Mobile Robot
First Claim
1. A mobile robot comprising:
- a robot body;
a drive system supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot over a floor surface, the drive system having a forward drive direction;
a controller in communication with the drive system;
an actuator moving a portion of the robot body through a volume of space adjacent the robot; and
a sensor pod in communication with the controller, the sensor pod comprising;
a collar rotatably supported by the robot body and having a curved wall formed at least partially as a surface of revolution about a vertical axis of rotation with respect to the floor surface;
an infrared range sensor housed by the collar and observing the volume of space adjacent the robot from within the collar along an observation axis extending through the curved wall, the infrared range sensor generating range value data representative of obstacles within the observed volume of space;
a presence sensor observing the volume of space adjacent the robot from within the collar along an axis parallel to the observation axis extending through the curved wall, the presence sensor generating presence value data representative of obstacles within the observed volume of space; and
a collar actuator rotating the collar, the infrared range sensor, and the presence sensor about the collar axis of rotation;
wherein all rotating portions of the infrared range sensor and the presence sensor extend a lesser distance from the collar axis of rotation than an outermost point of the collar.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile robot including a robot body, a drive system supporting the robot body, and a controller in communication with the drive system. The robot also includes an actuator moving a portion of the robot body through a volume of space adjacent the mobile robot and a sensor pod in communication with the controller. The sensor pod includes a collar rotatably supported and having a curved wall formed at least partially as a surface of revolution about a vertical axis. The sensor pod also includes a volumetric point cloud sensor housed by the collar and observing the volume of space adjacent the robot from within the collar along an observation axis extending through the curved wall. A collar actuator rotates the collar and the volumetric point cloud sensor together about the collar axis.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A mobile robot comprising:
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a robot body; a drive system supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot over a floor surface, the drive system having a forward drive direction; a controller in communication with the drive system; an actuator moving a portion of the robot body through a volume of space adjacent the robot; and a sensor pod in communication with the controller, the sensor pod comprising; a collar rotatably supported by the robot body and having a curved wall formed at least partially as a surface of revolution about a vertical axis of rotation with respect to the floor surface; an infrared range sensor housed by the collar and observing the volume of space adjacent the robot from within the collar along an observation axis extending through the curved wall, the infrared range sensor generating range value data representative of obstacles within the observed volume of space; a presence sensor observing the volume of space adjacent the robot from within the collar along an axis parallel to the observation axis extending through the curved wall, the presence sensor generating presence value data representative of obstacles within the observed volume of space; and a collar actuator rotating the collar, the infrared range sensor, and the presence sensor about the collar axis of rotation; wherein all rotating portions of the infrared range sensor and the presence sensor extend a lesser distance from the collar axis of rotation than an outermost point of the collar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A mobile robot comprising:
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a drive system configured to maneuver the robot over a floor surface, the drive system having a forward drive direction; a controller in communication with the drive system; a torso body defining a curved forward face supported above the drive system; and an array of sensors disposed on the curved forward face of the torso body, the array of sensors comprising first, second, and third sensors in communication with the controller, the first sensor arranged to aim downward and away from the robot body, the second sensor arranged to aim away from the robot body substantially parallel with the floor surface, and the third sensor arranged to aim upward and away from the robot body. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A mobile robot comprising:
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a robot body; a drive system supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot over a floor surface, the drive system having a forward drive direction; a controller in communication with the drive system; and first, second, and third imaging devices disposed on the robot body and in communication with the controller, the first imaging sensor arranged to aim downward and away from the robot body, the second imaging sensor arranged to aim away from the robot body substantially parallel with the floor surface, and the third imaging sensor arranged to aim upward and away from the robot body. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification