Optical navigation of vehicles
First Claim
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1. A location system for a vehicle arranged to move over a surface, comprising:
- a first optical motion detector for detecting movement of said vehicle in first and second different directions from said vehicle with respect to said surface;
a second optical motion detector spaced on said vehicle from said first optical motion detector for detecting movement of said vehicle in third and fourth different directions from said vehicle with respect to said surface; and
a processor, responsive to signals from said first and second optical motion detectors for computing relative movement of said vehicle over said surface, wherein at least one of said first or said second optical motion detectors is configured to read optical markings on said surface.
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Abstract
Optical motion detectors of the type used in a computer mouse are mounted on the bottom of a vehicle for detecting motion of the vehicle along a surface. Position of the vehicle can thereafter be computed by “dead reckoning.” In a preferred arrangement, optical markings on the surface can be used, or other arrangements can be used, to calibrate the system.
57 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A location system for a vehicle arranged to move over a surface, comprising:
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a first optical motion detector for detecting movement of said vehicle in first and second different directions from said vehicle with respect to said surface;
a second optical motion detector spaced on said vehicle from said first optical motion detector for detecting movement of said vehicle in third and fourth different directions from said vehicle with respect to said surface; and
a processor, responsive to signals from said first and second optical motion detectors for computing relative movement of said vehicle over said surface, wherein at least one of said first or said second optical motion detectors is configured to read optical markings on said surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A navigation system for a vehicle arranged to move over a surface on wheels, including two wheels arranged for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said vehicle, comprising:
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a optical motion detector arranged on said vehicle and spaced from said axis for detecting movement of said vehicle in first and second different directions from said vehicle with respect to said surface; and
a processor, responsive to signals from said optical motion detector for computing relative movement of said vehicle over said surface, wherein said surface bears one or more optical markings. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for locating a vehicle arranged to move over a surface, comprising:
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optically detecting movement of said vehicle in first and second different directions with respect to said surface from a first detector location on said vehicle;
optically detecting movement of said vehicle in third and fourth different directions with respect to said surface from a second detector location on said vehicle remote from said first detector;
processing signals from said first and second optical motion detectors for computing relative movement of said vehicle over said surface;
reading coded data from optical markings on said surface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for navigating a vehicle arranged to move over a surface on wheels, including two wheels arranged for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said vehicle, comprising:
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optically detecting movement of said vehicle in first and second different directions from said vehicle with respect to said surface from a detector location on said vehicle and spaced from said axis; and
computing in a processor relative movement of said vehicle over said surface using signals from said optical motion detector representing movement of said vehicle in said first and second directions. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification