Sonar Scanner

• US 6,870,792 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Chiappetta, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US09/921,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20030039171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 367/98, 367/901, 367/100, 367/87, 367/908
• US Class Current: 367/98
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/10 with more than four wheels tractors of the low ground pressure type B62D49/002
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/12 with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels for manoeuvring purposes only B60S
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/108 using more than one pulse per sonar period
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52004 Means for monitoring or calibrating short-range imaging G01S7/5205
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/527 Extracting wanted echo signals Doppler systems G01S15/50

Abstract

A pulse-echo sonar scanner for a mobile robot includes a transmitter which generates a pulse signal, an acoustic transducer which transmits and receives acoustic signals, a receiver, means for determining performance characteristics of the transducer for a given pulse, means for storing the performance characteristics, and means for determining threshold levels for an echo based on the stored performance characteristics.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting a signal;

receiving a first echo in response to the signal; and

receiving a second echo in response to the signal;

wherein if an amplitude of the first echo exceeds a corresponding amplitude of the second echo, then the second echo is determined to be a multipath error from a single object; and

wherein if an amplitude of the second echo exceeds a corresponding amplitude of the first echo, then the first and second echoes are determined to be from first and second objects, respectively, and the method further comprises;

using the first echo to determine information relating to the first object; and

using the second echo to determine information relating to the second object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the first object comprises a distance to the first object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the second object comprises a distance to the second object.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data that corresponds to the first echo and/or the second echo.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first object is acoustically-weaker than the second object.

6. A method comprising:

transmitting a waveform having a predetermined shape;

receiving a signal;

analyzing a shape of the signal; and

determining if the signal comprises an echo of the waveform based on analysis of the shape of the signal and the waveform having the predetermined shape;

wherein, if the signal has substantially the predetermined shape, the signal is determined to be an echo of the waveform.

7. A method comprising:

transmitting a waveform having a predetermined shape;

receiving a signal;

analyzing a shape of the signal; and

determining if the signal comprises an echo of the waveform based on analysis of the shape of the signal and the waveform having the predetermined shape;

wherein, if the signal deviates beyond a certain tolerance from the predetermined shape, the signal is determined not to be an echo of the waveform.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a transducer which transmits a signal;

a receiver which receives a first echo and a second echo in response to the signal; and

a processor which compares amplitudes of the first and second echoes;

wherein if an amplitude of the first echo exceeds a corresponding amplitude of the second echo, then the processor determines that the second echo is a multipath error from a single object; and

wherein if an amplitude of the second echo exceeds a corresponding amplitude of the first echo, then the processor determines that the first and second echoes are from first and second objects, respectively, and the processor;

uses the first echo to determine information relating to the first object; and

uses the second echo to determine information relating to the second object.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the information relating to the first object comprises a distance to the first object.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the information relating to the second object comprises a distance to the second object.

11. The apparatus of claim 8;

further comprising a memory which stores data that corresponds to the first echo and/or the second echo.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first object is acoustically-weaker than the second object.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a transducer which transmits a waveform having a predetermined shape;

a receiver which receives a signal; and

a processor which analyzes a shape of the signal, and determines if the signal comprises an echo of the waveform based on analysis of the shape of the signal and the waveform having the predetermined shape;

wherein, if the signal has substantially the predetermined shape, the signal is determined to be an echo of the waveform.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a transducer which transmits a waveform having a predetermined shape;

a receiver which receives a signal; and

a processor which analyzes a shape of the signal, and determines if the signal comprises an echo of the waveform based on analysis of the shape of the signal and the waveform having the predetermined shape;

wherein, if the signal deviates beyond a certain tolerance from the predetermined shape, the signal is determined not to be an echo of the waveform.

15. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

cause a signal to be transmitted;

receive a first echo in response to the signal; and

receive a second echo in response to the signal;

wherein if an amplitude of the first echo exceeds a corresponding amplitude of the second echo, then the second echo is determined to be a multipath error from a single object; and

wherein if an amplitude of the second echo exceeds a corresponding amplitude of the first echo, then the first and second echoes are determined to be from first and second objects, respectively, and the computer program provides for;

using the first echo to determine information relating to the first object; and

using the second echo to determine information relating to the second object.

16. The computer program of claim 15, wherein the information relating to the first object comprises a distance to the first object.

17. The computer program of claim 15, wherein the information relating to the second object comprises a distance to the second object.

18. The computer program of claim 15, further comprising instructions to store data that corresponds to the first echo and/or the second echo.

19. The computer program of claim 15, wherein the first object is acoustically-weaker than the second object.

20. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

cause a waveform having a predetermined shape to be transmitted;

receive a signal;

analyze a share of the signal; and

determine if the signal comprises an echo of the waveform based on analysis of the shape of the signal and the waveform having the predetermined shape;

wherein, if the signal has substantially the predetermined shape, the signal is determined to be an echo of the waveform.

21. A computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

cause a waveform having a predetermined share to be transmitted;

receive a signal;

analyze a shape of the signal; and

determine if the signal comprises an echo of the waveform based on analysis of the shape of the signal and the waveform having the predetermined shape;

wherein, if the signal deviates beyond a certain tolerance from the predetermined shape, the signal is determined not to be an echo of the waveform.