Robot using absolute azimuth and mapping method thereof

• US 20070271003A1
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Bang, Seok-won, Lee, Su-jinn
• Application Number:
  US11/594,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271003A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A robot using an absolute azimuth to navigate and a mapping method thereof. The robot includes a control unit controlling a traveling direction of a body of the robot by using the absolute azimuth, which indicates an orientation of the body with respect to a specified reference axis, and a drive unit moving the body under the control of the control unit.

Claims

1. A robot using an absolute azimuth to navigate, comprising:

a control unit controlling a traveling direction of a body of the robot using the absolute azimuth, which indicates an orientation of the body with respect to a specified reference axis; and

a drive unit moving the body under the control of the control unit.

2. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a drawing unit mapping an area in which the robot resides based on a traveling path of the body.

3. The robot of claim 2, wherein, before the drawing unit performs the mapping, the control unit turns the body in accordance with the absolute azimuth of an obstacle positioned on a side of the body, so that the body is parallel with the obstacle, and the absolute azimuth of the obstacle indicates the orientation of the body with respect to the reference axis.

4. The robot of claim 3, wherein the absolute azimuth of the obstacle is determined by subtracting an angle formed by the body and the obstacle positioned on the side of the body from an average value of the absolute azimuth measured during a specific time.

5. The robot of claim 2, wherein the map is a grid map, or a geometric map in which the grid map is subjected to a smoothing process by the drawing unit.

6. The robot of claim 1, wherein the control unit turns the body in a specified direction at a right angle to maintain a distance between the body and an obstacle positioned in front of or at a side of the body, at a desired range.

7. The robot of claim 6, wherein the control unit turns the body at a right angle, when the distance between the body and the obstacle is longer than a first critical value and the obstacle is on the side of the body or when the distance between the body and the obstacle is shorter than a second critical value and the obstacle is in front of the body.

8. The robot of claim 6, further comprising:

a first sensor outputting information on the distance between the body and the obstacle, when the obstacle is on the side of the body; and

a second sensor outputting information on the distance between the body and the obstacle, when the obstacle is in front of the body.

9. The robot of claim 8, wherein the first sensor or the second sensor includes at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, and a laser sensor.

10. The robot of claim 6, wherein the control unit turns the body at a right angle, when the body contacts the obstacle and the obstacle is in front of the body.

11. The robot of claim 10, further comprising a contact detecting sensor detecting contact between the body and the obstacle when the obstacle is in front of the body.

12. The robot of claim 1, further comprising:

a compass unit outputting information on the absolute azimuth indicating an orientation of the body; and

an encoder unit detecting operation of the drive unit to output information on at least one of a traveling distance, a traveling speed, and a turning angle of the body.

13. A mapping method of a robot using an absolute azimuth for navigation, comprising:

controlling a traveling direction of a body of the robot using the absolute azimuth, which indicates an orientation of the body with respect to a specified reference axis; and

moving the body under control of a control unit.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising mapping based on a traveling path of the body.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising turning the body in accordance with the absolute azimuth of an obstacle positioned on a side of the body before the mapping, so that the body is parallel with the obstacle, the absolute azimuth of the obstacle indicating the orientation of the body with respect to the reference axis.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the absolute azimuth of the obstacle is determined by subtracting an angle formed by the body and the obstacle positioned on the side of the body from an average value of the absolute azimuth measured during a specified time period.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the map is a grid map, or a geometric map in which the grid map is subjected to a smoothing process.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the body is turned in a specified direction at a right angle to maintain a distance between the body and the obstacle positioned in front of or on a side of the body, at a desired range.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the body is turned at a right angle, when the distance between the body and the obstacle is longer than a first critical value and the obstacle is on the side of the body or when the distance between the body and the obstacle is shorter than a second critical value and the obstacle is in front of the body.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

outputting information on the distance between the body and the obstacle, when the obstacle is on the side of the body; and

outputting information on the distance between the body and the obstacle, when the obstacle is in front of the body.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the distance is determined using at least one of an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, and a laser sensor.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the body is turned at a right angle, when the body contacts the obstacle and the obstacle is in front of the body.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising detecting whether the body contacts the obstacle and the obstacle is in front of the body.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

outputting information on the absolute azimuth, which indicates the orientation of the body; and

outputting information on at least one of a traveling distance, a traveling speed, and a turning angle of the body.

25. A robot, comprising:

a drive unit advancing the robot along a traveling path in a specified area;

a compass unit outputting information about an absolute azimuth indicating an orientation of the robot;

a sensor unit sensing a distance between the robot and an obstacle;

a control unit determining, using the sensed distance, an absolute azimuth of the obstacle based on the measured distance, when the obstacle is on the side of the robot, based on an average value of the absolute azimuth measured for a specified time, turning the robot in accordance with the measured absolute azimuth of the obstacle so that the absolute azimuth of the robot is parallel to the absolute azimuth of the obstacle, then moving the robot forward by turning the robot according to the measured absolute azimuth of the obstacle so that the absolute azimuth of the robot is parallel to the absolute azimuth of the obstacle; and

a drawing unit mapping the specified area based on the traveling path of the robot and, when the traveling path is a closed loop, smoothing a generated map.

26. A method of improving an accuracy of mapping of a specified area, comprising:

advancing a robot along traveling path;

outputting information indicating an orientation of the robot;

sensing a distance between the robot and an obstacle;

determining, using the sensed distance, an absolute azimuth of the obstacle based on an average value of the absolute azimuth indicating an orientation of the body measured for a specified time;

mapping the specified area based on the traveling path; and

determining whether the traveling path of the body forms a closed loop and smoothing the map when the traveling path of the body forms a closed loop.

27. A robot, comprising:

a control unit controlling movement of the robot in a specified area using an absolute azimuth of the robot so that the robot maintains a predetermined distance range from an obstacle positioned on a side of the robot, by moving the robot forward and/or toward in a specified direction at a right angle, on the basis of a center azimuth of an interior of the specified area; and

a drawing unit mapping the specified area using information from the control unit based on a traveling path of the robot,

wherein the absolute azimuth is an angle inclined with respect to a reference axis and indicating an orientation of the robot with respect to the reference axis, and

wherein the reference axis is a center azimuth of an interior of the specified area.