Automatic stair-climbing robot platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9527213-B2
Application number	US-201414495263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2014
Priority date	Jul 31, 2014
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

An automatic stair-climbing robot platform is provided. The automatic stair-climbing robot platform of the present invention includes a personal computer module; a USB-CAN interface module; a motor module, including a plurality of motors and controlled by the USB-CAN interface module; a KINECT sensor module, obtaining point cloud data and image data by sensing a terrain ahead and transmitting the point cloud data and image data to the personal computer module; a first inertial measurement unit, measuring a body tilt of the KINECT sensor module, and transmitting data of the body tilt of the KINECT sensor module to the personal computer module; and a second inertial measurement unit, measuring a body tilt of the automatic stair-climbing robot platform, and transmitting data of the body tilt of the automatic stair-climbing robot platform to the personal computer module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic stair-climbing robot platform, comprising:
a computer module;
a USB-CAN interface module;
a motor module, having a plurality of motors and controlled by the USB-CAN interface module;
a motion sensing input module, obtaining point cloud data and image data by sensing a terrain ahead, and transmitting the point cloud data and image data to the computer module;
a first inertial measurement unit module, measuring a body tilt of the motion sensing input module, and transmitting data of the body tilt of the motion sensing input module to the computer module; and
a second inertial measurement unit, measuring a body tilt of the automatic stair-climbing robot platform, and transmitting data of the body tilt of the automatic stair-climbing robot platform to the computer module.

2. The automatic stair-climbing robot platform according to claim 1 , further comprising a USB-I/O interface module and a brake module, wherein the brake module is controlled by the USB-I/O interface module.

3. The automatic stair-climbing robot platform according to claim 2 , wherein the brake module is controlled by an emergency relay module.

4. The automatic stair-climbing robot platform according to claim 1 , further comprising a power supply module, including a plurality of batteries, and the power supply module provides power to the computer module, the motor module, the motion sensing input module, the first inertial measurement unit module and the second inertial measurement unit module.

5. The automatic stair-climbing robot platform according to claim 1 , further comprising a main body for supporting standing of a user; a vertical structure, fixed in the front end of the main body and comprising a pair of handles and an emergency button, wherein the computer module, the USB-CAN interface module, the motion sensing input module, the first inertial measurement unit module and the second inertial measurement unit module are disposed on the vertical structure; a plurality of wheels and two rotating discs, wherein the two rotating discs are respectively placed on two sides of the main body, and each rotating disc comprises three wheels of the plurality of wheels, two of the plurality of motors drive the plurality of wheels on the two sides of the main body, and another two of the plurality of motors drive the two rotating discs; and a spring module for connecting the main body and the two rotating discs.

6. The automatic stair-climbing robot platform according to claim 5 , wherein the automatic stair-climbing robot platform climbs a flight of stairs via the plurality of wheels and the two rotating discs.

7. The automatic stair-climbing robot platform according to claim 1 , wherein the computer module is one of an industrial computer, an industrial controller and an embedded system.

8. The automatic stair-climbing robot platform according to claim 1 , wherein the computer module comprises a stair detection function, a somatosensory control function, a body tilt function and a motion control function.

9. The automatic stair-climbing robot platform according to claim 1 , wherein the automatic stair-climbing robot platform automatically moves back and forth, turns left and right and rotates on the spot.

Assignees

• Univ Nat Taiwan

Inventors

• Luo Ren C
• Hsiao Ming

Classifications

• B25J9/1694 Primary

  characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion · CPC title

• G05B2219/39248

  Visual servoing combined with inertial measurements · CPC title

• B25J9/162

  Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it · CPC title

• B25J19/023

  including video camera means · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title