JPH0683442A - Traveling robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the traveling robot which detects an obstacle by a light cutting method by improving the precision of the obstacle detection and speeding up processing. CONSTITUTION:This robot has a light emitting means 4 which irradiates an obstacle in the traveling direction of the robot with a slit-shaped visible light beam, an image pickup means 5 which is arranged at a specific distance from the light emitting means 4 and picks up an image of the obstacle surface, an image memory 22 which stores an image signal from the image pickup means 5, and a three-dimensional coordinate calculating means 24 which calculates three-dimensional coordinate data on the light cutting line of the visible light beam formed on the obstacle surface based on image signals, stored in the image memory 22, at the time of the irradiation with the visible light beam and nonirradiation. Further, the traveling robot is equipped with an obstacle information storage part 25 which stores the three-dimensional coordinate data and a travel control part 26 which controls the traveling of the traveling robot based on the three-dimensional coordinate data stored in the obstacle information storage part 25.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a traveling robot, and more particularly to a traveling robot such as a cleaning robot and a service robot capable of moving and detecting obstacles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a traveling robot capable of moving and detecting an obstacle, one having an ultrasonic sensor for distance measurement is known. In such a traveling robot, since the measurement range of one ultrasonic sensor is narrow, a plurality of ultrasonic sensors are used to measure the distance to the obstacle in the traveling area.

On the other hand, recently, a three-dimensional coordinate measuring method based on the light cutting method has been proposed. In this method, when the measured object is irradiated with slit light such as laser light, the light cutting line formed on the measured object is observed with a CCD camera from a direction different from the irradiation direction of the slit light, and the obtained image signal is obtained. The three-dimensional coordinates of the object to be measured are calculated based on.

[0004]

However, in a traveling robot using a plurality of ultrasonic sensors, ultrasonic waves emitted from the respective sensors interfere with each other,
In some cases, the distance may not be measured correctly because the ultrasonic wave propagates directly from one ultrasonic sensor to another ultrasonic sensor.

Further, when the measuring method by the light section method is used for detecting an obstacle of a traveling robot, an image signal obtained from a CCD camera is processed to identify a three-dimensional coordinate of the obstacle and slit light is used. The process of extracting the light section line due to irradiation is indispensable, and there is a possibility that the background image may be erroneously detected as the light section line in this process.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and in a traveling robot which observes slit light from a light source with an image pickup means such as a CCD camera and detects an obstacle by a light section method, the obstacle is detected. An object of the present invention is to provide a traveling robot that realizes improved accuracy of object detection and faster processing.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a light emitting means for irradiating an obstacle in the traveling direction of a traveling robot with a slit-shaped visible ray, and a light emitting means arranged at a constant distance from the light emitting means. An image pickup means for picking up an image of the surface of an obstacle, an image memory for storing an image signal from the image pickup means, and the image signal stored in the image memory based on the image signal when the visible light is irradiated and when the visible light is not irradiated. Three-dimensional coordinate calculation means for calculating three-dimensional coordinate data of a light cutting line formed by the visible light formed on the surface of an obstacle, an obstacle information storage section for storing the three-dimensional coordinate data, and the obstacle information storage section. And a traveling control unit for controlling traveling of the traveling robot based on the three-dimensional coordinate data stored in the traveling robot.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the light cutting line is formed by the visible light formed on the obstacle surface based on the image signal when the slit-shaped visible light is irradiated and when the slit-shaped visible light is not irradiated. It can be accurately extracted without erroneously detecting.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A traveling robot of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment thereof.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a cleaning robot as a traveling robot of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a cleaning robot as a traveling robot, which cleans a room such as a conference room unattended at night. A work mechanism 2 is attached to the cleaning robot 1 and cleans the floor surface. Reference numeral 3 denotes a wheel attached to the lower portion of the cleaning robot 1, which is driven by a motor (not shown) to allow the cleaning robot 1 to run on an arbitrary path. A rotary encoder (not shown) that is in contact with the floor and measures the moving distance is provided coaxially with the wheel 3. Reference numeral 4 denotes a light emitting means attached to the front part of the cleaning robot 1 in the traveling direction, and is a laser device for irradiating the slit-shaped laser light forward in the traveling direction of the cleaning robot 1. An image pickup device 5 is arranged in the vicinity of the laser device 4 with a certain distance and captures an observation image including a light cutting line formed on the surface of an obstacle such as an obstacle 6 and a wall surface 7 by irradiation of slit light from the laser device 4. It is a CCD camera as a means.

In this embodiment, the laser device 4 having an output of 5 mW is attached at a position of about 1 m from the floor surface 8 and the slit light of the laser light is emitted in the direction of 20 degrees downward with respect to the horizontal plane. The CCD camera 5 is attached such that the center of its field of view is at a direction of 25 degrees downward with respect to the horizontal plane, and captures an indoor image in the range of 1 to 3 m in front of the cleaning robot 1 in the traveling direction.

Next, the configuration of the control circuit of the cleaning robot 1 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

In FIG. 2, a light emission control unit 21 is connected to the laser device 4, and based on a command from the light emission control unit 21, the slit light is strobed forward in the traveling direction of the cleaning robot 1. An image memory 22 is connected to the CCD camera 5 and stores an image signal of an observation image taken by the CCD camera 5 based on a command from a CPU (microcomputer) 23.

