INTELLIGENT ROBOT, AND SENSOR ASSEMBLY AND OBSTACLE DETECTION METHOD FOR THE SAME

• US 20170049290A1
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jiangsu Midea Cleaning Appliances Co., Ltd. (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Jiangsu Midea Cleaning Appliances Co., Ltd. (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: SHEN, Luokun, YU, Qinghao, SHEN, Qiang
• Application Number:
  US15/118,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20170049290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/003 Bistatic sonar systems; Multistatic sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/876 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S15/872 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4816 of receivers alone
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a sensor assembly for an intelligent robot, an obstacle detection method for an intelligent robot and an intelligent robot. The sensor assembly comprises a first type sensor and a second type sensor. The first type sensor comprises M first transmitting units and N first receiving units, and the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units are separately disposed at preset angles, M and N being positive integers. The second type sensor comprises a light source and M+N−1 second receiving units. The second receiving units are located between the first transmitting units and the first receiving units.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly for an intelligent robot, comprising:

a first type sensor, wherein the first type sensor comprises M first transmitting units and N first receiving units, and the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units are separately disposed at preset angles, where M and N are positive integers; and

a second type sensor, wherein the second type sensor comprises a light source and M+N−

1 second receiving units, and the second receiving units are located between the first transmitting units and the first receiving units.

2. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein, the first type sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

3. The sensor assembly according to claim 2, wherein, the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units comprise:

a first ultrasonic receiving unit, located in a front surface of the intelligent robot;

a first ultrasonic transmitting unit and a second ultrasonic transmitting unit, respectively located on either side of the first ultrasonic receiving unit, and each of the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit forming a first angle with the first ultrasonic receiving unit; and

a second ultrasonic receiving unit and a third ultrasonic receiving unit, respectively located on an outer side of the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit, and the second ultrasonic receiving unit forming a second angle with the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit forming the second angle with the second ultrasonic transmitting unit.

4. The sensor assembly according to claim 3, wherein, the first angle is equal to the second angle.

5. The sensor assembly according to claim 3, wherein, the second type sensor is an IR sensor, and the M+N−

1 second receiving units comprise;

a first infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a second infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a third infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and

a fourth infrared receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

6. The sensor assembly according to claim 3, wherein, the second type sensor is a PSD sensor, and the M+N−

1 second receiving units comprise;

a first light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a second light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a third light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and

a fourth light energy receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

7. The sensor assembly according to claim 3, wherein, the second type sensor comprises an IR sensor and a PSD sensor, and the M+N−

1 second receiving units comprise;

a fifth infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a sixth infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a fifth light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and

a sixth light energy receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

8. An intelligent robot, comprising a sensor assembly, wherein the sensor assembly comprises a first type sensor and a second type sensor,

the first type sensor comprises M first transmitting units and N first receiving units, and the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units are separately disposed at preset angles, where M and N are positive integers;

the second type sensor comprises a light source and M+N−

1 second receiving units, and the second receiving units are located between the first transmitting units and the first receiving units.

11. The intelligent robot according to claim 8, wherein the the first type sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

12. The sensor assembly according to claim 8, wherein, the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units comprise:

a first ultrasonic receiving unit, located in a front surface of the intelligent robot;

a first ultrasonic transmitting unit and a second ultrasonic transmitting unit, respectively located on either side of the first ultrasonic receiving unit, and each of the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit forming a first angle with the first ultrasonic receiving unit; and

a second ultrasonic receiving unit and a third ultrasonic receiving unit, respectively located on an outer side of the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit, and the second ultrasonic receiving unit forming a second angle with the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit forming the second angle with the second ultrasonic transmitting unit.

13. The sensor assembly according to claim 12, wherein, the first angle is equal to the second angle.

14. The sensor assembly according to claim 12, wherein, the second type sensor is an IR sensor, and the M+N−

1 second receiving units comprise;

a first infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a second infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a third infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and

a fourth infrared receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

15. The sensor assembly according to claim 12, wherein, the second type sensor is a PSD sensor, and the M+N−

1 second receiving units comprise;

a first light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a second light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a third light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and

a fourth light energy receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

16. The sensor assembly according to claim 12, wherein, the second type sensor comprises an IR sensor and a PSD sensor, and the M+N−

1 second receiving units comprise;

a fifth infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a sixth infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;

a fifth light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and

a sixth light energy receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

9. An obstacle detection method for an intelligent robot, wherein, the intelligent robot comprises a sensor assembly, the sensor assembly comprises a first type sensor and a second type sensor, and the obstacle detection method comprises:

receiving a reflection signal from an object in a moving direction of the intelligent robot by the first type sensor and the second type sensor respectively; and

determining whether the object obstructs moving of the intelligent robot according to the reflection signal.

10. The obstacle detection method according to claim 9, wherein, the first type sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, and the second type sensor comprises an IR sensor and/or a PSD sensor.