US 8,616,320 B2Granted

Automated vehicle and system utilizing an optical sensing system

AssigneeEdison Nation, LLC

InventorsJonathan D. Frank, Ian D. Kovacevich, Lawrence Ober

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An automated vehicle includes a vehicle body, a power source, one or more motors housed within the vehicle body and in operable connection with the power source, running gear in operable connection with the one or more motors for facilitating movement and supporting the vehicle body upon a surface, and an optical system. The optical system includes an optical sensor for detecting light reflected from the surface and generating an output in response to the light reflected, and one or more light sources, each light source capable of projecting light on the surface. Furthermore, the optical system is configured to regulate an amount of power supplied to the one or more motors in response to the output generated by the optical sensor.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An automated vehicle comprising:

(a) a vehicle body;
(b) a power source;
(c) one or more motors housed within the vehicle body and in operable connection with the power source;
(d) running gear in operable connection with the one or more motors for facilitating movement and supporting the vehicle body upon a surface;
and
(e) an optical system comprising:
(i) an optical sensor for detecting light reflected from the surface and generating an output in response to the light reflected;
and
(ii) at least two light sources associated with the optical sensor, each light source capable of projecting light on the surface;
(f) wherein the optical system is configured to regulate an amount of power supplied to the one or more motors in response to the output generated by the optical sensor;
(g) wherein the optical sensor has a finite viewing area divided into a right-side viewing area and a left-side viewing area by an optical centerline, and wherein one of the at least two light sources includes a right-side light source configured to project light in the right-side viewing area and another of the at least two light sources includes a left-side light source configured to project light in the left-side viewing area;
and
(h) wherein an optical barrier prevents the right-side light source from projecting light in the left-side viewing area and prevents the left-side light source from projecting light in the right-side viewing area.

10 more elements

An automated vehicle comprising:

(a) a vehicle body;
(b) a power source comprising one or more batteries housed within the vehicle body;
(c) a first motor and a second motors housed within the vehicle body and in operable connection with the power source;
(d) a first running gear in operable connection with the first motor and a second running gear in operable connection with the second motor, the first and second running gears facilitating movement and supporting the vehicle body upon a surface;
(e) a microcontroller in operable connection with the power source, the first motor and the second motor, the microcontroller being capable of performing logic operations;
and
(f) an optical system in operable connection with the microcontroller, comprising:
(i) an optical sensor for detecting light reflected from the surface and generating an output in response to the light reflected, the optical sensor having a finite viewing area divided by an optical centerline into a right-side viewing area and a left-side viewing area;
(ii) a right-side light source configured to project light in the right-side viewing area;
(iii) a left-side light source configured to project light in the left-side viewing area;
and
(iv) an optical barrier preventing the right-side light source from projecting light in the left-side viewing area and the left-side light source from projecting light in the right-side viewing area;
(g) wherein the microcontroller is capable of performing logic operations based on the output;
(h) wherein the microcontroller is configured to regulate an amount of power supplied to the first motor and the second motor in response to the output generated by the optical sensor.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/236,336Filed 19 Sep 2011 · continuation
Priority: 12 Feb 2009
Published: US 2012/0125707 A124 May 2012
Granted: 31 Dec 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

A63H 18/16
Highways or trackways for toys ; Propulsion by special interaction between vehicle and track: control of vehicle drives by interaction between…
A63H 33/22
Other toys: optical, colour, or shadow toys
B62D 1/28
Not vehicle-mounted: non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
A63H
Toys

Family

Application61/152,063Us provisional application · filed 12 Feb 2009
Application61/178,537Us provisional application · filed 15 May 2009
Application61/296,455Us provisional application · filed 19 Jan 2010
Application12/705,157Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Feb 2010
Application13/099,632Parent of this continuation · filed 3 May 2011
US 2012/0125707 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 May 2012
US 8,245,807 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application13/099,632Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2010/0230198 A1Published application
US 8,616,320 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.