SELF POSITIONING SYSTEM AND AUTONOMOUSLY MOBILE DEVICE USING THE SAME

• US 20180039277A1
• Filed: 11/21/2016
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: LIU, TIEN-PING
• Granted Patent: US 10,019,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/04 for sequential operation or multiple outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/12 responsive to conditions of ambient medium or target, e.g. humidity, temperature position or movement of the target relative to the spray apparatus B05B12/082, B05B12/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/14 for supplying a selected one of a plurality of liquids or other fluent materials or several in selected proportions to a spray apparatus, e.g. to a single spray outlet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/402 characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45013 Spraying, coating, painting
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0253 extracting relative motion information from a plurality of images taken successively, e.g. visual odometry, optical flow determining position or orientation from images G06T7/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/33 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a self positioning system and an autonomously mobile device using the same. The self positioning system is installed on the autonomously mobile device at work. The self positioning system includes a controlling module, an image acquisition module configured to acquire an image of the surrounding environment of the autonomously mobile device, an image dealing module configured to deal the image of the surrounding environment by selecting the feature point, and a calculating module configured to calculate position information of the autonomously mobile device according to the position change of the same feature point in different images. The self positioning system further includes a spraying module configured to spray liquid or paste to form a feature point in the surrounding environment.

Claims

1. A self positioning system, comprising:

a controlling module;

a spraying module configured to spray a liquid or paste to form a feature point in a surrounding environment around the self positioning system;

an image acquisition module configured to acquire a plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment;

an image dealing module configured to deal the plurality of images by selecting the feature point in the plurality of images; and

a calculating module configured to calculate position information according to position change of the feature point in the plurality of images.

2. The self positioning system of claim 1, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S11), spraying the liquid or paste to form the feature point in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S12);

step (S12), acquiring the plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S13);

step (S13), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S14); and

step (S14), calculating the position information according to the position change of the feature point in the plurality of images.

3. The self positioning system of claim 1, further comprising a color selecting module configured to analyze a first color of the surrounding environment and select a second color of the liquid or paste so that the second color of the liquid or paste is different from the first color of the surrounding environment.

4. The self positioning system of claim 3, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S20), acquiring a base image of the surrounding environment having the first color, and go to step (S21);

step (S21), selecting the second color which is different from the first color of the surrounding environment, and go to step (S22);

step (S22), spraying the liquid or paste to form the feature point having the second color in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S23);

step (S23), acquiring the plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S24);

step (S24), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the feature point, and go to step (S25); and

step (S25), calculating the position information according to the position change of the feature point in the plurality of images.

5. The self positioning system of claim 3, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S20), acquiring a base image of the surrounding environment having the first color, and go to step (S21);

step (S21), selecting the second color which is different from the first color of the surrounding environment, and go to step (S22);

step (S22), spraying the liquid or paste to form the feature point having the second color in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S23);

step (S23), acquiring the plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S24);

step (S24), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the feature point, and go to step (S25);

step (S25), calculating the position information according to the position change of the feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S26); and

step (S26), judging whether the first color of the surrounding environment in the last one of the plurality of images is still different from the second color, if yes, go back to step (S22), if no, go back to step (S21).

6. The self positioning system of claim 1, further comprising a heating module configured to heat the feature point.

7. The self positioning system of claim 6, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S31), spraying the liquid or paste to form the feature point in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S32);

step (S32), acquiring the plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S33);

step (S33), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the feature point, and go to step (S34);

step (S34), calculating the position information according to the position change of the feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S35); and

step (S35), removing the feature point from the surrounding environment by heating.

8. The self positioning system of claim 6, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S30), setting N=1, and go to step (S31);

step (S31), spraying the liquid or paste to form a N^th feature point in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S32);

step (S32), acquiring the plurality of images of the N^th feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S33);

step (S33), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the N^th feature point, and go to step (S34);

step (S34), calculating the position information according to the position change of the N^th feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S35);

step (S35), judging whether the N^th feature point is in a visual field of the image acquisition module, if yes, go to step (S37), if no, go to step (S36);

step (S36), removing the N^th feature point from the surrounding environment by heating, and go to step (S37); and

step (S37), setting N=N+1, and go back to step (31).

9. The self positioning system of claim 6, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising steps:

step (S30), setting N=1, and go to step (S31);

step (S31), spraying the liquid or paste to form a N^th feature point in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S32);

step (S32), acquiring the plurality of images of the N^th feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S33);

step (S33), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the N^th feature point, and go to step (S34);

step (S34), calculating the position information according to the position change of the N^th feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S35);

step (S35), judging whether the N^th feature point is in a visual field of the image acquisition module, if yes, go back to step (S32), if no, go to step (S36);

step (S36), removing the N^th feature point from the surrounding environment by heating, and go to step (S37); and

step (S37), setting N=N+1, and go back to step (31).

