APPARATUS FOR AUTONOMOUSLY MODIFYING ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION AND METHOD FOR USING THE SAME

• US 20180039279A1
• Filed: 12/30/2016
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, HORNG-JUING, LIU, TIEN-PING, CHEN, SHU-FEN, HSIAO, YU-CHIEN, HUNG, YU-TAI, YANG, FU-HSIUNG
• Application Number:
  US15/394,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20180039279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

An apparatus for autonomously modifying environment information comprises an autonomous mobile device, a data storage module, an image collection module, an artificial marker identification module, a data recording module, a data analysis module, a data modification module, and a plurality of artificial markers. The image collection module is used to collect an image and transmit the image to the artificial marker identification module. The artificial marker identification module receives the images and identifies a plurality of artificial markers of the image to achieve a positioning. The data recording module records a path surface environment change information and a movement information. The data analysis module analyzes the movement information to achieve an optimal movement information. The data modification module receives the path surface environment change information and the optimal movement information to modify the map and the map description file stored in the data storage module.

Claims

1. An apparatus for autonomously modifying environment information, comprising:

a data storage module configured to store a map of a desired moving area and a map description file corresponding to the map, wherein a plurality of artificial markers are located in the desired moving area;

an autonomous mobile device configured to move between the plurality of artificial markers and provide a movement information;

an image collection module located in the autonomous mobile device and configured to collect an image in front of the autonomous mobile device;

an artificial marker identification module located in the autonomous mobile device and configured to receive the image outputted by the image collection module and identify the plurality of artificial markers in the image to achieve a positioning information of the autonomous mobile device;

a data recording module located in the autonomous mobile device and configured to record a path surface environment change information and the movement information;

a data analysis module configured to analyze the movement information to achieve a preferred movement information; and

a data modification module configured to receive the path surface environment change information and the preferred movement information to modify the map and the map description file stored in the data storage module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of artificial markers are selected from a group consisting of Tag36h11 marker series, Tag36h10 marker series, Tag25h9 marker series, and Tag16h5 marker series.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the map description file stores a distance, a direction, and a required motor output between two artificial markers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the movement information comprises a number of displacement modification times and a displacement modification amount when the autonomous mobile device moves between the two artificial markers.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the path surface environment change information comprises an appearance or disappearance of an obstacle and a change of a path surface friction coefficient.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image collection module comprises a camera, and the camera is located on a side of the autonomous mobile device facing a direction of movement to capture the image in a field of view.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the camera is a web camera based on Charge-coupled Device or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.

8. A method of using an apparatus for autonomously modifying environment information comprising:

S1;

providing the apparatus for autonomously modifying environment information comprising an autonomous mobile device, a data storage module, an image collection module, an artificial marker identification module, a data recording module, a data analysis module, a data modification module and a plurality of artificial markers ;

S2;

activating the autonomous mobile device to move between the plurality of artificial markers, collecting an image in front of the autonomous mobile device during movement by the image collection module, and transmitting the image to the artificial marker identification module;

S3;

identifying the plurality of artificial markers in the image by the artificial marker identification module, and determining a position of the autonomous mobile device relative to the plurality of artificial markers;

S4;

recording a path surface environment change information between the plurality of artificial markers and a movement information of the autonomous mobile device moving between the plurality of artificial markers by the data recording module, and judging a preferred movement information between the plurality of artificial markers according to the movement information by the data analysis module; and

S5;

modifying a map and a map description file in the data storage module according to the path surface environment change information and the preferred movement information by the data modification module.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the preferred movement information is a least number of displacement modification times of the autonomous mobile device bypassing a new obstacle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a method of judging the preferred movement information according to the movement information by the data analysis module comprises:

S41;

when a path surface environment comprises a new obstacle, recording a number of displacement modification times of the autonomous mobile device bypassing the new obstacle, and analyzing whether there is a smaller number of displacement modification times that the autonomous mobile device can bypass the new obstacle by the data analysis module;

when “

yes”

, the movement information corresponding to the smaller number of displacement modification times is the preferred movement information ;

when “

no”

, the movement information corresponding to the number of the displacement modification time recorded before is the preferred movement information; and

S42;

when a path surface friction coefficient changes, recording the number of displacement modification times and a displacement modification amount when the autonomous mobile device moves on a path surface, and analyzing whether the number of displacement modification times is greater than a threshold value by the data analysis module;

when “

yes”

, calculating and obtaining the preferred movement information according to the number of displacement modification times and the displacement modification amount by the data analysis module;

when “

no”

, the movement information corresponding to the number of the displacement modification times recorded before is the optimal movement information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the threshold value refers to a set critical value according to an actual situation.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the data analysis module obtains the preferred movement information based on an average value of the number of displacement modification times and the displacement modification amount in the S42.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein when a new obstacle appears on a path, the data modification module modifies the map and the map description file;

and when a path surface friction coefficient changes, the data modification module only modifies the map description file.