KR100569181B1 - Coordinate confirmation system for indoor navigation - Google Patents

Abstract

And a plurality of infrared rays generating means attached to a fixture to emit infrared rays by the light receiving means, the infrared generating means comprising a plurality of infrared ray generating elements, the infrared ray generating element There is provided a coordinate checking system for indoor navigation, in which the center coordinates and azimuth of the infrared generating means are indicated by the arrangement of these.

Mobile robot, infrared light emitting diode, indoor navigation, CCD, azimuth, coordinate

Description

Coordinate confirmation system for indoor navigation

1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

2A to 2C are exemplary views showing an arrangement of infrared light emitting diodes for coordinate identification used in a coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a block diagram showing a ceiling angle of a light receiving means and an infrared light emitting diode used in a coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; And

4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: bottom 20: ceiling

100: mobile robot 120: light receiving means

122: opening 124: filter

126: lens 128: CCD

128X: X address decoder 128Y: Y address decoder

128C: control unit 220a, 220b, 220c: light emitting diode group

222, 224, 226, 227, 228: light emitting diodes

The present invention relates to a coordinate checking system for indoor navigation, and more particularly, to a coordinate checking system for deriving accurate indoor navigation through checking the exact coordinates of a robot when a mobile robot that can move indoors is moved. will be.

Conventional robots have been programmed to perform certain simple functions, but recently, home robots for home automation or medical robots for patients with inconvenient bodies have been advanced to perform the functions while moving the robots themselves. In the case of related home robots or medical robots, accurate coordinates of the location of the robots and verification thereof are required.

Conventionally, a relative position measurement method and an absolute position measurement method have been used to set the coordinates of the position of the robot.

There are two methods of measuring the relative position of the robot: the method of measuring the mileage using the operation of the encoder and the method of inertial navigation using a gyroscope or an accelerometer. In addition, the absolute positioning method of the robot includes an active beacon method using transmission and reception of sonar or electromagnetic waves, an artificial landmark recognition method, and a natural landmark recognition method. There is a way.

However, in the case of a relative position measuring method using an encoder, a gyroscope or an accelerometer, there is a problem in that the accuracy of coordinates is relatively low despite being expensive equipment. In addition, the active beacon using a sonar or electromagnetic waves may affect the surrounding electronic devices, and the accuracy of the beacons due to noise caused by other electromagnetic waves may not only reduce the accuracy but also affect the human body. In addition, there is a problem that can be used only during the day when the identification by the conventional landmark is used. Furthermore, in the case of the relative position measuring method described above, there is a problem in that it is not suitable for an indoor environment or an aesthetic aspect due to its appearance.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system that provides accurate coordinates during indoor navigation and that can accurately verify the provided coordinates.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a system that can provide accurate coordinates at low cost during indoor navigation, and can accurately check the provided coordinates.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a system that can accurately check the coordinates of the indoor navigation regardless of day and night.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a coordinate checking system that can use coordinate setting means for indoor navigation with a smaller size.

According to the present invention, it comprises a light receiving means attached to the mobile robot, and a plurality of infrared generating means attached to the fixture for emitting infrared light by the light receiving means, the infrared generating means is composed of a plurality of infrared generating elements A coordinate checking system for indoor navigation is provided, in which a center coordinate and an orientation of the infrared generating means are indicated by the arrangement of the infrared generating elements.

On the other hand, it is preferable that the said light receiving means consists of a solid-state image sensor.

In addition, the infrared generating element is preferably made of an infrared light emitting diode.

In addition, the infrared generators may include first infrared generators having the shortest first interval between the infrared generators and second infrared generators having a greater distance than the first interval from the first infrared generators. The axis between the first infrared ray generating elements forms a first reference coordinate axis, and an axis perpendicular to the first reference coordinate axis from the second infrared ray generating element forms a second reference coordinate axis.

In addition, the second reference coordinate axis in which the second infrared ray generating element is located is preferably a reference direction.

In addition, the position of the mobile robot is determined by the ceiling angle between the center coordinates of the infrared ray generating means and the vertical axis of the light receiving means sensed by the light receiving means.

In addition, during the movement of the mobile robot, the sensing position of the infrared ray generating means is displaced in units of pixels on the light receiving means, and the coordinates of the mobile robot are corrected by a ratio between the displacement of the displaced pixel and the displacement of the actual mobile robot. It is preferable.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a configuration of a coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, according to the coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the light receiving means 120 attached to the mobile robot 100 that is movable on the bottom surface 10 of the indoor space. And light emitting diode groups 220a, 220b, and 220c attached to the ceiling 20 to provide the coordinates of the mobile robot 100 by emitting infrared rays with the light receiving means 120.

