Self tracking system and its operation method

• US 9,948,917 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Follow Inspiration Unipessoal Limitada
• Original Assignee: Follow Inspiration Unipessoal Limitada
• Inventors: Inacio De Matos, Luis Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhillon, Peet
• Application Number:
  US14/429,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20150229906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: 700253, 700255, 701 23, 701 26
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00

Abstract

It is described an autonomous system for tracking an individual, comprising: wheeled vehicle; 3D depth camera, distance and/or touch sensors; at least two motors, each to drive one or more wheels respectively from both sides, left and right, of the mentioned vehicle; data processing module, comprising a decision unit configured to: if the 3D depth camera detects that the distance between the system and the individual to follow is inferior to a predetermined limit, decrease the speed of the two motors; if the 3D depth camera detects that the person to be followed exceeds a predetermined limit on the left or right of a horizontal predefined point, increase the engine speed on the right, slowing the speed of the left engine, or vice versa.

Claims

1. An autonomous system for tracking a person and transporting objects comprising:

a vehicle with wheels configured to transport objects, the vehicle having a plurality of corners;

a 3D depth camera configured to identify objects and people, and recognize the person being tracked;

a plurality of distance sensors, wherein each of the plurality of corners of the vehicle includes at least one distance sensor;

at least two motors, each motor driving one or more wheels to a left side or to a right side with respect to the travel direction of the vehicle with wheels,

an acquisition control device;

a motor control board in communication with the motors and with the acquisition control device; and

a decision device in communication with the 3D depth camera and with the acquisition control device,

wherein the acquisition control device transmits orders to the motors through the motor control board, performs value reading from the distance and/or touch sensors, and has the power to order immediate stop or recalculate a path and then transmitting to the decision device; and

wherein the decision device receives transmissions from the acquisition control device and also calculates motion or stop commands based on information received from the 3D depth camera,

such that the system is configured to;

identify a person based on a barcode located on the person;

obtain, for each of a plurality of individuals, a skeleton comprising information pertaining to one or more bones and one or more joints of the respective individual;

determine if the skeleton of the person is present among the plurality of skeletons;

determine a first distance between the skeleton of the person and the vehicle along a first axis and a second distance between the skeleton of the person and the vehicle along a second axis, if the skeleton of the person is present among the plurality of skeletons;

determine, a first error between an intended location of the person in space and an actual location of the person in space, based on the first distance, the first error being associated with the first axis, and a second error between the intended location and the actual location, based on the second distance, the second error being associated with the second axis; and

based on the first and second errors, alter the speed of each motor such that the vehicle moves to reduce the first and second errors, in order to move the vehicle towards an intended vehicle position behind the person;

if the first and second errors are such that the actual location of the person in space is to the right or to the left of the intended location of the person in space, the at least two motors are given different speeds such as to make the vehicle follow a curved path, thus causing the vehicle to turn;

if the first and second errors are such that the actual location of the person in space is forward or backward of the intended location of the person in space, the at least two motors are given the same speed values as to make the system follow a linear path, thus causing the vehicle to follow a straight line.

2. The system according to claim 1 further configured to stop the at least two motors when detecting a proximity and/or touch of an object by said distance and/or touch sensors.

3. The system according to claim 1 further configured to stop the at least two motors if the 3D depth camera detects that a distance between the vehicle and the person is less than a predetermined safety limit.

4. The system according to claim 1, configured to, prior to tracking a person, recognize said person based on the barcode and one of face recognition, predefined gesture recognition, and predefined RFID tag.

5. The system according to claim 1 further configured to, prior to tracking a person, carry out the following steps:

detect the presence of a human form with the 3D depth camera;

recognizing the person based on the barcode and one of a pre-defined face recognition, predefined gesture recognition, and predefined RFID tag;

assign a unique ID to the detected human form; and

activate the tracking of the recognized person.