CN117434935A - Robot obstacle searching method based on TOF module, chip and robot - Google Patents

Robot obstacle searching method based on TOF module, chip and robot Download PDF

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Publication number
CN117434935A
CN117434935A CN202210814105.5A CN202210814105A CN117434935A CN 117434935 A CN117434935 A CN 117434935A CN 202210814105 A CN202210814105 A CN 202210814105A CN 117434935 A CN117434935 A CN 117434935A
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area
robot
unit areas
obstacle
unit
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廖伟健
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Zhuhai Amicro Semiconductor Co Ltd
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Zhuhai Amicro Semiconductor Co Ltd
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Publication of CN117434935A publication Critical patent/CN117434935A/en
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Abstract

The invention discloses a robot obstacle searching method based on a TOF module, a chip and a robot, wherein the robot obstacle searching method comprises the steps that a light receiving surface of the TOF module is controlled by the robot to divide into a plurality of unit areas distributed in an array; the robot obtains the effective distance corresponding to the unit area in the light receiving surface of the TOF module; in the walking process of the robot, an obstacle is found according to the effective distance corresponding to the unit area of the middle row. The relative position relationship between the area range occupied by the obstacle and the passable area is effectively pre-determined.

Description

Robot obstacle searching method based on TOF module, chip and robot
Technical Field
The invention relates to the technical field of TOF module detection, in particular to a method for searching an obstacle by a robot based on a TOF module, a chip and the robot.
Background
TOF, time of flight, is translated into time of flight; TOF, time of flight ranging, is a method of measuring the distance between two points using the time of flight of a data signal to and from a pair of transceivers. The principle of TOF corresponds to his name, namely measuring the time of flight of light in space, by converting into distance, the distance of the camera from the object can be measured. Typically, a TOF camera is composed of a transmitting module and a receiving module. The emitting module may be an emitting element such as an LED or a laser, which emits modulated infrared light of, for example, 850nm, and the object is reflected and the reflected infrared light is received by the receiving module. Since both the transmitted light wave and the received light wave are modulated, the TOF camera can calculate the phase difference between the transmitted light wave and the received light wave, and the depth value, namely the depth distance between the camera and the object, is obtained through conversion.
The robot of sweeping floor can meet various complicated scenes in the cleaning process, thereby need to make different actions to promote cleaning efficiency to different scenes, for example need turn around according to the circumstances or along the limit obstacle when meeting the obstacle, inertial navigation usually discerns the obstacle and avoid the obstacle through infrared or collision method, often can't make the prejudgement in advance, visual range sensor also generally uses single camera to realize, can't in time accurately carry out distance operation yet.
Disclosure of Invention
In order to solve the problems, the invention provides a robot obstacle searching method based on a TOF module, which comprises the following specific technical scheme:
a robot obstacle finding method based on a TOF module, the robot obstacle finding method comprising: the light receiving surface of the robot control TOF module is divided into a plurality of unit areas distributed in an array; the robot obtains the effective distance corresponding to the unit area in the light receiving surface of the TOF module; in the walking process of the robot, an obstacle is found according to the effective distance corresponding to the unit area of the middle row.
Further, the method for searching for an obstacle according to the effective distance corresponding to the cell area of the middle row includes: in a row of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area in the vertical direction, if the robot detects that the effective distance corresponding to the rightmost unit area of the row of unit areas is the largest, determining that an obstacle exists in the left front of the robot; in a row of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area in the vertical direction, if the robot detects that the effective distance corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the row of unit areas is the largest, determining that an obstacle exists in the right front of the robot; wherein, a plurality of unit areas distributed by the array form a detection area; the nearest row of cell areas offset from the center of the detection area in the vertical direction is the cell area of the middle row.
Further, if the number of rows of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is an odd number, in the vertical direction, the nearest row of the unit areas deviated from the center of the detection area is the middle row of the unit areas in the detection area, and the robot marks the middle row of the unit areas in the detection area as a ranging area; if the number of lines of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is even, in the vertical direction, a line of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area comprises two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle of the detection area, and the robot marks the two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle or one line of unit areas in the two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle as a ranging area; if the robot detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas at two sides of the ranging area are both in a preset distance range in the walking process, or detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the two unit areas at the middle of the ranging area are both in the preset distance range, or detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the four unit areas at the middle of the ranging area are both in the preset distance range, determining that an obstacle exists in the visual angle range of the TOF module and is positioned in front of the robot, and then executing the method for searching the obstacle according to the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas at the middle row; the unit areas on two sides of the ranging area comprise a leftmost unit area of the ranging area and a rightmost unit area of the ranging area.
Further, on the premise that the number of the unit areas included in the ranging area is an odd number, when two rows of unit areas exist in the ranging area, the average value of the effective distances corresponding to the two middle unit areas in the ranging area is used for representing the distance between the obstacle and the robot; when a row of unit areas exist in the ranging area on the premise that the number of the unit areas included in the ranging area is an odd number, the effective distance corresponding to the middle unit area of the ranging area; on the premise that the number of unit areas included in the ranging area is even, when two rows of unit areas exist in the ranging area, the average value of effective distances corresponding to the four middle unit areas in the ranging area is used for representing the distance between the obstacle and the robot; when a row of unit areas exist in the ranging area on the premise that the number of the unit areas included in the ranging area is even, the average value of the effective distances corresponding to the two middle unit areas in the ranging area.
Further, if the number of rows of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is an odd number, in the vertical direction, the nearest row of the unit areas deviated from the center of the detection area is the middle row of the unit areas in the detection area, and the robot marks the middle row of the unit areas in the detection area as a ranging area; if the number of lines of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is even, in the vertical direction, a line of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area comprises two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle of the detection area, and the robot marks one line of unit areas in the two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle or the two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle as a distance measurement area; the cell area of the middle row is the ranging area.
Further, in the walking process of the robot, if it is detected that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the leftmost side of the ranging area are all in a preset distance range or the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center to the leftmost side of the ranging area are all in a preset distance range, determining that an obstacle exists in the left front of the robot, and then determining that the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas on the rightmost side of the ranging area are larger than the effective distances corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, determining that a passable area exists in the right front of the robot; in the walking process of the robot, if the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the leftmost side to the rightmost side of the ranging area are detected to be in a preset distance range or the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center to the rightmost side of the ranging area are detected to be in a preset distance range, the existence of an obstacle in the right front of the robot is determined, and then the existence of a passable area in the left front of the robot is determined when the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas at the leftmost side of the ranging area are detected to be larger than the effective distances corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the leftmost side to the center of the ranging area are detected to be sequentially reduced.
