Automatic operation vehicle

• US 10,054,952 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2017
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shiromizu, Yasuyuki, Mizoroke, Tsutomu, Yamanaka, Makoto, Hirose, Yoshihisa, Kigami, Minami, Yamashita, Kensei
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US15/459,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20170269603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 701 28
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80

Abstract

An automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area is provided. The vehicle includes a moving direction determination unit configured to determine a moving direction of the vehicle, an image analysis unit configured to extract a marker included in an image captured by a camera provided on the vehicle, and a survey unit configured to acquire, by triangulation, position information of the marker extracted by the image analysis unit. When the survey unit starts acquiring the position information of the marker, the moving direction determination unit determines, as the moving direction, a direction in which the vehicle does not come into contact with the marker, and an angle difference with respect to a direction from a current position of the vehicle to the marker is smaller than 90°.

Claims

1. An automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area, the vehicle comprising:

a moving direction determination circuit configured to determine a moving direction of the automatic operation vehicle;

an image analysis circuit configured to extract a marker included in an image captured by a camera provided on the automatic operation vehicle; and

a survey circuit configured to acquire, by triangulation, position information of the marker extracted by the image analysis circuit,

wherein when the survey circuit starts acquiring the position information of the marker,

the moving direction determination circuit determines, as the moving direction, a direction in which the automatic operation vehicle does not come into contact with the marker, and an angle difference with respect to a direction from a current position of the automatic operation vehicle to the marker is smaller than 90°

.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the survey circuit determines whether the acquisition of the position information of the marker extracted by the image analysis circuit is completed, and starts acquiring the position information of the marker for which it is determined that the acquisition of the position information is not completed.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein if the image analysis circuit simultaneously extracts two or more markers,

the survey circuit determines whether the acquisition of the position information of all the markers extracted by the image analysis circuit is completed, and starts acquiring the position information of the marker of a highest visibility from the current position of the automatic operation vehicle out of the markers for which it is determined that the acquisition of the position information is not completed.

4. A method of controlling an automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area, the method being performed by the automatic operation vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a moving direction of the automatic operation vehicle;

extracting a marker included in an image captured by a camera provided on the automatic operation vehicle; and

acquiring, by triangulation, position information of the extracted marker,

wherein the determining the moving direction includes, when starting acquiring the position information of the marker,

determining, as the moving direction, a direction in which the automatic operation vehicle does not come into contact with the marker, and an angle difference with respect to a direction from a current position of the automatic operation vehicle to the marker is smaller than 90°

.

5. An automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area, the vehicle comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the programs including instructions for;

determining a moving direction of the automatic operation vehicle;

extracting a marker included in an image captured by a camera provided on the automatic operation vehicle; and

acquiring, by triangulation, position information of the extracted marker,

wherein the determining the moving direction includes, when starting acquiring the position information of the marker,

determining, as the moving direction, a direction in which the automatic operation vehicle does not come into contact with the marker, and an angle difference with respect to a direction from a current position of the automatic operation vehicle to the marker is smaller than 90°

.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing an automatic operation vehicle that automatically performs an operation in an operation area, to execute a process, the process comprising:

determining a moving direction of the automatic operation vehicle;

extracting a marker included in an image captured by a camera provided on the automatic operation vehicle; and

acquiring, by triangulation, position information of the extracted marker,

wherein the determining the moving direction includes, when starting acquiring the position information of the marker,

determining, as the moving direction, a direction in which the automatic operation vehicle does not come into contact with the marker, and an angle difference with respect to a direction from a current position of the automatic operation vehicle to the marker is smaller than 90°

.