System and method for identifying objects in a space

• US 20060095170A1
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hyoung-ki, Yang, Gyung-hye
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80

Abstract

A system and method for identifying objects existing in a space. The system includes a mobile robot obtaining object identification information of each object in the space and transmitting the object identification information, and a remote control unit receiving the object identification information, identifying each object based on the object identification information, and allocating an identifier to each identified object.

Claims

1. A system for identifying objects existing in a space, the system comprising:

a mobile robot obtaining object identification information of each object in the space and transmitting the object identification information; and

a remote control unit receiving the object identification information, identifying each object based on the object identification information, and allocating an identifier to each identified object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the object identification information comprises width information of each object.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the object identification information comprises corner information of each object.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the object identification information comprises height information of each object.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot comprises:

a traveling unit moving the mobile robot;

an identification information measurer measuring the object identification information;

a controller controlling the traveling unit according to the object identification information and outputting the object identification information; and

a wireless transceiver transmitting the object identification information output from the controller to the remote control unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control unit comprises:

a wireless transceiver receiving the object identification information from the mobile robot;

a map processor identifying each object based on the object identification information and allocating the identifier to each object; and

a user interface creating an object map using the identified object and its identifier and displaying the map to a user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user interface displays the identifier in text on the object map.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the user interface displays the identifier in an image icon on the object map.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the user interface comprises an input device allowing the user to directly allocate the identifier to each object on the object map.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the user interface displays the objects in different colors on the object map.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the map processor has functional characteristic information and spatial characteristic information of each object and allocates the identifier to each object based on the functional characteristic information and spatial characteristic information.

12. A mobile robot comprising:

a traveling unit moving the mobile robot;

an identification information measurer measuring object identification information of each of objects existing in a space;

a controller controlling the traveling unit according to the object identification information and outputting the object identification information; and

a wireless transceiver transmitting the object identification information output from the controller.

13. The mobile robot of claim 12, wherein the object identification information comprises width information of each object.

14. The mobile robot of claim 12, wherein the object identification information comprises corner information of each object.

15. The mobile robot of claim 12, wherein the object identification information comprises height information of each object.

16. A remote control unit comprising:

a wireless transceiver receiving from a mobile robot object identification information of each of objects existing in a space;

a map processor identifying each object based on the object identification information and allocating an identifier to each identified object; and

a user interface creating an object map using each identified object and its identifier and displaying the object map to a user.

17. The remote control unit of claim 16, wherein the object identification information comprises width information of each object.

18. The remote control unit of claim 16, wherein the object identification information comprises corner information of each object.

19. The remote control unit of claim 16, wherein the object identification information comprises height information of each object.

20. The remote control unit of claim 16, wherein the user interface displays the identifier in text on the object map.

21. The remote control unit of claim 16, wherein the user interface displays the identifier in an image icon on the object map.

22. The remote control unit of claim 16, wherein the user interface comprises an input device allowing the user to directly allocate the identifier to each object on the object map.

23. The remote control unit of claim 16, wherein the user interface displays the objects in different colors on the object map.

24. The remote control unit of claim 16, wherein the map processor has functional characteristic information and spatial characteristic information of each object and allocates the identifier to each object based on the functional characteristic information and spatial characteristic information.

25. A method of identifying objects existing in a space, the method comprising:

obtaining object identification information of each object in the space using the mobile robot;

transmitting the object identification information to a remote control unit using the mobile robot;

receiving the object identification information using the remote control unit;

identifying each object based on the object identification information using the remote control unit; and

allocating an identifier to each identified object using the remote control unit.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the object identification information comprises width information of each object.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the object identification information comprises corner information of each object.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the object identification information comprises height information of each object.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising creating an object map using each identified object and its identifier and displaying the object map to a user.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the identifier is expressed in text on the object map.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the identifier is expressed in an image icon on the object map.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the identifier is directly allocated by the user to each identified object on the object map.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the objects on the object map are displayed in different colors.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein the identifier is allocated based on functional characteristic information and spatial characteristic information of each object.