Systems and methods for orienting a robot in a space

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020033879-A1
Application number	US-201816045304-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 25, 2018
Priority date	Jul 25, 2018
Publication date	Jan 30, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An orientation system includes a base station comprising a light emitter that projects a pattern onto a projection surface of a space, an auxiliary station including an auxiliary emitter that projects an auxiliary pattern onto the projection surface, and a robot including a moveable base supporting an imaging device. The robot detects the pattern and the auxiliary pattern with the imaging device, and determines a location of the robot within the space based on the pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An orientation system comprising:
a base station comprising a light emitter that projects a pattern onto a projection surface of a space; an auxiliary station comprising an auxiliary emitter that projects an auxiliary pattern onto the projection surface; a robot comprising a moveable base supporting an imaging device; and wherein the robot: detects the pattern and the auxiliary pattern with the imaging device, and determines a location of the robot within the space based on the pattern.

2 . The orientation system of claim 1 , wherein the robot determines a location of the auxiliary station based on the auxiliary pattern.

3 . The orientation system of claim 2 , wherein the robot further comprises a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium storing an instruction set and a processor, the instruction set, when executed by the processor, causing the robot to move to the auxiliary station.

4 . The orientation system of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the pattern and the auxiliary pattern comprise an augmented reality (AR) code.

5 . The orientation system of claim 1 , wherein the base station further comprises a distance finder for determining a distance from the base station to the projection surface of a room.

6 . The orientation system of claim 5 , wherein the base station calibrates the pattern to a predetermined size based on the distance between the base station and the projection surface.

7 . The orientation system of claim 5 , wherein the robot determines the location of the robot within the space based on a size of the pattern.

8 . The orientation system of claim 1 , wherein the base station sends one or more auxiliary instructions to the robot over a wireless connection between the robot and the base station.

9 . The orientation system of claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary instructions indicate the location of an object of interest to the robot.

10 . A robot comprising:
an imaging device and a control unit comprising a processor and a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium storing a processor-readable instruction set, wherein the processor-readable instruction set, when executed, causes the robot to: capture an image of a projection surface of a space; detect a pattern and an auxiliary pattern in the image; determine a location of the robot based on the pattern and a distance to the projection surface.

11 . The robot of claim 10 , wherein the processor-readable instruction set further causes the robot to locate an object of interest based on the auxiliary pattern.

12 . The robot of claim 11 , wherein the robot retrieves the object of interest.

13 . The robot of claim 10 , further comprising a robot communications module capable of forming an auxiliary connection with a base station, wherein the robot receives instructions to retrieve an object of interest via the auxiliary connection.

14 . The robot of claim 13 , wherein the robot retrieves the object of interest and sends a signal to the base station based on retrieving the object of interest.

15 . The robot of claim 10 , further comprising a proximity sensor, wherein the robot detects an object of interest based on a signal generated by the proximity sensor.

16 . The robot of claim 10 , wherein the robot generates a pattern-alteration signal and sends the pattern-alteration signal to one or more of a base station and an auxiliary station that causes one or more of the base station and the auxiliary station to change the pattern and the auxiliary pattern.

17 . The robot of claim 10 , wherein the processor-readable instruction set, when executed, causes the robot to detect an augmented reality (AR) code.

18 . A method of determining a location of a robot within a space including a projection surface with respect to a pattern and an auxiliary pattern, the method comprising:
determining a distance from a base station to the projection surface of the space; projecting the pattern with the base station on the projection surface; projecting the auxiliary pattern with an auxiliary station on the projection surface; detecting the pattern with an imaging device positioned on the robot; determining a location of the robot based on an image of the pattern and the distance; detecting the auxiliary pattern with the imaging device; and determining a location of an object of interest based on the auxiliary pattern and the distance.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising moving the robot to the object of interest and retrieving the object of interest with the robot.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising sending a signal from the robot to the base station based on retrieving the object of interest.

Assignees

• Toyota Res Inst Inc

Inventors

• Mushegian Konstantine
• Amacker Matthew

Classifications

• A47L2201/04

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

• A47L9/2894 Primary

  Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners · CPC title

• A47L2201/02

  Docking stations; Docking operations · CPC title

• G01C3/06

  Use of electric means to obtain final indication · CPC title

• A47L9/2826

  the condition of the floor · CPC title