System for directing moving object

• US 7,365,512 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Young-gie
• Primary Examiner(s): Leykin; Rita
• Application Number:
  US11/489,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20070018081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 318/560, 318/638, 901/1, 901/47, 701/207, 701/209
• US Class Current: 318/638
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/01 adapted for specific applications or environments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/784 using a mosaic of detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

Abstract

A moving-object directing system for directing a moving object to a target location includes: a moving-object directing unit and a moving object. The moving-object directing unit includes: a directing signal transmitter for generating a first moving-object directing signal, sequentially transmitting the first moving-object directing signal 360° in all directions, generating a second moving-object directing signal corresponding to directing information for directing the moving object to the target location upon receiving a signal indicating successful reception of the first moving-object directing signal, and transmitting the second moving-object directing signal, and a first RF (Radio Frequency) communication unit for receiving a signal indicating successful reception of the moving-object directing signal. The moving object includes: a second RF communication unit for wirelessly transmitting a signal indicating successful reception of the moving object directing signal to the moving object directing unit, and a controller for controlling operations of a wheel.

Claims

1. A moving-object directing system for directing a moving object to a target location comprising:

a moving-object directing unit including;

a directing signal transmitter for generating a first moving-object directing signal, sequentially transmitting the first moving-object directing signal 360°

in all directions, generating a second moving-object directing signal corresponding to directing information for directing the moving object to the target location upon receiving a signal indicating successful reception of the first moving-object directing signal, and transmitting the second moving-object directing signal, and

a first RF (Radio Frequency) communication unit for receiving a signal indicating successful reception of the moving-object directing signal; and

the moving object including;

a second RF communication unit for wirelessly transmitting a signal indicating successful reception of the moving object directing signal to the moving object directing unit, and

a controller for controlling operations of a wheel according to directing information of the received moving-object directing signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the directing signal transmitter includes:

a moving-object directing signal generator;

a reflective mirror for reflecting the moving-object directing signal generated from the generator;

a rotation unit for rotating the reflective mirror; and

a controller for controlling the moving-object directing signal, and at the same time controlling a rotation angle of the reflective mirror.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the moving-object directing signal generator is an infrared transmitter.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein:

upon receiving the signal indicating successful reception of the moving-object directing signal via the first RF communication unit, the controller stops rotation of the reflective mirror, and controls generation of a moving-object directing signal corresponding to the reflective-mirror rotation angle information.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the reflective-mirror rotation angle information is indicative of an offset angle of the moving object on the basis of the target location.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the controller of the moving object controls wheel operations in a direction for reducing the reflective-mirror rotation angle information.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein:

if the controller does not receive the signal indicating successful reception of the moving object directing signal via the first RF communication unit, the controller rotates the reflective mirror by a predetermined angle.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the moving object includes:

a wheel motor for rotating a wheel;

a wheel-motor drive for driving the wheel motor; and

a rotation-amount detector for detecting a rotation amount of the wheel,

wherein the controller of the moving object controls the wheel according to the received moving-object directing information and a signal of the rotation-amount detector.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the moving object further includes a sensor unit composed of sensors capable of detecting an obstacle, pressure, and a cliff (or drop).

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the moving object is a cleaning robot, and the moving-object directing unit is a charging unit for charging the cleaning robot with electricity.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the moving object includes a plurality of receivers for receiving the moving-object directing signal, and

the controller controls the wheel to receive the moving object directing signal via a center receiver from among the receivers.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the moving object is a cleaning robot, and the receiver is an infrared receiver.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the directing signal transmitter includes:

a moving-object directing signal generator;

a rotation unit for rotating the moving-object directing signal generator; and

a controller for controlling generation of the moving-object directing signal, and at the same time controlling a rotation angle of the rotation unit.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the moving-object directing signal generator is an infrared transmitter.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein:

upon receiving the signal indicating successful reception of the moving-object directing signal via the first RF communication unit, the controller controls generation of the moving-object directing signal corresponding to rotation angle information of the moving object directing signal generator.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the rotation angle information of the moving-object directing signal generator is indicative of an offset angle of the moving object on the basis of the target location.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the controller of the moving object controls wheel operations in a direction for reducing the rotation angle information of the moving-object directing signal generator.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein:

if the controller does not receive the signal indicating successful reception of the moving object directing signal via the first RF communication unit, the controller rotates the moving-object directing signal generator by a predetermined angle.