APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING CAMERA OF ROBOT CLEANER

• US 20070100501A1
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: IM, Hyoung-deuk, JUNG, IL-kyun
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for controlling a camera mounted at a robot cleaner in order to sense obstacles and perform position compensation. The apparatus for controlling a camera of a robot cleaner includes a first axis driver for driving a camera mounted at the robot cleaner in a first axis direction; a second axis driver 320 for driving the camera in a second axis direction other than the first axis direction; an image processor 330 for receiving and processing an image photographed by the camera; and a control section 340 for controlling the first axis driver and the second axis driver, and controlling a traveling of the robot cleaner based on the image photographed by the camera.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a camera of a robot cleaner comprising:

a first axis driver for driving a camera mounted at the robot cleaner in a first axis direction;

a second axis driver for driving the camera in a second axis direction other than the first axis direction;

an image processor for receiving and processing an image photographed by the camera; and

a control section for controlling the first axis driver and the second axis driver, and controlling a traveling of the robot cleaner based on the image photographed by the camera.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first axis driver rotates the camera in a horizontal direction, and the second axis driver rotates the camera in a vertical direction.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first axis driver rotates within a range of 120°

.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control section controls a driver of a robot cleaner body to horizontally rotate the robot cleaner itself in order to photograph an image of a region beyond the range of 120°

.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second axis driver rotates within a range of 90°

.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control section controls a driver of a robot cleaner body to perform a rectilinear motion for the robot cleaner itself in order to photograph an image of a region beyond the range of 90°

.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first image photographed by the camera driven in the first axis direction is obstacle information, and a second image photographed by the camera driven in the second axis direction is position information of the robot cleaner.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control section alternately drives the first axis driver and the second axis driver according to a predetermined pattern.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the predetermined pattern is determined based on time, a moving distance of the robot cleaner, or a combination thereof.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second axis drivers includes an origin sensor for confirming whether the camera is positioned at an origin.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the origin sensor is a touch sensor.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the origin is present at an intersection between a first axis and a second axis.

13. A method for controlling a camera of a robot cleaner, comprising the steps of:

(i) initializing a camera mounted at the robot cleaner with an origin;

(ii) driving the camera in a first axis direction and photographing a first image by the camera;

(iii) driving the camera in a second axis direction other than the first axis direction and photographing a second image by the camera;

(iv) receiving and processing the first and second images photographed by the camera;

(v) controlling a traveling of the robot cleaner based on the first and second photographed images.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein step (ii) rotates the camera in a horizontal direction within a first predetermined angle range, and

step (iii) rotates the camera in a vertical direction within a second predetermined angle range.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein a first image photographed by step (ii) is obstacle information, and a second image photographed by step (iii) is position information of the robot cleaner.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein steps (ii) and (iii) repeat according a predetermined pattern.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the predetermined pattern is determined based on time, a moving distance of the robot cleaner, or a combination thereof.