Visual navigation and obstacle avoidance structured light system
First Claim
1. A method of generating navigation related information for a mobile robot, comprising the steps of:
- projecting at least one structured, substantially planar radiation beam into an environment in front of and including a desired path of the robot, said radiation beam forming a linear pattern upon a surface disposed within the environment;
generating a two-dimensional pixel image of the environment, said image including at least an image of said linear pattern which reflects from a surface, if any, within the environment;
locating said image of said linear pattern within the two-dimensional pixel image of the environment of said robot;
inferring from the located position of the linear pattern, within said image of the environment, a range and a bearing of the surface relative to the robot;
generating a geometric map representation that includes a location of the surface, relative to a current location of said robot; and
processing said geometric map representation to generate robot motion control signals to accomplish a forward motion of said robot through the environment.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vision system for a vehicle, such as a mobile robot (10) includes at least one radiation projector (14, 16) which projects a structured beam of radiation into the robot'"'"'s environment. The structured beam of radiation (14a, 16a) preferably has a substantially planar pattern of sufficient width to encompass the immediate forward path of the robot and also to encompass laterally disposed areas in order to permit turning adjustments. The vision system further includes an imaging (12) sensor such as a CCD imaging device having a two-dimensional field of view which encompasses the immediate forward path of the robot. An image sensor processor (18) includes an image memory (18A) coupled to a device (18D) which is operable for accessing the image memory. Image processing is accomplished in part by triangulating the stored image of the structured beam pattern to derive range and bearing, relative to the robot, of a object being illuminated. A navigation control system (20) of the robot inputs data from at least the vision system and infers therefrom data relating to the configuration of the environment which lies in front of the robot. The navigation control system generates control signals which drive propulsion and steering motors in order to navigate the robot through the perceived environment.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of generating navigation related information for a mobile robot, comprising the steps of:
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projecting at least one structured, substantially planar radiation beam into an environment in front of and including a desired path of the robot, said radiation beam forming a linear pattern upon a surface disposed within the environment; generating a two-dimensional pixel image of the environment, said image including at least an image of said linear pattern which reflects from a surface, if any, within the environment; locating said image of said linear pattern within the two-dimensional pixel image of the environment of said robot; inferring from the located position of the linear pattern, within said image of the environment, a range and a bearing of the surface relative to the robot; generating a geometric map representation that includes a location of the surface, relative to a current location of said robot; and processing said geometric map representation to generate robot motion control signals to accomplish a forward motion of said robot through the environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Apparatus for generating navigation related information for a mobile robot, comprising in combination:
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means for projecting at least one structured, substantially planar radiation beam into an environment in front of and including a desired path of said robot, said radiation beam forming a linear pattern upon a surface disposed within the environment; means for generating a two-dimensional pixel image of the environment, said image including at least an image of said linear pattern which reflects from a surface, if any, within said environment; means for locating said image of said linear pattern within said two-dimensional pixel image of the environment; means for inferring, from the located position within said image of said linear pattern, a range and a bearing relative to said robot, of said surface reflecting said linear pattern; means for generating a geometric map representation of said robot'"'"'s environment, said geometric map representation including the inferred surface position of said linear pattern; and means for processing said geometric map representation to generate robot motion control signals to accomplish a forward motion of said robot through the environment. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Apparatus for generating navigation information for a vehicle, comprising:
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means for projecting at least one structured, substantially planar radiation beam into an environment in front of and including a desired path of a vehicle; means for repetitively generating two-dimensional pixel images of the environment as the vehicle moves through the environment, each of said pixel images including an image of a reflection or reflections of said structured radiation beam that reflects from an object or objects within the environment; means for detecting a location, within each of the two-dimensional pixel images, of said image of the reflection or reflections; means for determining from a change in the located position of the image of the reflection or reflections, over a plurality of two-dimensional pixel images, a position, relative to the vehicle, of an object or objects disposed within the environment; and means, responsive to the determined position of the object or objects, for generating vehicle motion control signals so as to steer the vehicle along a path through the environment. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification