Apparatus and method for correcting position of mobile robot

• US 20050134209A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Young-Gie
• Granted Patent: US 7,274,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/568.120
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for correcting a position of a mobile robot includes a position notifying unit, installed at a predetermined position, that generates and transmits a signal indicative of the predetermined position. The mobile robot includes a position signal detector, installed at a predetermined position of the mobile robot, that detects a signal; and a control unit, installed at a predetermined position of the mobile robot, that corrects a position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to the detected position signal, so that a position error that is generated when the mobile robot moves is corrected.

Claims

1. An apparatus for correcting a position of a mobile robot comprising:

a position notifying unit, installed at a predetermined position, that generates a position signal indicative of the predetermined position;

a position signal detector, installed at a predetermined position of a mobile robot, that detects the position signal; and

a control unit, installed at a predetermined position of the mobile robot, that corrects a position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to the detected position signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit corrects a position error that is generated when the mobile robot moves on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to a predetermined position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position notifying unit comprises:

a magnet fixing station including

at least one magnet.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one magnet is of the magnet fixing station comprises a binary pattern in order to recognize and discriminate the predetermined position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the position notifying unit generates a magnetic field corresponding to a binary value in order to discriminate a predetermined position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the position signal detector includes magnetic sensors, wherein the magnetic sensors detect a magnetic field corresponding to the binary value and convert the detected magnetic field into an electrical signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit converts the electrical signal to a binary value and corrects a current position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to a pre-stored binary value when the binary value is identical to with the pre-stored binary value.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit comprises:

a storing unit that pre-stores the binary value and the position information.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit corrects current position information of the mobile robot on the basis of position information corresponding to a pre-stored position signal when the position signal is identical to the pre-stored position signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position notifying unit generates a magnetic field indicative of its position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the magnetic field is generated by a magnet.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the magnet comprises a permanent magnet.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position notifying unit is positioned on a wall.

14. A method for correcting a position of a mobile robot comprising:

generating a position signal indicative of a predetermined position;

detecting the position signal; and

correcting a position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to the detected position signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the correcting comprises correcting a position error generated when the mobile robot moves on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to a predetermined position.

16. The method of claim 14 the generating further comprises generating a magnetic field corresponding to a binary value in order to recognize and discriminate a predetermined position.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the detecting comprises detecting the magnetic field and converting the detected magnetic field into an electrical signal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the correcting comprises converting the electrical signal into a binary value and correcting a current position of the mobile robot is corrected on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to the pre-stored binary value when the binary value is identical with a pre-stored binary value.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the correcting comprises correcting the current position information of the mobile robot on the basis of position information corresponding to the pre-stored position signal when the detected position signal is identical to a pre-stored position signal.