The light emitting diode groups 220a, 220b, and 220c preferably include a plurality of infrared light emitting diodes. Here, the peak wavelength of the infrared rays is preferably 840 nm, for example. An arrangement of the light emitting diodes forming the light emitting diode groups 220a, 220b, and 220c will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

2A to 2C are exemplary views illustrating an arrangement of an infrared light emitting diode for coordinate identification used in a coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, the LED groups 220a, 220b, and 220c mounted on the ceiling to be irradiated by the light receiving means of the mobile robot 100 placed on the floor in the ceiling form a 3 × 3 matrix. It is preferred to have three infrared light emitting diodes 222, 224, 226, 227, and 228 having. On the other hand, the distance between the infrared diodes (222, 224, 226, 227, 228) is enough to be recognized by each pixel of the solid state image pickup device (hereinafter referred to as CCD) is preferably in the range of 0.5mm to 1cm.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the distance between the infrared light emitting diode A 222 and the infrared light emitting diode B 224 is referred to as AB, and the infrared light emitting diode A 222 and the infrared light emitting diode C1 226 are referred to as AB. Assuming that the distance between the AC and the distance between the infrared light emitting diode B 224 and the infrared light emitting diode C1 226 is BC, the following equation is established.

AB <BC,

AB <AC

That is, the infrared light emitting diodes A 222 and the infrared light emitting diodes B 224 have a neighboring distance to indicate the north and south orientations, and the neighboring infrared light emitting diodes A 222 and the infrared light emitting diodes B Infrared light emitting diode C1 226 farthest from 224 causes the north and south orientations to exhibit a motion orientation.

In this case, each of the light emitting diode groups 220a, 220b, and 220c may display its own coordinates, and the infrared light emitting diodes 222, 224, 226, 227, and 228 of each of the light emitting diode groups 220a, 220b, and 220c. ) Have different arrangements. 2B and 2C are exemplary views illustrating an arrangement of infrared diodes 222, 224, 227, and 228 different from those of FIG. 2A. As such, the infrared diodes 222, 224, 226, 227, and 228 have different arrangements, and thus serve as identification marks ID1, ID2, and ID3 representing unique coordinates.

The intrinsic coordinates of the light emitting diode groups 220a, 220b, and 220c are represented as triple values of the coordinates of the respective infrared diodes 222, 224, 226, 227, and 228. For example, when the X coordinate of the infrared diodes 222, 224, 226 is XA, XB, and XC, and the Y coordinate of the infrared diodes 222, 224, 226 is YA, YB, and YC, the light emitting diode The center coordinates X1 and Y1 of the group 220a are as follows.

,

,

In the above description, the arrangement of the 3x3 matrix is illustrated, but it is not necessarily an array of the 3x3 matrix, and the infrared diodes 222, 224, 226, 227, and 228 are each arranged to represent the north, south, west, and north directions. Any array may be provided if However, since the array of the infrared diodes 222, 224, 226, 227, and 228 has a different arrangement form, each LED group 220a, 220b, 220c should be able to display its own coordinates.

Light receiving means for identifying the position of the mobile robot 100 through the position and orientation of the light emitting diode groups 220a, 220b, 220c will be described.

3 is a block diagram showing a ceiling angle of the light receiving means and the infrared light emitting diode used in the coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the light receiving means 120 for receiving infrared light from the infrared diodes 222, 224, 226, 227, 228 (see FIG. 2) is specific to the infrared light incident through the opening 122. A filter 124 for filtering by wavelength, a lens 126 for focusing infrared rays of a specific wavelength filtered by the filter 124, and a CCD 128 for sensing infrared rays focused by the lens 126. Positions of the X / Y address decoders 128X and 128Y for decoding the position signals of the infrared diodes formed on the pixels of the CCD 128 and the IR diodes output from the X / Y address decoders 128X and 128Y. And a control unit 128C for controlling the signal.

Here, the ceiling angle range between the central coordinate of the light emitting diode group 220a and the central axis of the CCD 128 where the light emitting diode group 220a can be sensed on the CCD 128 is limited to a predetermined angle. For example, when the center coordinates X1 and Y1 of the light emitting diode group 220a are reference origins, the ceiling angles between the coordinate axes X'1 and Y'1 of the reference origin and the central axis of the CCD 128 are determined. Phosphorus and phosphorus are preferably 17.5 ° and 22.5 °.

Therefore, when the height between the CCD 128 and the ceiling 20 of the mobile robot 100 is referred to, if the LED group 220a is sensed on the CCD 128 of the mobile robot 100 being moved, Coordinates (X, Y) of the robot 100 are as follows.

