EP0221643A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vision navigation system for free-roaming mobile robots
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1986-08-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-08-29
Abstract
Abstract A vision navigation system for a mobile robot 21. The mobile robot has a plurality of light beacons 3, 5, 7 mounted on it to identify its location to fixed overhead television cameras 1 having a predefined viewing area. Navigation commands are generated by finding present robot location and transmitting new coordinates via the beacons which are used both for communicating with a master station and to locate the mobile apparatus. There are a minimum of three navigation beacons which are arranged in a tnangular pattern to enable robot direction to be determined, even when some beacons are obstructed from view of overhead cameras. The television system uses a gray scale image and has a video bus that transmits the actual pixel value synchronized with a pixel clock.
Inventors
- 👤 Virge W. Mcclure
- 👤 Donald J. Christian
- 👤 John E. Slaughter
- 👤 Robert B. Terrell
- 👤 William B. Brubaker
- 👤 Thomas Jay Doty
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 09:01
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/02; G05D1/021; G05D1/0276; G05D1/028; G05D1/0231; G05D1/0234; G05D1/0242; G05D1/0246; G05D1/0268; G05D1/0272
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A visual navigation system for a mobile robot comprises: a plurality of light point means for emitting light the plurality of light point means being associated with the mobile robot to provide identifying points; means for obtaining images of the light point means; means for converting the images to electrical signals; and means for guiding the mobile robot in response to the electrical signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
A visual navigation system for a mobile robot comprises: a plurality of light point means for emitting light the plurality of light point means being associated with the mobile robot to provide identifying points; means for obtaining images of the light point means; means for converting the images to electrical signals; and means for guiding the mobile robot in response to the electrical signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The visual navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the guiding means further comprises: means for controlling the speed of the mobile robot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The visual navigation system according to claim 2 wherein the visual navigation system controls a plurality of robots and further comprises: means for preventing a collision between members of the plurality of mobile robots.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
43 words
A method of navigating a mobile robot comprising: emitting light form a plurality of points on the mobile robot; obtaining images of the plurality of points; converting the images to electrical signals; and guiding the mobile robot in response to the electrical signals.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
43 words
A method of navigating a mobile robot comprising: emitting light form a plurality of points on the mobile robot; obtaining images of the plurality of points; converting the images to electrical signals; and guiding the mobile robot in response to the electrical signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 4 further comprising the steps of: controlling the speed of the mobile robot.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein there is a plurality of mobile robots and the step of guiding the mobile robots comprises the steps of: preventing collisions between member of the plurality of mobile robots.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
A visual Navigation System for navigating a mobile apparatus that is electrically controllable, comprising: means for locating the mobile apparatus; means for generating navigation commands to navigate the mobile apparatus from the location of the mobile apparatus; means for communicating the navigation commands to the mobile apparatus; and means for controlling the mobile apparatus in response to the navigation commands.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
A visual Navigation System for navigating a mobile apparatus that is electrically controllable, comprising: means for locating the mobile apparatus; means for generating navigation commands to navigate the mobile apparatus from the location of the mobile apparatus; means for communicating the navigation commands to the mobile apparatus; and means for controlling the mobile apparatus in response to the navigation commands.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
8 . The visual navigation system according to claim 7 wherein the means for locating the mobile apparatus comprises: means for providing a plurality of lighted points associated with the mobile apparatus: and means for obtaining an image of the plurality of lighted points.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
9 . The visual navigation system according to claim 8 further comprising: means for transmitting the location of the mobile apparatus to the navigation means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
The visual navigation system according to claim 9 wherein the image means comprises: a raster scan camera means for converting light from the plurality of lighted points to an electrical signal that represents a waveform of light intensity in relationship to raster scan position of the raster scan camera means, the raster scan position being identified by frame, row and column coordinates.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
11 . A method for obtaining an image of and to control a manufacturing apparatus that is electrically controllable, comprising: obtaining a gray scale image the manufacturing apparatus; generating control commands to control the manufacturing apparatus from the gray scale image of the manufacturing apparatus; and controlling the manufacturing apparatus in response to the control commands.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
