Cleaning device and system

Abstract

A cleaning device includes a position estimation unit configured to estimate a position of the cleaning device, a control unit configured to control the cleaning device so as to autonomously travel and clean a floor surface within a cleaning area based on the position estimated by the position estimation unit, and a cleaning effect determination unit configured to determine a cleaning effect for each small area within the cleaning area based on images of the floor surface before and after cleaning. The control unit is configured to, in response to the cleaning effect determination unit determining that dirt on the floor surface has been aggravated, control the cleaning device to cease travel and suspend cleaning in the small area subjected to determination of the cleaning effect.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning device comprising:
 a position estimation unit configured to estimate a position of the cleaning device;   a control unit configured to control the cleaning device so as to autonomously travel and clean a floor surface within a cleaning area based on the position estimated by the position estimation unit; and   a cleaning effect determination unit configured to determine a cleaning effect for each small area within the cleaning area based on images of the floor surface before and after cleaning, wherein   the control unit is configured to, in response to the cleaning effect determination unit determining that dirt on the floor surface has been aggravated, control the cleaning device to cease travel and suspend cleaning in the small area subjected to determination of the cleaning effect.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning effect determination unit is configured to, when dirt on the floor surface of the small area subjected to determination of the cleaning effect has spread as compared with that before cleaning, determine that dirt on the floor surface has been aggravated. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a notification device configured to externally notify that cleaning is suspended, wherein
 the control unit is configured to, when suspending cleaning, actuate the notification device to externally notify that cleaning is suspended.   
     
     
         4 . The cleaning device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dirt detection unit configured to detect dirt on a floor surface of a small area to be cleaned before cleaning, wherein
 the dirt detection unit is configured to identify presence or absence of dirt, a position of the dirt, and a type of the dirt from an image of the floor surface of the small area to be cleaned.   
     
     
         5 . The cleaning device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the dirt detection unit is configured to detect dirt on the floor surface of the small area to be cleaned by comparing an image of a clean floor surface of the same small area with an image of the floor surface immediately before cleaning.   
     
     
         6 . The cleaning device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the dirt detection unit is configured to detect dirt on the floor surface of the small area to be cleaned by excluding shadows and human silhouettes projected onto the floor surface from the dirt on the floor surface.   
     
     
         7 . The cleaning device according to  claim 4 , further comprising a cleanability determination unit configured to determine whether the floor surface of the small area to be cleaned is cleanable before cleaning, wherein
 the cleanability determination unit is configured to calculate a cleanability degree of the small area to be cleaned based on the type of dirt identified by the dirt detection unit, and to determine that the small area to be cleaned is uncleanable when the calculated cleanability degree is equal to or lower than a predefined threshold, and   the control unit is configured to control the cleaning device to suspend cleaning of the small area to be cleaned that has been determined by the cleanability determination unit to be uncleanable.   
     
     
         8 . The cleaning device according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the cleanability determination unit is configured to calculate the cleanability degree corresponding to the type of dirt identified by the dirt detection unit, based on a predefined relationship between the type of dirt and the cleanability degree.   
     
     
         9 . The cleaning device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the cleaning effect determination unit is configured to, when the dirt on the floor surface identified by the dirt detection unit has spread in the small area subjected to determination of the cleaning effect as compared with before cleaning, determine that dirt on the floor surface has been aggravated.   
     
     
         10 . The cleaning device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the cleaning effect determination unit is configured to determine that the dirt on the floor surface has been aggravated when squashing of uncleanable dirt is detected.   
     
     
         11 . The cleaning device according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the cleaning effect determination unit is configured to, when a shape of the dirt on the floor surface identified by the dirt detection unit in the small area subjected to determination of the cleaning effect differs from that before cleaning, detect that the dirt on the floor surface has been squashed based on a change in a friction coefficient of the floor surface.   
     
     
         12 . The cleaning device according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the cleaning effect determination unit is configured to identify a type of squashed dirt from an image of the squashed dirt, and to determine that the squashed dirt is uncleanable when a cleanability degree corresponding to the identified type of the squashed dirt is equal to or lower than a predefined threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The cleaning device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dust sensor configured to detect dust in air, wherein
 the control unit is configured to control the cleaning device to repeatedly perform cleaning of the small area subjected to determination of the cleaning effect until a detected value acquired by the dust sensor becomes equal to or less than a predefined allowable value, regardless of a result of determination by the cleaning effect determination unit.   
     
     
         14 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a cleaning device; and   a cleaning assistance device that is communicably connected to the cleaning device and is configured to assign to the cleaning device a cleaning task for cleaning a cleaning area, wherein   the cleaning device comprises:
 a position estimation unit configured to estimate a position of the cleaning device; 
 a control unit configured to control the cleaning device so as to autonomously travel and clean a floor surface within the cleaning area based on the position estimated by the position estimation unit; and 
 a cleaning effect determination unit configured to determine a cleaning effect for each small area within the cleaning area based on images of the floor surface before and after cleaning, wherein 
 the control unit is configured to, in response to the cleaning effect determination unit determining that dirt on the floor surface has been aggravated, control the cleaning device to cease travel and suspend cleaning in the small area subjected to determination of the cleaning effect. 
   
     
     
         15 . The cleaning system according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the cleaning device further comprises a dirt detection unit configured to detect dirt on the floor surface of the small area to be cleaned before cleaning,   the cleaning device is configured to transmit dirt information detected by the dirt detection unit for each small area of the cleaning area to the cleaning assistance device, and   the cleaning assistance device is configured to accumulate, for each small area of the cleaning area, the dirt information received from the cleaning device in a dirt information storage unit.   
     
     
         16 . The cleaning system according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the cleaning assistance device is configured to generate at least one of the cleaning task and maintenance information of facilities provided in the cleaning area, based on the dirt information accumulated in the dirt information storage unit.   
     
     
         17 . A computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and   instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to implement functions of:   estimating a position of a cleaning device;   controlling the cleaning device so as to autonomously travel and clean a floor surface within a cleaning area based on the estimated position of the cleaning device; and   determining a cleaning effect for each small area within the cleaning area based on images of the floor surface before and after cleaning, wherein   the controlling the cleaning device comprises ceasing travel of the cleaning device and suspending cleaning in the small area subjected to determination of the cleaning effect, in response to determining that dirt on the floor surface has been aggravated.