Method and system for operating a self-propelled vehicle according to scene images

• US 8,939,842 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meimadtek Limited
• Original Assignee: Meimadtek Limited
• Inventors: Ehrmann, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Hylinski, Steven J
• Application Number:
  US12/687,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20100178982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 701/28, 701/523, 348/118, 348/119
• US Class Current: 463/62
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2419 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2435 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1093 using visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0058 electric A63F7/027, A63F7/3065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/0664 Electric
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a robotic system including one or more self-propelled motorized vehicles 120 (SPMV) whose motion is controlled in accordance with electronic image data acquired by one or more observing camera(s) 110 configured to image a scene including the SPMV 120. In some embodiments, the SPMV includes one or more on-board lights 124, and the SPMV is operated according to analyzing images acquired by the observing camera before and after an illumination transition of one or more of the point-lights. Some embodiments relate techniques to computer gaming and/or to stereoscopic image processing techniques.

Claims

1. A method of operating a self-propelled motorized vehicle (SPMV) in accordance with camera calibration data of an electronic camera, the camera calibration data defining a map between pixel-image locations and real-world locations, the SPMV including one or more onboard lights the method comprising:

a) electronically controlling the onboard light(s) of the SPMV to induce an illumination transition that modifies brightness and/or color of one or more of the onboard lights;

b) comparing first and second electronic images acquired by the camera, the first image being a pre-transition electronic image describing the SPMV before the illumination transition and the second electronic image being a post transition electronic image describing the SPMV after the illumination transition; and

c) in accordance with results of the comparing and in accordance with the camera calibration data defining the map between the pixel-image locations and the real-world locations,

electronically controlling rotational and/or translational movement of the SPMV or a portion thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

(i) the comparing of the first and second electronic images is performed so as to determine, for each onboard light of the one or more onboard lights, a respective pixel-image location;

(ii) the method further comprises determining, from the respective pixel-image location(s) of each onboard light(s) and from the camera calibration data defining the map between pixel-image locations and the real-world Euclidian locations, a respective real-world Euclidian location of each onboard light(s); and

(iii) the electronic controlling of the rotational and/or translational movement or the portion thereof is performed in accordance with the respective real-world Euclidian location of each onboard light(s) as determined by image comparing and the camera calibration data.

3. A system comprising:

a) a self-propelled motorized vehicle (SPMV) including one or more onboard lights operative to effect an illumination transition that modifies brightness and/or color of one or more of the onboard lights b) an observing camera operative to acquire a time series of images of a scene including the SPMV; and

c) electronic circuitry operative to;

i) determine a real-world location of the SPMV according to the illumination transition as described by the image time series and according to camera calibration data for the observing camera, the camera calibration data defining a map between pixel-image locations and real-world locations; and

ii) control rotational and/or translational movement of the SPMV or a portion thereof according to the determined real-world location of the SPMV.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the Euclidian location of the SPMV is determined primarily by analyzing one or more image(s) of the image time series.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the controlling of the rotational and/or translational movement of the SPMV is carried out according to the combination of:

i) the Euclidian location of the onboard light(s); and

ii) other information derivable from one or more electronic images acquired by the camera.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the other information describes one or more foreign objects in the scene.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the foreign object information is selected from the group consisting of color information for the foreign object, surface texture information for the foreign object, and motion information describing translational or rotational motion of the foreign object.

8. The system of claim 3 wherein the controlling of the rotational and/or translational movement of the SPMV is carried out according to the combination of:

i) the Euclidian location of the onboard light(s); and

ii) information that is a Euclidian description of a real or virtual boundary in the scene.

9. The system of claim 3 wherein the controlling of the rotational and/or translational movement of the SPMV is carried out according to the combination of:

i) the Euclidian location of the onboard light(s); and

ii) a stereoscopic description of the scene obtained by analyzing images from multiple observing cameras that view the scene.

10. A system comprising:

a. a self-propelled motorized vehicle (SPMV) including one or more onboard lights operative to effect an illumination transition that modifies brightness and/or color of one or more of the onboard lights;

b. an observing camera operative to acquire a time series of images of a scene including the SPMV such that a first image of the time series is a pre-transition electronic image describing the SPMV before the illumination transition and a second electronic image of the time series is a post transition electronic image describing the SPMV after the illumination transition; and

c. electronic circuitry operative to

(i) compare the first and second electronic images to determine for each onboard light of one or more of the onboard lights, a respective pixel location within the first and/or second electronic image;

(ii) determine, from the pixel location(s) and from camera calibration data for the camera, a respective Euclidian location for each onboard light of the one or more onboard lights, the camera calibration data defining a map between pixel-image locations and real-world locations; and

(iii) in accordance with the determined Euclidian location(s) of the on-board light(s), electronically control rotational and/or translational movement of the SPMV or a portion thereof.