Mobile robot and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029700-B2
Application number	US-201615745679-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2016
Priority date	Jul 29, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

A cleaner performing autonomous traveling includes a main body having a suction opening, a cleaning unit provided within the main body and sucking a cleaning target through the suction opening, a driving unit moving the main body, a camera sensor attached to the main body and capturing a first image, an operation sensor sensing information related to movement of the main body, and a controller detecting information related to an obstacle on the basis of at least one of the captured image and the information related to movement and controlling the driving unit on the basis of the detected information related to the obstacle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cleaner comprising:
a main body having a suction opening;
a cleaning unit provided within the main body and that sucks a cleaning target through the suction opening;
a driving unit that moves the main body;
a camera sensor that is attached to the main body and captures a first image;
an operation sensor that senses information related to movement of the main body; and
a controller that detects information related to an obstacle on a basis of at least one of the captured the image or the information related to movement, and controls the driving unit on a basis of the detected information related to the obstacle,
wherein the controller segments the captured first image into a plurality of image regions, and detects first information related to the obstacle from the segmented image regions of the first image, and
wherein when a preset time interval has lapsed since the first image was captured:
the camera sensor captures a second image, and
the controller converts the first image, projects the converted image to the second image to generate a third image, and compares the generated third image with the second image to detect second information related to the obstacle.

2. The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller segments the second image into a plurality of image regions, compares the segmented image regions of the first image with the segmented image regions of the second image, and detects the first information related to the obstacle on a basis of comparing the segmented image regions of the first image and the segmented image regions of the second image.

3. The cleaner of claim 2 , wherein the controller matches at least one of the segmented image regions of the second image and at least one of the segmented image regions of the first image that correspond to each other.

4. The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller detects the second information related to the obstacle on a basis of a difference in color between the generated third image and the second image.

5. The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller extracts at least one feature point from the first image, and detects third information related to the obstacle on a basis of the extracted feature point.

6. The cleaner of claim 5 , wherein the controller sets information related to respective weight values for the first information, the second information, and the third information, and detects fourth information related to the obstacle on a basis of the set weight value, the first information, the second information, and the third information.

7. The cleaner of claim 5 , wherein the controller generates map information related to the obstacle using the first information, the second information, and the third information.

8. The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein an image capture angle of the camera sensor is an omnidiectional range with respect to the main body.

9. The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the operation sensor includes at least one of a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a wheel sensor.

10. The cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the camera sensor captures the first image in a movement direction of the main body.

11. A device comprising:
a main body;
a motor that moves the main body;
a camera sensor that is attached to the main body and captures a first image;
an operation sensor that senses information related to movement of the main body; and
a controller that detects information related to an obstacle on a basis of at least one of the captured first image and the information related to movement, and controls the motor on a basis of the detected information related to the obstacle,
wherein the controller segments the captured first image into a plurality of image regions, and detects first information related to the obstacle from the segmented image regions of the first image, and
wherein after a preset time interval has lapsed since the first image was captured:
the camera sensor captures a second image, and
the controller converts the first image, projects the converted image to the second image to generate a third image, and compares the generated third image with the second image to detect second information related to the obstacle.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the controller segments the second image into a plurality of image regions, compares the segmented image regions of the first image with the segmented image regions of the second image, and detects the first information related to the obstacle on a basis of comparing the segmented image regions of the first image with the segmented image regions of the second image.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the controller matches at least one of the segmented image regions of the second image and at least one of the segmented image regions of the first image that correspond to each other.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the controller detects the second information related to the obstacle on a basis of a difference in color between the generated third image and the second image.

15. The device of claim 11 , wherein the controller extracts at least one feature point from the first image, and detects third information related to the obstacle on a basis of the extracted feature point.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the controller sets information related to respective weight values for the first information, the second information, and the third information, and detects fourth information related to the obstacle on a basis of the set weight values, the first information, the second information, and the third information.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the controller generates map information related to the obstacle using the first information, the second information, and the third information.

18. The device of claim 11 , wherein an image capture angle of the camera sensor is an omnidiectional range with respect to the main body.

19. The device of claim 11 , wherein the operation sensor includes at least one of a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a wheel sensor.

20. The device of claim 11 , wherein the camera sensor captures the first image in a movement direction of the main body.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc
• Seoul Nat Univ R&Db Foundation

Inventors

• Shin Yongmin
• Yi Donghoon
• Cho Dongil
• Lee Taejae

Classifications

• A47L9/19

  Means for monitoring filtering operation · CPC title

• A47L9/2852

  Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles · CPC title

• A47L9/2842

  Suction motors or blowers · CPC title

• A47L9/2805

  Parameters or conditions being sensed · CPC title

• G06T7/579

  from motion · CPC title