Moving robot and method to build map for the same

• US 9,110,472 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ahn, Sung Hwan, Hyung, Seung Yong, Roh, Kyung Shik, Yoon, Suk June
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US13/236,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20120089295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 382/195, 901/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A moving robot and a method to build a map for the same, wherein a 3D map for an ambient environment of the moving robot may be built using a Time of Flight (TOF) camera that may acquire 3D distance information in real time. The method acquires 3D distance information of an object present in a path along which the moving robot moves, accumulates the acquired 3D distance information to construct a map of a specific level and stores the map in a database, and then hierarchically matches maps stored in the database to build a 3D map for a set space. This method may quickly and accurately build a 3D map for an ambient environment of the moving robot.

Claims

1. A method to build a map for a moving robot, the method comprising:

acquiring, by a computer, 3D distance information of an object present in a path along which the moving robot moves; and

by at least one computer;

accumulating, by the computer, the acquired 3D distance information to construct maps, each constituted by three-dimensional (3D) cloud data, of a specific size level and storing the maps in a database;

hierarchically matching, by the computer, the maps stored in the database based on the size levels of the maps to build a 3D map for a set space; and

controlling, by the computer, the moving robot in accordance with the built 3D map.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the accumulating the acquired 3D distance information comprises accumulating the 3D distance information based on a coordinate system of a movement start point of the moving robot while the moving robot travels a preset distance, or while the moving robot travels over a preset area, or during a preset time when the moving robot travels at a constant speed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hierarchically matching comprises:

determining whether or not two maps of equal size level are present in the database;

matching, upon determining that said two maps of said equal size level are present in the database, the two maps using an Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm to build a new map of an increased size level; and

storing the new map in the database.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether or not said two or more maps are present in the database upon completion of traveling of the moving robot for the set space; and

matching, upon determining that said two or more maps are present in the database, said two or more maps using the ICP algorithm in an order in which said two or more maps have been generated to build a final map for the set space.

5. A method to build a map for a moving robot, the method comprising:

localizing, by a computer the moving robot;

acquiring, by the computer, 3D distance information of an object present in a path along which the moving robot moves; and

by at least one computer, accumulating, by the computer, the acquired 3D distance information to construct maps, each constituted by three-dimensional (3D) cloud data, of a specific size level and storing the maps, together with a result of the localization of the moving robot, in a database;

determining, by the computer, whether or not two maps of equal size level are present in the database; and

upon determining that said two maps of said equal level are present in the database, executing, by the computer an Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm on said two maps, calculating new rigid body transformation information by combining a result of the localization of the moving robot and a result of the execution of the ICP algorithm, matching, by the computer, said two maps using the calculated new rigid body transformation information to build a new map of an increased level to build a 3D map for a set space; and

controlling, by the computer, the moving robot in accordance with the built 3D map.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising storing the new map in the database.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein localization of the moving robot is performed using Extended Kalman Filter (EKF)-based Simultaneous Localization And Map-building (SLAM).

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the accumulating the acquired 3D distance information comprises accumulating the 3D distance information based on a coordinate system of a movement start point of the moving robot while the moving robot travels a preset distance, or while the moving robot travels over a preset area, or during a preset time when the moving robot travels at a constant speed.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether or not said two or more maps are present in the database upon completion of traveling of the moving robot for the set space; and

matching, upon determining that said two or more maps are present in the database, said two or more maps using the ICP algorithm in an order in which said two or more maps have been generated to build a final map for the set space.

10. A moving robot comprising:

a 3D distance information acquirer to acquire 3D distance information of an object present in a path along which the moving robot moves; and

a controller to accumulate the acquired 3D distance information to construct maps, each constituted by three-dimensional (3D) cloud data, of a specific size level and to store the maps in a database and then to hierarchically match the maps stored in the database based on the size levels of the maps to build a 3D map for a set space, and to control the moving robot in accordance with the built 3D map.

11. The moving robot according to claim 10, wherein the 3D distance information acquirer is a Time of Flight (TOF) camera.

12. The moving robot according to claim 10, wherein the controller accumulates the 3D distance information based on a coordinate system of a movement start point of the moving robot while the moving robot travels a preset distance, or while the moving robot travels over a preset area, or during a preset time when the moving robot travels at a constant speed.

13. The moving robot according to claim 10, wherein the controller

determines whether or not two maps of equal size level are present in the database,

matches, upon determining that said two maps of said equal size level are present in the database, the two maps using an Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm to build a new map of an increased level, and

stores the new map in the database.

14. The moving robot according to claim 13, wherein the controller

determines whether or not said two or more maps are present in the database upon completion of traveling of the moving robot for the set space, and

matches, upon determining that said two or more maps are present in the database, the two or more maps using the ICP algorithm in an order in which the two or more maps have been generated to build a final map for the set space.