Device for determining the position by means of fixed and/or variable landmarks

• US 20050149256A1
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Lawitzky, Gisbert, Ober, Bernhard
• Application Number:
  US10/984,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for determining the position in an environment and for detecting and updating landmarks (5 and 6) by means of information data (3) describing the environment. The device has a navigation system (2) for detecting a specific position in the environment. Modifications of movable landmarks (5), which are made by the device (1), are registered by the device (1) and the information data (3) describing the environment is modified. The device (1) can exchange information data on the environment with a based unit (8) via transmission and receiver devices (7, 9, 10 and 11).

Claims

1. Device for determining a specific position, wherein the device (1) has

a navigation system (2) for determining the position relative to predefinable information data (3_t) describing the environment,

a memory (4) for storing the information data (3_t),

means for detecting changes in the environment relative to the information data (3_t), and

means for entering changes in the information data (3_t) and for generating new information data (3_t+1).

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that

the information data (3_t) describing the environment, which are used by the navigation system (2) for determining the position, represent variable landmarks (5) and/or fixed landmarks (6).

3. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

the device (1) has means for distinguishing variable landmarks (5) from fixed landmarks (6).

4. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that

the device (1) has means for recording positional changes of variable landmarks (5) that are made by the device (1).

5. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that

the device (1) has a receiver (7) for receiving data transmitted by means of a base unit (8) to the device (1) for entering variable landmarks (5).

6. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that

the device (1) has a transmitter (9) for transmitting updated positions of variable landmarks (5) to the base unit (8).

7. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that

the information data (3_t) describing the environment, which are used by the navigation system (2), are provided for display on a map.

8. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that

the information data (3_t) depicted on the map are provided directly on the device (1) and/or on a base unit (8).

9. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that

the device (1) is provided for use in an autonomous mobile system, such as a mobile robot and/or a driverless transport vehicle.

10. Autonomous mobile system having a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.