Robot turning compensating angle error using imaging

• US 7,873,439 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Kaoru, Nakamoto, Hideichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kong; Sze-Hon
• Application Number:
  US11/387,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20080009975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/254, 700/258, 700/259
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0251 extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593

Abstract

A robot apparatus includes a moving unit configured to move in a moving plane on flooring, and turn in horizontal direction of the flooring about a rotation axis vertical to the flooring; an imaging unit configured to take images in a direction horizontal to the moving plane, and rotate in horizontal direction of the flooring about the rotation axis; a storage unit configured to store the image taken by the image processor when the moving unit receives a turning request of a command angle; a detector configured to detect a rotation angle of the imaging unit relative to the moving unit; a controller configured to control a turning of the moving unit and a rotating of the imaging unit based on a common value which makes the moving unit turn in a direction of the command angle and which makes the imaging unit rotate in an opposite direction, and based on a rate value which changes turning of the moving unit or rotating of the imaging unit so as to compensate a gap determined by comparing the taken image with the stored image; and a stop unit configured to stop the turning of the moving unit and the rotating of the imaging unit, when the command angle corresponds to the rotation angle detected by the detector.

Claims

1. A robot apparatus comprising:

a moving unit configured to move in a moving plane on flooring, and to turn in a horizontal direction of the flooring about a rotation axis vertical to the flooring;

an imaging unit configured to take images in a direction horizontal to the moving plane, and to rotate in the horizontal direction of the flooring about said axis;

a storage unit configured to store a content of the image taken by the imaging unit, when the moving unit receives a turning request of a command angle;

a detector configured to detect a rotation angle between the stored image content and an actual rotation of the moving unit;

a controller configured to control a turning of the moving unit and a rotating of the imaging unit based on a difference between images captured by the imaging unit, wherein the controller causes the moving unit to turn in a direction of the command angle and the imaging unit to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of the command angle so as to eliminate the difference between the images, and then causes the imaging unit to rotate in the direction of the command angle; and

a stop unit configured to stop the turning of the moving unit and the rotating of the imaging unit, when the command angle corresponds to the rotation angle detected by the detector.

2. The robot apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the controller includes a 1^st control unit configured to control a turning of the moving unit at a turning rate and in a turning direction defined by the command angle, and a 2^nd control unit configured to control a rotating of the imaging unit by rotating the imaging unit at said turning rate and in a direction opposite to the direction defined by the command angle;

and

the detector includes a 1^st detector unit configured to detect a direction of a gap determined by comparing the taken image with the stored image content, and a 2^nd detector unit configured to detect a rotation angle of the imaging unit relative to the moving unit.

3. The robot apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the content stored by the storage unit is an image taken by the imaging unit.

4. The robot apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image content stored by the storage unit comprises extraction information acquired from the image taken by the imaging unit.

5. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image content stored by the storage unit is an image taken by the imaging unit.

6. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image content stored by the storage unit comprises extraction information acquired from the image taken by the imaging unit.

7. A turning method for a robot apparatus including a moving unit configured to move in a moving plane on flooring, and turn in a horizontal direction of the flooring about a rotation axis vertical to the flooring, and an imaging unit configured to take an image in horizontal direction to the moving plane, and rotate in horizontal direction of the flooring about the rotation axis, comprising;

storing a content of an image taken by the imaging unit when the moving unit receives a turning request of a command angle;

detecting a rotation angle of the imaging unit against the moving unit;

controlling a turning of the moving unit and a rotating of the imaging unit based on a difference between images captured by the imaging unit, by causing the moving unit to turn in a direction indicated by the command angle and the imaging unit to rotate in an opposite direction to the direction indicated by the command angle so as to eliminate the difference between the images, and then causing the imaging unit to rotate in the direction of the command angle; and

stopping the turning of the moving unit and the rotating of the imaging unit, when the command angle corresponds to the detected rotation angle.

8. A computer readable storage medium which stores program instructions which when executed by a computer control movement of a robot apparatus, said robot apparatus including a moving unit configured to move on flooring, and turn in horizontal direction of the flooring about a rotation axis vertical to the flooring, and an imaging unit configured to take an image in horizontal direction to the moving plane, and rotate in horizontal direction of the flooring about the rotation axis, said program instructions producing execution of the steps comprising;

storing a content of the image taken by the imaging unit when the moving unit receives a turning request of a command angle;

detecting a rotation angle of the imaging unit against the moving unit;

controlling a turning of the moving unit and a rotating of the imaging unit based on a difference between images captured by the imaging unit, by causing the moving unit to turn in a direction indicated by the command angle and the imaging unit to rotate in an opposite direction to the direction indicated by the command angle so as to eliminate the difference between the images, and then causing the imaging unit to rotate in the direction of the command angle; and

stopping the turning of the moving unit and the rotating of the imaging unit, when the command angle corresponds to the detected rotation angle.