JPH11272328A - Color mark, moving robot and method for guiding moving robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide color marks capable of displaying various information by limited kinds of colors, to provide a moving robot capable of autonomously traveling while referring to color marks and to provide a moving robot guiding method utilizing the color marks. SOLUTION: Color marks allowing place information to correspond to two-dimensional arrangement of red, blue and green colors are arranged on plural places. A central processing part 13 in a moving robot 10 allows a mobile object 16 to travel through a mobile object drive control part 15. Peripheral images are picked up by a color CCD camera 11 fitted to the mobile object 16. The robot 10 controls the image pickup direction of the camera 11 fitted to the mobile object 16 through a camera drive control part 14 to search/track color marks. An image processing part 12 detects the color arrangement of each color mark and recognizes place information based on the detected color arrangement. The center processing part 13 refers to the place information recognized based on the color mark and moves the mobile object 16 until the color mark of an objective place is detected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention provides information such as location and position, command information, and the like based on a combination of a plurality of colors to a robot or an automatic carrier equipped with an imaging device and an image processor. And a mobile robot that autonomously travels while referring to the color marker, and a method of guiding the mobile robot using the color marker.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-36409 discloses a vehicle which displays a line at an intersection in a different color for each line that branches and joins at an intersection, and detects the line based on the color. There is described a guidance device for an optical guidance type mobile vehicle that enables a vehicle to pass through an intersection smoothly.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-64784 discloses a technique of extracting a region of a recognition target object in an input image based on color knowledge, extracting a line segment existing in the region, and extracting a reference line segment. There is described an environment recognition device that can perform more accurate environment recognition by matching with a pattern. This environment recognition device is configured as follows. The surrounding environment is supplied to the color image processing device as an RGB image by an image input device attached to the robot, and is converted into a hue image. Based on the color knowledge in the knowledge database, a candidate region including an object of the same color as the object to be recognized is extracted by the region extraction device, and the candidate region is labeled by the rank labeling device in ascending order of the distance to the region. Line segments are extracted using a line segment extraction device based on the extracted region,
The contour line correspondence device associates only the reference line segment pattern with the contour line. The scale conversion device performs scale conversion, corrects the position conversion by the position conversion device, and performs matching with the reference line segment pattern by the matching device to perform accurate environment recognition.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 2-78000 describes a device which recognizes a road sign and assists driving of a vehicle. When selecting a road sign candidate in image information based on color tone, an absolute color tone at a certain point is identified, and a color distribution within a certain area is identified as a fixed combination of two or three colors. It is described that the recognition accuracy is thereby improved.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-354490 discloses that a specific color (for example, one of the three primary colors) is specified as a target to be captured by a video camera, thereby detecting a specific color from an image. An auto-tracking video photographing device is described in which an area of an image in which a specific color is present is determined, and a turntable of a video camera is drive-controlled so that the specific color falls within a predetermined area. ing.

[0006] JP-A-6-42920 discloses a simple
There has been proposed a three-dimensional position locating device capable of performing high-speed and high-precision position locating. This three-dimensional position locating device sets a polyhedron-shaped mark whose side is color-coded on an object to be located, captures images with two television cameras, and determines the positions and positions of the marks in the imaging range of each television camera. It is configured to calculate three-dimensional coordinates for the mark by triangulation based on the color of the mark side surface.