11 . A method for obtaining an image of and to control a manufacturing apparatus that is electrically controllable, comprising: obtaining a gray scale image the manufacturing apparatus; generating control commands to control the manufacturing apparatus from the gray scale image of the manufacturing apparatus; and controlling the manufacturing apparatus in response to the control commands.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
34 words
The method according to claimllwherein the step of obtaining a gray scale image the manufacturing apparatus comprises: providing a highlighted points associated with the manufacturing apparatus: and obtaining an image of the highlighted points.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 12 further comprising the steps of: transmitting the location of the manufacturing apparatus to the control means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
94 words
14 . A visual navigation system with a regeneration capability for controlling a manufacturing apparatus that is electrically controllable comprising: means for obtaining the position of the manufacturing apparatus, including; means for obtaining an image the manufacturing apparatus; means for regenerating of hidden portions of the manufacturing apparatus to obtain a true image thereby; means for connecting the true image to spatial position; means for generating control commands to control the manufacturing apparatus from the true image of the manufacturing apparatus; and means for controlling the manufacturing apparatus in response to the control commands.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
94 words
14 . A visual navigation system with a regeneration capability for controlling a manufacturing apparatus that is electrically controllable comprising: means for obtaining the position of the manufacturing apparatus, including; means for obtaining an image the manufacturing apparatus; means for regenerating of hidden portions of the manufacturing apparatus to obtain a true image thereby; means for connecting the true image to spatial position; means for generating control commands to control the manufacturing apparatus from the true image of the manufacturing apparatus; and means for controlling the manufacturing apparatus in response to the control commands.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
15 . The visual navigation system according to claim 14 wherein the means for obtaining an image the manufacturing apparatus comprises: means for providing a predefined pattern of lighted points associated with the manufacturing apparatus, the lighted points being separated from one one another by predefined distances; and imaging means for obtaining an image of the lighted points.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
67 words
The visual navigation system according to claim 15 wherein the imaging means comprises: a raster scan camera means for converting light from the lighted points to an electrical signal that represents light intensity in relationship to raster scan position of .the raster scan camera means, the raster scan position being identified by frame, row and column coordinates, the raster scan camera means having a spatial plumbed point.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The visual navigation system according to claim 1 6 wherein the identifying means comprises: means for transforming the electrical signal from an analog signal in the temporal domain to a digital signal in the spatial domain.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
92 words
A visual navigation system with a reflection filter for controlling a manufacturing apparatus that is electrically controllable comprising: means for obtaining the position of the manufacturing apparatus, including; means for obtaining an image the manufacturing apparatus; means for filtering of reflected images of the manufacturing apparatus to obtain a true image thereby; means for connecting the true image to spatial position; means for generating control commands to control the manufacturing apparatus from the true image of the manufacturing apparatus; and means for controlling the manufacturing apparatus in response to the control commands.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
92 words
A visual navigation system with a reflection filter for controlling a manufacturing apparatus that is electrically controllable comprising: means for obtaining the position of the manufacturing apparatus, including; means for obtaining an image the manufacturing apparatus; means for filtering of reflected images of the manufacturing apparatus to obtain a true image thereby; means for connecting the true image to spatial position; means for generating control commands to control the manufacturing apparatus from the true image of the manufacturing apparatus; and means for controlling the manufacturing apparatus in response to the control commands.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
58 words
19 . The visual navigation system according to claim 18 wherein the means for obtaining an image the manufacturing apparatus comprises: means for providing a predefined pattern of lighted points associated with the manufacturing apparatus, the lighted points being separated from one one another by predefined distances; and imaging means for obtaining an image of the lighted points.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
69 words
20 . The visual navigation system according to claim19 wherein the imaging means comprises: a raster scan camera means for converting light from the lighted points to an electrical signal that represents light intensity in relationship to ' raster scan position of the raster scan camera means, the raster scan position being identified by frame, row and column coordinates, the raster scan camera means having a spatial plumb point.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The visual navigation system according to claim 20 wherein the identifying means comprises: means for transforming the electrical signal from an analog signal in the temporal domain to digital signal in the spatial domain.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of communicating with a mobile apparatus comprising: communicating a commanded destination to the mobile apparatus; navigating the mobile apparatus to the commanded destination with a navigation means; moving the mobile apparatus to the commanded destination with a plurality of wheels; and locating a position of the mobile apparatus and to provide the position to the navigation means from which the navigation means navigates the mobile robot to the commanded destination.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of communicating with a mobile apparatus comprising: communicating a commanded destination to the mobile apparatus; navigating the mobile apparatus to the commanded destination with a navigation means; moving the mobile apparatus to the commanded destination with a plurality of wheels; and locating a position of the mobile apparatus and to provide the position to the navigation means from which the navigation means navigates the mobile robot to the commanded destination.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method according to claim 22 wherein the step of communicating comprises: transmitting and receiving of data between the mobile apparatus and the navigation means with a first transmitter and receiver operatively connected to the navigation means; and transmitting and receiving of data between the mobile apparatus and the navigation means with a second transmitter and receiver means the second transmitter and receiver being operatively connected to the navigation means at the mobile apparatus.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
24 . The method according to claim 23 wherein the step of transmitting data comprises: converting data into light a transmitter means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
25 . The method according to claim 24 wherein the step of receiving data comprises: converting light into data.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
82 words
The method according to claim 22 wherein the step of locating the position of the mobile apparatus includes the step of determining the dead reckoning position of the mobile apparatus which comprises: counting the number of rotations made by a member of plurality of wheels to obtain distance data; sensing the angle a predetermined member of the plurality of wheels makes with the mobile apparatus to obtain direction data; and converting the position data and direction data to the dead reckoning position.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
92 words
27 . An apparatus for predicting tracking cameras for a visual Navigation System used for navigating a mobile apparatus that is electrically controllable, comprising: a plurality of cameras having predetermined fields of view; means for locating the mobile apparatus including means for locating the field of view associated with the mobile apparatus; means for generating navigation commands to navigate the mobile apparatus from the location of the mobile apparatus; means for communicating the navigation commands to the mobile apparatus; and means for controlling the mobile apparatus in response to the navigation commands.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
92 words
27 . An apparatus for predicting tracking cameras for a visual Navigation System used for navigating a mobile apparatus that is electrically controllable, comprising: a plurality of cameras having predetermined fields of view; means for locating the mobile apparatus including means for locating the field of view associated with the mobile apparatus; means for generating navigation commands to navigate the mobile apparatus from the location of the mobile apparatus; means for communicating the navigation commands to the mobile apparatus; and means for controlling the mobile apparatus in response to the navigation commands.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
83 words
28 . A video bus for a vision control System that includes a first module for converting the video data to analog data and to provide timing signals, a second module for reducing the quantity of video data, and a thrid module for converting the video data into a gray scale image, the video bus electrically connects each of the modules and comprises: a field index bus; frame and line synch bus; pixel clock bus; video digital data bus; and data reducing bus.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
83 words
28 . A video bus for a vision control System that includes a first module for converting the video data to analog data and to provide timing signals, a second module for reducing the quantity of video data, and a thrid module for converting the video data into a gray scale image, the video bus electrically connects each of the modules and comprises: a field index bus; frame and line synch bus; pixel clock bus; video digital data bus; and data reducing bus.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
63 words
The video bus according to claim 28 wherein the vision control system is used to control a mobile apparatus and further comprises: means for obtaining an image of a manufacturing apparatus; means for generating control commands to control the manufacturing apparatus from the gray scale image of the manufacturing apparatus; and means for controlling the manufacturing apparatus in response to the control commands.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
33 words
The video bus according to claim 29 wherein the vision control system comprises: means for providing highlighted points associated with the manufacturing apparatus: and means for obtaining an image of the highlighted points.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4482960A
Cited
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