SENSING SYSTEM AND MOVING ROBOT HAVING THE SAME

• US 20110278082A1
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHUNG, Woo Ram, Joo, Jae Man, Hong, Jun Pyo, Lee, Jun Hwa, Jang, Hwi Chan
• Granted Patent: US 8,794,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4814 of transmitters alone
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93

Abstract

A moving robot includes a sensing system. The moving robot includes light sources generating light, an optical guide to receive, diffuse, and emit the light generated from the light source, and light receiving sensors to receive the light emitted from the optical guide and then reflected by the object. Light irradiated from the light sources is diffused and emitted to a wide region through the optical guide, thereby allowing light to be emitted to the wide region with a small number of the light sources.

Claims

1. A sensing system comprising:

a light source generating light;

an optical guide to diffuse and emit the light generated from the light source; and

light receiving sensors to receive the light emitted from the optical guide and then reflected by an object adjacent to the sensing system.

2. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein:

the optical guide is extended in one direction; and

the light source is installed at least one of both end surfaces of the optical guide.

3. The sensing system according to claim 1, wherein a reflection plane is provided on one side surface of the optical guide to reflect light entering the optical guide toward the other side surface.

4. A moving robot comprising:

a main body; and

a sensing system to sense an object around the main body, wherein the sensing system includes;

a light source generating light;

an optical guide to receive, diffuse, and emit the light generated from the light source; and

light receiving sensors to receive the light emitted from the optical guide and then reflected by the object.

5. The moving robot according to claim 4, wherein:

the main body is formed in a disc shape; and

the optical guide is extended in the circumferential direction of the main body to correspond to the main body, and disposed on the front surface of the main body.

6. The moving robot according to claim 4, wherein the light source is installed at least one of both end surfaces of the optical guide, and the light generated from the light source enters the optical guide through both end surfaces of the optical guide.

7. The moving robot according to claim 4, further comprising a reflection plane provided on the rear surface of the optical guide to reflect light entering the optical guide toward the front surface of the optical guide.

8. The moving robot according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of reflection grooves to form the reflection plane is provided on the rear surface of the optical guide.

9. The moving robot according to claim 7, further comprising a reflection member disposed at the rear of the optical guide to reflect light, emitted backwards from the optical guide, forwards.

10. The moving robot according to claim 7, wherein a white sheet to form the reflection plane is attached to the rear surface of the optical guide.

11. The moving robot according to claim 7, wherein any one of white paint or silver paint, or light diffusion ink to form the reflection plane is applied to the rear surface of the optical guide.

12. The moving robot according to claim 4, wherein the light receiving sensors include obstacle sensors disposed above the optical guide to receive light from the lower portion of an area in front of the optical guide.

13. The moving robot according to claim 4, wherein the light receiving sensors include floor sensors to receive light emitted downwards from the optical guide and then reflected by a floor.

14. The moving robot according to claim 4, further comprising a bumper installed at one side of the main body to move forward and backward, the optical guide being disposed on the bumper,

wherein the light receiving sensors include bumper sensors disposed at the rear of the optical guide of the main body to receive light emitted through the rear surface of the optical guide.

15. The moving robot according to claim 14, the moving robot further comprising:

a plurality of through holes formed through the reflection member at position corresponding to the bumper sensor to transmit the light to the bumper sensors.

16. The moving robot according to claim 4, wherein each of the light receiving sensors includes a sensing part to sense light, and a light receiving lens disposed in front of the sensing part to determine light receiving regions of the light receiving sensors.

17. The moving robot according to claim 16, wherein the light receiving lens is an asymmetric lens in which a light receiving region in the vertical direction and a light receiving region in the horizontal direction are independently determined.

18. The moving robot according to claim 15, wherein a transparent window is formed through the bumper at a position corresponding to the obstacle sensors.