Apparatus for guiding an autonomous vehicle towards a docking station
US10175696B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 25, 2014 |
| Grant date | Jan 8, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 2, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S901/01
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for guiding an autonomous vehicle towards a docking station including an autonomous vehicle with a camera-based sensing system, a drive system for driving the autonomous vehicle, and a control system for controlling the drive system. The apparatus includes a docking station including a first fiducial marker and a second fiducial marker, wherein the second fiducial marker is positioned on the docking station to define a predetermined relative spacing with the first fiducial marker, wherein the control system is operable to receive an image provided by the camera-based sensing system, the image including a representation of the first and second fiducial markers, and to control the drive system so as to guide the autonomous vehicle towards the base station based on a difference between the representation of the first and second fiducial markers in the received image and the predetermined relative spacing between the first and second fiducial markers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.