Robot device control based on environment and position of a movable robot

• US 7,840,308 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Yuichi, Oohashi, Takahiro, Matsunaga, Shinichi, Higaki, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kong; Sze-Hon
• Application Number:
  US11/221,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/25, 701/28, 701/208, 701/211, 701/24, 701/36, 700/11, 700/12, 700/13, 700/19, 700/28, 700/29, 700/30, 700/31, 700/52, 700/250, 700/251, 700/253, 700/254
• US Class Current: 700/254
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

The control apparatus for a movable robot comprises: environment information acquisition means (such as video camera 3 and microphone 4); a current position detecting means (15); a map storage (7); a control parameter storage (9) for storing control parameters adjusted to different environments; and control means (11, 12) for determining a current position of the robot on the map data based on a signal from the current position detecting means, retrieving control parameters suitable for the current position from the parameter storage, and controlling the environment information acquisition means or actuators for moving the robot by using the retrieved control parameters.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a movable robot, comprising:

an acquiring unit configured to acquire environment information, the acquiring unit including at least one of a camera and a microphone;

a detector configured to detect a current position of the robot;

a map storage configured to store map data containing information regarding arrangement of passages and fixtures in regions in which the robot may move;

a parameter storage configured to store control parameters adjusted to different environments, wherein the control parameters comprising a sensitivity of the microphone, a sensitivity of the camera and an output level of a loudspeaker; and

a control unit configured to determine a current position of the robot on the map data based on an output of the detector, retrieve control parameters corresponding to the current position of the robot from the parameter storage, update the current control parameters of the robot with the retrieved control parameters when the current control parameters are inappropriate for the current position, and use the current control parameters when the current control parameters are appropriate for the current position.

2. The control apparatus for a movable robot according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the map storage and the parameter storage is comprised in a robot assisting server adapted to be able to communicate with the robot.