[0007] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-294862 discloses that a sign displayed on a road surface is detected by a camera, the luminance distribution of this image is processed by an image processing device to determine the position of the sign, and based on the identification, In the guidance sign image processing type traveling device that guides the traveling device along the sign, the sign displayed on the road surface has a low luminance with respect to the road surface and a color (for example, black) having a large luminance difference with the road surface, There is described a guide sign image processing type traveling apparatus in which an image becomes clear when a photograph is taken by a camera and image processing is performed, measurement accuracy is improved, and occurrence of malfunction is prevented.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-210247 discloses a method of detecting a position by image processing, which makes it possible to obtain an image in which a target portion is clearly displayed even if the setting of conditions for photographing a subject is poor. Markers have been proposed.
The position marker can be attached to and detached from the target portion of the subject, and in the attached state, the marker body is constituted by a shaft portion whose axis center coincides with the center of the target portion and a head integrally formed therewith. ing. The marker body is provided with a plane perpendicular to the center of the shaft and exposed above the head, and a mark indicating the center position of the shaft on the plane is different from the top surface (white) of the head. Colored (black).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-213753 proposes a robot device which can be connected to a personal computer or the like and which can be turned or moved at its own discretion by a simple instruction of a user. I have. The robot apparatus includes a traveling unit that causes the robot apparatus to travel, an imaging unit that captures an image of an object, an image processing unit that extracts a feature amount such as a color, a size, a shape, and a distance to an obstacle of the object. A memory means for storing, a calculating means for sequentially executing a program, a readable and writable nonvolatile memory means for storing learning contents, a voice synthesizing means for outputting recognition information and the like by voice, a voice output means, and communication with a personal computer. Communication means. In this robot device, when the user calls the name of the robot, the robot recognizes that the name of the robot itself has been called by voice recognition, replies "high" by voice synthesis, and in the direction of arrival of the voice, Change the direction and rotate the robot until the image extraction processing camera extracts the flesh-colored object.When the flesh-colored object comes to the center line of the screen in the captured image, stop the rotation and advance toward the flesh-colored object Then, the vehicle can be stopped where the distance is near zero. That is, the robot approaches when the robot's name is called.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 8-126981 describes an image measurement position recognition method in a robot system capable of automatically searching for a target and performing work even when the target cannot be found due to an error. Have been. This image measurement position recognition method is configured as follows. A section is provided on the work target surface of the robot by dividing the work target surface in a plurality of colors. The control means is a storage means for storing all the arrangement information of the section, and a detection for obtaining the position of the field of view of the image sensor from the arrangement information and detecting the positional relationship between the obtained field of view position and the section where the target is located. Means. The control means moves the field of view of the image sensor to the section where the target object exists, based on the positional relationship.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-261830 discloses a block subspace method which is used in an image processing apparatus such as a robot or an automatic transporter and which can simultaneously identify the color and shape of an identification object with a simple configuration. A method for simultaneously identifying the colors and shapes used is described. In this synchronization identification method, identification is performed in the following procedure. An inner product of the image on the screen to be identified and the spatial filter previously obtained by the blocking subspace method of the learning sample image is obtained for each block, and the pattern in the image is identified. The identification target is a natural light object, an object irradiated with white light, or an image displayed on a spatial light modulator. The light from these objects or the light that has passed through the spatial light modulator is dispersed by a light dispersion element to form an image on a screen, and is input to an arithmetic processing unit via a light receiver to perform identification. The combination of the two spatial filters makes it possible to identify groups having different colors and shapes.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-44246 discloses a substrate having a surface divided into a plurality of regions distinguished by physical characteristics such as colors, a moving body moving along the surface of the substrate, and a moving body moving along the surface of the substrate. An area determining unit provided at the bottom of the body or the like for identifying a color, for example, a color, and causing the moving body to execute a predetermined operation predetermined for the color based on the color determined by the area determining unit. And a control unit for controlling the driving mechanism of the moving body in accordance with the operation command signal input from the operating means, so that the moving body on the board Describes a remote control device capable of causing a moving body to execute various kinds of operations.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-322178 discloses an automatic tracking system in which a plurality of colors constituting a surface portion of a subject are preset as extracted colors so that the subject to be automatically tracked can be stably recognized. A method of recognizing a subject in a photographing camera system is described.

[0014]

There have been proposed various techniques using colors to give landmarks (marks) such as position information to mobile robot devices and the like and to give commands. However, in the related art, one specific color is associated with one piece of position information, or one color is associated with one command. For this reason, when trying to give a lot of position information and a lot of commands to a robot device or the like, many kinds of colors are required in accordance with the number of positions and the number of commands. However, as the types of colors increase, image processing for identifying a plurality of colors becomes complicated. Further, when the color tone changes depending on the type of the illumination light, there is a high possibility that the color is erroneously recognized. It is conceivable to give various kinds of position information and various kinds of commands by combining colors and shapes, but there is a problem that image processing becomes complicated to recognize the shape.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a color marker capable of displaying various kinds of information in a limited number of colors. It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile robot that travels autonomously while referring to a color marker and a method for guiding the mobile robot using the color marker.

