1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robot cleaner and its operating method, and more particularly, to a robot cleaner and its operating method capable of improving cleaning efficiency by controlling a suction force according to a height between a cleaner and a floor.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a robot cleaner is a machine that detects a cleaning zone by itself, an obstacle or the like without operation of a user, cleans while moving by itself, moves to a charging station by itself when power of a battery is consumed, to be charged, and returns to a cleaning zone when the charging is completed, to perform a cleaning operation.
Such a robot cleaner includes a suction unit for sucking dirt on a floor; a driving wheel connected to a driving motor to make the robot cleaner travel; a navigation sensor for determining a position of a cleaner and a position of an obstacle or the like; and a control unit for automatically controlling the cleaner. The robot cleaner performs a cleaning operation, moving along a preset pattern, and an encoder connected to the driving wheel senses a rotation state of the driving wheel, to thereby determine a traveling state of the cleaner.
However, the conventional robot cleaner has following problems.
The conventional robot cleaner sucks dirt with the same suction force during cleaning operation. For this reason, dirt cannot be properly sucked at a concaved portion where a height between a bottom of a cleaner and itself is relatively high. Also, excessive suction force, which is stronger than a required suction force is applied to a convexed portion where a height between a bottom of the cleaner and itself is relatively low, thereby causing deterioration in efficiency of a cleaner.