Further, in the walking process of the robot, if the reduction amount of the effective distance corresponding to the unit areas at the two sides of the ranging area is detected to be in the preset distance range, determining that an obstacle exists in front of the robot; on the premise that the effective distance corresponding to the unit area at the rightmost side of the ranging area is larger than the effective distance corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area and/or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, if the reduction of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center of the ranging area to the leftmost side is detected to be in a preset distance range, determining that an obstacle exists at the left front of the robot and a passable area which is not occupied by the same obstacle exists at the right front of the robot; on the premise that the effective distance corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the ranging area is larger than the effective distance corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area and/or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the leftmost side to the center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, if the reduction of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center of the ranging area to the rightmost side is detected to be in a preset distance range, determining that an obstacle exists in the right front of the robot and a passable area which is not occupied by the same obstacle exists in the left front of the robot; wherein all or part of the contour of the obstacle present in front of the robot is within the view angle range of the TOF module.
Further, in the light receiving surface of the TOF module, the deflection angle between two adjacent unit areas is a preset fixed angle, and the angle represents an included angle between a reference point corresponding to the two adjacent unit areas and a connecting line of the center of the machine body of the robot; each unit area is configured to correspond to one reference point, the effective distance corresponding to each unit area is used for representing the distance between the reference point corresponding to the unit area and the robot, the distance is measured by the TOF module, and the effective distance corresponding to each unit area is represented as the effective distance of the corresponding reference point; the unit areas distributed in the detection area are uniformly distributed on the light receiving surface of the TOF module.
Further, the center of the detection area is positioned at the center of the light receiving surface of the TOF module, and the unit areas distributed in the detection area are symmetrically arranged about the center of the light receiving surface of the TOF module; the TOF module is arranged along the central axis of the robot, the central line of the TOF module is perpendicular to the light receiving surface of the TOF module and passes through the center of the detection area, and the current walking direction of the robot is parallel to the central axis of the robot; the number of rows of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is at least three, and the number of columns of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is at least three, so that reference points which are at least three different angles are respectively covered on the transverse and longitudinal directions of the light receiving surface of the TOF module.
A chip for storing a program configured to execute the method of the robot finding obstacle method.
A robot is provided with a main control chip, wherein the main control chip is the chip, a TOF module is arranged at the front end of a robot body, and the central axis of the robot is perpendicular to the light receiving surface of the TOF module.
In the invention, a row of unit areas which are closest to the center of the detection area in the vertical direction are unit areas which are arranged as middle rows, so that the robot only uses the effective distance corresponding to each unit area in the unit areas of the middle rows to compare and judge which positions are occupied by the barrier (or occupy more area ranges), which positions are not occupied by the barrier (or occupy less area ranges) to reserve enough passable areas, the robot deflects a preset barrier-winding angle towards the passable area and sets the deflected direction as a barrier-winding direction, the distribution direction characteristics of the barrier in front can be positioned by using at least the effective distances corresponding to the three unit areas of the middle row, and the relative position relation between the area range occupied by the barrier and the passable area is accurately and effectively pre-judged, so that the robot can conveniently explore the barrier-winding direction of walking along the edge of the barrier.
Drawings
Fig. 1 is a schematic flow chart of a robot obstacle finding method based on a TOF module.
Detailed Description
The following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is provided, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein like or similar reference numerals refer to the drawings throughout, and further description of the embodiments of the present invention makes the technical solution of the present invention and the advantageous effects thereof clearer and more clearly apparent. The embodiments described below are exemplary by referring to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. TOF, time of flight, is translated into time of flight; TOF, time of flight ranging, is a method of measuring the distance between two points using the time of flight of a data signal to and from a pair of transceivers. The principle of TOF is to measure the time of flight of photons in space, and the distance between a TOF camera and an object can be measured by converting the time into the distance. Generally, the composition of the TOF camera includes a transmitting module and a receiving module, and the range of the angular distance measured can be divided into a single-point TOF module and a multi-point TOF module. The emitting module may be an emitting element such as an LED or a laser, which emits modulated infrared light of, for example, 850nm, and the object is reflected and the reflected infrared light is received by the receiving module. Since both the transmitted light wave and the received light wave are modulated, the TOF camera can calculate the phase difference between the transmitted light wave and the received light wave, and the depth value, namely the depth distance between the TOF camera and the object, namely the flight distance of the modulated light is obtained through conversion.
Aiming at the technical problems mentioned in the background, the invention discloses a robot obstacle searching method based on a TOF module, wherein an execution main body of the robot obstacle searching method is an autonomous mobile robot, and the robot comprises a robot walking according to a planned path, a robot walking along the edge of an obstacle and a robot walking in an indoor environment in the form of the robot; the autonomous mobile robot may be a sweeping robot, a scrubber, a security inspection robot, etc., according to the function type division. The TOF module is installed in the place ahead of robot, and the axis of robot perpendicular to TOF module's light receiving surface, and the orientation that the axis of robot was directed the organism front end from organism rear end is the walking direction of robot, but not necessarily passes through TOF module's light receiving surface's center, and TOF module can set up in the both sides of the axis of robot. When the TOF module adopts the multi-point TOF module, the angle range covered is wider relative to the infrared sensor and the single-point TOF module, the distance information of the outline of the obstacle is reflected more comprehensively from more directions, and the robot is helped to pre-judge the initial walking direction without taking obstacle-detouring action. Specifically, the transmitting tube of the multi-point TOF module is used for transmitting multiple groups of modulated light (including infrared light or laser light), multiple photons in the same light receiving surface are obtained in the receiving tube of the multi-point TOF module, and distances of multiple position points are fed back, so that the robot is assisted in ranging and positioning in a larger field of view to conveniently determine the wall position information. The multi-point TOF module collects two-dimensional point cloud data of surrounding obstacles and timely builds a two-dimensional point cloud map, wherein a controller in the robot reads distance information of each position point collected by the multi-point TOF module in real time, and converts the point cloud coordinates into world coordinates including X-axis coordinates, Y-axis coordinates and rotation angles, projects and converts a two-dimensional grid map which can be used for robot navigation, namely a grid map for short, and reflects coordinate position information of a wall surface and other obstacles detected by a mobile robot in a running plane. The robot is also mounted with inertial sensors including, but not limited to, an odometer for measuring a distance travelled, a collision sensor for detecting a collision state with an obstacle, and a gyroscope for measuring a rotation angle of the body.
