Environment recognition guide system for movable medical equipment and method

• US 9,348,337 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swissray Asia HealthCare Co Ltd
• Original Assignee: Swissray Asia HealthCare Co Ltd
• Inventors: Chen, Te Mu, Hsieh, Yun Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US14/459,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 28, 701/301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/102 Protection against mechanical damage, e.g. anti-collision devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/105 Braking or locking devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/22 for automatically guiding movable devices, e.g. stretchers or wheelchairs in a hospital
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49143 Obstacle, collision avoiding control, move so that no collision occurs
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means

Abstract

An environment recognition guide system and method for guiding a movable medical equipment are disclosed. The environment recognition guide system includes a depth camera, an environment data storage device, and an object image recognition device. When the object image recognition device compares and determines an environment image pixel depth signal acquired by the depth camera matching predetermined object image pixel depth signals stored in the environment data storage device, the medical equipment is driven to move along a preset guide path. The movable medical equipment is further provided with collision protection function to prevent the medical equipment from collision with a front obstacle during the movement.

Claims

1. An environment recognition guide system for a movable medical equipment, the medical equipment comprising a movable carrier on which at least a wheel, a driving motor, and a motor control circuit are disposed, wherein the motor control circuit is connected to the driving motor and the motor control circuit controls the driving motor to operate for driving the wheel to cause the movable carrier of the medical equipment to move forward in a moving direction along a preset guide path in an environmental space, the environment recognition guide system comprising:

a processor unit;

a depth camera, which is connected via an image processing device to the processor unit, the depth camera being arranged at a front position of the medical equipment facing the moving direction in order to acquire an environment image pixel depth signal existing in front of the medical equipment;

an environment data storage device, which is connected to the processor unit and stores therein predetermined object image pixel depth signals of a plurality of objects existing along the preset guide path in the environmental space;

an object image recognition device, which is connected to the processor unit to compare the environment image pixel depth signal acquired by the depth camera with the predetermined object image pixel depth signals stored in the environment data storage device for comparison;

a distance determination device, which is connected to the processor unit; and

a distance reference value storage unit, which is connected to the distance determination device and stores therein a safe distance reference value, a deceleration distance reference value, and a stop distance reference value;

wherein when the processor unit receives the environment image pixel depth signal acquired by the depth camera, the object image recognition device compares the environment image pixel depth signal with the predetermined object image pixel depth signals stored in the environment data storage device for recognition;

when the environment image pixel depth signal is determined matching the predetermined object image pixel depth signals, a movement control signal is generated and applied to the motor control circuit to allow the motor control circuit to control the driving motor to operate for driving the medical equipment to move along the preset guide path;

the depth camera captures an obstacle image pixel depth signal of an obstacle existing in front of the medical equipment; and

the processor unit, upon receiving the obstacle image pixel depth signal of the depth camera, computes an obstacle distance between the depth camera and the obstacle that is transmitted to the distance determination device, so that the distance determination device, upon determining the obstacle distance is greater than the safe distance reference value, generates and applies the movement control signal to the motor control circuit to allow the motor control circuit to control the driving motor to operate.

2. The environment recognition guide system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an image capture device, which is connected via the image processing device to the processor unit, the image capture device being arranged at a front position of the medical equipment facing the moving direction in order to capture an instant image of an object existing in front of the medical equipment along the preset guide path.

3. The environment recognition guide system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a display device, which is connected to the image capture device, the display device being arranged on the medical equipment at a location at a rear side of the medical equipment in the moving direction.

4. The environment recognition guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined object image pixel depth signals comprise an image pixel depth signal of one of a wall, a column, a corner, and a projection of a building in the environmental space.

5. The environment recognition guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined object image pixel depth signals comprise an image pixel depth signal of one of a room number and an identification tag of a room.

6. The environment recognition guide system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an alarm device connected to the processor unit.

7. The environment recognition guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance determination device, upon determining the obstacle distance is less than the deceleration distance reference value, generates and applies a deceleration control signal to the motor control circuit to allow the motor control circuit to control the driving motor to decelerate.

8. The environment recognition guide system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance determination device, upon determining the obstacle distance is less than the stop distance reference value, generates and applies a stop control signal to the motor control circuit to allow the motor control circuit to control the driving motor to stop.