Reference numeral 24 is a three-dimensional coordinate calculating means connected to the CPU 23, and as will be described later, the obstacle 6 is stored based on the image signals stored in the image memory 22 when the slit light is irradiated and when the slit light is not irradiated. The three-dimensional coordinate data of the light cutting line formed by the slit light formed on the surface such as is calculated.

The CPU 23 also stores an obstacle information storage unit 25 for storing the three-dimensional coordinate data obtained by the three-dimensional coordinate calculation unit 24, and the three-dimensional coordinates stored in the obstacle information storage unit 25. Cleaning robot 1 based on data
A travel control unit 26 that controls the travel of the vehicle is connected.

Next, the operation of the cleaning robot 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the laser device 4 is turned on for 1/30 seconds, and slit light is strobed (S1).
Then, the image signal of the image observed by the CCD camera 5 at that time is stored in the image memory 22 (S3), and the laser device 4 is turned off (S5). An image observed by the CCD camera 5 at this time is shown in FIG. Here, 41 is the laser device 4
By irradiating the slit light from the obstacle 6, the obstacle 6 and the wall surface 7
It is a light cutting line that can be made above. That is, in step S3, the image signal of the observed image is stored in the image memory 22.

Next, CC when the laser device 4 is off
The image signal of the image observed by the D camera 5 is stored in the image memory 22.
(S7) and the process proceeds to the next step S9.

In step S9, steps S3 and S
In FIG. 7, the image signal of the observation image when the laser device 4 is in the on state and the off state, which is stored in the image memory 22, is supplied to the three-dimensional coordinate calculating means 24.

Then, the three-dimensional coordinate calculating means 24 obtains the image signal difference of the observed image when the laser device 4 is in the on state and the off state (S11), and the obtained image signal difference is 2
A value conversion process is performed (S13). As a result, the light cutting line 41
Only the image signal of is extracted.

Next, the three-dimensional coordinate data of the light cutting line 41 is calculated based on the binarized data (S15). Specifically, the light cutting line 4 extracted in step S11
The position of each pixel of 1 and R connected to the CPU 23
The imaging angle of each pixel of the light cutting line 41 is calculated from the camera parameters stored in advance in AM (not shown), and the triangulation is performed from the imaging angle of each pixel and the slit light irradiation angle of the laser device 4. Based on the principle, the three-dimensional coordinate data for each pixel of the light cutting line 41 is calculated. As camera parameters, the center angle of the field of view of the CCD camera 5, the focal length, and the distance to the laser device 4 are the RA values.
It is stored in M.

Then, the three-dimensional coordinate data for each pixel of the light cutting line 41 calculated in step S15 is stored in the obstacle information storage section 25 (S17), and the process proceeds to the next step S19.

In step S19, the obstacle information storage unit 2
The three-dimensional coordinate data stored in FIG.
And the traveling of the cleaning robot 1 is controlled based on the data.

Then, in step S21, it is judged whether or not the cleaning work has been completed. If the cleaning work is not completed, the process proceeds to step S23, the counting operation is performed for 1 second, and then the process returns to step S1. When the cleaning work is finished, the cleaning operation is finished.

As described above, in the above embodiment, since the laser device as the light emitting means is made to emit the strobe light and the slit light is irradiated, the laser light does not accidentally enter the human eye for a long time. It is possible to prevent functional disorders of the eyes.

In the above embodiment, the case where the laser device 4 is turned on at the same time when the cleaning operation is started has been described. However, before turning on the laser device 4, is there any person in the observation area by the CCD camera 5? The laser device 4 may be turned on when it is detected and no person is present. As a result, safety can be achieved without the laser light directly entering the eyes of humans.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the light cutting line by the visible light formed on the obstacle surface is generated based on the image signal when the slit-shaped visible light is irradiated and when it is not irradiated. It is possible to accurately extract the light section line without erroneously detecting the background image.

Therefore, it is possible to provide a traveling robot which realizes improvement in accuracy of obstacle detection by the optical cutting method and speeding up of processing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a cleaning robot as a traveling robot of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the traveling robot of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the traveling robot of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an image observed by the CCD camera 5.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 Cleaning Robot (Running Robot) 2 Working Mechanism 3 Wheels 4 Laser Device (Light Emitting Means) 5 CCD Camera (Imaging Means) 6 Obstacle 7 Wall Surface 8 Floor 21 Light Emission Control Section 22 Image Memory 23 CPU 24 3 Dimensional coordinate calculation means 25 Obstacle information storage unit 26 Travel control unit 41 Optical cutting line

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A traveling robot capable of moving and detecting an obstacle, wherein a light emitting means for irradiating an obstacle in the traveling direction of the traveling robot with a slit-shaped visible ray and a light emitting means at a predetermined distance from the light emitting means. An image pickup unit that is arranged to pick up the surface of the obstacle, an image memory that stores an image signal from the image pickup unit, and an image of the visible light stored in the image memory when the visible light is irradiated and when the visible light is not irradiated. Three-dimensional coordinate calculation means for calculating three-dimensional coordinate data of a light cutting line formed by the visible light on the surface of the obstacle based on a signal;
An obstacle information storage unit that stores the three-dimensional coordinate data, and a traveling control unit that controls traveling of the traveling robot based on the three-dimensional coordinate data stored in the obstacle information storage unit are provided. A traveling robot characterized by that.