IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,735,911
Granted Patent B2
US 12,735,911 · App. 19/346,504 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Method for controlling cleaning device and cleaning device

Inventors: Liang Qiao (Suzhou, CN); Shengle Wang (Suzhou, CN); Yang Liu (Suzhou, CN); Guanliang Liu (Suzhou, CN)
Assignee: XINGMAI INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY (SUZHOU) CO., LTD
E04H4/1654C02F1/001C02F1/008G05D1/6484A46B13/001A46B13/02A46B2200/3073C02F2103/44C02F2201/008G05D2105/10G05D2107/29
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,735,911
App. No.
19/346,504
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a cleaning device and a cleaning device. The cleaning device includes a first distance sensor disposed at a bottom. The control method includes: in a process in which the cleaning device moves on a bottom of a pool, when the cleaning device approaches or collides with an obstacle, controlling the cleaning device to climb the obstacle; and in a process of climbing the obstacle, if the obstacle is determined as a step, controlling the cleaning device to move from a first surface of the step to a second surface of the step, where the step at least includes the approximately vertical first surface and the approximately horizontal second surface, where the obstacle is determined as the step at least based on a detection value of the first distance sensor.

Claims (49)

1 . A method for controlling a cleaning device, wherein the cleaning device comprises a first distance sensor disposed at a bottom, wherein the first distance sensor is configured to detect a distance between the cleaning device and a to-be-cleaned surface under the cleaning device, wherein the control method comprises:

in a process in which the cleaning device moves on a bottom of a pool, when the cleaning device approaches or collides with an obstacle, controlling the cleaning device to climb the obstacle; and

in a process of climbing the obstacle, if the obstacle is determined as a step at least based on a detection value of the first distance sensor, controlling the cleaning device to move from a first surface of the step to a second surface of the step, wherein the step at least comprises the approximately vertical first surface and the approximately horizontal second surface.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein after the controlling the cleaning device to move from a first surface of the step to a second surface of the step, the method further comprises:

adjusting an orientation of the cleaning device on a second surface of an N th step, enabling a first side surface of the cleaning device to be substantially parallel to a first surface of an N+1 st step, wherein N>1 and N is a natural number; and

controlling the cleaning device to move in an adjusted orientation and clean the second surface of the N th step.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises a second distance sensor disposed on a first side surface of the cleaning device, wherein after the controlling the cleaning device to move from a first surface of the step to a second surface of the step, the method further comprises:

when a front end of the cleaning device touches or approaches a first surface of an N+1 st step, adjusting an orientation of the cleaning device on a second surface of an N th step, enabling the first side surface of the cleaning device to be substantially parallel to the first surface of the N+1 st step, so that the second distance sensor faces the first surface of the N+1 st step, wherein N N≥1 and N is a natural number; and

controlling the cleaning device to move in an adjusted orientation and clean the second surface of the N th step.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein after the controlling the cleaning device to move from a first surface of the step to a second surface of the step, the method further comprises: controlling, at least in a case where the detection value of the first distance sensor is greater than a first distance threshold, the cleaning device to stop moving, rotate, or move backward on the second surface of the step, wherein the first distance threshold is determined based on a distance between the first distance sensor and a plane when the cleaning device moves on the plane.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises a suction mechanism and a first water outlet in fluid communication with the suction mechanism, wherein the first water outlet is at least partially located at a top of the cleaning device, wherein the controlling the cleaning device to move from a first surface of the step to a second surface of the step comprises:

after at least a part of the cleaning device crosses a joint between the first surface and the second surface of the step, or the cleaning device moves on the first surface of the step until the first distance sensor goes beyond the first surface of the step, controlling the cleaning device to stop moving or reduce a moving speed, or controlling water to be sprayed out through a part of the first water outlet in a direction away from the cleaning device, wherein the part of the first water outlet is located at the top of the cleaning device, enabling the cleaning device to be located on the second surface of the step.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises a suction mechanism and a first water outlet in fluid communication with the suction mechanism, wherein the first water outlet is at least partially located at a top of the cleaning device, wherein the cleaning device further comprises a moving mechanism configured to allow the cleaning device to move, wherein the controlling the cleaning device to move from a first surface of the step to a second surface of the step comprises:

controlling a front portion of the cleaning device to move upward along the first surface of the step until the moving mechanism of the cleaning device is substantially attached to the first surface of the step, and the cleaning device is in an approximately vertical posture; and

controlling the cleaning device to stop moving or reduce a moving speed, or controlling water to be sprayed out through a part of the first water outlet in a direction away from the cleaning device, wherein the part of the first water outlet is located at the top of the cleaning device, enabling the cleaning device to be switched from the approximately vertical posture to an approximately horizontal posture on the second surface of the step.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining the obstacle as the step at least in a case where the detection value gradually increases from a stable value, then gradually decreases, and returns to the stable value, wherein the stable value is the detection value of the first distance sensor when the cleaning device moves on a plane.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises a second distance sensor disposed on a first side surface of the cleaning device, wherein after the controlling the cleaning device to move from a first surface of the step to a second surface of the step, the method further comprises:

