Floor cleaning system and device

Abstract

A floor cleaning device includes a sensing module, a driving module, a sweeping module and a processing module. When the floor cleaning device moves into a signal area defined within a floor surface by an emitter signal emitted from a signal terminal, the sensing module outputs a sensing signal to the processing module while receiving the emitter signal from the signal terminal. The processing module activates, in response to receipt of the sensing signal, the sweeping module to gather dirt particles from the floor surface, and controls the driving module to operate in a multi-moving mode in such a way that a housing of the floor cleaning device is driven by the driving module to move within the signal area until a duration counting from initial receipt of the sensing signal reaches a cleaning time period.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor cleaning system for cleaning a floor surface, said floor cleaning system comprising:
 a first signal terminal including a first signal emitter configured to emit a first emitter signal so as to define a first signal area within the floor surface; and   a floor cleaning device including
 a housing, 
 a sensing module mounted to said housing, and generating a first sensing signal while receiving the first emitter signal emitted by said first signal emitter, 
 a driving module disposed in said housing, and operable to drive said housing to move on the floor surface, 
 a sweeping module mounted to said housing, and operable to gather dirt particles from the floor surface, 
 a storage module disposed in said housing for storing cleaning time data, the cleaning time data including at least a first cleaning time period that is associated with the first sensing signal, and 
 a processing module disposed in said housing, coupled to said sensing module, said driving module, said sweeping module and said storage module, and controlling operations of said driving module and said sweeping module; 
   wherein, once said sensing module of said floor cleaning device receives the first emitter signal, said sensing module outputs the first sensing signal generated thereby to said processing module, and   upon initial receipt of the first sensing signal from said sensing module, said processing module activates said sweeping module so as to gather dirt particles from the floor surface, and controls said driving module to drive said housing to move in such a way that said processing module continues to receive the first sensing signal from said sensing module, until a first duration counting from the initial receipt of the first sensing signal by said processing module reaches the first cleaning time period stored in said storage module, at which time basic floor cleaning associated with the first emitter signal is completed.   
     
     
         2 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first signal emitter includes at least one optical signal emitter, and the first emitter signal is an infrared signal. 
     
     
         3 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said driving module is operable in a multi-moving mode, in which said housing is driven to move on the floor surface along one of a random path, a spiral path, a polygonal spiral path and a zigzag path, said processing module controlling said driving module to operate in the multi-moving mode upon the initial receipt of the first sensing signal from said sensing module until the first duration reaches the first cleaning time period. 
     
     
         4 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 1 , the floor surface having a plurality of partitions erecting thereon, wherein:
 said first signal terminal is disposed against one of the partitions;   said driving module is operable in a wall-following mode where said housing is driven to move on the floor surface along any one of the partitions; and   when the first duration reaches the first cleaning time period, said processing module controls said driving module to operate in the wall-following mode at least until said processing module no longer receives the first sensing signal from said sensing module.   
     
     
         5 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a second signal terminal to be disposed against another one of the partitions, said second signal terminal including a second signal emitter that is configured to emit a second emitter signal, which is different from the first emitter signal, so as to define a second signal area within the floor surface;
 wherein said sensing module generates a second sensing signal that is different from the first sensing signal while receiving the second emitter signal emitted by said second signal emitter;   wherein the cleaning time data stored in said storage module further includes a second cleaning time period that is associated with the second sensing signal;   wherein, once said sensing module of said floor cleaning device receives the second emitter signal, said sensing module outputs the second sensing signal generated thereby to said processing module, and   upon initial receipt of the second sensing signal from said sensing module, said processing module activates said sweeping module so as to gather dirt particles from the floor surface, and controls said driving module to drive said housing to move in such a way that said processing module continues to receive the second sensing signal from said sensing module, until a second duration counting from the initial receipt of the second sensing signal by said processing module reaches the second cleaning time period stored in said storage module, at which time basic floor cleaning associated with the second emitter signal is completed.   
     
     
         6 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein:
 the cleaning time data stored in said storage module further includes a predetermined order of priority of the first and second sensing signals; and   said processing module ignores receipt of one of the first and second sensing signals with a lower order of priority until completion of the basic floor cleaning associated with one of the first and second emitter signals that corresponds to the other of the first and second sensing signals with a higher order of priority.   
     
     
         7 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said second signal emitter includes at least one optical signal emitter, and the second emitter signal is an infrared signal. 
     
