Mobile robot having collision avoidance system for crossing a road from a pedestrian pathway
First Claim
1. A method for a mobile package delivery robot located on a pedestrian pathway to avoid collisions when crossing a road adjacent to the pedestrian pathway, the method comprising:
- the mobile robot approaching the road from the pedestrian pathway;
the mobile robot sensing road conditions via at least one first sensor;
the mobile robot initiating road crossing at a pedestrian crossing, if the mobile robot determines that the road conditions are suitable for crossing by the mobile robot;
while crossing the road on the pedestrian crossing, the mobile robot sensing via at least one second sensor a change in the road conditions indicating that at least one hazardous moving object is on the road outside the pedestrian crossing, and is on a potential collision course with the mobile robot; and
the mobile robot initiating a collision avoidance maneuver, in response to determining that at least one hazardous moving object is present on the road outside the pedestrian crossing and is on a potential collision course with the mobile robot, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver comprises;
applying a braking force; and
thenapplying a reverse acceleration in such a way that the mobile robot moves backwards within 0.5 seconds of sensing said change in road conditions, travels in reverse a predetermined distance and comes to a standstill.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A collision avoidance method and system for a mobile robot crossing a road. When a mobile robot approaches a road, it senses road conditions via at least one first sensor, and initiates road crossing if the road conditions are deemed suitable for crossing. As it crosses the road, the mobile robot senses, via at least one second sensor, a change in the road conditions indicating the presence of at least one hazardous moving object. In response to determining that at least one hazardous object in present, the mobile robot initiates a collision avoidance maneuver. A mobile robot configured to avoid collisions while crossing a road includes: at least one first sensor configured to sense road conditions, at least one second sensor configured to sense road conditions, and a processing component configured to carry out one or more collision avoidance maneuvers.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for a mobile package delivery robot located on a pedestrian pathway to avoid collisions when crossing a road adjacent to the pedestrian pathway, the method comprising:
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the mobile robot approaching the road from the pedestrian pathway; the mobile robot sensing road conditions via at least one first sensor; the mobile robot initiating road crossing at a pedestrian crossing, if the mobile robot determines that the road conditions are suitable for crossing by the mobile robot; while crossing the road on the pedestrian crossing, the mobile robot sensing via at least one second sensor a change in the road conditions indicating that at least one hazardous moving object is on the road outside the pedestrian crossing, and is on a potential collision course with the mobile robot; and the mobile robot initiating a collision avoidance maneuver, in response to determining that at least one hazardous moving object is present on the road outside the pedestrian crossing and is on a potential collision course with the mobile robot, wherein the collision avoidance maneuver comprises; applying a braking force; and
thenapplying a reverse acceleration in such a way that the mobile robot moves backwards within 0.5 seconds of sensing said change in road conditions, travels in reverse a predetermined distance and comes to a standstill. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for a package delivery mobile robot located on a pedestrian pathway to avoid collisions when crossing a road adjacent to the pedestrian pathway, the method comprising:
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initiating road crossing at a pedestrian crossing; while crossing the road, detecting at least one approaching hazardous moving object which is on the road but outside the pedestrian crossing; computing a trajectory of the at least one hazardous moving object on the road; classifying the hazardous moving object; and initiating a collision avoidance maneuver, if the trajectory and classification of the hazardous moving object meet certain predefined criteria including that the trajectory of the hazardous moving object intersects a trajectory of the mobile robot within a certain minimum limit;
wherein;the collision avoidance maneuver comprises moving backwards within 0.5 seconds of detecting said at least one approaching hazardous moving object. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 17)
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13. A road crossing mobile package delivery robot configured to avoid collisions while crossing a road, the mobile robot comprising
at least one first sensor configured to sense road conditions; -
at least one second sensor configured to sense road conditions; and a processing component connected to the at least one first sensor and to the at least one second sensor, and configured to; detect, from a pedestrian pathway on which the mobile robot is located, that the mobile robot is approaching a road; process road conditions sensed by the at least one first sensor; initiate road crossing at a pedestrian crossing, if the mobile robot determines that the road conditions are suitable for crossing by the mobile robot; process a change in the road conditions sensed by the at least one second sensor indicating a hazardous approaching object while the robot is crossing the road; and initiate a collision avoidance maneuver, in response to determining that at least one hazardous approaching object is present on the road but outside the pedestrian crossing, and is on a trajectory that intersects a trajectory of the mobile robot within a certain minimum limit;
wherein;the collision avoidance maneuver comprises moving backwards within 0.5 seconds of determining that said at least one hazardous object is present. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 18)
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19. A method for a mobile package delivery robot initially located on a pedestrian pathway to cross a road adjacent to the pedestrian pathway, the method comprising:
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while still on the pedestrian pathway, sensing road conditions via at least one first sensor; if the mobile robot determines that road conditions are suitable for crossing by the mobile robot, initiating a road crossing at a pedestrian crossing, while crossing the road and on the pedestrian crossing, the mobile robot sensing via at least one second sensor, a change in the road conditions indicating at least one hazardous moving object; and if the mobile robot detects that at least one hazardous moving object is present on the road but outside the pedestrian crossing, and is on a trajectory that intersects a trajectory of the mobile robot within a certain minimum limit, initiating a collision avoidance maneuver comprising; the mobile robot checking to see if an object is directly behind the mobile robot; and if the mobile robot determines that there is no object directly behind the mobile robot, the mobile robot traveling backwards in the direction of the pedestrian pathway from which the mobile robot entered the road, within 0.5 seconds of detecting that said at least one hazardous moving object is present. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification