Intelligent robot, and sensor assembly and obstacle detection method for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017049290-A1
Application number	US-201515118725-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 11, 2015
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Feb 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a sensor assembly for an intelligent robot, an obstacle detection method for an intelligent robot and an intelligent robot. The sensor assembly comprises a first type sensor and a second type sensor. The first type sensor comprises M first transmitting units and N first receiving units, and the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units are separately disposed at preset angles, M and N being positive integers. The second type sensor comprises a light source and M+N−1 second receiving units. The second receiving units are located between the first transmitting units and the first receiving units.

First claim

1 . A sensor assembly for an intelligent robot, comprising:
a first type sensor, wherein the first type sensor comprises M first transmitting units and N first receiving units, and the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units are separately disposed at preset angles, where M and N are positive integers; and a second type sensor, wherein the second type sensor comprises a light source and M+N−1 second receiving units, and the second receiving units are located between the first transmitting units and the first receiving units.

2 . The sensor assembly according to claim 1 , wherein, the first type sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

3 . The sensor assembly according to claim 2 , wherein, the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units comprise:
a first ultrasonic receiving unit, located in a front surface of the intelligent robot; a first ultrasonic transmitting unit and a second ultrasonic transmitting unit, respectively located on either side of the first ultrasonic receiving unit, and each of the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit forming a first angle with the first ultrasonic receiving unit; and a second ultrasonic receiving unit and a third ultrasonic receiving unit, respectively located on an outer side of the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit, and the second ultrasonic receiving unit forming a second angle with the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit forming the second angle with the second ultrasonic transmitting unit.

4 . The sensor assembly according to claim 3 , wherein, the first angle is equal to the second angle.

5 . The sensor assembly according to claim 3 , wherein, the second type sensor is an IR sensor, and the M+N−1 second receiving units comprise:
a first infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a second infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a third infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and
a fourth infrared receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

6 . The sensor assembly according to claim 3 , wherein, the second type sensor is a PSD sensor, and the M+N−1 second receiving units comprise:
a first light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a second light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a third light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and
a fourth light energy receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

7 . The sensor assembly according to claim 3 , wherein, the second type sensor comprises an IR sensor and a PSD sensor, and the M+N−1 second receiving units comprise:
a fifth infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a sixth infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a fifth light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and
a sixth light energy receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

8 . An intelligent robot, comprising a sensor assembly, wherein the sensor assembly comprises a first type sensor and a second type sensor,
the first type sensor comprises M first transmitting units and N first receiving units, and the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units are separately disposed at preset angles, where M and N are positive integers; the second type sensor comprises a light source and M+N−1 second receiving units, and the second receiving units are located between the first transmitting units and the first receiving units.

9 . An obstacle detection method for an intelligent robot, wherein, the intelligent robot comprises a sensor assembly, the sensor assembly comprises a first type sensor and a second type sensor, and the obstacle detection method comprises:
receiving a reflection signal from an object in a moving direction of the intelligent robot by the first type sensor and the second type sensor respectively; and determining whether the object obstructs moving of the intelligent robot according to the reflection signal.

10 . The obstacle detection method according to claim 9 , wherein, the first type sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, and the second type sensor comprises an IR sensor and/or a PSD sensor.

11 . The intelligent robot according to claim 8 , wherein the the first type sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

12 . The sensor assembly according to claim 8 , wherein, the M first transmitting units and the N first receiving units comprise:
a first ultrasonic receiving unit, located in a front surface of the intelligent robot; a first ultrasonic transmitting unit and a second ultrasonic transmitting unit, respectively located on either side of the first ultrasonic receiving unit, and each of the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit forming a first angle with the first ultrasonic receiving unit; and a second ultrasonic receiving unit and a third ultrasonic receiving unit, respectively located on an outer side of the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit, and the second ultrasonic receiving unit forming a second angle with the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit forming the second angle with the second ultrasonic transmitting unit.

13 . The sensor assembly according to claim 12 , wherein, the first angle is equal to the second angle.

14 . The sensor assembly according to claim 12 , wherein, the second type sensor is an IR sensor, and the M+N−1 second receiving units comprise:
a first infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a second infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a third infrared receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and
a fourth infrared receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

15 . The sensor assembly according to claim 12 , wherein, the second type sensor is a PSD sensor, and the M+N−1 second receiving units comprise:
a first light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the first ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a second light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic receiving unit and the second ultrasonic transmitting unit;
a third light energy receiving unit, located between the first ultrasonic transmitting unit and the second ultrasonic receiving unit; and
a fourth light energy receiving unit, located between the second ultrasonic transmitting unit and the third ultrasonic receiving unit.

16 . The sensor assembly according to

Assignees

• Jiangsu Midea Cleaning Appliances Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yu Qinghao
• Shen Luokun
• Shen Qiang

Classifications

• G01S17/93 Primary

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• A47L9/2826

  the condition of the floor · CPC title

• G01S15/86

  Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection · CPC title

• A47L2201/04

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

• G01S15/003

  Bistatic sonar systems; Multistatic sonar systems · CPC title