Method, medium and apparatus classifying and collecting area feature information according to a robot's moving path, and a robot controlled by the area features

• US 8,463,018 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chung, Seung-Nyung, Lee, Hyun-jeong, Kim, Hyun-jin, Myeong, Hyeon
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, JON CARLTON
• Application Number:
  US11/711,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20070282484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 382/153, 382/224, 382/225, 700/245, 700/250, 700/253, 700/255, 700/257, 700/258, 700/259, 901/1, 901/46, 901/47, 701/22, 701/23, 701/25, 701/28, 153/19, 153/401
• US Class Current: 382/153
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A method of classifying and collecting feature information of an area according to a robot'"'"'s moving path, a robot controlled by area features, and a method and apparatus for composing a user interface using the area features are disclosed. The robot includes a plurality of sensor modules to collect feature information of a predetermined area along a moving path of the robot, and an analyzer to analyze the collected feature information of the predetermined area according to a predetermined reference range and to classify the collected feature information into a plurality of groups.

Claims

1. A robot controlled by area features, comprising:

a plurality of sensor modules to collect feature information of a predetermined area along a moving path of the robot; and

an analyzer to analyze the collected feature information of the predetermined area and to classify the collected feature information into a plurality of groups according to a predetermined numeric reference range,

wherein the feature information comprises at least one of information regarding a distance between the robot and an obstacle above the robot, information regarding a floor material in the area where the robot is located, and information regarding an obstacle on a moving path of the robot.

2. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a control module to control the robot according to the analyzed and classified feature information.

3. The robot of claim 1, wherein the analyzer further comprises performing one of matching the feature information of the area with predetermined reference information and analyzing the collected feature information of the predetermined area according to a predetermined numeric reference range to classify the information into a plurality of groups.

4. The robot of claim 3, further comprising:

a first memory to store at least one of the predetermined reference information and the feature information of the area; and

a second memory to store group information of the classified groups.

5. The robot of claim 4, wherein the analyzer matches the feature information of the area with the predetermined reference information and then matches the predetermined reference information with position information included in the feature information of the area to further store the matched feature information in the first memory.

6. The robot of claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver to receive a control command for an area to which the robot will move; and

a search module to read the received control command and to search information corresponding to the control command from the group information.

7. The robot of claim 6, further comprising:

a moving path design module to design the moving path of the robot using the group information searched by the search module; and

a control module to control a moving direction of the robot along the designed moving path.

8. The robot of claim 7, wherein the moving path design module designs the moving path of the robot based on a designated priority of an area closest to an area where the robot is located.

9. The robot of claim 7, wherein the moving path design module designs the moving path of the robot based on at least one of position information of an area to which the control command is transmitted and information on a floor material if the search module fails to find information corresponding to the control command from the group information.

10. The robot of claim 1, wherein the sensor module includes:

a first sensor to provide information on a distance between the robot and a first obstacle located above the robot;

a second sensor to provide information on a floor material corresponding to an area where the robot is located; and

a third sensor to provide information on a dust pollution level of the area where the robot is located.

11. The robot of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third sensor include at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, an optical sensor, an image sensor, and a touch sensor.

12. The robot of claim 10, further comprising:

a fourth sensor to provide position information of the area where the robot is located; and

a fifth sensor to provide information on a second obstacle on the moving path of the robot.

13. The robot of claim 12, wherein the fourth sensor includes at least one of a gyroscope, a compass, and an encoder.

14. The robot of claim 13, wherein the fifth sensor includes at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, an optical sensor, an image sensor, and a touch sensor.

15. The robot of claim 1, further comprising:

a driving module to move the robot based on a control of the control module; and

a dirt remover to remove dirt along the moving path of the robot.

