Methods and systems for automated robotic movement

• US 9,764,472 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bobsweep, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bobsweep, Inc.
• Inventors: Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Ali, Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Masih, Mehrnia, Soroush, Ebrahimi Afrouzi, Amin, Bakooshli, Azadeh Afshar
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US14/673,633
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1605 Simulation of manipulator lay-out, design, modelling of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1664 characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• 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 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

Methods for automated robotic movement for a robotic device using an electronic computing device are presented, the methods including: causing the electronic computing device to establish a working zone; measuring distances to all obstacles in the working zone thereby detecting all obstacles in the working zone; establishing a coverage path that accounts for all detected obstacles; executing the coverage path such the robotic device covers the working zone at least once; if a new obstacle is detected, establishing an adapted coverage path that accounts for the new obstacle; and executing the adapted coverage path. In some embodiments, methods further include: bypassing the new obstacle; and returning to the coverage path.

Claims

1. A method for automated robotic movement for a robotic device using an electronic computing device, the method comprising:

in a first step, causing the electronic computing device to establish a portion of a work area as a working zone;

in a second step, measuring distances to all obstacles in the working zone thereby detecting all obstacles in the working zone;

in a third step, establishing a coverage path that accounts for all detected obstacles, wherein establishing the coverage path that accounts for any detected obstacles further comprises;

calculating a center-return path defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free point-to-point paths comprised of a maximum turning angle and a plurality of straight lines each having a measured size with respect to the detected obstacles, and wherein executing the coverage path proceeds from a longest to a shortest of the plurality of straight lines;

in a fourth step, driving the robotic device along the coverage path such that the robotic device covers substantially all of the working zone at least once; and

,

if a new obstacle is detected, in a fifth step, establishing an adapted coverage path that accounts for the new obstacle; and

driving the robotic device along the adapted coverage path.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the coverage path that accounts for all detected obstacles comprises any of:

calculating a first center-return path, wherein the first center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free triangulated paths, and wherein the first center-return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle, a triangle measured size with respect to a tool size of the robotic device and distances to all detected obstacles;

calculating a second center-return path, wherein the second center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free isosceles triangulated paths, and wherein the second center-return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle, an isosceles triangle measured size with respect to the tool size of the robotic device and a distance to a first newly detected obstacle; and

calculating a third center-return path, wherein the third center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free point-to-point paths, and wherein the third center return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle and a plurality of straight lines each having a measured size with respect to detected obstacles.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the adapted coverage path that accounts for the new obstacle comprises any of:

calculating a first center-return path, wherein the first center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free triangulated paths, and wherein the first center-return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle, a triangle measured size with respect to a tool size of the robotic device and distances to all detected obstacles;

calculating a second center-return path, wherein the second center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free isosceles triangulated paths, and wherein the second center-return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle, an isosceles triangle measured size with respect to the tool size of the robotic device and a distance to a first newly detected obstacle; and

calculating a third center-return path, wherein the third center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free point-to-point paths, and wherein the third center return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle and a plurality of straight lines each having a measured size with respect to detected obstacles.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting the new obstacle after execution of a planned path has begun causes an error to be logged, wherein when a first pre-determined number of errors are logged, switching from calculating the first center-return path to calculating the second center-return path, and wherein when a second pre-determined number of errors are logged, switching from calculating the second center-return path to calculating the third center-return path.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein executing the adapted coverage path further comprises any of:

moving the robotic device directly to the third side of a triangular path from the current location before executing the adapted coverage path when calculating the first center-return path or when calculating the second center-return path; and

turning the robotic device a pre-set number of degrees, calculating a new triangular path until an unobstructed path is found, before executing the adapted coverage path when calculating the first center-return path or when calculating the second center-return path.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the coverage path that accounts for any detected obstacles further comprises:

when more than a predefined number of obstacles are detected within predefined minimum distance of the robotic device and which obstacles are a preset number of degrees apart from one another, calculating a center-return path defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free point-to-point paths comprised of a plurality of straight lines each having a measured length with respect to the detected obstacles, and wherein executing the coverage path proceeds from a shortest to a longest of the plurality of straight lines.

7. A computing device program product for automated robotic movement for a robotic device using an electronic computing device, the computing device program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

first programmatic instructions for causing the electronic computing device to establish a portion of a work area as a working zone;

second programmatic instructions for measuring distances to all obstacles in the working zone thereby detecting all obstacles in the working zone;

third programmatic instructions for establishing a coverage path that accounts for detected obstacles, wherein establishing the coverage path that accounts for any detected obstacles further comprises;

calculating a center-return path defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free point-to-point paths comprised of a maximum turning angle and a plurality of straight lines each having a measured size with respect to nearest measured obstacle, and wherein executing the coverage path proceeds from a longest to a shortest of the plurality of straight lines;

fourth programmatic instructions for driving the robotic device along the coverage path such the robotic device covers substantially all of the working zone at least once;

fifth programmatic instructions for detecting any new obstacles that have entered the coverage path and establishing an adapted coverage path that accounts for the new obstacles; and

sixth programmatic instructions for driving the robotic device along the adapted coverage path wherein the programmatic instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium.

8. The computing device program product of claim 7 wherein establishing the coverage path that accounts for any detected obstacles comprises any of:

calculating a first center-return path, wherein the first center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free triangulated paths, and wherein the first center-return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle, a triangle measured size with respect to a tool size of the robotic device and distances to all detected obstacles;

calculating a second center-return path, wherein the second center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free isosceles triangulated paths, and wherein the second center-return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle, an isosceles triangle measured size with respect to the tool size of the robotic device and a distance to a first newly detected obstacle; and

calculating a third center-return path, wherein the third center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free point-to-point paths, and wherein the third center return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle and a plurality of straight lines each having a measured size with respect to detected obstacles.

9. The computing device program product of claim 7 wherein establishing the adapted coverage path that accounts for the new obstacle comprises any of:

calculating a first center-return path, wherein the first center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free triangulated paths, and wherein the first center-return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle, a triangle measured size with respect to a tool size of the robotic device and distances to all detected obstacles;

calculating a second center-return path, wherein the second center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free isosceles triangulated paths, and wherein the second center-return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle, an isosceles triangle measured size with respect to the tool size of the robotic device and a distance to a first newly detected obstacle; and

calculating a third center-return path, wherein the third center-return path is defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free point-to-point paths, and wherein the third center return path corresponds with a maximum turning angle and a plurality of straight lines each having a measured size with respect to detected obstacles.

10. The computing device program product of claim 9, wherein detecting the new obstacle causes an error to be logged, wherein when a first pre-determined number of errors are logged, switching from calculating the first center-return path to calculating the second center-return path, and wherein when a second pre-determined number of errors are logged, switching from calculating the second center-return path to calculating the third center-return path.

11. The computing device program product of claim 9, wherein executing the adapted coverage path further comprises any of:

moving the robotic device directly to the third side of a triangular path from the current location before executing the adapted coverage path when calculating the first center return path or when calculating the second center-return path; and

turning the robotic device a pre-set number of degrees, calculating a new triangular path until and unobstructed path is found, before executing the adapted coverage path when calculating the first center-return path or when calculating the second center-return path.

12. The computing device program product of claim 7 wherein establishing the coverage path that accounts for any detected obstacles further comprises:

when more than a predefined number of obstacles are detected within predefined minimum distance and which are a preset number of degrees apart from one another, calculating a center-return path defined by a plurality of substantially collision-free point to-point paths comprised of a plurality of straight lines each having a measured size with respect to the detected obstacles, and wherein executing the coverage path proceeds from a shortest to a longest of the plurality of straight lines.