Method of Mapping and Navigating Mobile Robot by Artificial Landmark and Local Coordinate

• US 20080294338A1
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Yu, Won Pil, Doh, Nakju, Na, Sang Ik
• Application Number:
  US12/091,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20080294338A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A method of mapping and navigating a mobile robot by an artificial landmark and a local coordinate is provided. The method of creating a map includes: a) recognizing an artificial landmark in a target space and defining the recognized artificial landmark as a predetermined node; b) defining an adjacent artificial landmark as a destination node while traveling to the adjacent artificial landmark; c) defining the recognized artificial landmark as an origin of a local coordinate, defining a coordinate axis provided from the predetermined artificial landmark as a coordinate axis of the origin, obtaining and storing information about the predetermined node, the destination node, and an edge connecting the predetermined node and the destination node; and d) creating a map by storing information about edges between each of nodes to an adjacent node for all of the artificial landmarks through repeatedly performing the steps b) and c).

Claims

1. A method of mapping a target space with a mobile robot using a plurality of artificial landmarks and a local coordinate, the method comprising the steps of:

a) at the mobile robot, recognizing one of the plurality of artificial landmarks attached on objects in the target space for the mapping, and defining the recognized artificial landmark as a predetermined node;

b) defining an adjacent artificial landmark as a destination node while traveling from the predetermined node to the adjacent artificial landmark;

c) defining the artificial landmark recognized in the predetermined node or any point around the artificial landmark as an origin of a local coordinate, and defining a coordinate axis provided from the predetermined artificial landmark or a specific form relatively represented with respect to the predetermined artificial landmark as a coordinate axis of the origin, to store information on the predetermined node and the destination node, and information on an edge connecting the predetermined node and the destination node; and

d) creating the map by storing information on the adjacent nodes and edges between the respective nodes for all of the artificial landmarks through repeatedly performing the steps b) and c).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the map is created by classifying the target space into a moving zone including a traveling path of the robot and a working zone where the robot performs predetermined operations.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the stored information about the nodes and the edges for the moving zone and the working zone includes information about a position of a node based on a local coordinate of a recognized artificial landmark, a shape and a length of each edge, an ID of a node reached along an edge, and the number of edges connected to a node.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information about the shape and the length of each edge are obtained through position information of a local coordinate obtained through wheels or sensors while the robot travels from one node to another node, manually or automatically.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the information about the ID of the node reached along the edge is obtained through an artificial landmark recognized at the moment that the robot finishes the traveling of one edge.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the working zone is recognized as a node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the edge is described based on a topological connection type in a real space, and the edge directly connects a node to a destination node when the robot travels from the node to the destination node by passing through one or more nodes.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the working zone is expressed as a grid map.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the grid map is formed using a distance sensor including a laser scanner and an ultrasonic sensor.

10. A method of moving a mobile robot using an artificial landmark and a local coordinate, comprising the steps of:

a) defining a predetermined point around an artificial landmark as a node for a plurality of artificial landmarks attached at a target space for creating a map, defining the artificial landmark or a predetermined point around the artificial landmark as an origin of a local coordinate, defining a coordinate axis provided from the artificial landmark or a predetermined shape expressed comparatively for the artificial landmark as a coordinate axis of the origin, and storing information about a node, an adjacent node and edge between the node and the adjacent node in the robot;

b) at the robot, traveling from a current position to a nearest adjacent node in response to a command of moving to a destination node;

c) planning a path from the adjacent node to the destination node using the information about the nodes and the edge while traveling to the nearest adjacent node; and

d) traveling according to the information about the edge between the nodes.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the target space is classified into a moving zone including a traveling path of the robot and a working zone where the robot performs operations.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a node in the working zone and a coordinate point for a local coordinate in the working zone are assigned as a target point when the robot travels into the working zone and performs operations.