Light Projection System
AssigneePostmates Inc.
InventorsColin Janssen, Ali Haghighat Kashani, Bastian Lehman, Sean Plaice
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Abstract
Provided is a light projection system that can be used to indicate a robot's path of travel, a robot including the light projection system, and methods for projecting light to indicate a robot's path of travel. The light projection system can by mounted to the body of the robot, and can be configured to project light onto the ground in front of the robot. The light projection system can be configured to project different illumination patterns that can indicate whether the robot is moving forward, turning, accelerating, and/or slowing down, among other examples.
Claims20
An autonomous robot, comprising:
- a set of wheels operable to move the autonomous robot over a ground surface;
- a body coupled to the set of wheels;
- a light projection device mounted to the body, the light projection device including a mounting system, a light fixture coupled to the mounting system, and a focusing system;
- and
- a computing device mounted to the body and operable to communicate with the light projection device, the computing device including a processor and a non-transitory memory operable to store instructions, wherein, when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to perform operations including:
- determining a path of travel for the autonomous robot, wherein the autonomous robot is operable to travel within a space occupied by people;
- determining an illumination pattern for indicating the path of travel, wherein the illumination pattern is configured to be projected onto a ground surface in front of the autonomous robot;
- configuring the mounting system to point the light fixture according to the illumination pattern;
- and
- configuring the focusing system to modify light projected by the light fixture to conform to the illumination pattern.
A light projection device for indicating a path of travel for a device to which the light projection device is mounted, comprising:
- a mounting system including pivoting joints, wherein the pivoting joints enable at least two degrees of rotational movement;
- a light fixture coupled to the mounting system, wherein the mounting system is configured to orient the light fixture to project light onto a ground surface;
- a focusing system mounted in front of the light fixture;
- a first motor operable to adjust the mounting system to change a direction in which the light emitted by the light fixture lands on the ground surface;
- and
- a second motor operable to adjust the focusing system to change an illumination pattern of the light projected onto the ground surface by the light fixture, wherein a combination of the direction in which the light emitted by the light fixture lands on the ground surface and the illumination pattern indicate the path of travel.
A method implemented by a computing device, comprising:
- determining a path of travel for an autonomous robot, wherein the autonomous robot is operable to travel within a space occupied by people;
- determining an illumination pattern for indicating the path of travel, wherein the illumination pattern is configured to be projected onto a ground surface in front of the autonomous robot;
- configuring a mounting system to point a light fixture coupled to the mounting system according to a direction indicated by the illumination pattern;
- and
- configuring a focusing system to modify light projected by the light fixture to conform to the illumination pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.