One dimensional image visual system for a moving vehicle

A vision system for a vehicle comprising:

• optical sensor means for generating a substantially linear, one dimensional image of an environment through which the vehicle is to move, the environment including one or more features, said sensor means having a first output signal expressive of edge boundaries of the one or features appearing within the substantially one dimensional image;
• signal processing means coupled to said first output signal for processing said signal for detecting the edge boundaries associated with the one or more features, said signal processing means having a second output signal expressive at least of the detected edge boundaries;
• and
• feature processing means coupled to said second output signal for generating a third output signal expressive at least of a positional relationship between said vehicle and the one or more features within the field of view.

A mobile robot comprising:

• platform means;
• drive means coupled to said platform means for moving said platform means relative to a surface;
• control means, coupled to said platform means, for providing control signals to said drive means for controlling the movement of said platform means;
• and
• vision means, coupled to said platform means, for generating vision signals related to one or more features within an environment through which said platform means moves, said vision means comprising:
• optical sensor means for generating a substantially linear, one dimensional image of an environment through which the robot moves, the environment including one or more features, said sensor means having a first output signal expressive of edge boundaries of the one or features appearing within the substantially one dimensional image;
• signal processing means coupled to said first output signal for processing said signal for detecting the edge boundaries associated with the one or more features, said signal processing means having a second output signal expressive at least of the detected edge boundaries;
• and
• feature processing means coupled to said second output signal for generating a third output signal expressive at least of a positional relationship between the robot and the one or more features within the field of view.

For a vehicle moving over a surface at a velocity along a path, a method of determining an x-y position of an object disposed relative to the surface where x is a distance to the object parallel to the path and y is a distance to the object perpendicular to the path, comprising the steps of:

• at a first time t.sub.(i) viewing the object to generate a substantially one-dimensional image of the object, the substantially one dimensional image being orientated in a substantially parallel manner with the surface;
• determining a first position of the object within the one dimensional image relative to a first position within the one-dimensional image which coincides with the path;
• converting the difference between the first image position and the first path position to a tangent of an angle (A), where A is the angle between the object and the path at time t.sub.(i) ;
• at a second time t.sub.(i+1) viewing the object to generate a substantially one-dimensional image of the object, the substantially one dimensional image being orientated in a substantially parallel manner with the surface;
• determining a second position of the object within the one dimensional image relative to a second position within the one-dimensional image which coincides with the path;
• converting the difference between the second image position and the second path position to a tangent of an angle (B), where B is the angle between the object and the path at time t.sub.(i+1) ;
• and
• calculating the distance x in accordance with the equation
• x=r*tan(B)/(tan(B)-tan(A));
• and calculating the distance y in accordance with the equation
• y=x*tan(A)
• where r=u*t, where t is the difference in time between t.sub.(i) and t.sub.(i+1).

A binocular vision system for a vehicle comprising:

• optical sensor means for detecting radiation emanating from one or more features within an environment of a vehicle, said sensor means generating two substantially one-dimensional images of the environment, the images being substantially parallel one to another and each having an image output signal expressive of a characteristic of the detected radiation at a plurality of points along the associated substantially one dimensional image, said vehicle being disposed upon a surface and said one-dimensional images being disposed at a predetermined orientation to the surface;
• signal processing means coupled to said image output signals for processing said signals for detecting a component or components of each of said image output signals associated with said one or more features, said signal processing means having an output signal expressive at least of the detected component
• or components of the image output signals;
• and
• feature processing means coupled to said signal processing means output signal for generating an output signal expressive at least of a positional relationship between said vehicle and the one or more features within the environment of the vehicle.

For a vehicle moving over a surface along a path, a method of determining an x-y position of an object disposed relative to the surface where x.sub.o is an unknown distance to the object parallel to the path and y is an unknown distance to the object perpendicular to the path, comprising the steps of:

• viewing the object from a first viewpoint and from a second viewpoint to generate two substantially one-dimensional images of the object, the substantially one dimensional images being orientated in a substantially parallel manner one to another and also with the surface;
• determining a position (p) of the object within each of the one dimensional images relative to a position within each of the one-dimensional images which coincides with the path;
• calculating the distance x.sub.o in accordance with the equation
• x.sub.o =D/(p1-p2);
• and calculating the distance y in accordance with the equation
• y=D*p1/(p1-p2);
• where p1 and p2 are each the determined position within each of the fields of view in perspective projection of the object onto the substantially one dimensional image and wherein D is a distance between the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint.

For a vehicle moving over a surface at a velocity along a path, a method of determining for an object disposed relative to the surface an azimuth angle of the object relative to the path, comprising the steps of:

• at a first time t.sub.(i) viewing the object to generate a substantially one-dimensional image of the object, the substantially one dimensional image being orientated in a substantially parallel manner with the surface;
• determining a first position of the object within the one dimensional image relative to a first position within the one-dimensional image which coincides with the path;
• and
• converting the difference between the first image position and the first path position to a tangent of an angle (A), where A is the angle between the object and the path at time t.sub.(i).

For a vehicle moving over a surface at a velocity along a path, a method of determining an x-y position of an object disposed relative to the surface where x.sub.o is an unknown distance to the object parallel to the path and y is an unknown distance to the object perpendicular to the path, comprising the steps of:

• viewing the object to generate a substantially one-dimensional image of the object, the substantially one dimensional image being orientated in a substantially parallel manner with the surface;
• determining a position of the object within the one dimensional image relative to a position within the one-dimensional image which coincides with the path;
• determining the velocity (v) of the vehicle along the path;
• and
• calculating the distance x.sub.o in accordance with the equation
• x.sub.o =v*p/(dp/dt);
• and
• calculating the distance y in accordance with the equation
• y=v*p /(dp/dt);
• where p is a position within the field of view in perspective projection of the object onto the substantially one dimensional image.

For a vehicle moving over a surface at a velocity along a path, a method of determining an x-y position of an object disposed relative to the surface where x.sub.o is an unknown distance to the object parallel to the path and y is an unknown distance to the object perpendicular to the path, comprising the steps of:

• viewing the object to generate a substantially one-dimensional image of the object, the substantially one dimensional image being orientated in a substantially parallel manner with the surface;
• determining a position of the object within the one dimensional image relative to a position within the one-dimensional image which coincides with the path;
• determining the velocity (v) of the vehicle along the path;
• and
• calculating the distance x.sub.o in accordance with the equation
• x.sub.o =v/(dq/dt);
• and
• calculating the distance y in accordance with the equation
• y=(v*exp(q))/(dq/dt);
• where q is a natural logarithm of p and wherein p is a determined position within the field of view in perspective projection of the object onto the substantially one dimensional image.