Robotic device with time-of-flight proximity sensing system
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsCheng Peng, Xiaoyong Yang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A robotic device including one or more proximity sensing systems coupled to various portions of a robot body. The proximity sensing systems detect a distance of an object about the robot body and the robotic device reacts based on the detected distance. The proximity sensing systems obtain a three-dimensional (3D) profile of the object to determine a category of the object. The distance of the object is detected multiple times in a sequence to determine a movement path of the object.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- receiving, from a time-of-flight proximity sensor system coupled to a movable device, a first distance of an object measured from a first time-of-flight proximity sensor of the time-of-flight proximity sensor system and a second distance of the object measured from a second time-of-flight proximity sensor of the time-of-flight proximity sensor system;
- analyzing the first distance with respect to the second distance;
- and
- controlling detection ranges of the first time-of-flight proximity sensor and the second time-of-flight proximity sensor based on the first distance and the second distance and based on a result of the analyzing,
- wherein the controlling the detection ranges includes moving the detection ranges of the first time-of-flight proximity sensor and the second time-of-flight sensor either closer together or further apart based on a difference between the first distance and the second distance, and
- wherein the controlling the detection ranges includes moving the detection ranges linearly in a first direction by tilting or rotating at least one of the first time-of-flight proximity sensor or the second time-of-flight proximity sensor.
A method of controlling a robotic device having a movable portion and a proximity sensing system, comprising:
- receiving, from the proximity sensing system, multiple distances of an object to the robotic device sensed by the proximity sensing system in a time sequence;
- saving the multiple distances of the object as samples during the time sequence, the samples being saved as an electrical potential using diodes in the proximity sensing system;
- determining a movement direction of the object based on the multiple distances;
- comparing the movement direction of the object with a movement of the moveable portion of the robotic device;
- and
- controlling movement of the moveable portion based on a result of the comparing.
A method of controlling a robotic device having a proximity sensing system, the proximity sensing system including a plurality of time-of-flight sensors, the method comprising:
- receiving, from the proximity sensing system, a plurality of distances of an object to the robotic device sensed by the plurality of time-of-flight sensors of the proximity sensing system in a time sequence;
- saving the plurality of distances of the object as samples during the time sequence, the samples being saved as an electrical potential using diodes in the proximity sensing system;
- determining a profile of the object based on a first set of distances of the plurality of distances that are sensed at a same time point in the time sequence;
- determining a movement path of the object based on a second set of distances of the plurality of distances that are sensed at different time points in the time sequence;
- controlling operations of the proximity sensing system and the plurality of time-of-flight sensors including controlling at least one of a detection range, a detection frequency, a detection resolution, or a scanning speed based on the profile and the movement path of the object;
- and
- controlling movement of the robotic device based on the profile and the movement path of the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.