[0016]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a color marker in which a limited number of colors are two-dimensionally arranged and specific information corresponds to the two-dimensional arrangement of colors. It is characterized by having made it.

The color marker according to claim 2 is n (n is an integer)
It is characterized in that two kinds of colors are arranged two-dimensionally for each color, and specific information is made to correspond to the two-dimensional arrangement of n kinds of colors.

The color marker according to claim 3 is n (n is an integer)
It is characterized in that horizontal and vertical positions are arranged at different positions, and specific information is made to correspond to the two-dimensional arrangement of n types of colors.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile robot that searches for and tracks a color marker displaying specific information based on a two-dimensional arrangement of colors, A color marker decoding unit for decoding specific information based on the dimensional arrangement, and a control unit for controlling the next action with reference to the decoded specific information are provided.

It is desirable that the color marker image pickup section is configured to search for and track a specific color displayed on the color marker.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for guiding a mobile robot, wherein color markers in which a plurality of colors are arranged two-dimensionally are set at a plurality of locations as landmarks indicating locations to the mobile robot. The mobile robot can autonomously travel by searching for and tracking a color marker and recognizing a location based on the color marker.

The color marker according to the present invention can display position information for guiding a robot, for example, based on a two-dimensional arrangement of three colors (red, green, blue, etc.). Since the robot can recognize the position information and the like only by recognizing the arrangement relation of each color, the processing such as the shape recognition is unnecessary, the image processing becomes easy, and the image processing can be performed in a short time. . Also, by searching and tracking a specific color included in the color marker, the color marker can be easily searched and tracked.

The mobile robot and the method of guiding the mobile robot according to the present invention can make the mobile robot recognize the location by using the color marker, so that the mobile robot can be guided. Further, since the color marker is a two-dimensional arrangement of a plurality of colors, it is easy to create the color marker and to install the color marker.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of an embodiment of a color marker according to the present invention. A color marker 1 shown in FIG. 1 has three color marks R,
G and B are arranged. Note that each color mark may be directly arranged on a wall surface, a machine, an instrument, a fixture, or the like without using the base 2. In the present embodiment, three colors of red, green, and blue are used for the three color marks R, G, and B. The color of each mark may be another color. In the present embodiment, the shape of each mark R, G, B is a circle. In addition, each mark R,
The shapes of G and B may be arbitrarily shapes such as a square. The base 2 has a ground color other than red, green, and blue (eg, white, black, etc.).
And

In this embodiment, each color mark R, G, B
Are two-dimensionally arranged such that the position in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) and the position in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction) are different from each other. It is assumed that only one color can be arranged. Under such conditions, there are six combinations of color arrangements in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) (factorial of 3) and in the vertical direction (Y
There are also six combinations (factorial of 3) of color arrangements in the axial direction). Therefore, using three color marks R, G, and B,
Six (3 factorials x 3 factorials) types of signs can be created.

FIG. 2 shows the color arrangement of the color markers shown in FIG.
FIG. In FIG. 2, the numbers are for distinguishing each color arrangement.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a mobile robot according to the present invention. Mobile robot 10 according to the present invention
Is a color CCD camera 11 as a color marker imaging unit,
It comprises an image processing section 12 as a color marker decoding section, a central processing section 13 as a control section, a camera drive control section 14, a moving body drive control section 15, and a moving body 16.

The moving body 16 is provided with running means such as running wheels and the like. The moving body 16 is moved forward, backward, and changes direction based on a running command from the moving body drive control unit 15 so that the moving body 16 can be arbitrarily set. Move in the direction. Moving body drive control unit 15
Controls the moving direction and the moving speed of the moving body 16 based on the moving command supplied from the central processing unit 13. In addition, in a robot or the like for transporting articles, the moving body 16 may be provided with a robot hand or the like.