16. A method of collecting and classifying feature information of a predetermined area according to a moving path of a robot, the method comprising:

collecting feature information of the predetermined area along the moving path of the robot; and

analyzing the collected feature information of the predetermined area to classify the feature information into a plurality of groups according to a predetermined numeric reference range,

wherein the feature information comprises at least one of information regarding a distance between the robot and an obstacle above the robot, information regarding a floor material in the area where the robot is located, and information regarding an obstacle on a moving path of the robot.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising controlling the robot according to the analyzed and classified feature information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the analyzing comprises one of matching the feature information of the area with predetermined reference information, and analyzing the collected feature information of the predetermined area according to a predetermined numeric reference range to classify the collected feature information into a plurality of groups.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

storing at least one of the predetermined reference information and the feature information of the area; and

storing group information of the classified groups.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising matching the feature information of the area with the predetermined reference information and matching the predetermined reference information with position information included in the feature information of the area to further store the matched feature information.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a control command for an area to which the robot will move; and

reading the received control command and searching information corresponding to the control command from the group information.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

designing the moving path of the robot using the searched group information; and

controlling a moving direction of the robot along the designed moving path.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the designing includes designing the moving path of the robot based on a designated priority of an area closest to an area where the robot is located.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the designing includes designing the moving path of the robot based on at least one of position information of an area to which the control command is transmitted and information on a floor material if information corresponding to the control command is not searched from the group information.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the collecting includes:

providing information on a distance between the robot and a first obstacle located above the robot;

providing information on a floor material corresponding to an area where the robot is located; and

providing information on a dust pollution level of the area where the robot is located.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the providing information on a distance, providing information on a floor material, and providing information on a dust pollution level, use at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, an optical sensor, an image sensor, and a touch sensor.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

providing position information of the area where the robot is located; and

providing information on a second obstacle on the moving path of the robot.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the providing uses at least one of a gyroscope, a compass, and an encoder.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the providing uses at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a laser sensor, an optical sensor, an image sensor, and a touch sensor.

30. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

moving the robot based on the control of the controlling operation; and

removing dirt along the moving path of the robot.

31. At least one non-transitory medium comprising computer readable code to control at least one processing element to implement the method of claim 16.

32. A robot moving on a floor, the robot comprising:

a sensing system to collect feature information of one or more predetermined area along a moving path during a first pass of the robot, and to store the feature information of the one or more predetermined area;

an analysis system to analyze the collected feature information of the one or more predetermined areas and to classify the collected feature information into a plurality of groups according to a predetermined numeric reference range, the feature information comprising at least one of information regarding a distance between the robot and an obstacle above the robot, information regarding a floor material in the area where the robot is located, and information regarding an obstacle on a moving path of the robot; and

a navigation system to use one of the stored feature information to adjust a movement of the robot during one or more subsequent passes.

33. The robot of claim 32, wherein the sensing system stores the feature information collected during the first pass of the robot.

34. The robot of claim 33, wherein the sensing system collects additional feature information during the subsequent passes of the robot and adds the additional feature information collected to the stored feature information.

35. The robot of claim 32, wherein the sensing system comprises a plurality of sensor modules.

36. The robot of claim 32, wherein the sensing system comprises one or more sensors to sense obstacles above the robot thereby allowing navigation according to a three-dimensional map.

37. A robot cleaning a floor, the robot comprising:

a sensing system to collect feature information of one or more predetermined areas along a moving path during a first pass of the robot, and to store the feature information of the one or more predetermined areas; and

a cleaning adjustment system to use the stored feature information to adjust the cleaning of the robot during one or more subsequent passes, the cleaning adjustment system increasing or decreasing a cleaning duration.

38. The robot of claim 37, wherein the cleaning comprises vacuuming a floor.

39. The robot of claim 38, wherein the cleaning adjustment system increases or decreases a cleaning strength of the cleaning based on the stored feature information.

40. A robot moving on a floor, the robot comprising:

a sensing system to collect feature information of one or more predetermined areas along a moving path during a first pass of the robot, and to store the feature information of the one or more predetermined areas;

a navigation system to use the stored feature information to adjust a movement of the robot during subsequent passes; and

a cleaning adjustment system to use the stored feature information to adjust the cleaning of the robot during one or more subsequent passes, the cleaning adjustment system increasing or decreasing a cleaning duration.

41. The robot of claim 40, wherein the sensing system comprises one or more sensors to sense obstacles above the robot thereby allowing navigation according to a three-dimensional map.

42. The robot of claim 40, wherein the cleaning adjustment system increases or decreases a cleaning strength of the cleaning based on the stored feature information.