controlling the cleaning device to move along a first surface of an N+1 st step, wherein in a process in which the cleaning device moves along the first surface of the N+1 st step, the second distance sensor faces the first surface of the N+1 st step, and a detection value of the second distance sensor is less than a third distance threshold, wherein N>1 and N is a natural number, wherein the third distance threshold indicates a minimum distance between the cleaning device and an edge when the cleaning device moves along the edge.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises: in the process in which the cleaning device moves along the first surface of the N+1 st step, if the detection value of the second distance sensor is greater than the third distance threshold, controlling the cleaning device to move toward the first surface of the N+1 st step until the detection value of the second distance sensor is less than or equal to the third distance threshold.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises a third distance sensor located at a front portion, wherein the third distance sensor is configured to detect a distance between the cleaning device and an obstacle in front of the cleaning device, wherein the method further comprises: controlling, at least in a case where a detection value of the third distance sensor is less than or equal to a fourth distance threshold, the cleaning device to move backward or turn around or translate for a preset distance in a direction away from a first surface of an N+1 st step to continue to clean a second surface of an N th step, wherein the preset distance is less than or equal to a width of the cleaning device, wherein N≥1 and N is a natural number.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

after the cleaning device cleans a second surface of an N th step, controlling the cleaning device to rotate at a tail end of the N th step, enabling a front portion of the cleaning device to be aligned with a first surface of an N+1 st step, and then controlling the cleaning device to climb to a second surface of the N+1 st step, wherein N≥1 and N is a natural number.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

if a cleaning condition of the cleaning device is not met, or the cleaning device finishes cleaning the step, controlling the cleaning device to move from an N th step toward an N−1 st step or the bottom of the pool, or controlling the cleaning device to continue to climb an N+1 st step, wherein N≥1 and N is a natural number.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises a depth sensor, wherein the depth sensor is configured to detect depth information of the cleaning device, wherein

if it is determined, based on the depth information, that a depth of the cleaning device is less than or equal to a preset depth, the cleaning condition of the cleaning device is not met; or

if a width of a second surface of the N th step is less than or equal to a length or a width of the cleaning device, the cleaning condition of the cleaning device is not met.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises a third distance sensor disposed at a front portion, wherein the third distance sensor is configured to detect a distance between the cleaning device and an obstacle in front of the cleaning device, wherein the method further comprises:

after the cleaning device performs cleaning along an edge of a first surface of an N+1 st step on a second surface of an N th step, controlling, at least in a case where a detection value of the third distance sensor is less than or equal to a fourth distance threshold, and a width of the second surface of the N th step is greater than a width of the cleaning device, the cleaning device to translate for a first distance in a direction away from the first surface of the N+1 st step, and then controlling the cleaning device to move backward or turn around to continue to clean the second surface of the N th step.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises:

a body;

a first water inlet disposed at a bottom of the body;

a filtering unit at least partially disposed inside the body;

a first water outlet disposed at a top of the body;

a suction mechanism at least in fluid communication with the first water inlet, the filtering unit, and the first water outlet to form a water flow, wherein the water flow flows through the first water inlet, the filtering unit, and the first water outlet;

at least one roller brush assembly disposed at a bottom of a front portion of the body and configured to clean a to-be-cleaned surface;

a moving mechanism disposed on each of two sides of the body and configured to allow the cleaning device to move on the to-be-cleaned surface; and

at least one second distance sensor disposed on a first side surface of the body and configured to detect a distance between the first side surface of the cleaning device and an obstacle,

wherein the

first distance sensor is adjacent to the moving mechanism and is located behind the at least one roller brush assembly.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first water inlet is located behind the at least one roller brush assembly, and the first distance sensor is located between the first water inlet and the at least one roller brush assembly.

17 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first distance sensor is centered at a front end of the bottom of the cleaning device.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning device comprises two first distance sensors, wherein the two first distance sensors are substantially symmetrically disposed at the bottom of the body, and the two first distance sensors are sensors of a same type or sensors of different types.

19 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the cleaning device further comprises at least one third distance sensor, wherein the at least one third distance sensor is disposed at the front portion of the body and configured to detect a distance between the front portion of the cleaning device and an obstacle.

20 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein at least one transmission channel is disposed inside the body, wherein a first opening located at the bottom of the body and a second opening located inside the body are disposed on two sides of the at least one transmission channel, and the first distance sensor is adjacent to the second opening.

21 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

after the cleaning device moves to a second surface of an N th step, controlling the cleaning device to move in a length direction of the second surface of the N th step to clean the second surface of the N th step, wherein N>1 and N is a natural number; and

after the cleaning device moves to a second surface of an N+1 st step, controlling the cleaning device to move in a length direction of the second surface of the N+1 st step to clean the second surface of the N+1 st step, wherein a direction in which the cleaning device moves in the length direction of the second surface of the N th step is opposite to a direction in which the cleaning device moves in the length direction of the second surface of the N+1 st step.

Priority Claims (8)
CN 202410683326.2 · May 29, 2024 · national
WO PCT/CN2024/100765 · Jun 21, 2024 · international
WO PCT/CN2024/135845 · Nov 29, 2024 · international
WO PCT/CN2025/070882 · Jan 6, 2025 · international
WO PCT/CN2025/073171 · Jan 19, 2025 · international
WO PCT/CN2025/073739 · Jan 21, 2025 · international
WO PCT/CN2025/074953 · Jan 24, 2025 · international
WO PCT/CN2025/085184 · Mar 26, 2025 · international
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2025097993 · May 29, 2025
Related Publication 20260028845A1 · Jan 29, 2026
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