As shown in fig. 1, the method for finding an obstacle by the robot includes: the robot controls the light receiving surface of the TOF module to divide a plurality of unit areas distributed in an array, and particularly, in the light receiving surface of the TOF module, the robot is uniformly distributed with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of unit areas; on the basis, the plurality of unit areas distributed by the array form a detection area, and preferably, the detection area can be expanded or fixed in the light receiving surface of the TOF module and is adjusted according to the outline size characteristics of the obstacle to be searched. In the walking process of the robot, finding an obstacle according to the effective distance corresponding to the unit area of the middle row, wherein the unit area of the nearest row deviating from the center of the detection area in the vertical direction is the unit area set as the middle row; then the robot obtains the effective distance corresponding to the unit area in the light receiving surface of the TOF module; and then the robot only uses the effective distance corresponding to each unit area in the unit area of the middle row to compare and judge which positions are occupied by the barrier (or occupy more area ranges), and which positions are not occupied by the barrier (or occupy less area ranges) to reserve enough passable areas, so that the robot deflects a preset barrier-winding angle towards the passable area and sets the deflected direction as the barrier-winding direction, the distribution direction characteristics of the barrier in front can be positioned by using at least the effective distances corresponding to the three unit areas of the middle row, the relative position relationship between the area range occupied by the barrier and the passable area is accurately and effectively judged, and the robot can conveniently explore the barrier-winding direction walking along the edge of the barrier, including the left edge of the barrier or the right edge of the barrier.
In the process of robot walking, the effective distance corresponding to each unit area changes, and when the effective distance is updated in the same unit area, the reference point corresponding to each unit area also changes, and the contour point (reflection point) corresponding to the represented obstacle also changes.
In this embodiment, the effective distance corresponding to the unit area of the middle row is used to predict the width of the obstacle in the view angle range, and meanwhile, the distance between the robot and the obstacle in front is also directly obtained, so that the occupied area and the passable area of the obstacle in front are determined, and then the robot can plan how to avoid the obstacle. The distance measurement information (effective distance corresponding to the unit area processed by weighted average) of the TOF module can be used for pre-judging the outline of the obstacle at the time, so that before the robot contacts the outline of the obstacle, the robot only uses the dimension of the distance to determine the position distribution characteristic of the obstacle and timely adjusts the direction, for example, the robot turns around in time after encountering a longer wall surface in the cleaning process and walks along the edge line of the shorter wall or an isolated obstacle. The non-touch obstacle avoidance effect of the robot is improved.
In this embodiment, in the light receiving surface of the TOF module, the deflection angle between two adjacent unit areas is a preset reference angle, which represents the angle between the reference point corresponding to the two adjacent unit areas and the connecting line of the center of the body of the robot, and even if the angle is represented as the angle between the reference point corresponding to the two adjacent unit areas and the connecting line of the TOF module, the angle can be obtained by using a trigonometric function relationship, the effective distance of the reference point and the radius of the body of the robot in a conversion manner; each unit area is configured to correspond to one reference point, and the effective distance corresponding to each unit area is used for representing the distance between the reference point corresponding to the unit area and the robot, or the distance between the reference point corresponding to the unit area and the center of the robot body, and the distance between the reference point corresponding to the unit area and the TOF module, so that the TOF module is supported to measure and perform weighted average processing; the effective distance corresponding to each unit area is expressed as the effective distance of the corresponding reference point; the unit areas in the detection area are uniformly distributed on the light receiving surface of the TOF module. Specifically, in the detection area, in one row of unit areas, the angles of included angles formed by connecting the reference points corresponding to every two adjacent unit areas with the connecting line of the body center of the robot are equal; preferably, the deflection angle between the centers of two adjacent unit areas in a group of unit areas is fixed; in any two adjacent unit areas, the included angle formed by the connection line of the reference point corresponding to each unit area and the center of the machine body is fixed, which can be equivalent to the fixed included angle formed by the connection line of one reflection point of each unit area and the center of the machine body of the reflection modulated light, when three unit areas exist in one row of unit areas, the robot can calculate the included angle formed by the connection line of the other two reference points and the center of the machine body according to the sequence of the unit areas corresponding to the two reference points in the row of unit areas or the sequence of the detection areas according to the rule of an arithmetic sequence on the basis of knowing the included angle formed by the connection line of the two reference points and the center of the machine body.
In this embodiment, the TOF module is a multi-point TOF module, and modulated light emitted by the multi-point TOF module is emitted to the outside of the robot in different directions; the multi-point TOF module is also used for receiving the modulated light reflected by the reflection point and projecting the modulated light into the light receiving surface to form a projection point; wherein, a plurality of projection points exist in each unit area, and the effective distance corresponding to the unit area is a weighted average value of the flight distances of the plurality of projection points in the unit area; the smaller the flight distance of the projection points in the same unit area is, the larger the weight of the projection points is configured; the larger the flight distance of the projection points in the same unit area is, the smaller the weight of the configuration is. In some embodiments, the robot obtains the effective distance corresponding to the unit area through the multi-point TOF module, and configures the effective distance corresponding to each unit area to correspond to a reference point, so as to calculate the coordinate of the reference point through the effective distance corresponding to one unit area; wherein, the reference point is used for representing a position point in front of the robot or position points on two sides, and may be a position point of the obstacle surface, namely an obstacle contour point; the azimuth of the reference point relative to the robot is specifically determined by the visual angle range of the multi-point TOF module and the installation position of the multi-point TOF module on the robot; the light receiving surface in the multi-point TOF module is divided into a plurality of unit areas, one unit area corresponds to an effective distance, and one unit area is also configured to correspond to one reference point. In this embodiment, a reference point is used to represent an effective position point collected by a unit area, where a multi-point TOF module obtains distances between a plurality of position points in a unit area, and in this embodiment, the effective distance corresponding to a unit area is represented as an effective distance of the reference point corresponding to the unit area, specifically, an effective distance value determined by a mean value of distances between a plurality of position points obtained in a unit area; it should be noted that, each unit area is a light receiving surface located in the multi-point TOF module; in the light receiving surface in the multi-point TOF module, the unit areas are the division results of the distribution areas of photons reflected by the obstacle, each unit area is the light receiving area occupied by a group of photons falling on a two-dimensional plane, and one reflecting point reflects one photon (from multiple groups of infrared modulated lights emitted by the multi-point TOF module). Then, combining the installation position characteristics of the multi-point TOF module on the robot, the angle information measured by the gyroscope and the distribution characteristics of photons in the light receiving surface, the robot can construct a trigonometric function model through the effective distance of the reference point corresponding to one unit area, and the coordinates of the reference point are calculated.
