Robot apparatus and control method therefor

• US 20080140256A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishiyama, Manabu
• Application Number:
  US11/896,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/255
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1674 characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39091 Avoid collision with moving obstacles

Abstract

There is provided a robot apparatus which can improve work safety while ensuring high working efficiency and a control method for the robot apparatus. The robot apparatus includes a moving body detection unit which generates a predicted moving range for a movable unit region by predicting a range within which the movable unit region moves using a plurality of images sequentially sensed by an image sensing unit and attempts to detect a moving body in the predicted moving range and a control unit which, if a moving body is detected by the moving body direction unit, changes the operation of a movable unit.

Claims

1. A robot apparatus comprising:

a movable unit;

an image sensing unit which senses an image of a surrounding environment;

an image recognition unit which detects, in the image, a movable unit region in which the movable unit appears;

a moving body detection unit which generates a predicted moving range for the movable unit region by predicting a range within which the movable unit region moves using a plurality of the images sequentially sensed and attempts to detect a moving body in the predicted moving range; and

a control unit which, if the moving body is detected, changes operation of the movable unit.

2. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

if the moving body is detected, the control unit reduces operating speed of the movable unit.

3. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

if the moving body is detected, the control unit changes a trajectory of the movable unit according to a motion of the movable unit such that the movable unit avoids the moving body.

4. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the moving body detection unit generates velocity vector distribution information within a target one of the plurality of images using the plurality of images sequentially and, if a group of velocity vectors which does not include a velocity vector in the movable unit region, has magnitudes larger than a predetermined threshold value, and occupies a region larger than a predetermined size, of the velocity vector distribution information, is detected in the predicted moving range, detects the region where the group of velocity vectors is located as the moving body.

5. The robot apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the moving body detection unit generates second velocity vector distribution information arising from operation of the robot apparatus itself and

subtracts the second velocity distribution information from the velocity vector distribution information in advance when detecting the moving body.

6. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the moving body detection unit generates the predicted moving range by predicting a moving direction of the movable unit region using the plurality of images sequentially sensed and expanding the movable unit region in the predicted moving direction of the movable unit region by a predetermined number of pixels.

7. The robot apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the moving body detection unit expands the predicted moving range by a predetermined number of pixels by moving a boundary between the predicted moving range and the remaining range of the target image exclusive of the predicted moving range toward the remaining range exclusive of the predicted moving range.

8. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the moving body detection unit generates the predicted moving range by predicting a moving direction and a moving speed of the movable unit region using the plurality of images sequentially sensed and expanding the movable unit region by pixels, the number of which is proportional to the moving speed of the movable unit region, in the predicted moving direction of the movable unit region.

9. The robot apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the moving body detection unit expands the predicted moving range by the pixels, the number of which is proportional to the moving speed of the movable unit region, by moving a boundary between the predicted moving range and the remaining range of the target image exclusive of the predicted moving range toward the remaining range exclusive of the predicted moving range.

10. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of the image sensing units are arranged outside the robot apparatus, and

the moving body detection unit calculates a distance in a depth direction using images obtained from the plurality of image sensing units and generates the predicted moving range on the basis of the calculated distance in the depth direction.

11. A control method for a robot apparatus having a movable unit, comprising:

a step of sensing an image of a surrounding environment by an image sensing unit;

a step of detecting, in the image, a movable unit region in which the movable unit appears;

steps of generating a predicted moving range for the movable unit region by predicting a range within which the movable unit region moves using a plurality of the images sequentially sensed and attempting to detect a moving body in the predicted moving range; and

a step of, if the moving body is detected, changing operation of the movable unit.

12. The control method for the robot apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the step of changing the operation of the movable unit includes reducing operating speed of the movable unit if the moving body is detected.

13. The control method for the robot apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the step of changing the operation of the movable unit includes changing a trajectory of the movable unit according to a motion of the movable unit such that the movable unit avoids the moving body if the moving body is detected.

14. The control method for the robot apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the step of attempting to detect the moving body includes generating velocity vector distribution information within a target one of the plurality of images using the plurality of images sequentially sensed and, if a group of velocity vectors which does not include a velocity vector in the movable unit region, has magnitudes larger than a predetermined threshold value, and occupies a region larger than a predetermined size, of the velocity vector distribution information, is detected in the predicted moving range, detecting the region where the group of velocity vectors is located as the moving body.

15. The control method for the robot apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the step of attempting to detect the moving body includes generating the second velocity vector distribution information arising from operation of the robot apparatus itself and

subtracting the second velocity distribution information from the velocity vector distribution information in advance when detecting the moving body.

16. The control method for the robot apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the step of attempting to detect the moving body includes generating the predicted moving range by predicting a moving direction of the movable unit region using the plurality of images sequentially sensed and expanding the movable unit region in the predicted moving direction of the movable unit region by a predetermined number of pixels.

17. The control method for the robot apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the step of attempting to detect the moving body includes expanding the predicted moving range by a predetermined number of pixels by moving a boundary between the predicted moving range and the remaining range of the target image exclusive of the predicted moving range toward the remaining range exclusive of the predicted moving range.

18. The control method for the robot apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the step of attempting to detect the moving body includes generating the predicted moving range by predicting a moving direction and a moving speed of the movable unit region using the plurality of images sequentially sensed and expanding the movable unit region by pixels, the number of which is proportional to the moving speed of the movable unit region, in the predicted moving direction of the movable unit region.

19. The control method for the robot apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the step of attempting to detect the moving body includes expanding the predicted moving range by a predetermined number of pixels by moving a boundary between the predicted moving range and a remaining range of the target image exclusive of the predicted moving range toward the remaining range exclusive of the predicted moving range.

20. The control method for the robot apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the step of attempting to detect the moving body includes calculating a distance in a depth direction using images obtained from the plurality of the image sensing units arranged outside the robot apparatus and generating the predicted moving range on the basis of the calculated distance in the depth direction.