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Travel device

  • US 20070118288A1
  • Filed: 11/21/2006
  • Published: 05/24/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2005
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. A travel device comprising:

  • a body having a substantially cylindrical shape that is short in length;

    a driving mechanism for causing the body to be traveled in a predetermined direction;

    a movement-detecting sensor for detecting information on the movement of the body;

    a peripheral sensor for detecting circumstances around the body;

    an operation panel arranged at an outer surface of the body; and

    a control section for receiving detection results obtained by the movement-detecting sensor and the peripheral sensor, and an operation input from the operation panel, controlling the driving mechanism according to predetermined control programs memorized in advance, causing the body to be traveled on a floor surface of a predetermined range;

    the driving mechanism comprising;

    left and right drive wheels arranged at portions of a bottom of the body which are adjacent to both sides of the bottom of the body;

    drive motors adapted to be rotated in a normal direction or a reverse direction independently from each other, the left and right drive wheels being adapted to be driven by the drive motors; and

    a freely rollable wheel provided at a forward portion of the bottom of the body;

    the movement-detecting sensor being adapted to detect rotation amounts and rotational directions of the left and right drive wheels;

    the peripheral sensor comprising;

    light ranging-sensors arranged at the left and right of a front side of the body;

    an ultrasonic ranging-sensor arranged at a substantially central portion of the front side of the body; and

    sidewall sensors arranged at the left and right of the body;

    the control section being adapted to carry out a mapping operation with respect to a room interior or the like on the basis of a dimension of the body, while causing the body to be traveled a predetermined range of the room interior by the driving mechanism, recognize information on locations of the body in the room interior, according to operation instructions from the operation panel;

    the control section being adapted to cause the sidewall sensors to detect any obstacles on sides of the body and cause the ultrasonic ranging-sensor to detect any obstacle ahead of the body, while causing the body to be traveled, when the mapping operation is carried out;

    the control section being adapted to control the driving mechanism in such a manner that the driving mechanism does not allow the body to collide against the obstacles and keeps the body away from the obstacles when the obstacles are detected;

    the control section being adapted to cause the light ranging-sensors to detect the obstacle ahead of the body when the ultrasonic ranging-sensor do not detect the obstacle ahead of the body;

    the control section being adapted to control the driving mechanism in such a manner that the driving mechanism does not allow the body to collide against the obstacle ahead of the body and keeps the body away from the obstacle ahead of the body when the obstacle ahead of the body is detected by the light ranging-sensors;

    the control section being adapted to control the driving mechanism in such a manner that the driving mechanism corrects a travel angle of the body so as to cause the body become perpendicular to the obstacle ahead of the body, when the obstacle ahead of the body is detected by the light ranging-sensors, on the basis of detection results of the light ranging-sensors if the detection results are obtained, or detection results of the ultrasonic ranging-sensor unless the detection results of the light ranging-sensors are obtained; and

    the control section being adapted to cause detection results of the peripheral sensor and information on the movement of the body to be reflected in mapping data.

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