Mobile robot for sensing and decoding a surface coding pattern on a surface

• US 7,605,557 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2008
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Yourlo, Zhenya Alexander, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Leykin; Rita
• Application Number:
  US12/036,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20080144978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 604 Days
• Field of Search: 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 318/587, 701/24, 701/26, 701/23, 701/28, 701/223, 700/245, 700/253, 700/258, 180/6.5, 180/6.6, 340/995.22, 901/1, 398/140
• US Class Current: 318/568.12
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/00826 Changeable playing pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/28 for printing downwardly on flat surfaces, e.g. of books, drawings, boxes , envelopes, e.g. flat-bed ink-jet printers
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 13/00 Drawing instruments, or writing or drawing appliances or accessories not otherwise provided for stencils for surface decoration B44D
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45084 Service robot
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A mobile robot for sensing and decoding a surface coding pattern on a surface includes a housing, A platform is in the housing. An on-board controller is mounted on the platform and configured for wireless communication with a host computer system. A differential drive system is mounted on the platform and connected to the controller so that the controller can steer the platform relative to the surface. An image sensor is mounted on the platform, arranged to sense the surface coding pattern and connected to the controller to communicate data representing the surface coding pattern to the host computer via the controller.

Claims

1. A mobile robot for sensing and decoding a printed coding pattern on a surface, the mobile robot comprising

a housing;

a platform in the housing;

an on-board controller mounted on the platform and configured for wireless communication with a host computer system;

a differential drive system mounted on the platform and connected to the controller so that the controller can steer the platform relative to the surface; and

an image sensor mounted on the platform, arranged to sense and decode the printed coding pattern, said image sensor system being connected to the controller to communicate data representing the decoded coding pattern to the host computer via the controller,

wherein said printed coding pattern encodes, at each of at least a given density of points on the surface, the two-dimensional coordinates of the point and identifies the identity of the surface,

wherein the on-board controller is configured to be responsive to a command from the host computer to move to a specified coordinate position on the surface, the controller further being configured to report arrival at said specified coordinate position to the host computer.

2. A mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, in which the differential drive system includes a pair of wheels, an H-bridge connected to respective wheels to provide direction and braking control and a pulse-width modulator to provide speed control.

3. A mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, in which the differential drive system includes a pair of wheels, stepper motors connected to respective wheels and a motor controller configured to generate appropriate pulse sequences to control speed and direction of the stepper motors.

4. A mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, in which the on board controller and image sensor are configured so that, when placed on the surface, the controller can determine a position and orientation of the platform relative to the surface and can communicate associated data to the host computer.

5. A mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, in which the image sensor includes infrared illumination LEDs, an area image sensor and optics all suitable for sensing infrared ink.

6. A mobile robot as claimed in claim 1, in which the controller is configured to store a unique ID and to communicate that ID to the host computer.