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Mobile robot navigation employing ceiling light fixtures

  • US 4,933,864 A
  • Filed: 10/04/1988
  • Issued: 06/12/1990
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Navigation apparatus for generating navigation related information for a vehicle, comprising:

  • means for obtaining a two-dimensional image of a surface which overlies a vehicle or a projected path of the vehicle, the two-dimensional image being comprised of a plurality of image pixels, the surface being a horizontal surface disposed parallel to a plane upon which the vehicle moves, the surface having one or more sources of illumination disposed upon or within the surface;

    means, coupled to said obtaining means, for detecting a location within the image of the one of more sources, said detecting means comprising means for processing the two-dimensional image to detect pixels having a brightness value that exceeds a threshold brightness value, the detected pixels including pixels associated with an image of an edge of the one or more sources of illumination; and

    means, coupled to said detecting means for generating, from the detected source location or locations, at least vehicle orientation information relative to the edge of the one or more sources of illumination.

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