The color CCD camera 11 includes a moving body 16
, For example, at the top. Color CCD camera 11
Is provided with a mechanism for swinging the color CCD camera 11 up and down and left and right. The camera drive control unit 14 searches and tracks a color marker by driving the color CCD camera 11 up, down, left, and right based on a command from the central processing unit 13. Note that the color CCD camera 11 may be configured to include a zoom mechanism.

The image processing unit 12 is provided with the color marker 1 shown in FIG.
When the specific color (for example, red) used in is detected, the coordinate data of the specific color (red) position in the captured image is supplied to the central processing unit 13. The central processing unit 13 issues a command for designating an imaging direction based on the coordinate data of the specific color (red) position supplied from the image processing unit 12 so that the specific color (red) is substantially at the center of the imaging screen. The control signal is supplied to the camera drive control unit 14 to control the color CCD camera 11 to track a specific color (red).

When the number of pixels for which the specific color (red) has been detected does not reach the predetermined number, the image processing unit 12 supplies information indicating that the distance to the color marker is long to the central processing unit 13. When the central processing unit 13 is supplied with information indicating that the distance to the color marker is long, the central processing unit 13 supplies a command to move in the direction in which the color marker is present to the mobile unit drive control unit 15 and the mobile unit 1
6 is moved in the direction of the color marker. Thereby, the color C
As the distance between the CD camera 11 and the color marker is reduced, the color marker can be imaged with a sufficient size. When the color CCD camera 11 includes a zoom mechanism, the zoom mechanism may be driven to adjust the zoom magnification so that the color marker can be captured with a sufficient size. By providing the zoom mechanism, it is possible to image the color markers installed in more places without moving the moving body 16.

In the image processing section 12, the number of pixels for which a specific color (red) has been detected has reached a predetermined number, and three color marks R, G, and B constituting a color marker are imaged. When this is detected, the position of each color mark R, G, B in the image is obtained, and the number of the color marker is obtained based on the positional relationship (planar arrangement) of each color mark. Then, the number data of the detected color marker is supplied to the central processing unit 13.

The central processing unit 13 recognizes the location information indicated by the color marker based on the color marker number supplied from the image processing unit 12. When a color marker corresponding to the target (target) location is detected, the central processing unit 13
The moving body 16 is moved so as to approach the color marker. When a color marker other than a target (target) location is detected, the central processing unit 13 moves the imaging direction of the color CCD camera 11 to another direction via the camera drive control unit 14,
A search is made for another color marker at the location where the moving object 16 is currently located.
When another color marker is detected, the central processing unit 13 moves the moving body 16 in a direction in which the color marker exists. In this way, while repeatedly searching for color markers and obtaining location information based on the detected color markers, the movement of the moving body 16 and the search for color markers are repeated until the target location is reached.

The central processing unit 13 may learn and store the moving route of the moving body 16 and the number of the detected color marker. As a result of the learning, when data of each color marker and its installation location are accumulated, the moving body 16 is moved in a target direction based on the accumulated data, and search and tracking of the color marker are performed. , You can reach the target location accurately.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the image processing unit. When the image processing unit 12 captures an image captured by the color CCD camera 11 (step S1),
The captured image is divided into predetermined regions, and a red component, a blue component, and a green component (R, G, and B values) are obtained for each region (step S2). Specifically, the color CCD camera 11 captures an image of 256 pixels horizontally and 128 pixels vertically and averages the image to generate an image composed of 64 pixels vertically and 32 pixels horizontally. Red component, blue component, green component (R, G, B values) of each pixel
Is represented by 8 bits (256 gradations).

The image processing section 12 compares the R, G, and B values of each of the 64 vertical pixels and 32 horizontal pixels with a preset judgment threshold value for each color, and determines red coordinates xr, yr and blue coordinates. xb,
yb and green coordinates xg, yg are obtained (step S3). If the three colors of red, blue and green cannot be detected in the image, the image processing unit 12 supplies the color marker undetected information to the central processing unit 13 and
Is moved. Further, even when three colors of red, blue and green are detected in the image, if the number of pixels in which each color is detected is smaller than the preset minimum pixel, the image processing unit 12 sets the color marker. Is supplied to the central processing unit 13, and the moving body 16 is moved so that the color CCD camera 11 can reliably capture the color marker.

