MOBILE ROBOT AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20150157182A1
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: NOH, Dongki, BAEK, Seungmin
• Granted Patent: US 9,339,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0248 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

Data within a designated distance from a main body of the mobile robot is accumulated and stored to form a local area map. A traveling direction or a rotating direction is set while avoiding an obstacle around the main body and a path may be readily set. Repetition of unnecessary operation is prevented and thus a traveling velocity based on rapid movement may be improved. Obstacles are readily avoided and cleaning efficiency may be improved.

Claims

1. A mobile robot comprising:

a mobile main body;

an optical pattern sensor configured to sense obstacles around the main body;

a cleaning unit sucking in foreign substances around the main body during traveling;

a controller configured to extract information of the obstacles by analyzing data input from the optical pattern sensor, to set a traveling direction or a traveling path so as to avoid the obstacles, and to control the main body so as to travel to a destination while avoiding the obstacles; and

a travel driving unit configured to move the main body according to control instructions from the controller, wherein the controller includes;

an obstacle information acquisition unit configured to judge the obstacles and to calculate the positions of the obstacles from data from the optical pattern sensor; and

a map generation unit configured to generate a local area map of an environment around the main body based on the information of the obstacles calculated by the obstacle information acquisition unit.

2. The mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the map generation unit generates the local area map including information of obstacles located within a designated distance from the main body.

3. The mobile robot according to claim 2, wherein the map generation unit generates the local area map including information located within a designated distance from the main body in forward, backward, leftward, and rightward directions.

4. The mobile robot according to claim 2, wherein the map generation unit generates the local area map with respect to an area of a lateral distance of 1 m and a longitudinal distance of 1 m based on information located within a distance of 50 cm in respective forward and backward directions and a distance of 50 cm in respective leftward and rightward directions.

5. The mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the travel driving unit so that the main body is rotated while avoiding the obstacles within the local area map with reference to the local area map during change of the traveling direction or rotation of the main body.

6. The mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein when the main body moves, the map generation unit updates the local area map by retaining data regarding a common area between a local area map prior to movement and a local area map after movement, adding new data after movement, and deleting data prior to movement.

7. The mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the controller sets the position of the main body prior to movement as an initial position of 0 and controls the travel driving unit so that the main body is rotated one time in place and then starts to travel.

8. The mobile robot according to claim 7, wherein when the initial position of the main body is set, the map generation unit generates the local area map based on data input from the optical pattern sensor while the main body is rotated one time.

9. The mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the controller further includes:

a pattern extraction unit configured to extract a pattern from the data from the optical pattern sensor and to supply the extracted pattern to the obstacle information acquisition unit; and

a position recognition unit configured to calculate the position of the main body.

10. The mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the optical pattern sensor includes a pattern irradiation unit emitting a cross-shaped optical pattern, including a horizontal line optical pattern and a vertical line optical pattern orthogonally intersecting the horizontal line optical pattern, to a region around the main body.

11. An operating method of a mobile robot comprising:

sensing an environment around a main body of the mobile robot through an optical pattern sensor when an operation mode is set;

generating a local area map of the environment around the main body based on data input from the optical pattern sensor;

updating the local area map according to data input from the optical pattern sensor during traveling according the operation mode; and

controlling the main body to change a traveling direction so as to avoid an obstacle around the main body based on the local area map when the obstacle is sensed.

12. The operating method according to mobile robot according to claim 11, wherein information of obstacles located within a designated distance from the main body is generated as the local area map based on the data input from the optical pattern sensor.

13. The operating method according to claim 11, wherein the local area map is updated by retaining data regarding a common area between a local area map prior to movement and a local area map after movement, adding new data after movement, and deleting data prior to movement, during traveling.

14. The operating method according to claim 11, further comprising setting the current position of the main body prior to movement as an initial position of 0, when the operation mode is set.

15. The operating method according to claim 14, further comprising:

rotating the main body one time at the initial position prior to movement, when the operation mode is set; and

generating the local area map based on data input from the optical pattern sensor while the main body is rotated one time.

16. The operating method according to claim 11, wherein, when the obstacle is sensed, the main body travels so as to avoid the obstacle and simultaneously to avoid other obstacles around the main body based on obstacle information included in the local area map.