Mobile robot indoor localization and navigation system and method

• US 10,054,951 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2016
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation), Expression Pathology, Inc. (NantWorks, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Liu, Qiong, Ma, Shang, Kratz, Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Torchinsky, Edward
• Application Number:
  US15/164,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20170344017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

An indoor localization and navigation system for a mobile robot, the system comprising: a projector mounted on the mobile robot and configured to project a temporal projector light signal, wherein the temporal projector light signal is encoded, for each pixel of the projector, with an information segment comprising the pixel coordinates of the each pixel of the projector; a stationary sensor node comprising a light sensor configured to detect the temporal projector light signal and generate a sensor signal and a transmitter configured to transmit a sensor node identifier and a position code generated based on the sensor signal; a receiver mounted on the mobile robot and configured to receive the sensor node identifier and the position code from the transmitter; and an onboard computer mounted on the mobile robot and operatively coupled to the projector and the receiver, wherein the onboard computer is configured to receive the sensor node identifier and the position code from the receiver and to determine a location information of the mobile robot based on the received sensor node identifier and the position code.

Claims

1. An indoor localization and navigation system for a mobile robot, the system comprising:

a. a projector comprising a plurality of pixels, the projector mounted on the mobile robot and configured to project a temporal projector light signal, wherein the temporal projector light signal is encoded, for each pixel of the projector, with an information segment comprising the pixel coordinates of the each pixel of the projector;

b. a stationary sensor node comprising a light sensor configured to detect the temporal projector light signal and generate a sensor signal and a transmitter configured to transmit a sensor node identifier and a position code generated based on the sensor signal;

c. a receiver mounted on the mobile robot and configured to receive the sensor node identifier and the position code from the transmitter; and

d. an onboard computer mounted on the mobile robot and operatively coupled to the projector and the receiver, wherein the onboard computer is configured to receive the sensor node identifier and the position code from the receiver and to determine a location information of the mobile robot based on the received sensor node identifier and the position code.

2. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the stationary sensor node is rigidly mounted on a ceiling.

3. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer of the mobile robot determines the location information of the mobile robot by identifying a projector pixel corresponding to the position code.

4. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer of the mobile robot determines the location information of the mobile robot by querying a remote server using the received sensor node identifier and receiving, from the remote server, a node position corresponding to the received sensor node identifier.

5. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 4, wherein the onboard computer of the mobile robot determines the location information of the mobile robot by combining the node position received from the remote server with a second position generated based on the position code.

6. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensor node comprises a second light sensor configured to detect the temporal projector light signal and generate a second sensor signal, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a second position code generated based on the second sensor signal and wherein the onboard computer of the mobile robot determines the location information of the mobile robot by identifying a second projector pixel corresponding to the second position code.

7. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the sensor node comprises a second light sensor configured to detect the temporal projector light signal and generate a second sensor signal, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a second position code generated based on the second sensor signal and wherein the onboard computer of the mobile robot determines an orientation information of the mobile robot based on the position code and the second position code.

8. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the temporal projector light signal projected by the project comprises a plurality of sequential light pulses encoding pixel coordinates of the each pixel of the projector.

9. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer of the mobile robot is configured to calculate a trajectory error of the mobile robot and issue a guidance command based on a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) calculation performed using the calculated trajectory error.

10. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer is configured to maintain a map comprising topological relation of a plurality of stationary sensor nodes.

11. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 10, wherein the onboard computer is configured to issue a guidance command based on the map and a goal sequence information.

12. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 11, wherein the goal sequence information comprises an ordered plurality of stationary sensor nodes.

13. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 11, further comprising a server executing a global navigation module for building the goal sequence information and transmitting the goal sequence information to the onboard computer of the robot.

14. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the projector and the receiver are positioned on a top of the mobile robot.

15. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 1, wherein the stationary sensor node further comprises a second light sensor configured to detect the temporal projector light signal and generate a second sensor signal and wherein the transmitted position code is additionally based on the second sensor signal.

16. The indoor localization and navigation system of claim 15, wherein the stationary sensor node further comprises a third light sensor configured to detect the temporal projector light signal and generate a third sensor signal and wherein the transmitted position code is additionally based on the third sensor signal.

17. An indoor localization and navigation method for a mobile robot, the method comprising:

a. using a projector comprising a plurality of pixels, the projector mounted on the mobile robot to project a temporal projector light signal, wherein the temporal projector light signal is encoded, for each pixel of the projector, with an information segment comprising the pixel coordinates of the each pixel of the projector;

b. using a stationary sensor node comprising a light sensor for detecting the temporal projector light signal and generate a sensor signal and a transmitter for transmitting a sensor node identifier and a position code generated based on the sensor signal;

c. using a receiver mounted on the mobile robot to receive the sensor node identifier and the position code from the transmitter; and

d. using an onboard computer mounted on the mobile robot and operatively coupled to the projector and the receiver, to receive the sensor node identifier and the position code from the receiver and to determine a location information of the mobile robot based on the received sensor node identifier and the position code.

18. The indoor localization and navigation method of claim 17, wherein the stationary sensor node is rigidly mounted on a ceiling.

19. The indoor localization and navigation method of claim 17, wherein the onboard computer of the mobile robot determines the location information of the mobile robot by identifying a projector pixel corresponding to the position code.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a set of instructions implementing an indoor localization and navigation method for a mobile robot, the method comprising:

a. using a projector comprising a plurality of pixels, the projector mounted on the mobile robot to project a temporal projector light signal, wherein the temporal projector light signal is encoded, for each pixel of the projector, with an information segment comprising the pixel coordinates of the each pixel of the projector;

b. using a stationary sensor node comprising a light sensor for detecting the temporal projector light signal and generate a sensor signal and a transmitter for transmitting a sensor node identifier and a position code generated based on the sensor signal;

c. using a receiver mounted on the mobile robot to receive the sensor node identifier and the position code from the transmitter; and

d. using an onboard computer mounted on the mobile robot and operatively coupled to the projector and the receiver, to receive the sensor node identifier and the position code from the receiver and to determine a location information of the mobile robot based on the received sensor node identifier and the position code.