X = X_1 + H tan phi,

Y = Y_1 -H tan theta

Herein, when the mobile robot 100 senses the LED group 220a when the + X axis moves, it has a sign of "+", whereas when the LED group 220a is sensed when the -X axis moves, "-" ”Sign. In addition, when the light emitting diode group 220a is sensed when the mobile robot 100 moves in the + Y axis, it has a sign of "+", whereas when the light emitting diode group 220a is sensed when moving in the -Y axis, the mobile robot 100 senses "-". ”Sign.

On the other hand, when the mobile robot 100 continuously moves, the sensing position of the LED group 220a is displaced in units of pixels on the CCD 128, and the coordinates of the mobile robot 100 with respect to the displacement of the displaced pixel are actually moved. It is determined by the ratio between the displacements of the robot 100.

As described above, the method of determining the coordinates of the mobile robot is described. However, the infrared diodes 222, 224, 226, 227, and 228 pointing to the north-south east in the light emitting diode groups 220a, 220b, and 220c may be CCDs. The coordinates of the mobile robot may be determined based on the position of the pixel sensed on the 128.

Hereinafter, the operation of the coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.

4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, first, the LED group according to the arrangement of the infrared light emitting diodes is stored in a memory connected to the control unit of the CCD attached to the mobile robot (S1). Thereafter, the infrared light emitting diodes installed on the ceiling of the indoor space are operated (S2). In the state where the infrared light emitting diodes are turned on, the CCD which is a sensing means of the mobile robot is turned on (S3). The on CCD senses the infrared light emitting diodes, and the controller identifies the light emitting diode group by analyzing the sensed array of the infrared light emitting diodes (S4). At this time, by comparing the distance between the infrared diodes in the light emitting diode group sensed on the CCD, the orientation of the north, west, north and south. In addition, at the same time as identifying the LED group, the ceiling angle between the central coordinate axis of the LED group and the central axis of the CCD is measured (S5). The coordinates of the mobile robot are determined through the above calculation with respect to the measured ceiling angle (S6). On the other hand, in the continuous movement of the mobile robot, the sensing position of the LED group is displaced pixel by pixel on the CCD, and the coordinates of the mobile robot are corrected by the ratio between the displacement of the displaced pixel and the displacement of the actual mobile robot.

As described above, by arranging the minimum infrared light emitting diodes to display the coordinates using inexpensive infrared diodes, the coordinates of the mobile robot can be accurately measured at low cost. Furthermore, by comparing the distance difference between the infrared light emitting diodes, the orientation can be accurately represented by the infrared light emitting diodes. In addition, by using infrared rays as a light source it is possible to determine the position of the mobile robot at night as well as day. In addition, since the distance between the infrared light emitting diodes can be limited within a range that can be recognized by the pixels of the CCD, the indoor navigation system can be environmentally friendly by reducing the area of the infrared light emitting diode attached to the ceiling.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, substitutions and modifications of the embodiments are possible.

Claims (7)

A light receiving means attached to a mobile robot, and a plurality of infrared ray generating means attached to a fixture for emitting infrared light to the light receiving means, wherein the center coordinates and orientations of the infrared ray generating means are not indicated by the arrangement of the infrared ray generating elements. Is a coordinate checking system, The infrared ray generating elements are composed of first infrared ray generating elements having a shortest first interval between the infrared ray generating elements and a second infrared ray generating element having a distance greater than the first interval from the first infrared ray generating elements. Lose, The axis between the first infrared ray generators constitutes a first reference coordinate axis, and the axis perpendicular to the first reference coordinate axis from the second infrared ray generation element constitutes a second reference coordinate axis. . The coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to claim 1, wherein the light receiving means comprises a solid state image pickup device. The coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to claim 1, wherein the infrared ray generating element comprises an infrared light emitting diode. The coordinate verification system for indoor navigation according to claim 1, wherein the second reference coordinate axis on which the second infrared ray generating element is located is a reference direction. The coordinate checking system for indoor navigation according to claim 1, wherein the position of the mobile robot is determined by a ceiling angle between a center coordinate of the infrared ray generating means and a vertical axis of the light receiving means sensed by the light receiving means. . The method of claim 5, wherein the sensing position of the infrared generating means is displaced on the light receiving means in units of pixels when the mobile robot is moved, the coordinates of the mobile robot relative to the displacement between the displacement of the displaced pixel and the actual displacement of the mobile robot. Coordinate identification system for indoor navigation, characterized in that corrected by. delete

Images