As an embodiment, the multi-point TOF module is configured to emit modulated light to the outside of the robot in different directions, and specifically, the robot controls the multi-point TOF module to emit multiple groups of modulated light to reflection points in different directions, where each group of modulated light corresponds to an emission direction, and the viewing angle area is enlarged relative to the single-point TOF sensor. The multi-point TOF module is also used for receiving the modulated light reflected by the reflection point and projecting the modulated light in the light receiving surface to form a projection point, namely a pixel point; a plurality of projection points exist in the same unit area to form a pixel array of the light receiving surface; the multi-point TOF module is arranged in front of a robot body, and when the multi-point TOF module is used for emitting modulated light to the front of the robot, the reflection point is a position point occupied by an obstacle or a wall surface in front of the robot; for example, when the multi-point TOF module is installed on one side of a robot body, an angle of an included angle between a center line of the multi-point TOF module and a walking direction of the robot is fixed, and the multi-point TOF module is configured as a rigid installation angle, and when the multi-point TOF module is used for emitting modulated light to one side of the robot, the reflection point is a position point occupied by an obstacle or a wall surface on one side of the robot, and then an angle of a connecting line of the position point and the center of the robot body or an outline line segment where the position point is located deviating from the walking direction of the robot is determined through the rigid installation angle. The modulated light includes a plurality of photons, which are particles in the modulated light emitted from the multi-point TOF module and are reflected back to a light receiving surface within the multi-point TOF module via reflection points, supporting a point cloud for detection. One photon is reflected at one reflection point, and then a plurality of photons fall into the same unit area, and each photon is projected in a corresponding unit area to form a pixel point, and the pixel point is positioned at the projection point. In this embodiment, the flight distance of each photon is the flight distance of a projection point formed by projection, where the flight distance of the projection point is used to represent the distance that the modulated light (mainly, one photon) reflected at the corresponding reflection point passes through, and further represents the depth information of the unit area where the projection point is located. Thus, the reference point does not necessarily belong to a reflection point, which is actually the result of a weighted average of reflection points, and in some embodiments, a reference point is specifically a specific location point occupied by an obstacle or a specific location point on a wall surface, and is then one of a plurality of reflection points that has a locating meaning.
Specifically, the TOF module obtains a depth image through a C M O S (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor ) pixel array and an active modulation light source technology, each pixel in the array can measure the brightness of a corresponding reflection point and the arrival time of a reflected light signal, so as to obtain a depth value in the depth image, and calculate and obtain the distance between the reflection point and the TOF module. The robot is connected to the TOF module by a controller (e.g. a computer or a microprocessor, etc.), and generates control signals according to a corresponding software program, etc. and sends the control signals to the TOF module to control the TOF module, wherein the TOF module comprises an emitting sensor for emitting modulated light and a receiving sensor for receiving the modulated light reflected by the reflecting points and generating a depth image reflecting depth information of the pixel array, and the emitting sensor may be an infrared light emitter in one embodiment, a laser emitter in other embodiments, etc. In this embodiment, after the modulated light emitted by the TOF module reaches the surface of the wall or other fixed obstacle, the modulated light is reflected back to the light receiving surface in the TOF module by the reflection point in the surface of the wall or other fixed obstacle, so as to form a depth image, where the light receiving surface in the TOF module is a limited receiving surface belonging to the receiving sensor in the TOF module, and the depth image includes depth information of the corresponding pixel point, and distance data between the position point in the wall or other fixed obstacle and the TOF module can be obtained by calculation through the depth information. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, a photon in the modulated light has a time of flight from being emitted to being received, and the controller built into the robot combines the time of flight with the speed of light to obtain distance data between the wall or other fixed obstacle and the TOF module.
Preferably, the robot sets a detection area in the light receiving surface of the TOF module; and a plurality of unit areas which are uniformly distributed are divided in the detection area so as to realize the array distribution in the light receiving surface of the TOF module and cover reference points in different angle ranges, wherein the angle can be the angle of an included angle formed by the connecting line of the reference points corresponding to the unit areas and the TOF module relative to the current walking direction of the robot, and can be the angle of an included angle formed by the connecting line of the reference points corresponding to the unit areas and the center of the machine body relative to the current walking direction of the robot. Specifically, photons reflected by the plurality of reflection points fall into a rectangular region of the light receiving surface in the TOF module, and the unit region is the rectangular region of the light receiving surface in the TOF module; if the rectangular area is set as a unit cell, the array in the detection area is distributed in the light receiving surface in the TOF module: when the detection area is set by taking the center of the light receiving surface of the TOF module as an axis array, the TOF module can simultaneously measure distance values in a plurality of angle directions, and further utilizes dimension information in the transverse and longitudinal directions obtained by conversion (conversion based on a trigonometric function relation) of effective distances corresponding to different unit areas to identify the approximate outline of an obstacle.
As one embodiment, the method for finding an obstacle according to the effective distance corresponding to the cell region of the middle row includes: in a row of unit areas which are closest to the center of the detection area in the vertical direction, if the robot detects that the effective distance corresponding to the rightmost unit area of the row of unit areas is the largest, the robot is determined to have an obstacle at the left front, the robot is determined to have the obstacle at the left front on the premise of not contacting the obstacle, meanwhile, the robot is also determined to have a passable area at the right side of the obstacle, the left adjacent area of the passable area is occupied by the obstacle, namely, in the visual angle range of the TOF module, the passable area is arranged at the same effective distance position at the right front of the robot, and the left front of the robot is occupied by the obstacle, so that the robot can deflect rightwards later and then start to walk along the outline of the obstacle according to the direction after the right deflection, thereby realizing obstacle-surrounding walking. The cell area of the nearest row, which is offset from the center of the detection area in the vertical direction, is the cell area of the intermediate row. Or in a row of unit areas which are closest to the center of the detection area in the vertical direction, if the robot detects that the effective distance corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the row of unit areas is the largest, determining that an obstacle exists in the right front of the robot, determining that the obstacle exists in the right front of the robot on the premise that the robot does not contact the obstacle, determining that a passable area exists in the left side of the obstacle at the same time, wherein the right adjacent area of the passable area is occupied by the obstacle, namely, in the view angle range of the TOF module, the passable area exists in the left front of the robot at the position which is at the same horizontal distance with the robot, the right front of the robot is occupied by the obstacle, the robot can deflect leftwards later, and then starts to walk along the outline of the obstacle along the left deflected direction, so that the wall body or other obstacles are bypassed.
