Industrial vehicle with feature-based localization and navigation
US10041801B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 19, 2017 |
| Grant date | Aug 7, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 19, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/30252
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An industrial vehicle is provided comprising a drive mechanism, a steering mechanism, a vehicle controller, a camera, and a navigation module. The camera is communicatively coupled to the navigation module, the vehicle controller is responsive to commands from the navigation module, and the drive mechanism and the steering mechanism are responsive to commands from the vehicle controller. The camera is configured to capture an input image of a warehouse ceiling comprising elongated skylights characterized by different rates of image intensity change along longitudinal and transverse axial directions, and ceiling lights characterized by a circularly symmetric rate of image intensity change. The navigation module is configured to distinguish between the ceiling lights and the skylights and send commands to the vehicle controller for localization, or to navigate the industrial vehicle through the warehouse based upon valid ceiling light identification, valid skylight identification, or both.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.