Autonomous vehicle that runs while recognizing work area configuration, and method of selecting route

• US 6,142,252 A
• Filed: 07/11/1997
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moneual Incorporated (Hong-Seok Park, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kyoko, Kawakami, Yuichi, Kawagoe, Nobukazu, Kinto, Yasuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, PAMELA
• Application Number:
  US08/892,848
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 180/204, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/6.5, 180/274, 180/279, 180/280, 701/23, 701/25, 701/28, 318/568.12, 318/568.13, 318/568.16, 901/1, 901/3, 901/10
• US Class Current: 180/204
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• 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

Abstract

When an autonomous vehicle detects an interruption in a wall, a plurality of optical distance measurement sensors provided in a driving unit measures the distance to a plurality of points of an object of interest located ahead. The configuration of the object of interest located ahead is recognized from the obtained distance information and from the attached angle of each optical distance measurement sensor to determine the subsequent operation of the autonomous vehicle.

Claims

1. An autonomous vehicle that runs following an object of interest in a tracer travel manner, comprising:

a tracer sensor for detecting a tracer status with respect to said object of interest,

a configuration measurement unit for measuring a configuration of an object of interest located ahead when said tracer sensor detects an interruption in said former object of interest, and

a drive unit for carrying out a predetermined operation according to the configuration measured by said configuration measurement unit.

2. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said configuration measurement unit includes a plurality of distance measurement sensors arranged radially for measuring a distance to said object of interest located ahead.

3. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said distance measurement sensor is an optical distance measurement sensor including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit.

4. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said configuration measurement unit includes a distance measurement sensor that is moved for measuring a distance up to a plurality of points of said object of interest located ahead.

5. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said distance measurement sensor rotates to sequentially measure a distance to said object of interest located ahead.

6. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said autonomous vehicle is a scavenger vehicle that scavenges a running surface.

7. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said tracer sensor senses a distance to an object of interest with a contact type sensor.

8. The autonomous vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said configuration measure unit commences measurement from a position turned 45 degrees towards a side where a tracer travel is carried out following an object of interest in a direction of advance.

9. A method of selecting a route of advance of an autonomous vehicle that runs following an object of interest in a tracer travel manner, comprising the steps of:

detecting an interruption in said object of interest that is followed in a tracer travel manner,

measuring a configuration of an object of interest located ahead, and

determining a direction of advance according to said measured result.

10. The method of selecting a route of an autonomous vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising the step of stopping the autonomous vehicle when in a status difficult for autonomous travel according to said measured result, and notifying the stop to a user.

11. The method of selecting a route of an autonomous vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said step set of measuring a configuration includes the step of recognizing the configuration by measuring a distance to a plurality of locations.