Patent classifications
G05D1/0234
Autonomous moving apparatus control system, autonomous moving apparatus control method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium
An autonomous moving apparatus control system including a range sensor, a reflection plate, and a control unit. The range sensor is installed in a cage of an elevator and detects a distance to an object by receiving reflected light of signal light applied to the object. The reflection plate is disposed in an elevator hall of a floor on which the elevator stops, and reflects the signal light. The control unit determines whether or not a mobile robot, which is an autonomous moving apparatus, can get on and off the elevator based on a detected distance, the detected distance being a distance to the reflection plate detected by the range sensor.
Lane detection and tracking techniques for imaging systems
A method for tracking a lane on a road is presented. The method comprises receiving, by one or more processors from an imaging system, a set of pixels associated with lane markings. The method further includes generating, by the one or more processors, a predicted spline comprising (i) a first spline and (ii) a predicted extension of the first spline in a direction in which the imaging system is moving. The first spline describes a boundary of a lane and is generated based on the set of pixels. The predicted extension of the first spline is generated based at least in part on a curvature of at least a portion of the first spline.
Automated guided vehicle and automated guided vehicle control system
Provided is an automated guided vehicle that travels on a traveling path by loading at least one of a member required for a production work in which production equipment produces a product and a production tool detachable to the production equipment, and shares at least a portion of the traveling path with another automated guided vehicle, in which a traveling priority is variably set based on a work priority determined from a status of the production work, and when the traveling priority of the automated guided vehicle is higher than the traveling priority of the another automated guided vehicle, the automated guided vehicle is prioritized for traveling on the traveling path.
Vehicle guidance via infrared projection
A system for guiding a vehicle is provided. The system includes multiple paths on a surface, wherein each path is defined by light projection characteristics of a respective light projection defining a respective path. The system also includes the vehicle. The vehicle includes a sensor configured to detect the light projection characteristic of the respective path of the multiple paths, and a controller guide the vehicle along the respective path with a light projection characteristic that matches an expected light projection characteristic that is assigned to the vehicle.
Enhancing airborne visibility of ground markers by vertical variation
A ground marker for use in identifying a location associated with a mission performed by an aerial vehicle includes a visible surface with aspects that are positioned at different vertical heights or elevations. The vertical variation in the aspects of the visible surface enhances a level of visibility of the ground marker within images captured by cameras provided aboard the aerial vehicle, resulting in more accurate estimations of ranges to such markers (e.g., altitudes) determined from such images. The visible surface includes one-dimensional or two-dimensional bar codes, alphanumeric characters and symbols thereon and is provided on or within rigid or flexible frames that are adapted to be placed on ground surfaces at the location associated with the mission.
ADAPTIVE MOBILE MANIPULATION APPARATUS AND METHOD
An adaptive manipulation apparatus and method are provided. The adaptive manipulation method includes steps of providing a mobile manipulation apparatus comprising a manipulator, a sensor and a processor for a manipulation of an object placed on a carrier having a plurality of markers spaced apart from each other, the sensor detecting the plurality of markers to obtain a run time marker information, the processor, according to the base-case motion plan, generating a run time motion plan, wherein the run time motion plan comprises a plurality of second pose-aware actions, and the plurality of second pose-aware actions are modified from the plurality of first pose-aware actions according to the run time marker information, and the processor further executing the run time motion plan for controlling the manipulator to manipulate the object.
METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A VEHICLE IN A DEPOT, TRAVEL CONTROL UNIT, AND VEHICLE HAVING SAID TRAVEL CONTROL UNIT
The disclosure is directed to a method for controlling a vehicle in a depot. The method includes the steps: allocating a three-dimensional target object to the vehicle; detecting a three-dimensional object in the environment around the vehicle and determining depth information for the detected three-dimensional object; classifying the detected three-dimensional object on the basis of the determined depth information and checking whether the determined three-dimensional object has the same object class as the three-dimensional target object; identifying the detected three-dimensional object if the determined three-dimensional object has the same object class as the three-dimensional target object by detecting an object identifier assigned to the three-dimensional object and checking whether the detected object identifier matches a target identifier assigned to the target object; outputting an approach signal to move the vehicle closer to the detected three-dimensional target object in an automated manner or manually if the object identifier matches the target identifier.
Marker for space recognition, method of moving and lining up robot based on space recognition and robot of implementing thereof
Provided are a marker for space recognition, a method of moving and lining up a robot based on space recognition, and a robot, and the robot that lines up and moves based on space recognition includes: a camera sensor that images a marker disposed on a traveling floor of the robot or a side of the traveling floor; and a control unit that analyzes an image captured by the camera sensor, calculates a moving direction or a moving speed of the robot on the basis of the marker, and controls a movement unit.
Robotic cleaning device with dynamic area coverage
A system dynamically generates a cleaning coverage pattern of an area using waypoints and sensor data from one or more sensor modalities. To do this, a robotic cleaning device moves through an area to be cleaned, identifies consecutive waypoints through the area, and stores the waypoints in a memory. At least one sensor of the robotic cleaning device collects sensor data about a portion of the area as the device moves between the consecutive waypoints. A temporary map of the portion of the area between the consecutive waypoints is generated based on the collected sensor data, and a cleaning coverage pattern is generated using the temporary map. The area is then cleaned by moving the robotic cleaning device according to the cleaning coverage pattern. In certain embodiments, upon completing the cleaning, the consecutive waypoints are retained in the memory, while the temporary map may not be retained.
METHOD FOR MOVING A VEHICLE TO A COMPONENT OF AN OBJECT AT A DISTANCE THEREFROM (PRE-POSITIONING POINT)
A method for moving a vehicle to a component of an object at a distance therefrom, the vehicle having a navigation module which has a camera and an evaluation electronics, and an identification element is attached to the object in a predetermined position in such a way that it is recognized by the camera in a far range (D.sub.max) of the vehicle from the object, and a reverse driving line of the vehicle is calculated by the evaluation electronics from the perspective position of the camera in relation to the identification element. The method improves the approach of a vehicle to a stationary object. A close-range (D.sub.min) is defined in the direction of the object by a close-range radius (R.sub.min) and the reverse driving line is calculated up to a virtual pre-positioning point (S.sub.Vi, S.sub.Vii, S.sub.Viii) lying on the close-range radius (R.sub.min).