Cleaning system and method for operating a cleaning system

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning system comprising a cleaning apparatus with at least one cleaning tool, a sensor device for detecting the propagation of vibrations as a result of the operation of the cleaning apparatus and for providing input information relating thereto, and a data processing device on which an application program is ran or can be ran and by means of which the input information can be analyzed, wherein during the analysis of the input information, it can be ascertained whether the detected propagation of vibrations is an abnormal propagation of vibrations, indicating an actual operating state which deviates from a normal operating state of the cleaning apparatus, and the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations can be ascertained on the basis of the deviation and/or a corrective measure with respect to correcting the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations can be provided by the data processing device. The invention additionally relates to a method for operating a cleaning system.

1 . Cleaning system, comprising
 a cleaning apparatus with at least one cleaning tool,   a sensor device for detecting a propagation of vibrations due to the operation of the cleaning apparatus and providing input information related thereto,   and a data processing device on which an application program is running or is runnable, in which the input information is able to be analyzed,   wherein, by means of the analysis of the input information, it is ascertainable whether the detected propagation of vibrations is an abnormal propagation of vibrations which is indicative of an actual operating state which deviates from a normal operating state of the cleaning apparatus, wherein, depending on the deviation, a cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations is determinable and/or   a corrective measure with regard to correcting the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations is providable by the data processing device.   
     
     
         2 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device comprises at least one microphone, and wherein the abnormal propagation of vibrations is or comprises a noise that occurs during operation of the cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the sensor device comprises at least one acceleration sensor, and wherein the abnormal propagation of vibrations is a structure-borne vibration of a component of the cleaning apparatus, which structure-borne vibration occurs during operation of the cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations comprises at least one of the following:
 a fault or an impending fault of the cleaning apparatus;   a fault or an impending fault of at least one functional unit and/or at least one cleaning tool;   excessive wear or progressive wear of a functional unit of the cleaning apparatus and/or at least one cleaning tool;   incorrect operation by an operator;   a shortage or excess of a consumable component for operating the cleaning apparatus.   
     
     
         5 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system comprises an indicator unit, at which an indication is configured to be output to an operator as a corrective measure regarding the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations. 
     
     
         6 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the indicator unit is or comprises at least one of the following:
 an optical display unit, with a controllable image display;   an acoustic indicator unit; and   a haptic indicator unit.   
     
     
         7 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the indication comprises corrective information for the operator to correct the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations. 
     
     
         8 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the indication in the case of ambiguous determination of the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations comprises the specification of a plurality of possible causes. 
     
     
         9 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the specification of a plurality of possible causes is provided with a specification of their respective probabilities. 
     
     
         10 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the corrective measure comprises the decommissioning of the cleaning apparatus or of a functional unit of the cleaning apparatus and/or of a cleaning tool which has been identified as the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations. 
     
     
         11 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system comprises, arranged spatially remotely from the data processing device, a further data processing device to which information about the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations and/or, if the cause is unable to be ascertained, information relating to this is transmittable. 
     
     
         12 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus comprises the sensor device and/or the data processing device and/or an indicator unit for outputting an indication regarding the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations. 
     
     
         13 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus comprises a control unit for controlling the operation of the cleaning apparatus, wherein the control unit comprises or forms the data processing device. 
     
     
         14 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system comprises an, portable capturing apparatus which comprises the sensor device, the data processing device and/or an indicator unit for outputting an indication relating to the abnormal propagation of vibrations. 
     
     
         15 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the capturing apparatus is one of the following: smartphone, tablet computer, laptop computer, smartwatch. 
     
     
         16 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the capturing apparatus is detachably connected or is configured to be detachably connected to the cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the cleaning apparatus has a receptacle for the capturing apparatus, on which receptacle the capturing apparatus is arrangeable in a defined position. 
     
     
         18 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein at least one electrical connection element for electrically connecting the capturing apparatus to the cleaning apparatus is arranged on the receptacle, and/or wherein the data processing device of the capturing device is couplable wirelessly to a control unit of the cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the receptacle is arranged on an operating unit of the cleaning apparatus, on which at least one operating element for operating the cleaning apparatus by an operator is arranged. 
     
     
         20 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the propagation of vibrations is recorded and/or monitored for a specified period of time to create the input information. 
     
     
         21 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the propagation of vibrations is monitored continuously or substantially continuously via the sensor device. 
     
     
         22 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the propagation of vibrations is detected at successive time intervals and/or is recorded for a specified period of time for analysis by the data processing device. 
     
     
         23 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein the time intervals are regular time intervals. 
     
     
         24 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a communication connection between the data processing device and a control unit of the cleaning apparatus is provided, wherein a detection of the propagation of vibrations, the provision of the input information and/or an analysis of the input information only takes place when the cleaning apparatus, in particular at least one functional unit and/or a cleaning tool of the cleaning apparatus, is in operation. 
     
     
         25 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the data processing device is arranged spatially separated from the sensor device and is connectable to said sensor device via a wireless communication connection, via which the abnormal propagation of vibrations and/or the input information is transmittable to the data processing device. 
     
     
         26 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system in the cleaning apparatus and/or in the capturing device comprises a storage device for storing the detected abnormal propagation of vibrations and/or the input information, wherein the cleaning apparatus and/or the capturing device is connectable to a spatially remotely arranged data processing device via a communication interface and the abnormal propagation of vibrations and/or the input information is transmittable to the data processing device. 
     
     
         27 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the analysis of the input information by the application program is configured to be carried out in accordance with at least one of the following methods: use of a neural network, K-nearest neighbor analysis, decision tree method, machine learning algorithm, deep learning technology. 
     
     
         28 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the data processing device comprises a communication interface for transmitting an update of the application program. 
     
     
         29 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning system comprises two or more cleaning apparatuses, in particular of the same type. 
     
     
         30 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 29 , wherein the cleaning system comprises two or more data processing devices which are assigned to the cleaning apparatuses, wherein the application program, depending on a location of use of the cleaning apparatuses, is the same for locations of use of the same type or differs for different locations of use. 
     
     
         31 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 30 , wherein the data processing device comprises a communication interface for transmitting an update of the application program and wherein the application programs are synchronizable with one another in the case of a location of use of the same type. 
     
     
         32 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus is configured to be self-propelled and self-steering. 
     
     
         33 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus is configured to be user-guided and comprises an operating unit for guiding the cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         34 . Cleaning system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning apparatus is one of the following: scrubber-dryer, sweeper, high-pressure cleaning apparatus, suction device for cleaning purposes, mopping device, hard surface cleaning apparatus, dry ice cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         35 . Method for operating a cleaning system with a cleaning apparatus comprising at least one cleaning tool, comprising
 detecting, with a sensor device, a propagation of vibrations due to the operation of the cleaning apparatus and providing input information related thereto;   analyzing the input information using a data processing device on which an application program is running or is runnable;   ascertaining whether the propagation of vibrations is an abnormal propagation of vibrations which is indicative of an actual operating state of the cleaning apparatus which deviates from a normal operating state;   ascertaining a cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations; and/or providing a corrective measure to correct the cause of the abnormal propagation of vibrations.