Sonar scanner

• US 8,599,645 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Chiappetta, Mark J., Allard, James
• Primary Examiner(s): PIHULIC, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US13/657,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20130070563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 367/98, 367/96, 901/1, 901/46, 356/4, 356/5
• US Class Current: 367/98
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/10 with more than four wheels tractors of the low ground pressure type B62D49/002
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/12 with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels for manoeuvring purposes only B60S
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/108 using more than one pulse per sonar period
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52004 Means for monitoring or calibrating short-range imaging G01S7/5205
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/527 Extracting wanted echo signals Doppler systems G01S15/50

Abstract

Detecting an object using sound waves includes outputting a sound wave from a transducer, receiving an echo after outputting the sound wave, obtaining a threshold value based on the echo and plural other echoes that are within a predetermined range of the echo, and determining if the echo is a result of the sound wave based on the threshold value.

Claims

1. A mobile robot control system, the system comprising:

a transducer configured to transmit emissions and to receive reflections of transmitted emissions;

a rotatable reflector coupled to the transducer to direct transmitted emissions away from the transducer and to direct reflections of transmitted emissions toward the transducer; and

a processor configured to;

obtain a characteristic of a ring-down signal of a transmitted emission;

detect an echo of another emission based on the obtained characteristic of the ring-down signal; and

control the mobile robot based on the detection of the echo of the other emission.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflector comprises a reflective surface facing the transducer.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the reflective surface is contoured such that the transmitted emissions are directed away from the transducer in a limited reflection field.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the reflective surface is shaped and positioned such that the transducer is responsive to reflections at a ±

5 degree angle from a center-line of the reflective surface.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the reflective surface comprises an acoustic mirror.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflector is configured to direct transmitted emissions away from the transducer in a selected reflection field.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the reflector is positioned at an angle with respect to the transducer.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a cone-shaped housing in which the reflector is disposed.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the reflector is movable with respect to the transducer.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a conditioner in communication with the transducer to condition received reflections of transmitted emissions, the conditioner comprising an amplifier.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the conditioner comprises a filter.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflector is rotatable through 360 degrees.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller for controlling an angular position of the reflector.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the transducer is an acoustic transducer responsive to electrical signals received from a generator.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a generator in communication with the transducer configured to generate multiple, sequential emissions transmitted by the transducer, the generator and transducer configured to generate and transmit emissions comprising waveforms.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the generator and transducer are configured to generate and transmit emissions comprising sound waves.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the generator is in communication with the processor and configured to produce electrical signals based on output from the processor.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the generator is further configured to provide the electrical signals to the transducer.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to detect an echo of another emission by using the obtained characteristic of the ring-down signal to distinguish the ring-down signal from the echo of the other emission.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the ring-down signal comprises a signal that decays in amplitude over time.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises an amplitude in the ring-down signal.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to detect the echo of another emission by:

comparing the amplitude of the ring-down signal to an amplitude of the echo of the other emission; and

determining that that the amplitude of the echo of the other emission is greater than the amplitude of the ring-down signal.