Guide robot device and guide system

• US 8,195,353 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ichinose, Ryoko, Tamamoto, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US11/957,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 28, 700/245, 700/248, 700/258, 700/259, 901/1
• US Class Current: 701/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

A guide robot device including a guide display unit for displaying the guide information to an unguided person and a moving unit adapted to move with the guide display unit mounted thereon is disclosed. The guide robot device further includes the guide display unit variable in the direction of the guide information, a destination position setting unit for setting the destination position of the unguided person, an unguided person position detection unit for detecting the position of the unguided person, and a guide position calculation unit for calculating the guide position as related to the destination position, the detected position of the unguided person and the distance from the guide robot device to the unguided person. The guide robot device is moved to the calculated guide position and the direction of the guide information determined.

Claims

1. A guide robot device comprising:

a guide display unit configured to display guide information to an unguided person, in variable directions; and

a moving unit adapted to move with the guide display unit mounted thereon;

a destination position setting unit configured to set a destination position of the unguided person;

an unguided person position detection unit configured to detect a position of the unguided person; and

a guide position calculation unit configured to calculate a guide position as related to the destination position, the detected position of the unguided person and a distance from the guide robot device to the unguided person;

wherein the guide robot device is moved by the moving unit to the calculated guide position, and the direction of the guide information is determined;

wherein the guide position is located on a line segment connecting the detected position of the unguided person and the destination position;

wherein the guide position calculation unit determines whether or not the guide display unit is located in a view angle of the unguided person; and

wherein when the guide position calculation unit determines that the guide display unit is located out of the view angle of the unguided person, the guide display unit is configured to control the moving unit to move the guide robot device into the view angle of the unguided person.

2. The guide robot device according to claim 1,

wherein the guide position calculation unit determines whether or not the guide display unit is located in the view angle of the unguided person based on a direction of the unguided person detected by an unguided person direction detection unit.

3. A guide robot device comprising:

a guide display unit configured to display guide information to an unguided person, in variable directions; and

a moving unit adapted to move with the guide display unit mounted thereon;

a destination position setting unit configured to set a destination position of the unguided person;

an unguided person position detection unit configured to detect a position of the unguided person; and

a guide position calculation unit configured to calculate a guide position as related to the destination position, the detected position of the unguided person and a distance from the guide robot device to the unguided person;

wherein the guide robot device is moved by the moving unit to the calculated guide position, and the direction of the guide information is determined;

wherein the guide information is directed from the guide position toward the destination position;

wherein the guide position calculation unit determines whether or not the guide display unit is located in a view angle of the unguided person; and

wherein when the guide position calculation unit determines that the guide display unit is located out of the view angle of the unguided person, the guide display unit is configured to control the moving unit to move the guide robot device into the view angle of the unguided person.

4. The guide robot device according to claim 3,

wherein the guide position calculation unit determines whether or not the guide display unit is located in the view angle of the unguided person based on a direction of the unguided person detected by an unguided person direction detection unit.