Semi-autonomous mobile device driving with obstacle avoidance
US8761990B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jun 24, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 29, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05D1/0255
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The subject disclosure is directed towards driving a robot or other mobile device safely through an environment by using a depth camera to obtain depth data, and then using the depth data for collision avoidance. Horizontal profile information may be built from the depth data, such as by collapsing a two-dimensional depth map into one-dimensional horizontal profile information. The horizontal profile information may be further processed by fusing the depth camera-detected obstacle data with any closer obstacle data as detected via infrared-based sensing and/or sonar-based sensing. Driving suggestions from a user or program are overridden as needed to avoid collisions, including by driving the robot towards an open space represented in the horizontal profile information, or stopping/slowing the robot as needed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.