As an embodiment, the robot uniformly distributes a plurality of rows and columns of unit areas in the light receiving surface of the TOF module, and forms a detection area by the plurality of unit areas distributed by the array, wherein the plurality of unit areas distributed by the array are arranged in an array with the center of the detection area as an axis; specifically, if the number of rows of unit areas distributed in the detection area is an odd number, in the vertical direction, a row of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area is a middle row of unit areas in the detection area, the row of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area is a row of unit areas closest to the center of the row of unit areas, and the distance between the center of the row of unit areas and the center of the detection area in the vertical direction is the smallest, and the robot marks the middle row of unit areas in the detection area as a ranging area; on the premise that the number of the unit areas included in the ranging area is an odd number, the effective distance corresponding to the middle unit area of the ranging area is used for representing the distance between the obstacle and the robot; on the premise that the number of unit areas included in the ranging area is even, the average value of the effective distances corresponding to the two middle unit areas of the ranging area is used for representing the distance between the obstacle and the robot; further, by constructing a trigonometric function relationship, a line of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area becomes a ranging area for obstacle outline dimension measurement. If the number of lines of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is even, in the vertical direction, a line of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area comprises two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle of the detection area, and the robot marks the two adjacent lines of unit areas or one line of unit areas of the two adjacent lines of unit areas as a ranging area; then, on the premise that the number of the unit areas included in the ranging area is an odd number, when two rows of unit areas exist in the ranging area, the average value of the effective distances corresponding to the two middle unit areas in the ranging area is used for representing the distance between the obstacle and the robot; when a row of unit areas exist in the ranging area on the premise that the number of the unit areas included in the ranging area is an odd number, the effective distance corresponding to the middle unit area of the ranging area; or on the premise that the number of the unit areas included in the ranging area is even, when two rows of unit areas exist in the ranging area, the average value of the effective distances corresponding to the four unit areas in the middle of the ranging area is used for representing the distance between the obstacle and the robot; on the premise that the number of unit areas included in the ranging area is even, when one row of unit areas exist in the ranging area, the average value of effective distances corresponding to the two middle unit areas in the ranging area is used for representing the distance between the obstacle and the robot (the distance between the obstacle and the center of the robot body or the distance between the obstacle and the TOF module), and then the outline size of the obstacle can be measured by simultaneously using two adjacent middle rows of unit areas in the detecting area through constructing a trigonometric function relation.
Further, if the robot detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas at two sides of the ranging area are both in a preset distance range during walking, or detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas at the most middle position of the ranging area are in a preset distance range, or detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the two unit areas at the most middle position of the ranging area are in a preset distance range, or detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the four unit areas at the most middle position of the ranging area are in a preset distance range, determining that an obstacle exists in the view angle range of the TOF module and is positioned in front of the robot, and identifying the obstacle positioned right in front of the robot by the general robot, wherein whether the obstacle is far left or far right is not specifically determined; the method comprises the steps that the change value of the effective distance corresponding to a unit area at the most middle position of a ranging area is detected to be in a preset distance range, the change value of the effective distance corresponding to two unit areas at the most middle position of the ranging area is detected to be in a preset distance range, or the change value of the effective distance corresponding to four unit areas at the most middle position of the ranging area is detected to be in a preset distance range, and all the change values of the effective distance corresponding to the unit area at the most middle position of the ranging area are detected to be in a preset distance range, at the moment, the existence of an obstacle right in front of a robot can be directly detected, and the corresponding change value is determined by the flight distance of modulated light reflected by the obstacle existing right in front of the robot; the change value of the effective distance corresponding to the unit areas on both sides of the ranging area is determined by the flight distance of the modulated light reflected by the contours on both sides of the obstacle in front of the robot, wherein the unit areas on both sides of the ranging area include the leftmost unit area of the ranging area and the rightmost unit area of the ranging area, and the existence of the obstacle in front of the robot is reflected as a whole; when the robot approaches an obstacle, the angle formed by the connecting line of the reference point corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the ranging area or the reference point corresponding to the rightmost unit area of the ranging area and the body center of the robot and the outline of the obstacle is reduced, the effective distance corresponding to the unit areas at the two sides of the ranging area is reduced, of course, the effective distance corresponding to the unit area at the most middle position of the ranging area is also reduced, or the effective distances corresponding to the two unit areas at the most middle position of the ranging area are also reduced, or the effective distances corresponding to the four unit areas at the most middle position of the ranging area are also reduced, and when the reduction is in the preset distance range, the robot is determined to recognize the obstacle. The method comprises the steps of setting a preset distance range, describing a change experimental value of a flight distance of modulated light reflected by an obstacle in a specific time in a walking process of a TOF module random robot, wherein the preset distance range is used for overcoming the interference of error data, and the change experimental value is particularly used for determining that an effective distance corresponding to a unit area is distance information fed back by the obstacle; the unit areas at both sides of the ranging area include a unit area set at the leftmost side of the ranging area and a unit area set at the rightmost side of the ranging area; and then the robot continues to recognize that the distribution area of the obstacle is left or right relative to the robot according to the effective distance corresponding to the unit area of the corresponding row.
Specifically, a row of unit areas are a row of unit areas which are horizontally arranged in the light receiving surface of the TOF module and are continuously arranged, and the detection areas are filled up to correspond to a row of areas so as to adapt to the walking direction of the robot to be searched; or, a row of unit areas is a row of unit areas which are vertically arranged in the light receiving surface of the TOF module and are continuously arranged, and the detection area is filled up to correspond to the row of areas, so that the obstacle height information required by the robot to search is adapted. Further, when the number of cell regions existing in a row of cell regions is even, the two cell regions in the middle are divided into two sides of the central axis of the row of cell regions; when the number of cell regions existing in a row of cell regions is an odd number, the remaining cell regions except for the middle-most cell region are located on both sides of the central axis of the row of cell regions. Wherein the plurality of unit areas distributed by the array form a detection area.
