Mobile apparatus, control device and control program

• US 8,204,679 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen, Lin B
• Application Number:
  US12/062,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20080249660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 701/253, 701/301
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/032 with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid B62D57/024 takes precedence
• 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 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means

Abstract

A mobile apparatus capable of moving while avoiding contact with an object by allowing the object to recognize the behavioral change of the mobile apparatus is provided. The robot and its behavioral state and the object and its behavioral state are recognized as a first spatial element and its behavioral state and a second spatial element and its behavioral state, respectively, in an element space. Based on the recognition result, if the first spatial element may contact the second spatial element in the element space, a shift path is set which is tilted from the previous target path by an angle responsive to the distance between the first spatial element and the second spatial element. With the end point of the shift path as a start point, a path allowing the first spatial element to avoid contact with an expanded second spatial element is set as a new target path.

Claims

1. A mobile apparatus autonomously moving along a target path, comprising:

a control device, the control device including;

a first processing element which recognizes the mobile apparatus and its behavioral state and an object and its behavioral state, as a first spatial element and its behavioral state and a second spatial element and its behavioral state, respectively, in an element space;

a second processing element which, based on a recognition result of the first processing element, recognizes whether there is presence/absence of a possibility of contact between the first spatial element and the second spatial element in the element space; and

a third processing element which, based on the recognition result of the first processing element, sets a path that allows the first spatial element to prevent contact with the second spatial element in the element space as the target path, and, on a condition that the second processing element recognizes that there is the possibility of contact, sets a shift path that is tilted from the target path of a previous time by an angle responsive to a distance between the first spatial element and the second spatial element, and sets the target path of current time with an end point of the shift path as a start point of the target path of current time,

wherein

the second processing element recognizes an expanded second spatial element which corresponds to the second spatial element expanded intermittently or continuously in response to its behavioral state based on the recognition result of the first processing element, and

the third processing element sets a path that allows the first spatial element to prevent contact with the expanded second spatial element as the target path and resets the shift path on a condition that the shift path crosses the expanded second spatial element.

2. A mobile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the third processing element sets a tilt angle of the shift path with respect to the target path to be greater as a distance between the first spatial element and the second spatial element in the element space is shorter, based on the recognition result of the first processing element.

3. The mobile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first processing element recognizes shape and size of a region where the mobile apparatus is passable, as shape and size of the element space, and

the third processing element sets the target path and the shift path within the element space.

4. The mobile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the third processing element sets the shift path to be longer as a relative velocity of the second spatial element with respect to the first spatial element in the element space is greater.

5. The mobile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

on the condition that the second processing element determines that there is the possibility of contact between the first spatial element and the second spatial element, the third processing element sets a plurality of points in the element space in different directions from the first spatial element, and sets the shift path with one of the plurality of points as its end point.

6. A mobile apparatus autonomously moving along a target path, comprising:

a control device, the control device including;

a first processing element which recognizes the mobile apparatus and its behavioral state and an object and its behavioral state, as a first spatial element and its behavioral state and a second spatial element and its behavioral state, respectively, in an element space;

a second processing element which, based on a recognition result of the first processing element, recognizes whether there is presence/absence of a possibility of contact between the first spatial element and the second spatial element in the element space; and

a third processing element which, based on the recognition result of the first processing element, sets a path that allows the first spatial element to prevent contact with the second spatial element in the element space as the target path, and, on a condition that the second processing element recognizes that there is the possibility of contact, sets a shift path that is tilted from the target path of a previous time by an angle responsive to a distance between the first spatial element and the second spatial element, and sets the target path of current time with an end point of the shift path as a start point of the target path of current time,

wherein

the mobile apparatus is a robot capable of moving by repeating a unit operation to exert a propulsive force on a floor surface, and

the third processing element sets the shift path within a range where the robot is capable of moving with a predetermined number of the unit operations.

7. The mobile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

on the condition that the second processing element determines that there is the possibility of contact between the first spatial element and the second spatial element, the third processing element sets a plurality of points in the element space in different directions from the first spatial element, and sets the shift path with one of the plurality of points as its end point.

8. The mobile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the third processing element sets a tilt angle of the shift path with respect to the target path to be greater as a distance between the first spatial element and the second spatial element in the element space is shorter, based on the recognition result of the first processing element.

9. The mobile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the first processing element recognizes shape and size of a region where the mobile apparatus is passable, as shape and size of the element space, and

the third processing element sets the target path and the shift path within the element space.

10. The mobile apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the third processing element sets the shift path to be longer as a relative velocity of the second spatial element with respect to the first spatial element in the element space is greater.

11. A control device for controlling an operation of a mobile apparatus autonomously moving along a target path, the control device comprising:

a first processing element which recognizes the mobile apparatus and its behavioral state and an object and its behavioral state, as a first spatial element and its behavioral state and a second spatial element and its behavioral state, respectively, in an element space;

a second processing element which, based on a recognition result of the first processing element, recognizes whether there is presence/absence of a possibility of contact between the first spatial element and the second spatial element in the element space; and

a third processing element which, based on the recognition result of the first processing element, sets a path that allows the first spatial element to prevent contact with the second spatial element in the element space as the target path, and, on a condition that the second processing element recognizes that there is the possibility of contact, sets a shift path that is tilted from the target path of a previous time by an angle responsive to a distance between the first spatial element and the second spatial element, said shift path being longer as a relative velocity of the second spatial element with respect to the first spatial element in the element space is greater, and sets the target path of current time with an end point of the shift path as a start point of the target path of current time.

12. The control device according to claim 11, wherein

the third processing element sets a tilt angle of the shift path with respect to the target path to be greater as a distance between the first spatial element and the second spatial element in the element space is shorter, based on the recognition result of the first processing element.

13. The control device according to claim 11, wherein

the first processing element recognizes shape and size of a region where the mobile apparatus is passable, as shape and size of the element space, and

the third processing element sets the target path and the shift path within the element space.

14. The control device according to claim 11, wherein

the mobile apparatus is a robot capable of moving by repeating a unit operation to exert a propulsive force on a floor surface, and

the third processing element sets the shift path within a range where the robot is capable of moving with a predetermined number of the unit operations.

15. The control device according to claim 11, wherein

on the condition that the second processing element determines that there is the possibility of contact between the first spatial element and the second spatial element, the third processing element sets a plurality of points in the element space in different directions from the first spatial element, and sets the shift path with one of the plurality of points as its end point.

16. A control program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium causing a computer mounted on a mobile apparatus autonomously moving along a target path to function as the control device as recited in claim 11.