The image processing unit 12 calculates each coordinate x of red, blue, and green.
The number of the color marker is obtained based on r, yr, xb, yb, xg, yg and the color marker determination inequality shown in FIG. 5 (step S4). Then, the image processing unit 12 includes the central processing unit 1
Based on the data request from No. 3, the coordinates xr, yr of the red (red mark) and the number of the recognized color marker are supplied to the central processing unit 13 (step S5).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the central processing unit. Here, an operation in which the mobile robot 1 tours a plurality of locations displayed with color markers as landmarks in a designated order is shown. First, a color marker number (landmark number) is taught to the central processing unit 13 in the order of circulation (step S11). Central processing unit 13
First recognizes the color marker number (landmark number) of the place to be visited (step S12) and starts the color marker search operation (step S13). In this color marker search operation, the central processing unit 13 moves the imaging direction of the color CCD camera 11 via the camera movement control unit 14.
When the red (red mark) coordinates xr and yr are supplied from the image processing unit 12, the imaging direction of the color CCD camera 11 is controlled so that the red (red mark) is located at the center of the screen. If information indicating that the distance from the color CCD camera 11 to the color marker is long is supplied, the color C
After changing the direction of the moving body 16 so that the imaging direction of the CD camera 11 and the front direction of the moving body 16 match, the moving body 16 is moved forward to approach the color marker.

When the color mark is recognized by the image processing unit 12 and the number of the color mark is supplied, the central processing unit 13 determines whether the detected color mark number matches the number of the target place. A determination is made (step S14). When a color marker at a target place is detected, the central processing unit 13 issues a command to approach the color marker (step S15).
This means that you have reached the first patrol place.
Next, the central processing unit 13 checks whether or not there is a next patrol destination (step S16). If there is a next patrol destination, the central processing unit 13 sets the next patrol destination (step S17).
The search for a color marker is started (step S13). When reaching the final patrol destination, a series of patrol operations ends.
In addition, you may make it return to a start point after reaching the last patrol destination.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a traveling operation of the mobile robot. As shown in FIG. 7A, the mobile robot 1
The color marker numbers (landmark numbers) are taught in the order of circulating with respect to 0. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 17 denotes a robot hand, and reference numerals 11 and 18 denote monitoring cameras for detecting an obstacle in the traveling direction of the moving body and for monitoring the operation of the robot hand. Mobile robot 1
A value of 0 starts the search for the first color marker (landmark) when the tour order is specified.

Then, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), the mobile robot 10 finds the first color mark of the patrol destination and approaches the color mark. When reaching the first patrol destination, the mobile robot 10 changes the direction (rotates) on the spot, as shown in FIG. 7C, and searches for a color marker of the next patrol destination.
The mobile robot 10 moves while avoiding obstacles and the like, and as shown in FIG. 7D, when it finds the next color marker at the next patrol destination, approaches the color marker. Then, as shown in FIG. 7 (f) via the FIG. 7 (d), while repeatedly searching for the color marker and approaching the color marker, the designated tour destinations are sequentially visited, and the final tour destination is visited. Reach to.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing an example of guidance and operation of a mobile robot. Here, an operation of designating a location to the mobile robot 10 and taking a ball of a designated color from the designated location is shown. As shown in FIG. 8A, the mobile robot 10 is instructed on the location and the color of the ball.
When the mobile robot 10 includes a voice recognition device, the location and the color of the ball may be instructed by voice. When the mobile robot 10 has a keyboard for inputting commands, the keyboard and the like for inputting commands may be used to indicate the location and the color of the ball. When the mobile robot 10 is given a work instruction, the mobile robot 10 starts moving from FIG.
As shown in (e), the movement is repeated while searching for a color marker (landmark) until a designated place is detected. When reaching the designated place, as shown in FIG.
The mobile robot 10 grabs the ball of the color specified by the robot hand 17. Then, the mobile robot 10 returns to the original place (the place where the command was received), and hands the ball to the human as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, a color marker in which a plurality of colors are two-dimensionally arranged is set as a landmark indicating a place to the mobile robot 10 at a plurality of places, so that the mobile robot 10 can move. The robot searches for and tracks a color marker with a television camera and recognizes a location based on the color marker, thereby enabling the mobile robot 10 to autonomously travel and guiding the mobile robot to a target location.