     
         8 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 1 , the floor surface having a plurality of partitions erecting thereon, wherein:
 said floor cleaning device further includes a cleaning end communication module coupled to said processing module and connected to a wireless communication network;   said first signal terminal further includes
 a signal end communication module connected to the wireless communication network, 
 an environment detection module configured to detect an environmental parameter associated with the first signal area, to determine whether the environmental parameter detected thereby is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and to generate a detecting signal upon determining that the environmental parameter is greater than the predetermined threshold value, and 
 a processor coupled to said first signal emitter, said signal end communication module and said environment detection module, said processor generating, upon receipt of the detecting signal from said environment detection module, a cleaning request for additional floor cleaning that is associated with the first emitter signal, and transmitting the cleaning request to said floor cleaning device through said signal end communication module via the wireless communication network; 
   said driving module of said floor cleaning device is operable in a wall-following mode where said housing is driven to move on the floor surface along any one of the partitions; and   when said processing module of said floor cleaning device receives the cleaning request from said first signal terminal through said cleaning end communication module via the wireless communication network while the first sensing signal is not received from said sensing module, said processing module controls said driving module to operate in the wall-following mode until said processing module receives the first sensing signal, at which time said processing module activates said sweeping module and controls said driving module to drive said housing to move in such a way that said processing module continues to receive the first sensing signal for a predetermined period of time so as to perform the additional floor cleaning associated with the first emitter signal.   
     
     
         9 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the environmental parameter is the amount of dust. 
     
     
         10 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said processing module of said floor cleaning device is capable of generating a power saving request, when said processing module transmits the power saving request generated thereby to said first signal terminal through said cleaning end communication module via the wireless communication network, said processor of said first signal terminal deactivates said first signal emitter in response to receipt of the power saving request from said floor cleaning device. 
     
     
         11 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a control terminal connected to a wireless communication network and operable to generate a control request for updating the cleaning time data;
 wherein said floor cleaning device further includes a cleaning end communication module coupled to said processing module and connected to the wireless communication network; and   wherein, when said control terminal transmits the control request to said floor cleaning device via the wireless communication network, said processing module of said floor cleaning device updates the cleaning time data stored in said storage module in response to receipt of the control request from said control terminal through said cleaning end communication module via the wireless communication network.   
     
     
         12 . The floor cleaning system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a monitor terminal that is connected to a wireless communication network and that is operable to generate a cleaning data request;
 wherein said floor cleaning device further includes a cleaning end communication module coupled to said processing module and connected to the wireless communication network; and   wherein, when said monitor terminal transmits the cleaning data request to said floor cleaning device via the wireless communication network, said processing module of said floor cleaning device transmits a reply including at least the first duration currently of record to said monitor terminal through said cleaning end communication module via the wireless communication network in response to receipt of the cleaning data request from said monitor terminal.   
     
     
         13 . A floor cleaning device for cleaning a floor surface, a signal emitter being disposed for emitting an emitter signal so as to define a signal area within the floor surface, said floor cleaning device comprising:
 a housing;   a sensing module mounted to said housing, and generating a sensing signal while receiving the emitter signal emitted by the signal emitter;   a driving module disposed in said housing, and operable to drive said housing to move on the floor surface;   a sweeping module mounted to said housing, and operable to gather dirt particles from the floor surface;   a storage module disposed in said housing for storing cleaning time data, the cleaning time data including a cleaning time period that is associated with the sensing signal; and   a processing module disposed in said housing, coupled to said sensing module, said driving module, said sweeping module and said storage module, and controlling operations of said driving module and said sweeping module;   wherein, once said sensing module receives the first emitter signal, said sensing module outputs the sensing signal generated thereby to said processing module, and   upon initial receipt of the sensing signal from said sensing module, said processing module activates said sweeping module so as to gather dirt particles from the floor surface, and controls said driving module to drive said housing to move in such a way that said processing module continues to receive the sensing signal from said sensing module, until a duration counting from the initial receipt of the sensing signal by said processing module reaches the cleaning time period stored in said storage module.   
     
     
         14 . The floor cleaning device as claimed in  claim 13 , the emitter signal being an infrared signal, wherein said sensing module is an optical sensing module. 
     
     
         15 . The floor cleaning device as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein said driving module is operable in a multi-moving mode, in which said housing is driven to move on the floor surface along one of a random path, a spiral path, a polygonal spiral path and a zigzag path when operating in the multi-moving mode, said processing module controlling said driving module to operate in the multi-moving mode upon the initial receipt of the sensing signal from said sensing module until the duration reaches the cleaning time period.