TW202217241A - Floor positioning and map construction system and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A floor positioning and map construction system includes a camera, an autonomous robot and a communication device. The camera is set on a floor. The autonomous robot is used to issue a floor map request. The communication device is connected to the camera. When the autonomous robot appears on the floor where the camera is located, the communication device receives the floor map request, and the communication device notifies a floor map index of the floor where the autonomous robot is located.

Description

Floor positioning and map construction system and method

The present invention relates to a positioning system, and more particularly, to a floor positioning and map building system and method thereof.

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system has been widely used in sweeping robots, unmanned trucks and self-propelled robots. Plan your own path and flexibly change the path. Generally speaking, the sweeping robot uses a light ranging device (or a lidar device) or a high-level depth camera to perform synchronous positioning and map construction. The constructed map will be stored in the scanning robot's database. After the sweeping robot is turned on next time, It can be used directly without rebuilding the map. In addition, the optical ranging device can scan the spatial configuration, and then compare the previously established map to know the coordinates of the sweeping robot.

However, in the application of SLAM systems across floors, there are often situations where multiple floors share a sweeping robot. When the scanning robot is shut down and moved away from the original floor, due to different floors and different room configurations, the scanning robot needs to Rescan the environment to determine which floor is currently on. Even if different floors have the same room layout, but the placement of items is different, it will result in different judgment results. Therefore, it is necessary to propose ways to improve the bottlenecks and difficulties encountered in the application of SLAM systems across floors.

The invention relates to a floor positioning and map construction system, which is used to detect the floor where an autonomous robot is located, so as to facilitate the floor positioning and map construction.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a floor positioning and map construction system is provided, which includes a camera, an autonomous robot, and a communication device. The camera is set on the first floor. The autonomous robot is used to issue a floor map request. The communication device is connected to the camera, wherein when the autonomous robot appears on the floor where the camera is located, the communication device receives a floor map request, and the communication device notifies a floor map index of the floor where the autonomous robot is located.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a floor positioning and map construction system is provided, which includes at least one camera, an autonomous robot, and a communication device. The camera is set on a floor to broadcast a floor message. The communication device is connected to the camera, wherein when the autonomous robot appears on the floor where the camera is located, the communication device notifies the floor information of the floor where the autonomous robot is located.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a method for floor positioning and map construction is provided, which includes the following steps. Set up a camera on a floor. The autonomous robot sends a floor map request or the camera sends a floor message. When the autonomous robot appears on the floor where the camera is located, the autonomous robot receives a floor map index or floor information to obtain a floor map of the floor where the autonomous robot is located. The camera captures an image of the autonomous robot and recognizes at least one identification part of the autonomous robot to generate an image positioning information of the autonomous robot. The autonomous robot detects a coordinate position of the autonomous robot on the floor according to the floor map and the image positioning information generated by the camera, and generates a planned path.

In order to have a better understanding of the above-mentioned and other aspects of the present invention, the following specific examples are given and described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings as follows:

The following examples are provided for detailed description, and the examples are only used as examples to illustrate, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In the following, the same/similar symbols are used to represent the same/similar elements for description. The directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, such as: up, down, left, right, front or rear, etc., only refer to the directions of the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, the directional terms used are illustrative and not limiting of the present invention. first embodiment

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a schematic diagram of a floor positioning and map construction system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the floor positioning and map construction system 10 includes a camera 20 , an autonomous robot 30 and a communication device 40 . The camera 20 is installed on a floor, for example, on the ceiling or the wall of each floor of the building. The autonomous robot 30 is used for sending a floor map request or receiving a floor message broadcast by the camera 20 to confirm the floor where the autonomous robot 30 is located. The communication device 40 is connected to the camera 20, and the communication device 40 can notify a floor map index of the floor where the autonomous robot 30 is located. For example, data transmission is performed between the communication device 40 and the autonomous robot 30 through a wireless local area network or a Bluetooth communication protocol.

In one embodiment, the camera 20 provides image positioning information and floor map index information to the autonomous robot 30, so that the autonomous robot 30 can quickly know the floor and location of the autonomous robot 30, so as to facilitate the autonomous robot 30 to locate and construct a map.

The autonomous robot 30 can be any mobile device with autonomous movement capability and navigation function, such as a cleaning robot or an unmanned guided vehicle, which can move at will or according to a predetermined route, and has the functions of positioning and mapping. For example, please refer to FIG. 1 , the autonomous robot 30 includes at least one recognition part 32 , and the camera 20 captures the image of the autonomous robot 30 and recognizes the at least one recognition part 32 .

The identification portion 32 is, for example, a light-emitting element or a recognizable pattern. The number of the light-emitting element or the recognizable pattern can be multiple, and each light-emitting element or each recognizable pattern is oriented in different directions, so that the camera 20 can capture it from different angles. The image of the recognition unit 32 is acquired.

