be directed toward an object is set in advance, and the beacon device transmits a guide signal in a direction at a predetermined angle with respect to the set direction.

3. The traveling body device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control part directs the imaging part toward the set direction by making the main body case travel in the imaging mode.

4. The traveling body device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control part turns the imaging part at a predetermined angle when the main body case reaches a position at a predetermined distance from the beacon device in the imaging mode.

5. The traveling body device according to claim 4 , wherein

the control part performs imaging while turning the imaging part in increments of a predetermined angle in the imaging mode.

6. The traveling body device according to claim 4 , wherein

the autonomously traveling body includes an external signal receiving part capable of receiving an external signal that is different from a guide signal to be transmitted front the transmitting part of the beacon device, and

the control part changes the predetermined angle to turn the main body case according to an external signal received by the external signal receiving part in the imaging mode.

7. The traveling body device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control part makes the main body case travel in the set direction while avoiding the beacon device when the main body case reaches a position at a predetermined distance from the beacon device in the imaging mode.

8. The traveling body device according to claim 7 , wherein

the autonomously traveling body includes an obstacle detecting part that detects obstacles, and

when the main body case reaches a position at a predetermined distance from the beacon device in the imaging mode, in a case where no obstacle is detected on one lateral side of the beacon device by the obstacle detecting part, the control part makes the main body case travel toward the one lateral side of the beacon device and then travel in the set direction along the beacon device, and in a case where an obstacle is detected on one lateral side of the beacon device by the obstacle detecting part, the control part makes the main body case travel toward the other lateral side of the beacon device and then travel in the set direction along the beacon device.

9. The traveling body device according to claim 1 , wherein

the autonomously traveling body includes a cleaning part that cleans a surface to be cleaned, and a signal receiving part that receives an imaging command signal from the outside, and

the control part interrupts cleaning being performed by the cleaning part and shifts to the imaging mode when the imaging command signal is received by the signal receiving part in the cleaning mode in which cleaning is performed by the cleaning part.

10. The traveling body device according to claim 1 , wherein

the beacon device includes:

an indicating part capable of variably setting a direction that is to be directed toward an object, and

a display part that shows a direction of the guide signal to be transmitted from the transmitting part, and

the transmitting part transmits a guide signal for guiding the autonomously traveling body corresponding to a direction indicated by the indicating part.

11. The traveling body device according to claim 10 , wherein

the transmitting part transmits a guide signal having a code which differs depending on a direction indicated by the indicating part, and

the control part directs the imaging part toward an object by turning the imaging part at a predetermined angle corresponding to the code of the guide signal when the main body case reaches a position at a predetermined distance from the beacon device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2016
From: ABE, KOUICHI; HOSHINO, SUSUMU
To: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038845/0691 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2013-258573 · Dec 13, 2013 · national
JP 2013-267413 · Dec 25, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160309974A1 · Oct 27, 2016