Method and apparatus for relocating mobile robot

• US 20100324773A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hyoung-ki, Choi, Ki-Wan, Bang, Seok-Won, Park, Ji-Young
• Application Number:
  US12/153,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324773A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/26
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus for relocating a mobile robot when the mobile robot loses its position due to slipping. The method includes storing a moving path of the mobile robot and effective points on the moving path capable of finding an absolute position from a peripheral image; detecting an abnormal motion of the mobile robot; and when the abnormal motion of the mobile robot is detected, controlling the mobile robot to move to the effective point along a predetermined return path.

Claims

1. A method of relocating a mobile robot, comprising:

storing a moving path of the mobile robot and effective points on the moving path capable of finding an absolute position from a peripheral image;

detecting an abnormal motion of the mobile robot; and

when the abnormal motion of the mobile robot is detected, controlling the mobile robot to move to the effective point along a predetermined return path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral image is a ceiling image, a wall image, or a floor image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the effective point is a final effective point among the effective points on the moving path capable of finding the absolute position from the peripheral image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the abnormal motion is slipping.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the abnormal motion is detected by comparing a value measured by an encoder with a value measured by an inertial sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the inertial sensor is a gyrosensor or an acceleration sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the return path is calculated on the basis of the moving path.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the return path is symmetric to the moving path with respect to a point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a reference point for the point symmetry is a central point between the current position of the mobile robot and the effective point.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when the mobile robot encounters an obstacle while moving along the return path, controlling the mobile robot to move along the contour of the obstacle until the mobile robot encounters the return path again.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the return path includes the effective point and a corresponding point that is symmetric to the position calculated by the encoder with respect to a point after the abnormal motion occurs.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the mobile robot reaches the effective point in real time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the determining of the reaching of the mobile robot to the effective point comprises;

determining whether feature points obtained from an image captured in real time are matched with feature points obtained from the effective point.

14. An apparatus for relocating a mobile robot, comprising:

a storage unit storing a moving path of the mobile robot;

an effective-point storage unit storing effective points on the moving path capable of finding an absolute position from a peripheral image;

a detecting unit detecting an abnormal motion of the mobile robot; and

a relocation unit controlling the mobile robot to move to the effective point along a predetermined return path when the abnormal motion of the mobile robot is detected.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the peripheral image is a ceiling image, a wall image, or a floor image.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the effective point is a final point among the effective points on the moving path capable of finding the absolute position from the peripheral image.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the abnormal motion is slipping.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the detecting unit detects the abnormal motion by comparing a value measured by an encoder with a value measured by an inertial sensor.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the inertial sensor is a gyrosensor or an acceleration sensor.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein relocation unit calculates the return path on the basis of the moving path.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the relocation unit calculates the return path that is symmetric to the moving path with respect to a point.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein a reference point for the point symmetry is the central point between the current position of the mobile robot and the effective point.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein, when the mobile robot encounters an obstacle while moving along the return path, the relocation unit controls the mobile robot to move along the contour of the obstacle until the mobile robot encounters the return path again.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the return path includes the effective point and a corresponding point that is symmetric to the position calculated by the encoder with respect to a point after the abnormal motion occurs.

25. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the relocation unit determines whether the mobile robot has reached the effective point in real time.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the relocation unit determines whether the mobile robot has reached the effective point on the basis of whether feature points obtained from an image captured in real time match feature points obtained from the effective point.