In some embodiments, in the view angle range of the TOF module, for the same obstacle, as the robot moves away from the obstacle, the effective distance corresponding to a unit area to which the reflection point of the obstacle projects becomes larger, the greater the distance (horizontal distance and vertical distance) between the reference point corresponding to the unit area and the center of the detection area is; as the robot approaches the obstacle, the effective distance corresponding to one unit area to which the reflection point of the obstacle is projected becomes smaller, and the distance (horizontal distance and vertical distance) of the reference point corresponding to the unit area with respect to the center of the detection area becomes smaller. In general, the modulated light reflected by the obstacle is configured to fall into all the unit areas in the detection area, and the detection area is a rectangular area configured to cover all the outline of the obstacle in the view angle range of the TOF module, so that the number of rows and columns of the unit areas filled in the detection area are configurable parameters, and a reasonable number of unit areas distributed in an array are accommodated in the light receiving surface of the TOF module, and the outline size characteristics of the obstacle in front of the robot are reflected.
As an embodiment, a plurality of rows and columns of unit areas are uniformly distributed in the light receiving surface of the TOF module, and the plurality of unit areas distributed in the array form a detection area, wherein the plurality of unit areas distributed in the array are arranged in an array by taking the center of the detection area as the center of a unit area in a middle position, or the centers of two adjacent unit areas in the middle, or the centers of unit areas in four adjacent areas in the middle. If the number of lines of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is an odd number, in the vertical direction, the nearest line of unit areas deviating from the center of the detection area is the middle line of unit areas in the detection area, and the robot marks the middle line of unit areas in the detection area as a ranging area; if the number of rows of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is even, in the vertical direction, the nearest row of unit areas deviated from the center of the detection area comprises two adjacent rows of unit areas in the middle of the detection area, and the robot marks one row of unit areas in the two adjacent rows of unit areas in the middle or the two adjacent rows of unit areas in the middle as a distance measurement area.
In the walking process of the robot, the effective distance corresponding to the unit area is changed and updated and stored; if, except for the rightmost unit area of the ranging area, it is detected that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the leftmost side of the ranging area are all within a preset distance range, or it is detected that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center of the ranging area to the leftmost side are all within a preset distance range, it is determined that an obstacle exists in the left front of the robot; wherein, two unit areas can exist on the rightmost side or the leftmost side of the ranging area respectively, and two adjacent rows are separated; alternatively, there is one cell region at the rightmost side of the ranging region or the leftmost side thereof. The preset distance range is set to overcome the interference of error data, describes a variation experimental value of the flight distance of the modulated light reflected by the obstacle back to the TOF module in a specific time in the walking process of the robot, and is particularly used for determining that the effective distance corresponding to the unit area is distance information fed back by the obstacle; then, when the robot detects that the effective distance corresponding to the unit area on the rightmost side of the ranging area is greater than the effective distance corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, the robot recognizes that a passable area exists in the right front of the robot, marks the distance between the obstacle and the center of the body of the robot as a preset detection distance, the robot recognizes that a passable area exists on a horizontal line of which the right front of the robot and the center of the body keep the preset detection distance, and can determine that the recognized obstacle is an obstacle with a shorter length in the visual angle range of the TOF module; the robot then deflects to the right by a first preset obstacle clearance angle to guide the robot row to the right front passable area of the robot, and the robot starts to walk along the right side contour of the obstacle, i.e. starts to walk around the contour of the obstacle with shorter length through the passable area at the corresponding position, wherein the direction of the robot after deflecting to the right by the first preset obstacle clearance angle from the current walking direction is the initial obstacle clearance direction.
In the walking process of the robot, the effective distance corresponding to the unit area is changed and updated and stored; if, except for the leftmost unit area of the ranging area, it is detected that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the leftmost side to the rightmost side of the ranging area are all within a preset distance range, or it is detected that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center of the ranging area to the rightmost side are all within a preset distance range, it is determined that an obstacle exists in the right front of the robot; wherein, two unit areas can exist on the rightmost side or the leftmost side of the ranging area respectively, and two adjacent rows are separated; alternatively, there is one cell region at the rightmost side of the ranging region or the leftmost side thereof. The preset distance range is used for determining that the effective distance corresponding to the unit area is distance information fed back by the obstacle; the preset distance range is set to overcome the interference of error data, and describes a change experimental value of the flight distance of the modulated light reflected by the obstacle back to the TOF module in a specific time in the walking process of the robot; then when the effective distance corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the ranging area is larger than the effective distance corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the leftmost lateral center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, the robot determines that a passable area exists at the position which is at the same horizontal distance with the obstacle to the left front side of the robot except for determining that the obstacle exists at the right front side of the robot, and can determine that the identified obstacle is an obstacle with shorter length in the visual angle range of the TOF module; the robot is then deflected to the left by a second preset obstacle clearance angle to guide the robot to the left front passable area of the robot, the robot then starts to walk along the left side contour of the obstacle, i.e. starts to walk around the contour of this shorter length obstacle by the passable area at the corresponding bearing, wherein the direction of the robot after being deflected to the left by the second preset obstacle clearance angle from the current walking direction is the starting obstacle clearance direction.
Preferably, the modulated light reflected by the obstacle is all unit areas configured to fall within the detection area, which is a rectangular area configured to cover the entire outline of the obstacle in the view angle range of the TOF module, and the traveling direction of the robot is parallel to the central axis of the robot but does not necessarily pass through the center of the ranging area before the robot recognizes that the obstacle exists and starts to rotate. Preferably, the outline length of the obstacle in the view angle range of the TOF module is related to the corresponding effective distance of the unit areas at both sides of the detection area, and the smaller the corresponding effective distance of the unit areas at both sides of the detection area is, the smaller the included angle formed by the modulated light emitted by the TOF module and the outline of the obstacle is, and the larger the length of the outline of the obstacle is calculated by using a trigonometric function; the larger the corresponding effective distance between the unit areas at the two sides of the detection area is, the larger the included angle formed by the modulated light emitted by the TOF module and the contour line of the obstacle is, and the smaller the length of the contour line of the obstacle is calculated by utilizing the trigonometric function.
As an embodiment, in the process of walking along the current walking direction, if the decrease amounts of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas on both sides of the ranging area are detected to be within the preset distance range, it is determined that an obstacle exists in the current walking direction of the robot (the obstacle is located right in front of the robot) and the distance between the robot and the obstacle is shortened, and here, the presence of the obstacle is identified by the decrease amounts of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas on both sides of the ranging area, and the described distance is representative because the unit areas on both sides of the ranging area can reflect the contours on both sides of the obstacle. It is noted that all or part of the contour of the obstacle present in front of the robot is within the field of view of the TOF module. Wherein, two unit areas can exist on the rightmost side or the leftmost side of the ranging area respectively, and two adjacent rows are separated; alternatively, there is one cell region at the rightmost side of the ranging region or the leftmost side thereof.
