Mobile robot and course adjusting method thereof

• US 6,496,754 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Song, Jeong-gon, Lee, Sang-yong, Lee, Kyoung-mu, Moon, Seung-bin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/879,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/145, 700/165, 700/182, 700/169, 700/179, 700/180, 700/206, 700/83, 700/97, 700/250, 701/24, 701/23, 701/25, 153/271, 153/50, 153/52, 153/53, 154/591, 153/87, 153/75, 153/83, 153/35, 153/19, 180/167, 180/211, 318/587, 318/568.12, 340/436
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means

Abstract

A mobile robot capable of recognizing its location and adjusting its direction in response to an obstacle in its way includes a running device, an obstacle detecting device for detecting the presence of an obstacle, a location recognizing device, a controlling portion, and a power supply. The location recognizing device includes a first vision camera directed toward the ceiling of a room and a first vision board. The first vision camera recognizes a base mark on the ceiling. The first vision board processes an image from the first vision camera and transmits the image data to the controlling portion. The obstacle detecting device includes a line laser for emitting a linear light beam toward the obstacle, a second vision camera for recognizing a reflective linear light beam from the obstacle, and a second vision board for processing image data captured by the second vision camera.

Claims

1. A mobile robot comprising:

a running device for moving the mobile robot about a room;

an obstacle detecting device for detecting a presence of an obstacle;

a controlling portion coupled to and controlling the running device and the obstacle detecting device;

a location recognizing device coupled to the controlling portion for recognizing a current location of the mobile robot, the location recognizing device including a first vision camera and a first vision board, the first vision camera for imaging a ceiling of the room and recognizing a base mark on the ceiling, the first vision board processing an image from the first vision camera and transmitting data to the controlling portion; and

a power supply coupled to the controlling portion, the power supply storing and supplying electricity to the running device, obstacle detecting device, location recognizing device, and the controlling portion,

wherein the basemark is a recognition mark having a base plate, and a plurality of dots formed on the base plate at a predetermined distance from each other, and

wherein the obstacle detecting device comprises;

a line laser for emitting a linear light beam toward the obstacle;

a first vision camera for recognizing a reflective linear light beam from the obstacle; and

a first vision board for processing image data captured by the first vision camera.

2. A mobile robot comprising:

a running device for moving the mobile robot about a room;

a location recognizing device for recognizing a current location of the mobile robot;

a controlling portion for controlling the running device and the location recognizing device;

an obstacle detecting device coupled to the controlling portion for detecting a presence of an obstacle, the obstacle detecting device including a line laser for emitting a linear light beam toward the obstacle, a second vision camera for recognizing a reflective linear light beam from the obstacle, and a second vision board, the second vision board processing image data from the second vision camera;

a power supply coupled to the controlling portion, the power supply storing and supplying electricity to the running device, obstacle detecting device, location recognizing device, and the controlling portion.

3. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second vision camera comprises a filter for exclusively recognizing the linear light beam from the line laser.

4. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 2, wherein the obstacle detecting device comprises a plurality of line lasers for emitting linear light beams at a predetermined angle.

5. The mobile robot as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a vacuum cleaner having:

a suction port for sucking in contaminants;

a dust collecting portion for collecting the contaminants therein; and

a motor driving portion for generating a suction force.

6. A method for adjusting a course of a mobile robot, the mobile robot including a running device for moving the mobile robot about a room;

an obstacle detecting device for detecting a presence of an obstacle;

a location recognizing device for recognizing a current location of the mobile robot;

a controlling portion for controlling the running device, the obstacle detecting device and the location recognizing device, and a power supply for storing and supplying electricity to the running device, the obstacle detecting device, the location recognizing device and the controlling portion, the method comprising;

(i) photographing a base mark using a first vision camera of the location recognizing device and generating image data of the base mark using a first vision board;

(ii) determining whether coordinates of the base mark, which are obtained by data processing of the controlling portion, match coordinates of a predetermined moving route; and

(iii) controlling the running device of the mobile robot to move in a direction by a corresponding distance to compensate for any deviation from the predetermined moving route, when the coordinates of the base mark do not match the coordinates of the predetermined moving route.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step (i) includes:

photographing the base mark using the first vision camera of the location recognizing device and generating an image of the base mark; and

setting a threshold of the image using the first vision board and generating image data.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step (ii) further includes performing region correlation in addition to calculating the coordinates of the base mark.