In one embodiment, the light-emitting element emits a light signal with an identification code, such as a visible light signal or an infrared light signal, and the camera 20 can capture the light signal and identify the identification code. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the identifiable pattern is a pattern with an identification code, such as a QR code, a two-dimensional barcode or a geometric pattern. The camera 20 captures the identifiable pattern and recognizes the identification code. That is to say, when the autonomous robot 30 appears within a visible range of the floor where the camera 20 is located, the camera 20 can identify which autonomous robot 30 is based on the identification code, and record the identification code of the autonomous robot 30 to For the next time the autonomous robot 30 appears on the floor, the first floor map of the floor where the camera 20 is located can be directly obtained, without the need to obtain the floor map through pre-scanning.

In one embodiment, the number of autonomous robots 30 may be multiple, and each autonomous robot 30 has its own identification code for the camera 20 to recognize. When multiple autonomous robots 30 appear on the same floor, the camera 20 can record information such as the identification code of each autonomous robot 30 and the floor map index related to each identification code, without pre-scanning.

The autonomous robot 30 may include one or more sensors, processors, storage devices, navigation modules, moving components, and the like. The sensor can be any sensor that can be used to detect the relative distance and orientation between objects or other obstacles in the environment where the autonomous robot 30 is located and the autonomous robot 30, such as Lidar, image sensor sensor (such as depth camera), ultrasonic (Ultrasound) sensor, laser (Laser) sensor, infrared sensor, electronic compass (Electronic Compass), gyroscope (Gyroscope) or a combination of the foregoing components, However, the present invention is not limited to this.

The navigation module can perform a path planning according to the current position of the autonomous robot 30 and a destination, and then obtain a planned path. The processor can control the navigation module to perform a navigation, so that the autonomous robot 30 can proceed to the destination according to the planned path. . In some embodiments, the navigation module may further include a global planner and a local planner for generating a planned path to the destination and suitable for obstacle avoidance for navigation. The global planner is responsible for planning the best global path from the autonomous robot 30 to the designated location, and the local planner is responsible for obtaining the surrounding information of the environment according to the sensing results of the sensors, and cooperates with the global planner (global planner). planner) to plan the best local path and perform dynamic obstacle avoidance operations. That is to say, the navigation module can plan a global path from the current position to the specified location through the global planner, and generate local paths through dynamic obstacle avoidance through the regional planner to avoid obstacles in the planned global path. to complete the navigation.

In one embodiment, when the camera 20 captures the image of the autonomous robot 30 and recognizes at least one recognition part 32 of the autonomous robot 30, the camera 20 can also generate an image positioning information of the autonomous robot 30 through image processing and recognition, In order to know the position of the autonomous robot 30 on the floor. In addition, the camera 20 can also record the walking trajectory of the autonomous robot 30 and the navigation path returned by the autonomous robot 30 every time it is detected for further comparison.

In one embodiment, the autonomous robot 30 can detect a coordinate position of the floor where the autonomous robot 30 is located according to the floor map and the image positioning information generated by the camera 20 , and generate a planned path to complete floor positioning and mapping. Second Embodiment

Please refer to FIG. 2 , which is a schematic diagram of a floor positioning and map building system 11 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The system 11 includes one or more cameras 21 - 23 , an autonomous robot 30 and a communication device 40 . The communication device 40 can be connected to a plurality of cameras 21-23 at the same time, and respectively notify the floor information of the floor where the autonomous robot 30 is located. The communication device 40 and the respective main robot 30 carry out data such as wireless LAN or Bluetooth communication protocol. transmission.

In one embodiment, the camera provides the image positioning information and the information of each floor (or the identification code of the camera on each floor) to the autonomous robot 30, so that the autonomous robot 30 can quickly know the floor and position where it is located, so as to facilitate the autonomous robot. 30 Locate and construct maps.

Taking the three cameras 21-23 as an example, the three cameras 21-23 are respectively arranged on one floor. For example, the first camera 21 is arranged on the first floor, the second camera 22 is arranged on the second floor, and the third camera 23 is arranged on the second floor. third floor. The first camera 21 is used to broadcast the information of the first floor, the second camera 22 is used to broadcast the information of the second floor, and the third camera 23 is used to broadcast the information of the third floor. The autonomous robot 30 can perform positioning and mapping across floors. When the autonomous robot 30 is located on the first floor and the autonomous robot 30 appears within a visual range of the first camera 21, the first camera 21 broadcasts the message that the autonomous robot 30 is located on the first floor after determining the identification code of the autonomous robot 30 , at this time, the autonomous robot 30 records the information broadcast by the first camera 21, and performs a path planning according to the current position of the autonomous robot 30 and the map of the first floor to complete the positioning and mapping of the first floor. When the autonomous robot 30 is located on the second floor and the autonomous robot 30 appears within a visual range of the second camera 22, the second camera 22 broadcasts a message that the autonomous robot 30 is located on the second floor after determining the identification code of the autonomous robot 30 , at this time, the autonomous robot 30 records the information broadcast by the second camera 22 , and performs a path planning according to the current position of the autonomous robot 30 and the map of the second floor to complete the positioning and mapping of the second floor, and so on.

