Sense and avoid for automated mobile vehicles
First Claim
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1. An automated vehicle, comprising:
- a body;
a first motor coupled with the body at a first location, the first motor including;
a first exterior component having a first cavity and at least one opening on a side of the first exterior component;
a first interior component positioned substantially within the first cavity of the first exterior component; and
a first laser based rangefinder positioned substantially within the first cavity of the first exterior component, the first laser based rangefinder configured to emit a first laser signal that projects out of the at least one opening on the side of the first exterior component toward an object, reflects off the object and returns to the first laser based rangefinder through the at least one opening on the side of the first exterior component, and configured to receive the reflected first laser signal and determine a first distance to the object;
a first propeller coupled to and rotated by the first motor;
a second motor coupled with the body at a second location, the second motor including;
a second exterior component having a second cavity and at least one opening on a side of the second exterior component;
a second interior component positioned substantially within the second cavity of the second exterior component; and
a second laser based rangefinder positioned substantially within the second cavity of the second exterior component, the second laser based rangefinder configured to emit a second laser signal that projects out of the at least one opening on the side of the second exterior component toward the object, reflects off the object and returns to the second laser based rangefinder through the at least one opening on the side of the second exterior component, and configured to receive the reflected second laser signal and determine a second distance to the object; and
a second propeller coupled to and rotated by the second motor.
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Abstract
This disclosure describes an automated mobile vehicle that includes one or more distance determining elements configured to detect the presence of objects and to cause the automated mobile vehicle to alter its path to avoid the object. For example, a distance determining element may be incorporated into one or more of the motors of the automated mobile vehicle and configured to determine a distance to an object. Based on the determined distance, a path of the automated mobile vehicle may be altered.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An automated vehicle, comprising:
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a body; a first motor coupled with the body at a first location, the first motor including; a first exterior component having a first cavity and at least one opening on a side of the first exterior component; a first interior component positioned substantially within the first cavity of the first exterior component; and a first laser based rangefinder positioned substantially within the first cavity of the first exterior component, the first laser based rangefinder configured to emit a first laser signal that projects out of the at least one opening on the side of the first exterior component toward an object, reflects off the object and returns to the first laser based rangefinder through the at least one opening on the side of the first exterior component, and configured to receive the reflected first laser signal and determine a first distance to the object; a first propeller coupled to and rotated by the first motor; a second motor coupled with the body at a second location, the second motor including; a second exterior component having a second cavity and at least one opening on a side of the second exterior component; a second interior component positioned substantially within the second cavity of the second exterior component; and a second laser based rangefinder positioned substantially within the second cavity of the second exterior component, the second laser based rangefinder configured to emit a second laser signal that projects out of the at least one opening on the side of the second exterior component toward the object, reflects off the object and returns to the second laser based rangefinder through the at least one opening on the side of the second exterior component, and configured to receive the reflected second laser signal and determine a second distance to the object; and a second propeller coupled to and rotated by the second motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 6)
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3. An automated vehicle comprising:
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a body; a first motor positioned at a first location on the body and at a first angle with respect to the body; a first propeller coupled to and rotated by the first motor; a first distance determining element coupled to at least a portion of the first motor and rotated with a rotation of the at least a portion of the first motor such that a first laser signal emitted by the first distance determining element forms a first detection pattern about the first motor and along a first plane corresponding to the first angle; a second motor positioned at a second location on the body and at a second angle with respect to the body, the second angle being different than the first angle; a second propeller coupled to and rotated by the second motor; a second distance determining element coupled to at least a portion of the second motor and rotated with a rotation of the at least a portion of the second motor such that a second laser signal emitted by the second distance determining element forms a second detection pattern about the second motor and along a second plane corresponding to the second angle such that the second detection pattern at least partially intersects with the first detection pattern; a third motor positioned at a third location on the body and at a third angle with respect to the body, the third angle being different than at least one of the first angle or the second angle; a third propeller coupled to and rotated by the third motor; and a third distance determining element coupled to at least a portion of the third motor and rotated with a rotation of the at least a portion of the third motor such that a third laser signal emitted by the third distance determining element forms a third detection pattern about the third motor and along a third plane corresponding to the third angle such that the third detection pattern at least partially intersects with at least one of the first detection pattern or the second detection pattern. - View Dependent Claims (5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification