Robot and controlling method of robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12443203-B2
Application number	US-202318400817-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2023
Priority date	Aug 26, 2022
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

A robot includes: a plurality of wheels; a plurality of motors; at least one sensor; a memory configured to store first information on a size of the robot; and a processor. The processor is configured to: acquire image data of an escalator from the at least one sensor, acquire second information on a size of a plurality of steps included in the escalator based on the image data, based on the first information and the second information, identify both a boarding position available for the robot to board the escalator among the plurality of steps, and a posture of the robot configured to allow the robot to board at the boarding position, acquire control information for controlling the robot to board at the boarding position in the posture when the boarding position and the posture have been identified, and control the plurality of motors based on the control information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot comprising:
a plurality of wheels;
a plurality of motors configured to drive the plurality of wheels;
at least one sensor;
a memory configured to store first information on a size of the robot; and
a processor configured to:
acquire image data of an escalator from the at least one sensor,
acquire second information on a size of a plurality of steps included in the escalator based on the image data,
based on the first information and the second information, identify both a boarding position available for the robot to board the escalator among the plurality of steps, and a posture of the robot configured to allow the robot to board at the boarding position,
acquire control information for controlling the robot to board at the boarding position in the posture when the boarding position and the posture have been identified, and
control the plurality of motors based on the control information.

2. The robot as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first information includes information on a first length corresponding to a first width of the robot, information on a second length corresponding to a second width of the robot, and information on height adjustment of the plurality of wheels, the second length being shorter than the first length.

3. The robot as claimed in claim 2 ,
wherein the second information includes information on a horizontal length of each of the plurality of steps that is perpendicular to a non-elevating component of a moving direction of the plurality of steps, information on a vertical length of each of the plurality of steps that is parallel to the non-elevating component of the moving direction, and information on a height of the plurality of steps, the horizontal length being longer than at least one of the first length or the second length, the vertical length being shorter than the horizontal length, and
wherein the information on the height of the plurality of steps includes information on a height difference between adjacent steps of the plurality steps and information on a change rate of the height difference.

4. The robot as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to identify a first position on a first step of the plurality of steps as the boarding position when at least one of the first length or the second length is shorter than the vertical length.

5. The robot as claimed in claim 4 ,
wherein, when the first length is shorter than the vertical length, the processor is configured to control the plurality of motors so that the robot boards the first position in the posture such that the first length is parallel to the vertical length, and
wherein, when the first length is longer than the vertical length and the second length is shorter than the vertical length, the processor is configured to control the plurality of motors so that the robot boards the first position in the posture such that the first length is parallel to the horizontal length.

6. The robot as claimed in claim 3 , wherein, when the first length and the second length are longer than the vertical length, the processor is configured to identify, as the boarding position, a second position overlapping between a first step of the plurality of steps and a second step of the plurality of steps, the second step being adjacent to the first step.

7. The robot as claimed in claim 6 , wherein, when the first length is longer than the vertical length but shorter than twice the vertical length, the processor is configured to:
control the plurality of motors so that the robot boards the second position in the posture such that the first length is parallel to the vertical length, and
control the plurality of motors so that a height difference between the plurality of wheels corresponds to the height difference between the first step and the second step while the height difference between the first step and the second step changes.

8. The robot as claimed in claim 6 , wherein, when the first length is longer than twice the vertical length, the second length is longer than the vertical length, and the second length is shorter than twice the vertical length, the processor is configured to:
control the plurality of motors so that the robot boards the second position in the posture such that the first length is parallel to the horizontal length, and
control the plurality of motors so that a height difference between the plurality of wheels corresponds to the height difference between the first step and the second step while the height difference between the first step and the second step changes.

9. The robot as claimed in claim 8 ,
wherein the at least one sensor comprises a balance sensor, and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
acquire a sensing value indicating whether the robot is balanced through the balance sensor, and
control the plurality of motors so that the height difference between the plurality of wheels corresponds to the height difference between the first step and the second step based on the sensing value.

10. The robot as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
acquire information on an object near the escalator through the at least one sensor, and
identify both the boarding position and a movement path based on the first information, the second information, and the information on the object, the movement path being from a current position of the robot to the boarding position.

11. A controlling method of a robot that includes a plurality of wheels, a plurality of motors for driving the plurality of wheels, and at least one sensor, the controlling method comprising:
acquiring first information on a size of the robot;
acquiring image data of an escalator from the at least one sensor;
acquiring second information on a size of a plurality of steps included in the escalator based on the image data;
based on the first information and the second information, identifying both a boarding position available for the robot to board the escalator among the plurality of steps and a posture of the robot configured to allow the robot to board at the boarding position;
acquiring control information for controlling the robot to board at the boarding position and in the posture, when the boarding position and the posture have been identified; and
controlling the plurality of motors based on the control information.

12. The controlling method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first information includes information on a first length corresponding to a first width of the robot, information on a second length corresponding to a second width of the robot, and information on height adjustment of the plurality of wheels, the second length being shorter than the first length.

13. The controlling method as claimed in claim 12 ,
wherein the second information includes information on a horizontal length of each of the plurality of steps that is perpendicular to a non-elevating component of a moving direction of the plurality of steps, information on a vertical length of each of the plurality of steps that is parallel to the non-elevating component of the moving direction, and information on a height of the plurality of steps, the horizontal length being longer than at least one of the first length or the second length, the vertical length being shorter than the horizontal length, and
wherein the information on the height of the plurality of steps includes information on a height difference between adjacent steps of the plurality steps and information on a change rate of the height difference.

14. The controlling method as claimed in claim

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hong Hyunki
• Koh Youngil

Classifications

• G05D1/243 Primary

  Means capturing signals occurring naturally from the environment, e.g. ambient optical, acoustic, gravitational or magnetic signals (using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle G05D1/244; using signals from positioning sensors located off-board the vehicle G05D1/249) · CPC title

• B25J19/02

  Sensing devices · CPC title

• B25J13/08

  by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices · CPC title

• B25J9/1697

  Vision controlled systems · CPC title

• B25J9/1664

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title