Apparatus and method for correcting position of mobile robot

• US 7,274,166 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Young-Gie
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro; Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US10/921,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20050134209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 318/567, 318/568.1, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/647, 318/652, 318/653, 901/46, 700/245, 700/254, 700/258
• US Class Current: 318/568.12
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for correcting a position of a mobile robot includes a position notifying unit, installed at a predetermined position, that generates and transmits a signal indicative of the predetermined position. The mobile robot includes a position signal detector, installed at a predetermined position of the mobile robot, that detects a signal; and a control unit, installed at a predetermined position of the mobile robot, that corrects a position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to the detected position signal, so that a position error that is generated when the mobile robot moves is corrected.

Claims

1. An apparatus for correcting a position of a mobile robot comprising:

a position notifying unit, installed at a predetermined position, that generates a position signal indicative of the predetermined position, wherein the position notifying unit comprises a magnet fixing station affixed to a surface perpendicular to a plane in which a mobile robot moves, the magnetic fixing station including at least one magnet which generates a magnetic field having a binary pattern uniquely identifying the predetermined position;

a position signal detector, installed at a predetermined position of the mobile robot, that detects the position signal; and

a control unit, installed at a predetermined position of the mobile robot, that corrects a position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to the detected position signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit corrects a position error that is generated when the mobile robot moves on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to a predetermined position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position notifying unit generates a magnetic field corresponding to a binary value in order to discriminate a predetermined position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the position signal detector includes magnetic sensors, wherein the magnetic sensors detect a magnetic field corresponding to the binary value and convert the detected magnetic field into an electrical signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control unit converts the electrical signal to a binary value and corrects a current position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to a pre-stored binary value when the binary value is identical to the pre-stored binary value.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control unit comprises a storing unit that pre-stores the binary value and the position information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit corrects current position information of the mobile robot on the basis of position information corresponding to a pre-stored position signal when the position signal is identical to the pre-stored position signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnet comprises a permanent magnet.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position notifying unit is positioned on a wall.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the binary pattern is based on an arrangement of the at least one magnet on the magnet fixing station.

11. A method for correcting a position of a mobile robot that moves in a first plane, the method comprising:

generating, by at least one maonet included in a magnet fixing station installed at a predetermined positionin in a second plane, the second plane being perpendicular to the first plane, a position signal indicative of the predetermined position, wherein the position signal is a magnetic field having a binary pattern uniquely identifying the predetermined position;

detecting the position signal; and

correcting a position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to the detected position signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the correcting comprises correcting a position error generated when the mobile robot moves on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to a predetermined position.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the detecting comprises detecting the magnetic field and converting the detected magnetic field into an electrical signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the correcting comprises converting the electrical signal into a binary value and correcting a current position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to the pre-stored binary value when the binary value is identical with a pre-stored binary value.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the correcting comprises correcting the current position information of the mobile robot on the basis of position information corresponding to the pre-stored position signal when the detected position signal is identical to a pre-stored position signal.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the binary pattern is based on an arrangement of the at least one magnet on the magnet fixing station.

17. A mobile robot, comprising:

a position signal detector that detects a position signal, indicative of a predetermined position, and generated by a position notifier comprising a magnet fixing station that includes at least one magnet affixed to a surface perpendicular to a plane in which the mobile robot moves; and

a controller that corrects a position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to the detected position signal, wherein the position signal detector comprises at least one magnetic sensor that detects a binary pattern in a magnetic field uniquely identifying a predetermined position, and coverts the detected binary pattern into a binary electrical signal.

18. The mobile robot according to claim 17, wherein the controller converts the electrical signal to a binary value and corrects a current position of the mobile robot on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to a pre-stored binary value when the binary value is identical to the pre-stored binary value.

19. The mobile robot according to claim 17, wherein the controller corrects a position error that is generated when the mobile robot moves on the basis of pre-stored position information corresponding to a predetermined position.

20. The mobile robot of claim 17, wherein the binary pattern is based on an arrangement of the at least one magnet on the magnet fixing station.