On the premise that the effective distance corresponding to the unit area on the rightmost side of the ranging area is larger than the effective distance corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area and/or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, the existence of the passable area in the right front of the robot can be determined. Then, if it is detected that the decrease amounts of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the leftmost side of the ranging area are all within the preset distance range, or it is detected that the decrease amounts of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center of the ranging area to the leftmost side are all within the preset distance range, it is determined that there is an obstacle in front left of the robot, and there is an open area in front right of the robot, that is, there is a passable area in front right of the robot that is not occupied by the same obstacle.
On the premise that the effective distance corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the ranging area is greater than the effective distance corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area and/or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the leftmost side to the center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, the existence of a passable area in the left front of the robot can be determined. Then, if it is detected that the decrease amounts of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the left side to the right side of the ranging area are all within a preset distance range, or it is detected that the decrease amounts of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center of the ranging area to the right side are all within a preset distance range, it is determined that there is an obstacle in the front right of the robot, and there is an open area in the front left of the robot, that is, there is a passable area not occupied by the same obstacle in the front left of the robot.
As an embodiment, the center of the detection area is located at the center of the light receiving surface of the TOF module, the plurality of unit areas distributed in the array are uniformly distributed on the light receiving surface of the TOF module, that is, the unit areas in the detection area are uniformly distributed on the light receiving surface of the TOF module, the unit areas distributed in the detection area are symmetrically arranged about the center of the light receiving surface of the TOF module, that is, the unit areas in the detection area are uniformly distributed in a plurality of rows and columns, wherein the number of rows of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is at least three, the number of columns of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is at least three, so that reference points which respectively cover at least three different angles in the transverse direction of the light receiving surface of the TOF module are respectively symmetrically arranged about the center of the light receiving surface of the TOF module; the TOF module is installed along the central axis of the robot, the central line of the TOF module is perpendicular to the light receiving surface of the TOF module and passes through the center of the detection area, the current walking direction of the robot is parallel to the central axis of the robot, the current walking direction of the robot can pass through the center of the detection area, and then the effective distance corresponding to the unit area arranged at the middle position of the detection area can reflect the distance between the robot and an obstacle right in front of the robot. Thus, the distribution direction characteristics of the front obstacle can be positioned by using at least the effective distances corresponding to the three unit areas in the middle row.
Preferably, on the basis that the unit areas distributed in the detection area are symmetrically arranged about the center of the light receiving surface of the TOF module, if the larger the vertical distance between the reference point corresponding to the rightmost unit area of the ranging area and the central axis of the robot is, the smaller the effective distance between the reference point corresponding to the rightmost unit area of the ranging area is, the larger the first preset obstacle-detouring angle is set; if the vertical distance between the reference point corresponding to the rightmost unit area of the ranging area and the central axis of the robot is smaller, the effective distance between the reference point corresponding to the rightmost unit area of the ranging area is larger, and the first preset obstacle detouring angle is set smaller. If the vertical distance between the reference point corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the ranging area and the central axis of the robot is larger, the effective distance between the reference point corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the ranging area is smaller, and the second preset obstacle detouring angle is set to be larger; if the vertical distance between the reference point corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the ranging area and the central axis of the robot is smaller, the effective distance between the reference point corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the ranging area is larger, and the second preset obstacle detouring angle is set smaller.
The present invention also discloses a chip for storing a program configured to perform the robot obstacle finding method disclosed in the foregoing embodiments. In the detection area, a row of unit areas which are closest to the center of the detection area in the vertical direction are unit areas which are arranged as middle rows, the control robot compares the effective distances corresponding to each unit area in the unit areas of the middle rows to judge which positions are occupied by the barrier (or occupy more area ranges), and which positions are not occupied by the barrier (or occupy less area ranges) to reserve enough passable areas, so that the robot deflects a preset barrier-bypassing angle towards the passable area and sets the deflected direction as a barrier-bypassing direction, the passable area meeting the barrier avoidance of a robot body can be provided for the robot, and the defect that an actual physical profile model in the visual angle area of a TOF module is incomplete is overcome. The relative position relation between the area occupied by the obstacle and the passable area is accurately and effectively pre-judged, so that the robot can conveniently explore the obstacle-detouring direction of walking along the edge of the obstacle.
The robot is provided with a main control chip, wherein the main control chip is the chip disclosed in the previous embodiment, the TOF module is arranged at the front end of the robot body, and the central axis of the robot is perpendicular to the light receiving surface of the TOF module. In some embodiments, the TOF module is a multi-point TOF module, which belongs to a TOF sensor, where the TOF sensor includes at least one type of sensor and at least two types of sensors, the type of sensor is a receiving type of sensor, the type of sensor is an emitting type of sensor, or the type of sensor is an emitting type of sensor, and the type of sensor is a receiving type of sensor. The TOF sensors do not work completely independently, and it is noted that the first and second sensors are only different in number, and their actual content is not changed. Preferably, each TOF sensor comprises an infrared emission unit and an infrared receiving unit, and when the type II sensor is determined, the adjustable TOF sensor only starts part of the infrared emission units or the infrared receiving units.
In the description of the present invention, a description of the terms "one embodiment," "preferred," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention, and a schematic representation of the terms described above in the present specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. The connection modes in the description of the specification have obvious effects and practical effectiveness. From the above description of the structure and principles, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but rather that modifications and substitutions using known techniques in the art on the basis of the present invention fall within the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A robot obstacle finding method based on a TOF module, the robot obstacle finding method comprising:
the light receiving surface of the robot control TOF module is divided into a plurality of unit areas distributed in an array;
The robot obtains the effective distance corresponding to the unit area in the light receiving surface of the TOF module;
in the walking process of the robot, an obstacle is found according to the effective distance corresponding to the unit area of the middle row.