The mobile robot 10 is provided with a voice synthesizer. When the mobile robot 10 detects the color marker 1 and recognizes the number of the color marker 1, the mobile robot 10 recognizes the color marker 1 through the voice synthesizer. The number may be displayed by voice. When the mobile robot 10 displays the number of the color marker 1 by voice, the administrator of the mobile robot 10 can confirm that the mobile robot 10 correctly recognizes the color marker.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing another specific example of the color marker according to the present invention. The color mark 21 shown in FIG. 9 has a color mark (center position mark) 22 indicating the center position substantially at the center of the base 2 such as paper or board, and the center mark 2.
Color mark (reference position mark) indicating the reference position on the top of 2
23, and further, right, below,
Color marks (information display marks) 24, 25, and 26 for displaying information are arranged on each of the left sides. The ground color of the base 2 is, for example, white. The center position mark 22 is, for example, red. The reference position mark 23 is, for example, black. Each information display mark 24, 25, 26
For example, the color is blue or green. 27 types of information are displayed depending on whether the color of each information display mark arranged on the right, below, and left of the center position mark 22 is blue, green, or none (white, which is the ground color of the base 2). Can be displayed.

The mobile robot 10 processes the image of the color marker 21 picked up by the color CCD camera 11 to display the information display marks 25, 26, 27 located on the right, below, and left of the center position mark 22. The color is detected, and the location information and the command information are recognized from the combination of the colors of the information display marks 25, 26, and 27. Since the color marker 21 shown in FIG. 9 includes the center position mark 22, the color (for example, red) specified as the center position mark 22 is tracked by the color CCD camera 11 so that the color marker 21 The center can be accurately tracked. Further, since the reference position mark 23 is provided, each of the information display marks 24, 25, and 26 arranged at an angle of 90 degrees from the reference position mark 23 is provided.
By recognizing the color of each information display mark 24, 25,
26 can be accurately detected. Therefore, even if the color marker 21 is installed at an angle or the color marker is installed upside down, the information suggested by the color marker 21 can be accurately recognized. Similarly, when the mobile robot 10 is traveling on an inclined road and the captured image is inclined, the information suggested by the color marker can be accurately recognized.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing another specific example of the color marker according to the present invention. The color marker 31 shown in FIG.
A color mark (central position mark) 32 indicating a central position is disposed substantially at the center of the base 2 such as paper or board, and a color mark (reference position mark) 33 indicating a reference position is disposed above the central position mark 32. , And seven information display marks 34 to 45 at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the center position mark 32.
40 are arranged. The ground color of the base 2 is, for example, white. The center position mark 22 is, for example, red. The reference position mark 23 is, for example, black.
Each of the information display marks 34 to 40 is, for example, blue or green. In the color marker 31 shown in FIG. 10, since the information display marks 34 to 40 each having a color of either blue or green correspond to 7 bits, it is possible to display 128 kinds of place information and command information.

9 and 10, the reference position mark 2
Although the example in which the reference marks 3 and 33 are arranged above the center position marks 22 and 32 has been described, the position where the reference position marks 23 and 33 are provided may be arbitrary. In addition, the reference position marks 23 and 33 have two colors, for example, black and yellow.
When the color of the reference position marks 23 and 33 is yellow, when the color of the reference position marks 23 and 33 is yellow, the work content, the right turn, the left turn,
It may be a color marker that displays command information for displaying route information such as straight traveling and information such as traveling speed restriction.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing still another specific example of the color marker according to the present invention. The color marker 41 shown in FIG.
Divides a rectangular base 2 such as a square into nine regions,
The center area is defined as a center position mark 42, a center position mark 4
The upper part of 2 is a reference position mark 43, and the other seven areas are information display marks 44 to 50. The center position mark 42 is red. The reference position mark 43 is black or white. When black, the color mark indicates a location. When white, the color mark indicates command information. The seven information display marks 44 to 50 are blue or green. In addition, the ground color (for example, white, yellow, or the like) of the base 2 is made to appear between the regions in order to clarify the division of each region. A white band or the like may be arranged between the regions.

