Autonomous mobile device

• US 9,244,461 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Shoji, Nakano, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao Long T
• Application Number:
  US14/254,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20140229053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 700250-255, 700257-259, 701/23, 701 25- 28, 701408-411, 701445-448, 701/461, 701519-520, 701532-533, 701300-301, 901/1, 901/50, 318/568.12, 318/568.19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

An electronic controller defining an autonomous mobile device includes a self-location estimation unit to estimate a self-location based on a local map that is created according to distance/angle information relative to an object in the vicinity and the travel distance of an omni wheel, an environmental map creation unit to create an environmental map of a mobile area based on the self-location and the local map during the guided travel with using a joystick, a registration switch to register the self-location of the autonomous mobile device as the position coordinate of the setting point when the autonomous mobile device reaches a predetermined setting point during the guided travel, a storage unit to store the environmental map and the setting point, a route planning unit to plan the travel route by using the setting point on the environmental map stored in the storage unit, and a travel control unit to control the autonomous mobile device to autonomously travel along the travel route.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile device, comprising:

an acquisition unit to acquire position information on an object in a vicinity;

a creation unit to create a plurality of partial maps configuring an environmental map of a mobile area based on the position information on the object acquired by the acquisition unit;

a setting unit to receive input from a user of the autonomous mobile device and set connection points that connect the plurality of partial maps when the plurality of partial maps are created by the creation unit;

a selection unit to select the connection points of each of the plurality of partial maps that are mutually connected, from among the connection points set by the setting unit; and

a connecting unit to set forth a connection relation between the connection points selected by the selection unit;

wherein

the connection points are designated by the input from the user of the autonomous mobile device.

2. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an extraction unit to extract and thin a movable area for each of the plurality of partial maps created by the creation unit;

a topological map creation unit to search for a branching point of the movable areas thinned by the extraction unit for each of the plurality of partial maps, and create a topological map showing a connection relation of the branching points for each of the plurality of partial maps;

a search unit to connect the topological maps of each of the plurality of partial maps created by the topological map creation unit with the connection points selected by the selection unit, and to search for a shortest route on the topological map of each of the plurality of partial maps;

a dividing unit to divide the shortest route searched by the search unit into a topological map for each of the plurality of partial maps; and

a planning unit to plan a travel route which connects the connection points included in the topological map for each partial map divided by the dividing unit.

3. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a moving unit to move the autonomous mobile device;

a control unit to control the moving unit so that the autonomous mobile device autonomously travels along the travel route planned by the planning unit for each of the plurality of partial maps; and

a switching unit to switch, upon changing from a partial map during travel to a different partial map, a partial map to be used for traveling to a partial map of a travel destination, based on the connection relation between connection points of the partial map set forth by the connecting unit.

4. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 3, wherein the switching unit switches, upon changing to the different partial map, a coordinate system to be used from a coordinate system of the partial map during travel to a coordinate system of the partial map of a travel destination.

5. The autonomous mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit is included in a joystick operated by the user.