Autonomous movement device, autonomous movement method and non-transitory recording medium

• US 10,108,199 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakajima, Mitsuyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US15/276,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20170168498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 701 28
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3859 Differential updating map data
• 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 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0253 extracting relative motion information from a plurality of images taken successively, e.g. visual odometry, optical flow determining position or orientation from images G06T7/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/579 from motion

Abstract

A determination on whether or not a local device position and a map contain an error is made. A position measurer of an autonomous movement device measures a local device position. A map memory stores the created map. A position estimator estimates the local device position. A determiner determines whether or not a difference between the measured position by the position measurer and the estimated position by the position estimator is within a predetermined error range. A map editor edits the stored map in the map memory when the determiner determines that the difference is out of the predetermined range.

Claims

1. An autonomous movement device comprising:

a driver which includes a motor and which drives the autonomous movement device to move;

an image picker which includes a camera and which picks up a plurality of images;

a map memory that stores a map created using information on the plurality of images picked up by the image picker; and

at least one hardware processor which is configured to;

measure a local device position based on an amount of movement by the driver;

estimate the local device position based on the information on the plurality of images picked up by the image picker and information on the map stored in the map memory;

determine whether or not a difference between the measured local device position and the estimated local device position is within a predetermined error range; and

edit the map stored in the map memory when it is determined that the difference between the measured local device position and the estimated local device position is out of the predetermined error range,

wherein the driver drives the autonomous movement device to move based on the edited map.

2. The autonomous movement device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to obtain an amount of change in direction of the autonomous movement device,

wherein the at least one hardware processor makes the determination when the obtained change amount in direction is smaller than a reference direction change amount.

3. The autonomous movement device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to obtain an amount of change in position of the autonomous movement device,

wherein the at least one hardware processor makes the determination when the obtained change amount in position is greater than a reference position change amount, and the obtained change amount in direction is smaller than the reference direction change amount.

4. The autonomous movement device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware processor deletes the map stored in the map memory upon determination that the difference is out of the predetermined error range.

5. The autonomous movement device according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to preserve the map stored in the map memory upon determination that the difference is within the predetermined error range, and

wherein the at least one hardware processor stores the preserved map in the map memory upon determination that the difference is out of the predetermined error range.

6. The autonomous movement device according to claim 1, further comprising a time memory that stores information on a time at which the at least one hardware processor determines that the difference is within the predetermined error range,

wherein:

the map memory stores the information on the map together with information on a time at which the map is created; and

the at least one hardware processor deletes, among the pieces of information on the map stored in the map memory, the information on the map created after the time stored in the time memory upon determination that the difference is out of the predetermined error range.

7. The autonomous movement device according to claim 6, further comprising an image memory that stores information on the picked-up image together with information on a time at which the image is picked up,

wherein:

the map memory stores the map created using the information on the plurality of images stored in the image memory; and

the at least one hardware processor deletes, among the pieces of information stored in the image memory, the information on the image picked up after the time stored in the time memory upon determination that the difference is out of the predetermined error range.

8. The autonomous movement device according to claim 1, wherein:

the image picker is a monocular camera; and

the at least one hardware processor estimates the local device position based on the information on the plurality of images picked up by the image picker.

9. The autonomous movement device according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to:

obtain an acceleration by an acceleration sensor; and

calculate an acceleration of the autonomous movement device based on the amount of movement by the driver,

wherein when a difference between the obtained acceleration and the calculated acceleration exceeds a predetermined value, the at least one hardware processor does not edit the map stored in the map memory even if it is determined that the difference between the measured local device position and the estimated local device position is out of the predetermined error range.

10. The autonomous movement device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to:

obtain a value of a current flowing through the motor of the driver; and

estimate a value of the current flowing through the motor based on the amount of movement by the driver,

wherein when a difference between the current value obtained by the current obtainer and the current value estimated by the current estimator exceeds a predetermined value, the at least one hardware processor does not edit the map stored in the map memory even if it is determined that the difference between the measured local device position and the estimated local device position is out of the predetermined error range.

11. The autonomous movement device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware processor comprises a hardware processor of a server which remotely communicates with a main device body of the autonomous movement device,

wherein the driver and the image picker are provided in the main device body of the autonomous movement device, and

wherein the hardware processor of the server is configured to perform, based on information transmitted from the main device body of the autonomous movement device, at least one of the measuring of the local device position, the estimation of the local device position, the determination of whether or not the difference between the measured local device position and the estimated local device position is within the predetermined error range, and the editing of the map stored in the map memory.

12. The autonomous movement device according to claim 11, wherein the map memory is provided in the server.

13. An autonomous movement method for an autonomous movement device comprising a driver which includes a motor and which drives the autonomous movement device to move, and an image picker which includes a camera, the method comprising:

measuring a local device position based on an amount of movement by the driver;

creating a map using information on a plurality of images picked up by the image picker;

estimating the local device position based on the information on the plurality of images picked up by the image picker and information on the created map;

determining whether or not a difference between the measured local device position and the estimated local device position is within a predetermined error range;

editing the created map when a determination is made in the determining that the difference between the measured local device position and the estimated local device position is out of the predetermined error range; and

driving the autonomous movement device to move with the driver, based on the edited map.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a program that is executable by a computer which controls an autonomous movement device comprising a driver which includes a motor and which drives the autonomous movement device to move, and an image picker which includes a camera, the program being executable by the computer to cause the computer to perform functions comprising:

measuring a local device position based on an amount of movement by the driver;

creating a map using information on a plurality of images picked up by the image picker;

estimating the local device position based on the information on the plurality of images picked up by the image picker and information on the created map;

determining whether or not a difference between the measured local device position and the estimated local device position is within a predetermined error range;

editing the created map when a determination is made in the determining that the difference between the measured local device position and the estimated local device position is out of the predetermined error range; and

driving the autonomous movement device to move with the driver, based on the edited map.