Device and method for determining a spatial position of an object

• US 6,591,216 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2001
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Magnussen, Bjorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Nghiem, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Xiuqin
• Application Number:
  US09/743,074
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 318/580, 340/584, 702/99, 702/134, 250/330
• US Class Current: 702/134
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0214 in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals

Abstract

In an arrangement and method for determining a spatial position of an object on a thermal basis, an imaging thermal sensor detects a thermal image of the environment and outputs corresponding signals to a processing unit coupled to the sensor. The processing unit accepts the signals, evaluates the image in view of a thermal marking, and determines the spatial position of the object dependent on the marking. The arrangement and the method can be employed in combination with a robot for orientation and for travel path control of the robot.

Claims

1. An arrangement for determining a spatial position of a first object, comprising:

an imaging thermal sensor which provides signals indicative of a thermal image of an environment where the first object is located;

a thermal marking device which thermally marks one or more regions of said environment; and

a processing unit coupled to the sensor which generates said thermal image of the environment, which detects the thermal marking in said environment, and which determines said spatial position of said first object based on the detected thermal marking in the thermal image of the environment.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the processing unit is configured such that the spatial position of the first object is identifiable from imaging signals of the sensor on the basis of a plurality of thermal markings that are acquired by the sensor.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, whereby the imaging thermal sensor is a sensor with a pyroelectric thin film.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising a unit that acts on a second object such that the temperature of the second object is different compared to the ambient temperature and the second object is recognizable as a thermal marking.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4 whereby the unit is configured such that the second object is moistened with fluid, so that the temperature of the second object is different compared to the ambient temperature and the second object is recognizable as a thermal marking.

6. The arrangement according to claim 4 wherein the unit that acts on the second object is the first object.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the imaging thermal sensor is attached to the first object.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the first object is a robot.

9. A method for determining a spatial position of a first object with an imaging thermal sensor and a processing unit coupled to the sensor, comprising the steps of:

thermally marking one or more regions of an environment in which the first object is located;

with the sensor detecting a thermal image of said environment and outputting corresponding signals to the processing unit;

also with said sensor detecting said thermal marking in said environment; and

with the processing unit, based on the signals from the sensor generating a thermal image of the environment and interpreting that thermal image to detect the thermal marking in the thermal image, and determining said spatial position of said first object in the environment based on the detected thermal marking in the thermal image.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the image is evaluated in view of a plurality of thermal markings and the spatial position of the first object is determined dependent on the thermal markings.

11. The method according to claim 9 whereby a temperature of a second object is modified such that the second object is recognized as a thermal marking.

12. The method according to claim 11 whereby the second object is moistened with fluid such that the temperature of the second object is different compared to ambient temperature and the second object is thus recognized as a thermal marking.

13. The method according to claim 9 whereby the processing unit determines a relative position of the first object with respect to the thermal marking from signals of the sensor.

14. The method according to claim 9 wherein the processing unit determines an absolute position of the first object from signals of the sensor.

15. A method for determining a spatial position of a first object with an imaging thermal sensor and a processing unit coupled to the sensor, comprising the steps of:

thermally marking a plurality of regions of an environment in which the first object is located;

with the sensor detecting a thermal image of said environment and outputting corresponding signals to the processing unit;

also with said sensor detecting said thermal marking in said environment; and

with the processing unit, based on the signals from the sensor generating a thermal image of the environment and interpreting that thermal image to detect the thermal marking in the thermal image, and determining said spatial position of said first object in the environment based on the detected thermal marking in the thermal image.