10. An autonomously mobile device comprising a sensing module, an actuating module, an operation system and a self positioning system;

wherein the self positioning system comprises;

a controlling module;

a spraying module configured to spray a liquid or paste to form a feature point in a surrounding environment;

an image acquisition module configured to acquire a plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment;

an image dealing module configured to deal the plurality of images by selecting the feature point in the plurality of images; and

a calculating module configured to calculate position information according to position change of the feature point in the plurality of images.

11. The autonomously mobile device of claim 10, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S11), spraying the liquid or paste to form the feature point in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S12);

step (S12), acquiring the plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S13);

step (S13), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S14); and

step (S14), calculating the position information according to the position change of the feature point in the plurality of images.

12. The autonomously mobile device of claim 10, wherein the self positioning system further comprises a color selecting module configured to analysis a first color of the surrounding environment and select a second color of the liquid or paste so that the second color of the feature point is different from the first color of the surrounding environment.

13. The autonomously mobile device of claim 12, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S20), acquiring a base image of the surrounding environment having the first color, and go to step (S21);

step (S21), selecting the second color which is different from the first color of the surrounding environment, and go to step (S22);

step (S22), spraying the liquid or paste to form the feature point having the second color in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S23);

step (S23), acquiring the plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S24);

step (S24), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the feature point, and go to step (S25); and

step (S25), calculating the position information according to the position change of the feature point in the plurality of images.

14. The autonomously mobile device of claim 12, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S20), acquiring a base image of the surrounding environment having the first color, and go to step (S21);

step (S21), selecting the second color which is different from the first color of the surrounding environment, and go to step (S22);

step (S22), spraying the liquid or paste to form the feature point having the second color in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S23);

step (S23), acquiring the plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S24);

step (S24), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the feature point, and go to step (S25);

step (S25), calculating the position information according to the position change of the feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S26); and

step (S26), judging whether the first color of the surrounding environment in the last one of the plurality of images is still different from the second color, if yes, go back to step (S22), if no, go back to step (S21).

15. The autonomously mobile device of claim 10, wherein the self positioning system further comprises a heating module configured to heat the feature point.

16. The autonomously mobile device of claim 15, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S31), spraying the liquid or paste to form the feature point in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S32);

step (S32), acquiring the plurality of images of the feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S33);

step (S33), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the feature point, and go to step (S34);

step (S34), calculating the position information according to the position change of the feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S35); and

step (S35), removing the feature point from the surrounding environment by heating.

17. The autonomously mobile device of claim 15, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S30), setting N=1, and go to step (S31);

step (S31), spraying the liquid or paste to form a N^th feature point in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S32);

step (S32), acquiring the plurality of images of the N^th feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S33);

step (S33), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the N^th feature point, and go to step (S34);

step (S34), calculating the position information according to the position change of the N^th feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S35);

step (S35), judging whether the N^th feature point is in a visual field of the image acquisition module, if yes, go to step (S37), if no, go to step (S36);

step (S36), removing the N^th feature point from the surrounding environment by heating, and go to step (S37); and

step (S37), setting N=N+1, and go back to step (31).

18. The autonomously mobile device of claim 15, wherein the controlling module is configured to control the self positioning system to perform a method comprising following steps:

step (S30), setting N=1, and go to step (S31);

step (S31), spraying the liquid or paste to form a N^th feature point in the surrounding environment, and go to step (S32);

step (S32), acquiring the plurality of images of the N^th feature point and the surrounding environment at different time points, and go to step (S33);

step (S33), dealing the plurality of images by selecting the N^th feature point, and go to step (S34);

step (S34), calculating the position information according to the position change of the N^th feature point in the plurality of images, and go to step (S35);

step (S35), judging whether the N^th feature point is in a visual field of the image acquisition module, if yes, go back to step (S32), if no, go to step (S36);

step (S36), removing the N^th feature point from the surrounding environment by heating, and go to step (S37); and

step (S37), setting N=N+1, and go back to step (31).

19. The autonomously mobile device of claim 10, wherein the spraying module is installed on a driving wheel of the actuating module.

20. The autonomously mobile device of claim 19, wherein the driving wheel comprises a plurality of through holes on a cylindrical surface;

the spraying module is located inside the driving wheel and comprises a plurality of nozzles; and

each of the plurality of nozzles has one end extending to one of the plurality of through holes.