Orientation adjustment system and robot using same
First Claim
1. A mobile robot for operating in an environment comprising:
- a body having an azimuthal angle which is generally fixed in relation to the environment;
means for storing the azimuthal angle of said body;
drive means including wheel means for enabling movement of said robot;
a synchronous steering mechanism which turns said wheel means independently of said body;
a head which turns with said wheel means;
detector means, disposed in said head, for sensing a navigation beacon;
means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between said head and said beacon; and
means for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by that angular deviation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention features a mobile robot having a body which has an azimuthal angle that is optimally fixed in space and provides the basic reference for the robot to the outside world. The robot further includes a drive system having wheels for enabling movement of the robot, a synchronous steering mechanism which turns the wheels independently of the body, and a head which turns with the wheels. The robot further includes memory for storing the azimuthal angle of the body, a detector assembly disposed in the head for sensing a navigation beacon and resolving an angular deviation between the head and the beacon, and an element for incrementing the stored azimuthal angle by that angular deviation. A system for enabling orientation adjustment is also disclosed.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A mobile robot for operating in an environment comprising:
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a body having an azimuthal angle which is generally fixed in relation to the environment; means for storing the azimuthal angle of said body; drive means including wheel means for enabling movement of said robot; a synchronous steering mechanism which turns said wheel means independently of said body; a head which turns with said wheel means; detector means, disposed in said head, for sensing a navigation beacon; means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between said head and said beacon; and means for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by that angular deviation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An orientation adjustment system for use with a robot having a body which has an azimuthal angle that is generally fixed in relation to its environment and provides the basic reference to the outside world, a drive system including wheels for enabling movement of the robot, a synchronous steering mechanism which turns the wheels independently of the body, and a head which turns with the wheels, comprising:
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means for storing the azimuthal angle of said body; detector means disposed in the head for sensing a navigation beacon; means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between the head and the beacon; and means for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by that angular deviation.
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14. A system for adjusting the azimuthal orientation reference of a vehicle having a movable portion which faces the direction of travel and a second portion which has azimuthal angle that is generally fixed in relation to the environment and provides the basic azimuthal reference to the environment, comprising:
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at least one navigation beacon; detector means for sensing said beacon; means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between the movable portion of the vehicle and the beacon; means for storing the azimuthal angle of the second portion; and means, responsive to said means for resolving, for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by said angular deviation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification