Moving robot without detection dead zone

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11675365-B2
Application number	US-202217732576-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2022
Priority date	Jan 28, 2019
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

There is provided a moving robot including a first light source module and a second light source module respectively project a first light section and a second light section, which are vertical light sections, in front of a moving direction, wherein the first light section and the second light section cross with each other at a predetermined distance in front of the moving robot so as to eliminate a detection dead zone between the first light source module and the second light source module in front of the moving robot to avoid collision with an object during operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A moving robot, comprising:
a first light source module configured to project a first light section toward a moving direction;
a second light source module configured to project a second light section toward the moving direction, wherein the first light section and the second light section are vertical light sections perpendicular to a plane on which the moving robot moves on, and the vertical light sections are crossing with each other at a predetermined distance in front of the moving robot; and
an image sensor configured to capture an image frame covering the first light section and the second light section using a field of view defining a left boundary corresponding to a left side of the moving robot and a right boundary corresponding to a right side of the moving robot, wherein both distal ends of the first light section and the second light section fall within the left boundary and the right boundary of the field of view of the image sensor.

2. The moving robot as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first light source module and the second light source module are configured to successively project the first light section and the second light section.

3. The moving robot as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first light source module and the second light source module are configured to simultaneously project the first light section and the second light section, and the first light section and the second light section have different features.

4. The moving robot as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the different features comprise at least one of a number of line sections, a width of line section, an intensity of line section and a flicker frequency of line section.

5. The moving robot as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the first light source module comprises:
a first light source configured to emit light; and
a first diffractive optical element configured to generate the first light section when the light emitted by the first light source passes therethrough; and

the second light source module comprises:
a second light source configured to emit light; and
a second diffractive optical element configured to generate the second light section when the light emitted by the second light source passes therethrough.

6. The moving robot as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
a first distance between a first line image associated with the first light section and a first edge of the image frame is associated with a first object depth; and
a second distance between a second line image associated with the second light section and a second edge, opposite to the first edge, of the image frame is associated with a second object depth.

7. The moving robot as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a memory configured to
record a first relative relation between the first distance and the first object depth, and
record a second relative relation between the second distance and the second object depth.

8. A moving robot, comprising:
a first light source module configured to project a first light section, which is a vertical light section, toward a moving direction;
a second light source module configured to project a second light section, which is another vertical light section, toward the moving direction, wherein the first light section and the second light section are perpendicular to a plane on which the moving robot moves on, and the first light section and the second light section are crossing with each other in front of the moving robot;
a third light source module configured to project a horizontal light section toward the moving direction; and
an image sensor configured to capture an image frame covering the first light section, the second light section and the horizontal light section using a field of view defining a left boundary corresponding to a left side of the moving robot and a right boundary corresponding to a right side of the moving robot, wherein both distal ends of the first light section and the second light section fall within the left boundary and the right boundary of the field of view of the image sensor.

9. The moving robot as claimed in claim 8 , wherein a first line image associated with the first light section and a second line image associated with the second light section are not configured to calculate an object depth.

10. The moving robot as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first light source module and the second light source module are configured to successively project the first light section and the second light section.

11. The moving robot as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first light source module and the second light source module are configured to simultaneously project the first light section and the second light section, and the first light section and the second light section have different features.

12. The moving robot as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the different features comprise at least one of a number of line sections, a width of line section, an intensity of line section and a flicker frequency of line section.

13. The moving robot as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the horizontal light section is projected between the first light section and the second light section.

14. The moving robot as claimed in claim 8 , wherein
whether a first line image associated with the first light section or a second line image associated with the second light section in the image frame lacks of a part of lower line image is configured to identify an existence of a cliff.

15. A moving robot, comprising
a light source group configured to project a first light section and a second light section, which are vertical light sections, toward a moving direction and project a horizontal light section toward the moving direction, wherein the vertical light sections are perpendicular to a plane on which the moving robot moves on, and the vertical light sections are crossing with each other in front of the moving robot; and
an image sensor configured to capture an image frame covering the first light section, the second light section and the horizontal light section using a field of view defining a left boundary corresponding to a left side of the moving robot and a right boundary corresponding to a right side of the moving robot, wherein both distal ends of the first light section and the second light section fall within the left boundary and the right boundary of the field of view of the image sensor.

16. The moving robot as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the light source group comprises a first light source module and a second light source module,
the first light source module comprises:
a first light source configured to emit light; and
a first diffractive optical element configured to generate the first light section and the horizontal light section when the light emitted by the first light source passes therethrough; and

the second light source module comprises:
a second light source configured to emit light; and
a second diffractive optical element configured to generate the second light section when the light emitted by the second light source passes therethrough.

17. The moving robot as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first light source and the second light source are configured to emit the light successively.

18. The moving robot as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first light source and the second light source are configured to emit the light simultaneously, and the first light section and the second light section have different features.

19. The moving robot as claimed in claim 1

Assignees

• Pixart Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Lin Shih-Chin
• Wang Wei-Chung
• Wang guo-zhen

Classifications

• G06T7/521

  from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light · CPC title

• B25J11/0085

  Cleaning · CPC title

• A47L2201/04

  Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection · CPC title

• A47L11/00 Primary

  Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings · CPC title

• G01S11/12

  using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves · CPC title