Sonar scanner
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- transmitting a sound wave comprised of a first portion and a second portion;
obtaining a characteristic of the second portion;
storing the characteristic; and
using the characteristic to detect an echo of another sound wave.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pulse-echo sonar scanner for a mobile robot includes a transmitter which generates a pulse signal, an acoustic transducer which transmits and receives acoustic signals, a receiver, means for determining performance characteristics of the transducer for a given pulse, means for storing the performance characteristics, and means for determining threshold levels for an echo based on the stored performance characteristics.
34 Citations
88 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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transmitting a sound wave comprised of a first portion and a second portion;
obtaining a characteristic of the second portion;
storing the characteristic; and
using the characteristic to detect an echo of another sound wave. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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measuring ambient noise at transmission of a first signal comprised of a pulse and a decaying portion;
obtaining an amplitude in the decaying portion;
removing the ambient noise from the amplitude; and
using the amplitude with removed ambient noise to distinguish a decaying portion of a second signal from an echo of the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of distinguishing an echo of a transmitted signal from impulse noise, comprising:
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receiving a signal having an amplitude;
measuring a duration of the amplitude; and
determining if the duration exceeds a period;
wherein, if the duration exceeds the period, the signal comprises the echo of the transmitted signal and, if the duration does not exceed the period, the signal comprises the impulse noise. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method comprising:
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transmitting a signal towards two objects, a first of the objects being in front of a second of the objects;
receiving a first echo from the two objects; and
receiving a second echo from the two objects;
wherein, if the second echo is comprised of an amplitude having a greater amplitude than the first echo, the method further comprises;
using the first echo to determine information relating to the first object; and
using the second echo to determine information relating to the second object. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method comprising:
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transmitting a waveform having a predetermined shape;
receiving a signal;
analyzing a shape of the signal; and
determining if the signal comprises an echo of the waveform based on the analysis of the shape of the signal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A pulse-echo sonar scanner for a mobile robot, comprising:
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a transmitter which generates a pulse signal;
an acoustic transducer which transmits and receives acoustic signals;
a receiver;
means for determining performance characteristics of the transducer for a given pulse;
means for storing the performance characteristics; and
means for determining threshold levels for an echo signal based on the stored performance characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A pulse-echo sonar scanner for a mobile robot, comprising:
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a transmitter which generates a pulse signal;
a single acoustic transducer which transmits and receives acoustic signals;
a receiver;
means for determining a level of ambient noise in an environment; and
means for adjusting a threshold level of the receiver such that the threshold level is at least as high as the level of ambient noise.
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33. A method of adjusting threshold levels on a mobile robot scanner, comprising:
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measuring ring-down characteristics of the mobile robot scanner;
creating a dynamic threshold level based on the ring-down characteristics; and
applying the dynamic threshold levels to received signals.
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34. A method of adjusting threshold levels on a mobile robot scanner to compensate for effects of ambient noise, comprising:
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measuring the ambient noise; and
adjusting the threshold levels such that the threshold levels are at least as high as a level of the ambient noise.
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35. An apparatus comprising:
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a transducer which transmits a sound wave comprised of a first portion and a second portion; and
a processor which obtains a characteristic of the second portion, stores the characteristic, and uses the characteristic to detect an echo of another sound wave. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. An apparatus comprising:
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a transducer which transmits a first signal comprised of a pulse and a decaying portion; and
a processor which;
measures ambient noise at transmission of the first signal;
obtains an amplitude in the decaying portion;
removes the ambient noise from the amplitude; and
uses the amplitude with removed ambient noise to distinguish a decaying portion of a second signal from an echo of the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An apparatus for distinguishing an echo of a transmitted signal from impulse noise, comprising:
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a receiver which receives a signal having an amplitude; and
a processor which measures a duration of the amplitude and determines if the duration exceeds a period;
wherein, if the duration exceeds the period, the signal comprises the echo of the transmitted signal and, if the duration does not exceed the period, the signal comprises the impulse noise. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. An apparatus comprising:
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a transducer which transmits a signal towards two objects, a first of the objects being in front of a second of the objects;
a receiver which receives a first echo from the two objects and a second echo from the two objects; and
a processor which determines if the second echo is comprised of an amplitude having a greater amplitude than the first echo;
wherein, if the second echo is comprised of an amplitude having a greater amplitude than the first echo, the processor;
uses the first echo to determine information relating to the first object; and
uses the second echo to determine information relating to the second object. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. An apparatus comprising:
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a transducer which transmits a waveform having a predetermined shape;
a receiver which receives a signal; and
a processor which analyzes a shape of the signal, and determines if the signal comprises an echo of the waveform based on the analysis of the shape of the signal. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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62. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to:
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obtaining a characteristic of a second portion of a sound wave comprised of a first portion and a second portion;
store the characteristic; and
use the characteristic to detect an echo of another sound wave. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to:
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measure ambient noise at transmission of a first signal comprised of a pulse and a decaying portion;
obtain an amplitude in the decaying portion;
remove the ambient noise from the amplitude; and
use the amplitude with removed ambient noise to distinguish a decaying portion of a second signal from an echo of the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for distinguishing an echo of a transmitted signal from impulse noise, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to:
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receive a signal having an amplitude;
measure a duration of the amplitude; and
determine if the duration exceeds a period;
wherein, if the duration exceeds the period, the signal comprises the echo of the transmitted signal and, if the duration does not exceed the period, the signal comprises the impulse noise. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to:
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cause a signal to be transmitted towards two objects, a first of the objects being in front of a second of the objects;
receive a first echo from the two objects; and
receive a second echo from the two objects;
wherein, if the second echo is comprised of an amplitude having a greater amplitude than the first echo, the computer program provides for;
using the first echo to determine information relating to the first object; and
using the second echo to determine information relating to the second object. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85)
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86. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to:
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cause a waveform having a predetermined shape to be transmitted;
receive a signal;
analyze a shape of the signal; and
determine if the signal comprises an echo of the waveform based on the analysis of the shape of the signal. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88)
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Specification