2. The robot obstacle finding method according to claim 1, wherein the method of finding an obstacle according to the effective distance corresponding to the cell area of the middle row comprises:
in a row of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area in the vertical direction, if the robot detects that the effective distance corresponding to the rightmost unit area of the row of unit areas is the largest, determining that an obstacle exists in the left front of the robot;
in a row of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area in the vertical direction, if the robot detects that the effective distance corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the row of unit areas is the largest, determining that an obstacle exists in the right front of the robot;
the robot composes the plurality of unit areas of the array distribution into a detection area, and a row of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area in the vertical direction is the unit area of the middle row.
3. The robot obstacle finding method according to claim 2, wherein if the number of rows of unit areas distributed in the detection area is an odd number, in a vertical direction, a nearest row of unit areas from the center of the detection area is a middle row of unit areas in the detection area, and the robot marks the middle row of unit areas in the detection area as a ranging area; if the number of lines of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is even, in the vertical direction, a line of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area comprises two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle of the detection area, and the robot marks the two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle or one line of unit areas in the two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle as a ranging area;
If the robot detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas at two sides of the ranging area are both in a preset distance range in the walking process, or detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the two unit areas at the middle of the ranging area are both in the preset distance range, or detects that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the four unit areas at the middle of the ranging area are both in the preset distance range, determining that an obstacle exists in the visual angle range of the TOF module and is positioned in front of the robot, and then executing the method for searching the obstacle according to the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas at the middle row; the unit areas on two sides of the ranging area comprise a leftmost unit area of the ranging area and a rightmost unit area of the ranging area.
4. A method for finding an obstacle by a robot according to claim 3, wherein, on the premise that the number of unit areas included in the ranging area is an odd number, when two rows of unit areas exist in the ranging area, a mean value of effective distances corresponding to two middle unit areas of the ranging area is used to represent a distance between the obstacle and the robot; when a row of unit areas exist in the ranging area on the premise that the number of the unit areas included in the ranging area is an odd number, the effective distance corresponding to the middle unit area of the ranging area;
On the premise that the number of unit areas included in the ranging area is even, when two rows of unit areas exist in the ranging area, the average value of effective distances corresponding to the four middle unit areas in the ranging area is used for representing the distance between the obstacle and the robot; when a row of unit areas exist in the ranging area on the premise that the number of the unit areas included in the ranging area is even, the average value of the effective distances corresponding to the two middle unit areas in the ranging area.
5. The robot obstacle finding method according to claim 1, wherein if the number of rows of unit areas distributed in the detection area is an odd number, in a vertical direction, a nearest row of unit areas from the center of the detection area is a middle row of unit areas in the detection area, and the robot marks the middle row of unit areas in the detection area as a ranging area; if the number of lines of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is even, in the vertical direction, a line of unit areas closest to the center of the detection area comprises two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle of the detection area, and the robot marks one line of unit areas in the two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle or the two adjacent lines of unit areas in the middle as a distance measurement area; the cell area of the middle row is the ranging area.
6. The method for finding an obstacle according to claim 5, wherein in a walking process of the robot, if it is detected that the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the leftmost side of the ranging area are all within a preset distance range or the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center to the leftmost side of the ranging area are all within a preset distance range, it is determined that an obstacle exists in the front left of the robot, and then it is detected that the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas on the rightmost side of the ranging area are greater than the effective distances corresponding to any one of the remaining unit areas within the ranging area or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, it is determined that a passable area exists in the front right of the robot;
in the walking process of the robot, if the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the leftmost side to the rightmost side of the ranging area are detected to be in a preset distance range or the change values of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center to the rightmost side of the ranging area are detected to be in a preset distance range, the existence of an obstacle in the right front of the robot is determined, and then the existence of a passable area in the left front of the robot is determined when the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas at the leftmost side of the ranging area are detected to be larger than the effective distances corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the leftmost side to the center of the ranging area are detected to be sequentially reduced.
7. The method for finding an obstacle according to claim 5, wherein in the course of walking of the robot, if it is detected that the decrease amounts of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas on both sides of the ranging area are both within a preset distance range, it is determined that an obstacle exists in front of the robot;
on the premise that the effective distance corresponding to the unit area at the rightmost side of the ranging area is larger than the effective distance corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area and/or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the rightmost side to the center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, if the reduction of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center of the ranging area to the leftmost side is detected to be in a preset distance range, determining that an obstacle exists at the left front of the robot and a passable area which is not occupied by the same obstacle exists at the right front of the robot;
on the premise that the effective distance corresponding to the leftmost unit area of the ranging area is larger than the effective distance corresponding to any one of the rest unit areas in the ranging area and/or the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the leftmost side to the center of the ranging area are sequentially reduced, if the reduction of the effective distances corresponding to the unit areas distributed from the center of the ranging area to the rightmost side is detected to be in a preset distance range, determining that an obstacle exists in the right front of the robot and a passable area which is not occupied by the same obstacle exists in the left front of the robot;
Wherein all or part of the contour of the obstacle present in front of the robot is within the view angle range of the TOF module.
8. The method for finding obstacles by using a robot according to claim 5, wherein in the light receiving surface of the TOF module, a deflection angle between two adjacent unit areas is a preset fixed angle, and the angle represents an included angle between a reference point corresponding to the two adjacent unit areas and a connecting line of a center of a body of the robot; each unit area is configured to correspond to one reference point, the effective distance corresponding to each unit area is used for representing the distance between the reference point corresponding to the unit area and the robot, and the effective distance corresponding to each unit area is represented as the effective distance of the corresponding reference point; the unit areas distributed in the detection area are uniformly distributed on the light receiving surface of the TOF module.
9. The method for searching for an obstacle by a robot according to claim 8, wherein the center of the detection area is located at the center of the light receiving surface of the TOF module, and the unit areas distributed in the detection area are symmetrically arranged with respect to the center of the light receiving surface of the TOF module;
the TOF module is arranged along the central axis of the robot, the central line of the TOF module is perpendicular to the light receiving surface of the TOF module and passes through the center of the detection area, and the current walking direction of the robot is parallel to the central axis of the robot;
The number of rows of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is configured to be at least three rows, and the number of columns of the unit areas distributed in the detection area is configured to be at least three columns.
10. A chip for storing a program, characterized in that the program is configured to execute the method of the robot obstacle finding method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.
11. A robot equipped with a main control chip, characterized in that the main control chip is the chip of claim 10, wherein the TOF module is mounted at the front end of the robot body, and the central axis of the robot is perpendicular to the light receiving surface of the TOF module.
CN202210814105.5A 2022-07-12 2022-07-12 Robot obstacle searching method based on TOF module, chip and robot Pending CN117434935A (en)

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