When the mobile robot 10 detects a red area in the image captured by the color CCD camera 11, the mobile robot 10 controls the image capturing direction of the color CCD camera 11 so that the red area is substantially at the center of the captured image. After that, a red center position mark 42 and a black or white reference position mark 43
, The colors of the other seven areas are respectively detected to recognize the information indicated by the color markers 41. In the color marker 41 shown in FIG. 11, when the color of the reference position mark 43 is, for example, black, 128 types of location information are combined by combining the colors of the seven information marks 44 to 50.
If the color of the reference position mark 43 is, for example, white, the mobile robot 10 can recognize 128 types of command information by combining the colors of the seven information marks 44 to 50. In addition, each information mark 44-50
In addition, by using colors for three systems such as blue, green, and purple, more types of information may be identified.

[0051]

As described above, the color marker according to the present invention associates specific information with a two-dimensional arrangement of a limited number of colors, so that the robot only recognizes the arrangement relationship of each color. Can recognize position information, command information, and the like. Therefore, processing such as shape recognition is unnecessary, and image processing is facilitated, and image processing can be performed in a short time. In addition, search for a specific color included in the color marker
By tracking, the color marker can be easily searched and tracked.

According to the mobile robot and the method for guiding the same according to the present invention, the mobile robot can be made to recognize the location by using the color marker, so that the mobile robot can be guided. Further, since the color marker is a two-dimensional arrangement of a plurality of colors, it is easy to create the color marker and to install the color marker.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of an embodiment of a color marker according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the color arrangement (36 types in total) of the color markers shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a mobile robot according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of an image processing unit;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of a color marker judgment inequality

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of a central processing unit;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a traveling operation of a mobile robot.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of guidance and work of a mobile robot.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing another specific example of the color marker according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing another specific example of the color marker according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing still another specific example of the color marker according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 21, 31, 41: color markers, 2: base, 10: mobile robot, 11: color CCD constituting a color marker imaging unit
Camera, 12 ... Image processing unit constituting a color marker decoding unit, 3
... Central processing unit constituting a control unit, 11 ... Camera drive control unit, 15 ... Movable body drive control unit, 16 ... Movable body, 22,3
2, 42: center position mark, 23, 33, 43: reference position mark, 24 to 26, 34 to 40, 44 to 50: information display mark, R, G, B: color mark.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A method for arranging a limited number of colors two-dimensionally.
A color marker wherein specific information is made to correspond to a two-dimensional arrangement of colors. 2. Each of n (where n is an integer) kinds of colors is
A color marker which is arranged in a two-dimensional manner, and specific information is made to correspond to a two-dimensional arrangement of n kinds of colors. 3. A method in which n (n is an integer) colors are arranged at positions where the horizontal position and the vertical position are different from each other, and specific information is made to correspond to the two-dimensional arrangement of the n colors. Color sign. 4. A color marker image pickup unit for searching for and tracking a color marker displaying specific information based on a two-dimensional arrangement of colors, and specifying the color marker based on a two-dimensional arrangement of colors of the imaged color markers. A mobile robot, comprising: a color marker decoding unit for decoding information of a color; and a control unit for controlling the next action with reference to the decoded specific information. 5. The mobile robot according to claim 4, wherein the color marker imaging unit searches for and tracks a specific color displayed on the color marker. 6. A color marker in which a plurality of colors are two-dimensionally arranged is set at a plurality of locations as landmarks indicating a location to a mobile robot, and the mobile robot searches for and tracks the color markers with a television camera. A method for guiding a mobile robot, wherein the mobile robot can autonomously travel by recognizing a location based on a color marker.