Autonomous navigating system having obstacle recognition

• US 6,529,806 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2000
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gmd--Forschungszentrum Informationstechnik GmbH
• Original Assignee: GMD Forschungszentrum Informationstechnik GmbH
• Inventors: Licht, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Louis-Jacques, Jacques H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Broadhead, Brian J.
• Application Number:
  US09/700,193
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/26, 701/27, 700/245, 700/250, 700/253, 700/258, 700/260
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area

Abstract

An autonomous navigating system with obstacle recognition or a method for handling obstacles for an autonomous navigating comprises a sensor having a contact element prestressed in the direction of movement and movable against the prestressed force and a detector measuring the change in position of the contact element, and an evaluating device connected with the sensor which causes the system to stop when the sensor signal is greater or equal to a limit value (U_G), and which causes the system to stop, move around the obstacle or move on and thereby displace the obstacle, when the sensor signal is lower than the limit value (U_G).

Claims

1. An autonomous navigating system with obstacle recognition comprising:

a sensor having a contact element prestressed in a direction of movement and movable against a prestressed force and a detector measuring a change in position of the contact element, and providing a sensor signal depending on said change in position,

an evaluating device connected with the sensor, which provides a first obstacle signal representing an obstacle that cannot be moved by the system, when the sensor signal is greater or equal to a limit value (U_G), and which provides a second obstacle signal representing an obstacle that can be moved by the system, when the sensor signal is lower than the limit value (U_G), wherein the system stops in response to a first obstacle signal or moves around the obstacle and, upon a second obstacle signal, has an additional option to move on and thereby displace the obstacle.

2. The autonomous navigating system of claim 1, characterized in that the evaluating device has a memory with sensor signal curves stored therein for differentiating between obstacles, the measured sensor signal curve being compared to the stored sensor signal curves.

3. The autonomous navigating system of claim 1, characterized in that at least a portion of the contact element is arranged transverse to a direction of movement and deflectable, the contact element being provided with a wire strain gauge as a detector.

4. The autonomous navigating system of claim 3, characterized in that an elastically deformable damping element is arranged on the contact element in a portion where an obstacle will make contact.

5. The autonomous navigating system of claim 1, characterized in that said change in position of the contact element is measured contactless.

6. A method for the handling of obstacles for an autonomous navigating system moving in a direction of movement, comprising the following steps:

measuring a force between the autonomous navigating system and an obstacle upon contact,

classifying the obstacle based on said force, where

with said force greater than a limit value (U_G), the obstacle is recognized as not being movable by the autonomous navigating system, and

with said force lower than the limit value (U_G), the obstacle is recognized as being movable by the autonomous navigating system,

stopping the autonomous navigating system or moving around the obstacle if the obstacle has been recognized as not movable,

stopping the autonomous navigating system, moving around the obstacle or moving the autonomous navigating system on and thereby displacing the obstacle if the obstacle has been recognized as movable.