# US 2017/0285651 A1 · Mobile robot

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- Number: US 2017/0285651 A1
- Document ID: US20170285651A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/508,368
- Filed: 2015-08-11
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-03
- Assignees: Dyson Technology Limited
- Applicants: Dyson Technology Limited
- Inventors: Ze JI; Christopher Andrew SMITH
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285651A1

## CPC

- G05D 1/0246: {using a video camera in combination with image processing means}
- Y10S 901/01: Mobile robot
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A mobile robot including: a vision system, the vision system comprising a camera and at least one light source arranged to provide a level of illumination to an area surrounding the mobile robot; wherein the at least one light source is arranged on the mobile robot to emit a cone of light that illuminates an area to a side of the robot that is orthogonal to a forward direction of travel of the robot.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mobile robot comprising:
a vision system, the vision system comprising a camera and at least one light source arranged to provide a level of illumination to an area surrounding the mobile robot;
wherein the at least one light source is arranged on the mobile robot to emit a cone of light that illuminates an area to a side of the robot that is orthogonal to a forward direction of travel of the robot.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot comprises at least two light sources, at least one light source arranged to illuminate an area to the left hand side of the mobile robot, and at least another light source arranged to illuminate an area to the right hand side of the mobile robot.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the camera captures images which show at least the area that is orthogonal to a forward direction of the robot and that is illuminated by the light source.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the cone of light emitted by the light source has a cone angle of between 90° and 160°.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the cone of light emitted by the light source has a cone angle of 120°.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the cone of light emitted by the light source is one of a circular cone and an elliptical cone.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The mobile robot of claim 6, wherein the elliptical cone has a greater horizontal extent than vertical extent.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode (LED).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the light source emits infra-red (IR) light.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the robot comprises at least one handle positioned on a side of the robot, and the at least one light source is positioned inside the handle.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the camera is an omni-directional camera that captures images of a 360° view around the robot.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the camera is a panoramic annular lens (PAL) camera.