Mobile Security Robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016188977-A1
Application number	US-201514944354-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 24, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of operating a mobile robot includes receiving a layout map corresponding to a patrolling environment at a computing device and maneuvering the robot in the patrolling environment based on the received layout map. The method further includes receiving imaging data of a scene about the robot when the robot maneuvers in the patrolling environment at the computing device. The imaging data is received from one or more imaging sensors disposed on the robot and in communication with the computing device. The method further includes identifying a person in the scene based on the received imaging data and aiming a field of view of at least one imaging sensor to continuously perceive the identified person in the field of view. The method further includes capturing a human recognizable image of the identified person using the at least one imaging sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of operating a mobile robot, the method comprising:
receiving, at a computing device, a layout map corresponding to a patrolling environment; maneuvering the robot in the patrolling environment based on the received layout map; receiving, at the computing device, imaging data of a scene about the robot when the robot maneuvers in the patrolling environment, the imaging data received from at least one imaging sensor disposed on the robot and in communication with the computing device; identifying, by the computing device, a person in the scene based on the received imaging data; aiming, by the computing device, a field of view of the at least one imaging sensor to continuously perceive the identified person in the field of view based on robot dynamics, person dynamics comprising a movement trajectory of the person, and imaging sensor dynamics of the at least one imaging sensor; and capturing, by the computing device, a human recognizable image of the identified person using the at least one imaging sensor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
segmenting, by the computing device, the received imaging data into objects; filtering, by the computing device, the objects to remove objects greater than a first threshold size comprising a first height of about 8 feet and smaller than a second threshold size comprising a second height of about 3 feet; and identifying, by the computing device, the person in the scene corresponding to at least a portion of the filtered objects.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
aiming, by the computing device, the at least one imaging sensor to maintain the corresponding aimed field of view on a facial region of the identified person; or commanding, by the computing device, holonomic motion of the robot to maintain the aimed field of view of the at least one imaging sensor on the facial region of the identified person.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using, by the computing device, a Kalman filter to track and propagate the movement trajectory of the identified person.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising commanding, by the computing device, the robot to move in a planar direction with three planar degrees of freedom while maintaining the aimed field of view of the at least one imaging sensor on the identified person associated with the movement trajectory.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the robot moves in the planar direction at a velocity proportional to the movement trajectory of the identified person.

7 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising commanding, by the computing device, at least one of panning or tilting the at least one imaging sensor to maintain the aimed field of view of the at least one imaging sensor on the identified person associated with the movement trajectory.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
reviewing, by the computing device, the captured image to determine whether or not the identified person is perceived in a center of the image or the image is clear; when the identified person is perceived in the center of the image and the image is clear:
storing the captured image in non-transitory memory in communication with the computing device; and
transmitting, by the computing device, the captured image to a security system in communication with the computing device; and
when the identified person is perceived outside the center of the image or the image is blurred:
re-aiming the field of view of the at least one imaging sensor to continuously perceive the identified person in the field of view; and
capturing a subsequent human recognizable image of the identified person using the at least one imaging sensor,
wherein the imaging sensor dynamics comprise a threshold rotational velocity of the imaging sensor relative to an imaging target to capture a clear image of the imaging target.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying, by the computing device, a location tag to the captured image associated with a location of the identified person; applying, by the computing device, a time tag associated with a time the image was captured; and transmitting a tagged layout map from the computing device to a remote device.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the location tag defines a location on the layout map.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one imaging sensor comprises at least one of a still-image camera, a video camera, a stereo camera, or a three-dimensional point cloud imaging sensor.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the robot dynamics comprise:
a first acceleration/deceleration limit of a drive system of the robot; a second acceleration/deceleration limit associated with a drive command; and a deceleration limit associated with a stop command.

13 . A robot comprising:
a robot body; a drive system supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot over a floor surface of a patrolling environment, the drive system having a forward drive direction; at least one imaging sensor disposed on the robot body; and a controller in communication with the drive system and the at least one imaging sensor, the controller:
receiving a layout map corresponding to a patrolling environment;
issuing drive commands to the drive system to maneuver the robot in the patrolling environment based on the received layout map;
receiving imaging data from the at least one imaging sensor of a scene about the robot when the robot maneuvers in the patrolling environment;
identifying a moving target in the scene based on the received imaging data;
propagating a movement trajectory of the identified moving target based on the received imaging data;
aiming a field of view of the at least one imaging sensor to continuously perceive the identified moving target in the field of view; and
capturing a human recognizable image of the identified moving target using the at least one imaging sensor.

14 . The robot of claim 13 , wherein the controller:
segments the received imaging data into objects; filters the objects to remove objects greater than a first threshold size comprising a first height of about 8 feet and smaller than a second threshold size comprising a second height of about 3 feet; and identifies a person in the scene as the identified moving target corresponding to at least a portion of the filtered objects.

15 . The robot of claim 14 , further comprising a rotator and a tilter disposed on the robot body in communication with the controller, the rotator and tilter providing at least one of panning and tilting of the at least one imaging sensor, wherein the controller at least one of:
commands the rotator or tilter to at least one of pan or tilt the at least one imaging sensor to maintain the corresponding aimed field of view on a facial region of the identified person; or issues drive commands to the drive system to holonomically move the robot to maintain the aimed field of view of the at least one imaging sensor on the facial region of the identified person.

16 . The robot of claim 15 , wherein the controller commands the drive system to drive in a planar direction with three planar degrees of freedom at a velocity proportional to the movement trajectory of the identified moving target while maintaining the aimed field of view of the at least one imaging sensor on the identified moving target associated with the movement trajectory.

17 . The robot of claim 13 , further comprising a rotator and a tilte

Assignees

• Irobot Corp

Inventors

• Kearns Justin H
• Taka Orjeta

Classifications

• G06T7/0079

  Physics · mapped topic

• B25J11/002

  Manipulators for defensive or military tasks · CPC title

• G06K9/52

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06T2207/20024

  Filtering details · CPC title

• G06K9/00664 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic