Self-moving device and method for controlling movement path of same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12135561-B2
Application number	US-201816643151-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2018
Priority date	Aug 30, 2017
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-moving device, including: a housing, a movement module configured to drive the housing to move, a drive module configured to drive the movement module to move, and a control module configured to control the self-moving device. A non-contact obstacle recognition sensor assembly is disposed on the housing. After the obstacle recognition sensor assembly detects that an obstacle exists in a movement direction, the control module controls the self-moving device to continue moving and steer until the obstacle is avoided. The movement direction is a forward driving direction of the self-moving device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-moving device, comprising:
a housing;
an inertial navigation system (INS);
a non-contact obstacle recognition sensor disposed in front of the housing and configured to form an obstacle detection area in a movement direction of the self-moving device; and
a control module configured to:
control the self-moving device;
determine whether an obstacle exists in the obstacle detection area, wherein:
a mounting height of the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor is a first height,
a height limit value for obstacles is a second height that is correlated to the first height, and an object height is a third height,
an object is determined to be the obstacle when the third height is greater than the second height, and the object is determined not to be the obstacle when the third height is less than the second height, and
a correlation between the first height and the second height is that the first height is equal to a combination of the second height, a distance between an axial center of the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor and a determination section that receives a reflected wave, a value of a half of a field-of-view angle, and an offset angle of a central line of the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor relative to a bottom surface of a housing of the self-moving device;
cause the self-moving device to continue moving and steer towards a no-obstacle direction;
obtain, from the INS, an original direction that is before the self-moving device moves and steers around the obstacle, and a new direction that the self-moving device is to take;
control the self-moving device to move and steer at a steering angle determined based at least in part on a relative angle and a distance between the obstacle and the self-moving device; and
control the self-moving device to steer from the new direction to the original direction and continue moving according to the original direction.

2. The self-moving device according to claim 1 , wherein when the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor detects that the distance between the obstacle and the self-moving device is less than a preset distance, the self-moving device is configured to continue moving and steer until the obstacle is avoided, and control the steering angle of the self-moving device according to a relative position between the self-moving device and the obstacle.

3. The self-moving device according to claim 1 , wherein after the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor detects that the obstacle exists in the movement direction, the self-moving device is configured to steer at a changing angle and moves until the obstacle is avoided.

4. The self-moving device according to claim 1 , wherein after the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor detects that the obstacle exists in the movement direction, the self-moving device is configured to decelerate.

5. The self-moving device according to claim 1 , wherein the steering angle is an angle at which the self-moving device is controlled to steer.

6. The self-moving device according to claim 1 , wherein when the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor detects that the obstacle exists in a preset condition range on a first side of the movement direction, the self-moving device is configured to steer toward a second side, opposite to the first side, of the movement direction and continue moving.

7. The self-moving device according to claim 1 , wherein the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor, the ultrasonic sensor comprises at least two ultrasonic sensors comprising a first ultrasonic sensor and a second ultrasonic sensor, and the first ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor are arranged on the housing at an angle from each other.

8. The self-moving device according to claim 7 , wherein the first ultrasonic sensor has a first axis, the second ultrasonic sensor has a second axis, the first axis and the second axis have a projection intersection as seen from top, the first axis is an axis of an ultrasonic field transmitted by the first ultrasonic sensor, and the second axis is an axis of the ultrasonic field transmitted by the second ultrasonic sensor.

9. The self-moving device of claim 1 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
measure the distance between the obstacle and the self-moving device;
measure an intensity of a returned signal that is reflected by the obstacle and is received by the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor; and
control the steering angle according to a combination of the distance and the intensity.

10. The self-moving device of claim 1 , wherein:
the control module is further configured to execute an obstacle-avoidance measure when the distance between the self-moving device and the obstacle is less than a preset distance,
the distance between the self-moving device and the obstacle is a value of a distance measured between a first position where a wave is reflected and a second position of the self-moving device, and
the preset distance is greater than or equal to a distance-measurement blind area radius of the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor.

11. The self-moving device of claim 10 , wherein the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor is further configured to:
analyze an echo from the obstacle to obtain the distance between the self-moving device and the obstacle and an intensity of the echo; and
compare the distance between the self-moving device and the obstacle with the preset distance; and
compare the intensity of the echo with a reflected wave threshold to determine a condition of the obstacle.

12. A method for controlling a movement path of a self-moving device, comprising:
obtaining information from a non-contact obstacle recognition sensor, about an obstacle in a movement direction of the self-moving device, wherein:
a mounting height of the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor is a first height,
a height limit value for obstacles is a second height that is correlated to the first height, and an object height is a third height,
an object is determined to be the obstacle when the third height is greater than the second height, and the object is determined not to be the obstacle when the third height is less than the second height, and
a correlation between the first height and the second height is that the first height is equal to a combination of the second height, a distance between an axial center of the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor and a determination section that receives a reflected wave, a value of a half of a field-of-view angle, and an offset angle of a central line of the non-contact obstacle recognition sensor relative to a bottom surface of a housing of the self-moving device;

controlling the self-moving device to continue moving and steer by obtaining, from an inertial navigation system (INS), an original direction that is before the self-moving device moves and steers around the obstacle and a new direction that the self-moving device requires to avoid the obstacle;
controlling the self-moving device to move and steer based at least in part on a relative angle and a distance between the obstacle and the self-moving device; and
after the obstacle is avoided through steering, controlling the self-moving device to steer from the new direction to the original direction, and continue moving in the original direction.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
when the obstacle exists in the movement direction of the self-moving device, obtaining the distance between the self-moving device and the obstacle; and
when the distance is less than a preset distance, co

Assignees

• Positec Power Tools Suzhou Co Ltd

Inventors

• Dalfra Davide
• Conti Emanuel
• Testolin Federico
• Sheng Xiaochu
• Ran Yuanzhong
• Pang Yanjun
• Du Jiang
• Li Xinghong

Classifications

• G05D1/245

  using dead reckoning · CPC title

• G05D1/247

  using signals provided by artificial sources external to the vehicle, e.g. navigation beacons · CPC title

• G05D1/628

  following the obstacle profile, e.g. a wall or undulated terrain · CPC title

• G05D1/65

  Following a desired speed profile · CPC title

• G05D1/027

  comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector (inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165) · CPC title