Lens assembly, obstacle detecting unit using the same, and moving robot having the same

• US 9,864,914 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jong-il, Yoon, Suk-june, Kim, Shin, Roh, Kyung-shik, Park, Soon-yong, Yoon, Sang-sik, Lee, Seung-jae
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US14/883,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20160188985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23, 701 28, 701 36, 701301, 359725, 359731, 359740, 700245-264, 901 1, 901 46, 901 47
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4816 of receivers alone
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/00 Systems with reflecting surfaces, with or without refracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/08 Catadioptric systems used in non-imaging applications G02B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0808 on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0812 off-axis or unobscured systems in which all of the mirrors share a common axis of rotational symmetry
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/086 wherein the system is made of a single block of optical material, e.g. solid catadioptric systems
• 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 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

An obstacle detecting unit includes a reflective mirror formed to reflect light which is incident from a front area and a lower portion of the front area below a central portion of the reflective mirror; a catadioptric lens disposed coaxially with the reflective mirror in an upper portion of the reflective mirror, the catadioptric lens on which light incident from the front area and an upper portion of the front area; and an image forming module disposed coaxially with the reflective mirror below the reflective mirror, the image forming module on which the light reflected by the reflective mirror is incident, wherein a through hole is formed in the central portion of the reflective mirror, and the light coming out of the catadioptric lens passes through the through hole and then is incident on the image forming module.

Claims

1. A lens assembly mountable in an obstacle detection device comprising:

a reflective mirror formed to reflect light that is incident from at least a portion of an area in front of the obstacle detection device and from at least a portion of a lower portion of the area in front of the obstacle detection device toward below a central portion of the reflective mirror and including a through hole formed in the central portion of the reflective mirror; and

a catadioptric lens to direct light, which is incident from at least a portion of the area in front of the obstacle detection device and from at least a portion of an upper portion of the area in front of the obstacle detection device, to pass through the through hole of the reflective mirror, the catadioptric lens being disposed coaxially with the reflective mirror in an upper portion of the reflective mirror.

2. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein

the catadioptric lens is detachably disposed in the reflective mirror.

3. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the catadioptric lens comprises:

a first surface including a reflecting area formed on an inside of the first surface and a refracting area surrounding the reflecting area formed on the inside of the first surface, and

a second surface facing the first surface and including a refracting area and a reflecting area surrounding the refracting area of the second surface.

4. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein

the refracting area of the first surface of the catadioptric lens is formed to receive outside light,

the reflecting area of the second surface of the catadioptric lens is formed to reflect the light incident on the refracting area of the first surface to the reflecting area of the first surface, and

the refracting area of the second surface is formed to transmit the light reflected by the reflecting area of the first surface so that the light is emitted to an outside of the catadioptric lens.

5. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein

the refracting area of the first surface is formed so that light having an incident angle of between 0 and 60 degrees is incident.

6. The lens assembly of claim 5, wherein

a masking area to limit the incident angle is formed on the first surface.

7. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein

the reflecting area of the first surface and the reflecting area of the second surface are formed of any one of aluminum and chrome.

8. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein

the reflective mirror is formed to reflect light having an incident angle of between −

60 and 0 degrees below the through hole of the reflective mirror.

9. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein

the through hole of the reflective mirror is formed to not interfere with the light emitted from the catadioptric lens.