Module fiducial markers for robot navigation, address markers and the associated robots

• US 10,598,493 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2018
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hangzhou Amlj Technology Company, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hangzhou Amlj Technology Company, Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhu, Jianqiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Mott, Genna M
• Application Number:
  US15/959,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20180356232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/04 by terrestrial means G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/0005 Geometrical arrangement of magnetic sensor elements; Apparatus combining different magnetic sensor types G01R33/0206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0263 using magnetic strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/082 using inductive or magnetic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation

Abstract

The present invention discloses a module for robot navigation, an address marker and an associated robot. The module divides a whole workspace area for robot traveling into a plurality of module areas, and each module area is internally provided with a first magnetic piece having a polarity of an N pole or an S pole and a second magnetic piece having a polarity different from the polarity of the first magnetic piece. The first magnetic piece is a first magnetic strip, and the second magnetic piece is a second magnetic strip. The first magnetic strip is arranged in the Y-axis direction, and the second magnetic strip is arranged in the X-axis direction. A third magnetic strip and a fourth magnetic strip are further included.

Claims

1. A module for robot navigation, wherein the module comprises a whole workspace area for robot traveling divided into a plurality of module areas, and each module area is internally provided with:

a first magnetic strip arranged in the Y-axis direction, the first magnetic strip having a polarity of an N pole or an S pole;

a second magnetic strip arranged in the X-axis direction, the second magnetic strip having a polarity different from the polarity of the first magnetic strip;

a third magnetic strip arranged in the X-axis direction, wherein the polarity of the third magnetic strip is the same as the polarity of the second magnetic strip; and

address markers, wherein each module area is provided with a unique address marker,

wherein the first magnetic strip has a different length than the second magnetic strip,

wherein the magnetic strips having the same polarity intersect.

2. The module for robot navigation according to claim 1, wherein the following is further included:

a fourth magnetic strip arranged in the Y-axis direction, wherein the polarity of the fourth magnetic strip is the same as the polarity of the second magnetic strip and the polarity of the third magnetic strip.

3. The module for robot navigation according to claim 2, wherein the magnetic strips having different polarities do not intersect.

4. The module for robot navigation according to claim 3, wherein the first magnetic strip, the second magnetic strip, the third magnetic strip and the fourth magnetic strip are in cross arrangement.

5. The module for robot navigation according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic strips are directly attached to the module area.

6. The module for robot navigation according to claim 1, wherein each module area is provided with a magnetic material plate, and the magnetic material plate is directly magnetized to form the N-pole or S-pole magnetic strips.

7. The module for robot navigation according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of module areas is arranged in a matrix, and the module areas are square.

8. The module for robot navigation according to claim 1, wherein the address marker is a bar code, a two-dimensional code, a graphic mark, a color mark, a size mark, or an RFID tag.

9. A robot, configured for interacting with a module for robot navigation, wherein the module comprises a whole workspace area for robot traveling divided into a plurality of module areas, wherein each module area is provided with a unique address marker, and each module area is internally provided with a first magnetic strip having a polarity of an N pole or an S pole, a second magnetic strip having a polarity different from the polarity of the first magnetic strip and a third magnetic strip having a polarity same as the polarity of the second magnetic strip, the robot comprising:

a plurality of magnetic induction sensors and an address marker recognition device installed on the bottom thereof;

wherein the plurality of magnetic induction sensors collect signals of magnetic pieces having different polarities, and the address marker recognition device collects the address marker information,

wherein the plurality of magnetic induction sensors and the address marker recognition device are connected to a robot controller, and the robot travels to a target module area according to instructions and collected marker information,

wherein the first magnetic strip has a different length than the second magnetic strip,

wherein the magnetic strips having the same polarity intersect.

10. The robot according to claim 9, wherein the magnetic induction sensors are Hall effect sensors.

11. The robot according to claim 9, wherein the address marker recognition device is a camera or an RFID card reader.

12. The robot according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of Hall effect sensors forms a square shape, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, an oval shape or a II shape, and the address marker recognition device is located at a central position.

13. The robot according to claim 12, wherein a low-remanence high-permeability material plate is further included;

wherein the Hall effect sensors are installed proximal to the module area, and the low-remanence high-permeability material plate is secured above the Hall effect sensors and is close to the Hall effect sensors.

14. The robot according to claim 9, wherein the robot includes a sorting robot, a transport robot, a loading/unloading robot or other types of traveling robots, and the robot is in wireless connection with a server such that after receiving instruction signals, the robot travels forward or backward or turns along a predetermined line to a target module area to perform a task such as loading or unloading cargo.