In one embodiment, the number of autonomous robots 30 may be one or more, and each autonomous robot 30 has its own identification code and is respectively disposed on the first floor, the second floor and the third floor for Cameras 21-23 are identified. The autonomous robot 30 can record information such as the identification codes of the cameras 21-23 on each floor and the relevant floor map, without pre-scanning. The autonomous robot 30 can be any mobile device with autonomous movement capability and navigation function, such as a sweeping robot or an unmanned guided vehicle, as described above, and will not be repeated here.

Please refer to FIG. 3 , which is a schematic diagram of a floor positioning and map building method according to an embodiment of the present invention, which includes operations taking the floor positioning and map building systems 10 of the first and second embodiments as examples. process. The method includes the following steps S110-S150. In step S110, a camera is set on a floor. In step S120, the autonomous robot 30 sends a floor map request or the camera broadcasts a floor message. In step S130, when the autonomous robot 30 appears on the floor where the camera is located, the autonomous robot 30 receives a floor map index or floor information to obtain a floor map of the floor where the autonomous robot 30 is located. In step S140 , the camera captures an image of the autonomous robot 30 , and identifies at least one identification part 32 of the autonomous robot 30 to generate an image positioning information of the autonomous robot 30 . In step S150, the autonomous robot 30 detects a coordinate position of the autonomous robot 30 on the floor according to the floor map and the image positioning information generated by the camera, and generates a planned path.

In the above method, the floor map request includes, for example, the identification code of the autonomous robot 30 for the camera to identify which autonomous robot 30 it is, and record the identification code of the autonomous robot 30 in the camera. In addition, the floor information includes, for example, the identification code of the camera, so that the autonomous robot 30 can identify the camera on which floor and record the identification code of the camera in the autonomous robot 30 .

To sum up, although the present invention has been disclosed by the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be determined by the scope of the appended patent application.

10,11: Floor positioning and map construction system 20: Camera 30: Autonomous Robots 32: Identification Department 40: Communication device 21-23: Camera S110~S150: Steps

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a floor positioning and map construction system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a floor positioning and map construction system according to another embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a floor positioning and map construction method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

10: Floor positioning and map construction system

20: Camera

30: Autonomous Robots

32: Identification Department

40: Communication device

Claims (10)

A floor positioning and map construction system, comprising: a camera, set on a floor; an autonomous robot for issuing a floor map request; and A communication device connected to the camera, wherein when the autonomous robot appears on the floor where the camera is located, the communication device receives the floor map request, and the communication device notifies a floor map index of the floor where the autonomous robot is located. A floor positioning and map construction system, comprising: At least one camera is installed on a floor for broadcasting a floor message; an autonomous robot; and A communication device is connected to the camera, wherein when the autonomous robot appears on the floor where the camera is located, the communication device notifies the floor information of the floor where the autonomous robot is located. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the autonomous robot includes at least one recognition part, the camera captures an image of the autonomous robot, and recognizes the at least one recognition part. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one identification portion includes a light-emitting element or an identifiable pattern. The system of claim 4, wherein the light-emitting element emits an optical signal having an identification code, and the camera captures the optical signal and recognizes the identification code. The system of claim 4, wherein the recognizable pattern is a pattern having an identification code, the camera captures the recognizable pattern, and recognizes the identification code. The system of claim 3, wherein the autonomous robot receives the floor map index or the floor information to obtain a floor map of the floor where the camera is located, and the camera recognizes the at least one identification portion to generate the autonomous robot An image positioning information of the robot. The system of claim 7, wherein the autonomous robot detects a coordinate position of the floor where the autonomous robot is located according to the floor map and the image positioning information generated by the camera, and generates a planned path. A method for floor positioning and map construction, comprising: set up a camera on a floor; The autonomous robot sends a floor map request or the camera broadcasts a floor message; When the autonomous robot appears on the floor where the camera is located, the autonomous robot receives a floor map index or the floor information to obtain a floor map of the floor where the autonomous robot is located; The camera captures the image of the autonomous robot and recognizes at least one identification part of the autonomous robot to generate an image positioning information of the autonomous robot; and The autonomous robot detects a coordinate position of the autonomous robot on the floor according to the floor map and the image positioning information generated by the camera, and generates a planned path. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one identification portion includes a light-emitting element or a recognizable pattern, the light-emitting element emits an optical signal having an identification code, and the recognizable pattern is a pattern having the identification code.

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