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US 12,710,759 B2Granted
Door opening detection for a mobile robot
AssigneePiaggio Fast Forward Inc.
InventorsBrad Steiner, Derek McColl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods are disclosed that allow a robot, equipped with sensors and processors, to develop maps of its surroundings as it moves through a human environment, and to use these maps to detect and identify open doors, which it can then move through. Robots are disclosed to develop and use such maps to detect and identify open doors and move therethrough.
Claims24
A method of detecting an open doorway by a robot in a current spatial position and orientation, the robot configured with a set of processors coupled to a set of sensors and a system for locomotion, the method comprising:
- determining by the set of processors, based on data from the set of sensors, the current spatial position and orientation of the robot;
- generating by the set of processors, using the set of sensors, a current occupancy map of a current area surrounding the robot, wherein the current occupancy map includes a current set of obstacles and a set of unobstructed views;
- analyzing by the set of processors the current occupancy map to identify a potential open doorway in a potential door location;
- retrieving by the set of processors, from a memory unit of the set of processors, a prior occupancy map previously stored by the set of processors, wherein the prior occupancy map is directed to a prior area then surrounding the robot in its prior spatial position, and includes a prior set of obstacles and a prior set of unobstructed views;
- analyzing by the set of processors the current occupancy map and the prior occupancy map to identify the potential door location in the prior occupancy map;
- and
- analyzing by the set of processors the potential door location in the prior occupancy map to determine that an obstacle is present in the prior occupancy map at the potential door location, and, in response thereto, identifying the potential open doorway as an open doorway and the potential door location as a door location.
4 more elements
A robot comprising:
- a system for locomotion;
- a set of sensors;
- a set of processors communicatively coupled to the system for locomotion and the set of sensors and configured to:
- determine, based on data from the set of sensors, a current spatial position and orientation of the robot;
- generate, using the set of sensors, a current occupancy map of a current area surrounding the robot, wherein the current occupancy map includes a current set of obstacles and a set of unobstructed views;
- analyze the current occupancy map to identify a potential open doorway in a potential door location;
- retrieve, from a memory unit of the set of processors, a prior occupancy map previously stored by the set of processors, wherein the prior occupancy map is directed to a prior area then surrounding the robot, and includes a prior set of obstacles and a prior set of unobstructed views;
- analyze the current occupancy map and the prior occupancy map to identify the potential door location in the prior occupancy map;
- analyze the potential door location in the prior occupancy map to determine if an obstacle is present in the prior occupancy map at the potential door location;
- and
- identify, in response to determining that the obstacle is present in the prior occupancy map at the potential door location, the potential open doorway as an open doorway and the potential door location as a door location.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.