Mobile robot and controlling method thereof

• US 8,489,234 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Rew, Ho-Seon, Yi, Dong-Hoon, Kim, Young-Gie, Jung, Young-Gyu, Chung, Moon-Kee, Park, Jong-Il, Choi, Woo-Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIGUEROA, JAIME
• Application Number:
  US12/669,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20100286825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,826 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/253, 700/255, 700/258, 318/568.12, 318/568.16, 901/1
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93

Abstract

Disclosed are a mobile robot and a controlling method thereof. The mobile robot comprises: a case; and a sensor unit having two or more sending portions and two or more receiving portions arranged on an outer surface of the case separately and alternately. The plurality of sending portions and receiving portions are arranged in an alternating manner, thereby having a directivity. Also, since signals received through the receiving portions are judged based on a reference value, an area unallowable to be detected for an obstacle sensing is minimized, which allows an obstacle to be detected more accurately. When the obstacle corresponds to a side wall on the basis of a moving path of the mobile robot, a distance between the side wall and the mobile robot is calculated based on signals received by the receiving portion closest to the side wall. Accordingly, the mobile robot can move with maintaining a constant distance from the side wall.

Claims

1. A mobile robot, comprising:

a case; and

a sensor having two or more sending portions and two or more receiving portions arranged on an outer surface of the case separately and consecutively alternately, wherein the two or more receiving portions comprise;

at least one first receiving portion disposed at a front center portion of the case;

at least one second receiving portion disposed at a left side of the at least one first receiving portion with a spacing distance therebetween; and

at least one third receiving portion disposed at a right side of the at least one first receiving portion with a spacing distance therebetween, wherein each of the two or more sending portions is configured to emit signals simultaneously maintaining an emitting angle not influencing signals emitted from other immediate adjacent sending portions.

2. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the at least one first receiving portion has a receiving sensitivity lower than a receiving sensitivity of each of the at least one second receiving portion and the at least one third receiving portion.

3. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the two or more sending portions comprise:

a first sending portion disposed at a left side of a front center of the case; and

a second sending portion disposed at a right side of the front center of the case.

4. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein each of the two or more sending portions has a signal sending sensor of a horn shape.

5. The mobile robot of claim 4, wherein each of the two or more sending portions has an outer end having an oval shape.

6. The mobile robot of claim 5, wherein the oval shape is formed so that a long axis thereof extends perpendicular to the ground.

7. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the two or more sending portions are implemented as supersonic sensors.

14. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the at least one first receiving portion comprises a single first receiving portion disposed at a front center of the case.

15. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the at least one first receiving portion comprises a pair of first receiving portions disposed adjacent a front center of the case.

16. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the at least one second receiving portion comprises a single second receiving portion disposed at a left side of the at least one first receiving portion with a spacing distance therebetween.

17. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the at least one second receiving portion comprises a pair of second receiving portions disposed at a left side of the at least one first receiving portion with a spacing distance therebetween.

18. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the at least one third receiving portion comprises a single third receiving portion disposed at a right side of the at least one first receiving portion with a spacing distance therebetween.

19. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the at least one third receiving portion comprises a pair of third receiving portions disposed at a right side of the at least one first receiving portion with a spacing distance therebetween.

8. A mobile robot, comprising:

a case;

a sensor having two or more sending portions and two or more receiving portions arranged on an outer surface of the case separately and consecutively alternately; and

a controller that detects a position of an obstacle based on two or more signals received by the sensor, wherein when the obstacle corresponds to a side wall on the basis of a moving path of the mobile robot, the controller calculates a distance between the side wall and the mobile robot based on signals received by the receiving portion closest to the side wall, wherein the two or more sending portions and the two or more receiving portions of the sensor comprise;

one or more sending portions that send signals to detect the obstacle; and

a plurality of receiving portions having a number larger than a number of the one or more sending portions by at least one, and forming a region to receive signals sent from the one or more sending portions and reflected by the obstacle.

9. The mobile robot of claim 8, wherein the controller moves the mobile robot by constantly maintaining a distance between a wall surface and the mobile robot according to the calculated distance.

10. The mobile robot of claim 8, wherein the controller calculates a distance between the wall surface and the mobile robot, based on values detected by one pair of portions composed of one of the plurality of receiving portions and one of the one or more sending portions.

11. A method for controlling a mobile robot to detect an obstacle, the method comprising:

detecting a wall surface around the mobile robot using a sensor having two or more sending portions and two or more receiving portions arranged separately and consecutively alternately; and

moving the mobile robot by constantly maintaining a distance between the wall surface and the mobile robot according to values detected by the sensor, wherein moving the mobile robot comprises calculating a distance between the wall surface and the mobile robot based on values detected by the sensor, and the calculating a distance between the wall surface and the mobile robot is performed based on values detected by one pair of portions comprising one of the two or more receiving portions and one of the two or more sending portions, simultaneously emitting signals from the sending portions to maintain an angle not influencing signals emitted from other immediate adjacent sending portions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the moving the mobile robot further comprises:

moving the mobile robot while constantly maintaining a distance between the mobile robot and the wall surface by comparing the calculated distance therebetween with a reference distance and thereby controlling a distance therebetween.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the one pair of portions comprises the receiving portion and the sending portion which are the closest to the wall surface.