Self-propelled cleaner

Abstract

Disclosed is a self-propelled cleaner that can reduce power consumption and that is economically advantageous. The self-propelled cleaner normally detects an intruder using pyroelectric sensors that consume less power, and each time a predetermined period of time has passed, detects an intruder with the infrared CCD sensor while turning the body BD. This can reduce the time of operation during which the infrared CCD sensor consuming more power is used, thus making it possible to reduce power consumption. Moreover, since the self-propelled cleaner is designed to cause the drive mechanism provided therein to turn the body BD, it is not necessary to additionally provide a device to turn the infrared CCD sensor, thus reducing the manufacturing cost.

1 . A self-propelled cleaner including a body equipped with a cleaning mechanism, a drive mechanism to steer and drive said body, a plurality of human sensors that detect infrared rays emitted by a human body, and an infrared camera, wherein: 
 said human sensor is caused to detect said infrared rays from a human body, with the image taking by said infrared camera disabled;    an intruder detection processor is provided that causes said infrared camera to take images while turning said body by controlling said drive mechanism, when the predetermined time has passed or when the value of a random number extracted at certain time intervals matches the predetermined value; and    the detection of infrared rays by said human sensors is disabled while said intruder detection processor causes said infrared camera to take images.    
   
   
       2 . A self-propelled cleaner including a body equipped with a cleaning mechanism, a drive mechanism to steer and drive said body, a plurality of human sensors that detect infrared rays emitted by a human body, and a camera, wherein: 
 an intruder detection processor that causes said human sensors to detect said infrared rays from said human body, with the image taking by said camera disabled, and each time predetermined conditions are satisfied, controls said drive mechanism to turn said body and simultaneously causes said camera to take images.    
   
   
       3 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein said intruder detection processor controls said drive mechanism to turn said body and simultaneously causes said camera to take images, each time the predetermined time period has passed.  
   
   
       4 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein said intruder detection processor controls said drive mechanism to turn said body and simultaneously causes said camera to take images, each time the value of a random number extracted at certain time intervals matches the predetermined value.  
   
   
       5 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein the detection of infrared rays by said human sensors is disabled while said intruder detection processor causes said camera to take images.  
   
   
       6 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein said camera is an infrared camera.  
   
   
       7 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein said human sensors are disposed at the right and left sides of the front of said body, and are pyroelectric sensors that detect a human in the vicinity of said body by detecting infrared rays emitted by the human body.  
   
   
       8 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein said drive mechanism comprises two drive wheels disposed at the center right and left edges of the bottom of said body, and three auxiliary wheels provided at the front of the bottom of said body.  
   
   
       9 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 8 , wherein said drive mechanism comprises drive wheel motors to drive said drive wheels, and a rotary encoder that is integrally attached to said drive wheel motors, and the actual rotation direction and rotation angle of said drive wheel is detected from the output of said rotary encoder.  
   
   
       10 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein said infrared camera comprises an infrared CCD sensor and an infrared ray source.  
   
   
       11 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 10 , wherein said infrared CCD sensor has an optical system capable of taking images of the front side of said body, and an electric signal is generated that corresponds to an infrared ray input from the field of view realized by said optical system.  
   
   
       12 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein said intruder detection processor locates flesh-colored areas that are characteristic of a human body, based on the color images taken, and detects an intruder based on the size and changes of said areas.  
   
   
       13 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 8 , wherein said intruder detection processor turns said body at predetermined angles by driving only one of said left and right drive wheels, and then stops said body.  
   
   
       14 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein said intruder detection processor determines whether or not an intruder is imaged based on the difference between two images of the same area taken at different times, by detecting the difference between frames of video signals based on imaging signals from said camera.  
   
   
       15 . The self-propelled cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein said intruder detection processor has a gyro sensor and determines whether or not said body has turned around, based on the direction angle of said body detected by said gyro sensor.