Robotic follow system and method
First Claim
1. A method for a robot to follow a target in its environment, comprising:
- receiving a target bearing from a target tracking behavior; and
sensing whether the robot is blocked in a front direction and if so, then;
adjusting the robot'"'"'s motion to avoid a nearest obstacle in the front direction by adjusting at least one of a rotational direction, a rotational velocity, a translational direction, and a translational velocity; and
if the robot is not blocked in front, then;
sensing whether the robot is blocked toward the target bearing and if so, then;
setting the rotational direction opposite from that of the target bearing;
adjusting the rotational velocity to a first fractional amount of a maximum rotational velocity; and
adjusting the translational velocity to a second fractional amount of a maximum translational velocity; and
if the robot is not blocked toward the target bearing, then;
adjusting the rotational velocity proportional to an angle of the target bearing; and
adjusting the translational velocity proportional to a distance to the nearest obstacle in the front direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Robot platforms, methods, and computer media are disclosed. The robot platform includes perceptors, locomotors, and a system controller, which executes instructions for a robot to follow a target in its environment. The method includes receiving a target bearing and sensing whether the robot is blocked front. If the robot is blocked in front, then the robot'"'"'s motion is adjusted to avoid the nearest obstacle in front. If the robot is not blocked in front, then the method senses whether the robot is blocked toward the target bearing and if so, sets the rotational direction opposite from the target bearing, and adjusts the rotational velocity and translational velocity. If the robot is not blocked toward the target bearing, then the rotational velocity is adjusted proportional to an angle of the target bearing and the translational velocity is adjusted proportional to a distance to the nearest obstacle in front.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for a robot to follow a target in its environment, comprising:
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receiving a target bearing from a target tracking behavior; and sensing whether the robot is blocked in a front direction and if so, then; adjusting the robot'"'"'s motion to avoid a nearest obstacle in the front direction by adjusting at least one of a rotational direction, a rotational velocity, a translational direction, and a translational velocity; and if the robot is not blocked in front, then; sensing whether the robot is blocked toward the target bearing and if so, then; setting the rotational direction opposite from that of the target bearing; adjusting the rotational velocity to a first fractional amount of a maximum rotational velocity; and adjusting the translational velocity to a second fractional amount of a maximum translational velocity; and if the robot is not blocked toward the target bearing, then; adjusting the rotational velocity proportional to an angle of the target bearing; and adjusting the translational velocity proportional to a distance to the nearest obstacle in the front direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer readable medium having computer instructions thereon, which when executed on a system controller provide a method for a robot to follow a target in its environment, the computer instructions comprising instructions for:
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receiving a target bearing from a target tracking behavior; and sensing whether the robot is blocked in a front direction and if so, then; adjusting the robot'"'"'s motion to avoid a nearest obstacle in the front direction by adjusting at least one of a rotational direction, a rotational velocity, a translational direction, and a translational velocity to avoid a nearest obstacle in the front direction; and if the robot is not blocked in front, then; sensing whether the robot is blocked toward the target bearing and if so, then; setting the rotational direction opposite from that of the target bearing; adjusting the rotational velocity to a first fractional amount of a maximum rotational velocity; and adjusting the translational velocity to a second fractional amount of a maximum translational velocity; and if the robot is not blocked toward the target bearing, then; adjusting the rotational velocity proportional to an angle of the target bearing; and adjusting the translational velocity proportional to a distance to the nearest obstacle in the front direction. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A robot platform, comprising:
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at least one perceptor configured for perceiving environmental variables of interest; at least one locomotor configured for providing mobility to the robot platform; a system controller configured for executing computer instructions configured for following a target in the robot'"'"'s environment, the computer instructions comprising instructions for; receiving a target bearing from a target tracking behavior; and sensing whether the robot is blocked in a front direction and if so, then; adjusting the robot'"'"'s motion to avoid a nearest obstacle in the front direction by adjusting at least one of a rotational direction, a rotational velocity, a translational direction, and a translational velocity to avoid a nearest obstacle in the front direction; and if the robot is not blocked in front, then; sensing whether the robot is blocked toward the target bearing and if so, then; setting the rotational direction opposite from that of the target bearing; adjusting the rotational velocity to a first fractional amount of a maximum rotational velocity; and adjusting the translational velocity to a second fractional amount of a maximum translational velocity; and if the robot is not blocked toward the target bearing, then; adjusting the rotational velocity proportional to an angle of the target bearing; and
adjusting the translational velocity proportional to a distance to the nearest obstacle in the front direction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification