US4815008A — Orientation adjustment system and robot using same

Claim 1

Independent Claim 105 words

A mobile robot for operating in an environment comprising: a body having an azimuthal angle which is generally fixed in relation to the environment; means for storing the azimuthal angle of said body; drive means including wheel means for enabling movement of said robot; a synchronous steering mechanism which turns said wheel means independently of said body; a head which turns with said wheel means; detector means, disposed in said head, for sensing a navigation beacon; means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between said head and said beacon; and means for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by that angular deviation.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 105 words

A mobile robot for operating in an environment comprising: a body having an azimuthal angle which is generally fixed in relation to the environment; means for storing the azimuthal angle of said body; drive means including wheel means for enabling movement of said robot; a synchronous steering mechanism which turns said wheel means independently of said body; a head which turns with said wheel means; detector means, disposed in said head, for sensing a navigation beacon; means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between said head and said beacon; and means for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by that angular deviation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 28 words

The mobile robot of claim 1 in which drive means includes a synchro-drive locomotion system which drives said wheel means and is responsive to said synchronous steering mechanism.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

The mobile robot of claim 1 in which said robot includes means for recording and updating an angle representing angular turning of said head.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The mobile robot of claim 3 in which said means for incrementing includes means for combining said updated head angle with said angular deviation to increment said stored azimuthal angle.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 54 words

The mobile robot of claim 1 in which said detector means includes: a multisector sensor for sensing a signal emitted by the beacon; and means, responsive to said multisector sensor sectors, for generating an angle data signal representative of the angle from said multisector sensor to said beacon in at least the azimuthal dimension.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

The mobile robot of claim 5 in which said multisector sensor is a lateral effect photodiode.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 30 words

The mobile robot of claim 5 in which said detector means further includes means, responsive to said azimuthal angle, for calculating the direction from the multisector sensor to the beacon.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 20 words

The mobile robot of claim 1 further including means for initially supplying the azimuthal angle to said means for storing.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 22 words

The mobile robot of claim 1 further including means for rotating said head with respect to said body by said angular deviation.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

The mobile robot of claim 1 further including a navigation system which utilizes said stored azimuthal angle as a reference to the environment.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

The mobile robot of claim 1 further including an intruder detection system which utilizes said stored azimuthal angle as a reference to the environment.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 20 words

The mobile robot of claim 11 in which said intruder detection system includes intruder detection sensors disposed in said body.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 116 words

An orientation adjustment system for use with a robot having a body which has an azimuthal angle that is generally fixed in relation to its environment and provides the basic reference to the outside world, a drive system including wheels for enabling movement of the robot, a synchronous steering mechanism which turns the wheels independently of the body, and a head which turns with the wheels, comprising: means for storing the azimuthal angle of said body; detector means disposed in the head for sensing a navigation beacon; means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between the head and the beacon; and means for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by that angular deviation.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 116 words

An orientation adjustment system for use with a robot having a body which has an azimuthal angle that is generally fixed in relation to its environment and provides the basic reference to the outside world, a drive system including wheels for enabling movement of the robot, a synchronous steering mechanism which turns the wheels independently of the body, and a head which turns with the wheels, comprising: means for storing the azimuthal angle of said body; detector means disposed in the head for sensing a navigation beacon; means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between the head and the beacon; and means for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by that angular deviation.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 108 words

A system for adjusting the azimuthal orientation reference of a vehicle having a movable portion which faces the direction of travel and a second portion which has azimuthal angle that is generally fixed in relation to the environment and provides the basic azimuthal reference to the environment, comprising: at least one navigation beacon; detector means for sensing said beacon; means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between the movable portion of the vehicle and the beacon; means for storing the azimuthal angle of the second portion; and means, responsive to said means for resolving, for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by said angular deviation.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 108 words

A system for adjusting the azimuthal orientation reference of a vehicle having a movable portion which faces the direction of travel and a second portion which has azimuthal angle that is generally fixed in relation to the environment and provides the basic azimuthal reference to the environment, comprising: at least one navigation beacon; detector means for sensing said beacon; means, responsive to said detector means, for resolving an angular deviation between the movable portion of the vehicle and the beacon; means for storing the azimuthal angle of the second portion; and means, responsive to said means for resolving, for incrementing said stored azimuthal angle by said angular deviation.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 20 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 14 in which said detector means faces the direction of travel of the vehicle.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 21 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 14 in which said detector means is disposed in the movable portion of the vehicle.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 25 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 14 further including means for rotating the movable portion with respect to said second portion by said angular deviation.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 54 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 14 in which said detector means includes: a multisector sensor for sensing a signal emitted by said beacon; and means, responsive to said multisector sensor, for generating an angle data signal representative of the angle from said multisector sensor to said beacon in at least the azimuthal dimension.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 17 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 18 in which said multisector sensor is a lateral effect photodiode.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 31 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 18 in which said detector means further includes means, responsive to said azimuthal angle, for calculating the direction from the multisector sensor to said beacon.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 25 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 14 further including means for initially supplying the estimated orientation of the second portion to said means for storing.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 17 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 14 in which said beacon includes means for emitting detectable energy.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 15 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 22 in which said beacon is a point source.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 26 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 22 in which said beacon includes means for producing said energy in a coded signal which uniquely identifies that beacon.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 70 words

The orientation adjustment system of claim 22 in which said detector means includes: a multisector sensor for sensing the signal emitted by said beacon; means, responsive to said multisector sensor, for generating a code data signal representative of said coded signal; and means responsive to said multisector sensor for generating an angle data signal representative of the angle from said sensor to said beacon in at least the azimuthal dimension.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-03-20	1992-09-19	1993-03-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-03-20	1996-09-19	1997-03-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-03-20	2000-09-19	2001-03-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Orientation adjustment system and robot using same

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