4049 results about "Distance sensors" patented technology

One embodiment of an alignment apparatus for aligning an object, such as a tool or other implement, perpendicular with respect to a horizontal or a vertical target surface, comprises a three-axis accelerometer and at least two forward-facing distance sensors and a projection display comprising four addressable laser projectors. The accelerometer and distance sensor outputs are mapped to a predefined graphic symbol representing the orientation of the tool relative to the target surface, in particular when the tool is perpendicular to the target surface. The projection display projects the predefined symbol onto the target surface where it may be easily viewed by the tool operator allowing the operator to make any necessary corrections to the tool position.

An object detector, an object detecting method and a robot can reduce diction errors of detecting wrong objects without increasing the volume of the computational operation to be performed to detect the right object. A face detector 101 comprises a face detecting section 110 that operates like a conventional face detecting section and is adapted to roughly select face candidates from an input image by template matching and detect face candidates by means of a support vector machine for face recognition, a non-face judging section 120 that detects non-face candidates that are judged to be non-faces and removes them from the face candidates selected by the face detecting section 110 and a skin tracker section 114 for tracking a face region after the non-face judgment. When the assumed distance between the face detector and the face as computed from the input image and the measured distance as measured by a distance sensor show a large difference, when the color variance of the face candidate is small, when the occupancy ratio of the skin color region is large and when the change in the size of the face region is large after the elapse of a predetermined time, the non-face judging section 120 judges such face candidates as non-faces and removes them from the face candidates.

The present invention relates to a self-propelled working robot, including a first distance sensor 4a and a second distance sensor 4b (4c) for measuring the distance to an obstacle W in front of the robot. The robot includes first determination means for comparing a first measured distance Dc to the obstacle obtained by the first distance sensor 4a with a predetermined first threshold value to determine the proximity to the obstacle W, second determination means for comparing a second measured distance Dr (D_L) to the obstacle W obtained by the second distance sensor 4b (4c) with a predetermined second threshold value to determine the proximity to the obstacle, and changing means for changing the first or second threshold value based on information regarding an inclination angle of the obstacle W obtained from the first and second measured distances.

A lower cost range-finding image sensor based upon measurement of reflection time of light with reduced fabrication processes compared to standard CMOS manufacturing procedures. An oxide film is formed on a silicon substrate, and two photo-gate electrodes for charge-transfer are provided on the oxide film. Floating diffusion layers for taking charges out from a photodetector layer are provided at the ends of the oxide film, and on the outside thereof are provided a gate electrode for resetting and a diffusion layer for providing a reset voltage.

A temperature sensing device for remotely detecting the temperature of a subject having an identifying feature and a target zone in a fixed relationship to the identifying feature comprising: a distance sensor which measures the distance between the subject and the distance sensor; a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature difference in a sensing zone; a digital image capture device for capturing a digital image of the subject; a means of tilting at least the temperature sensor along at least one axis, and preferably tilting and panning along two axes; a controller that actuates the tilting means; and a support for supporting the distance sensor, the temperature sensor and the digital image capture device; wherein the controller tilts the distance sensor using the tilting means to reduce the distance between the target zone and the sensing zone; and a temperature sensor that measures a temperature difference proximate to the target zone, to detect elevated temperature illness in humans or animals.

A method of using a directional sensor for the purposes of detecting the presence of a vehicle or an object within a zone of interest on a roadway or in a parking space. The method comprises the following steps: transmitting a microwave transmit pulse of less than 5 feet; radiating the transmitted pulse by a directional antenna system; receiving received pulses by an adjustable receive window; integrating or combining signals from multiple received pulses; amplifying and filtering the integrated receive signal; digitizing the combined signal; comparing the digitized signal to at least one preset or dynamically computed threshold values to determine the presence or absence of an object in the field of view of the sensor; and providing at least one pulse generator with rise and fall times of less than 3 ns each and capable of generating pulses less than 10 ns in duration.

Several methods of controlling a vacuum cleaner (10) using various types of sensors (94, 96, 97, 98) are provided. One method is based on a differential pressure between a suction airflow path and ambient air and includes: detecting the differential pressure, comparing the detected differential pressure to a predetermined threshold, and, when the detected differential pressure is less than the predetermined threshold, initiating a predetermined control procedure. A status indicator (164) is updated based on the detected differential pressure. Another method is based on a level of electrical current flowing through a brush motor (100). Still another method is based on a type or condition of the floor being traversed. Yet another method is based on a distance to a surface of a floor over which the vacuum cleaner is advancing. In another aspect of the invention, a vacuum cleaner is provided. In various combinations, the vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum source (36, 38), a brush motor (100), a drive motor (104), a controller processor (74), a sensor processor (90), an overcurrent sensor (98), a suction airflow sensor (94), a floor type sensor (97), and a floor distance sensor (96).

A method, device, framework, and system provide the ability to control an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to avoid obstacle collision. Range data of a real-world scene is acquired using range sensors (that provide depth data to visible objects). The range data is combined into an egospace representation (consisting of pixels in egospace). An apparent size of each of the visible objects is expanded based on a dimension of the UAV. An assigned destination in the real world scene based on world space is received and transformed into egospace coordinates in egospace. A trackable path from the UAV to the assigned destination through egospace that avoids collision with the visible objects (based on the expanded apparent sizes of each of the visible objects) is generated. Inputs that control the UAV to follow the trackable path are identified.

Disclosed are a moving distance sensing apparatus for a robot cleaner and a method therefor capable of determining a precise moving distance with respect to the robot cleaner by setting a long distance sensor and a short distance sensor having respectively different sensing method from each other on the same sensing line in the robot cleaner to sense the long distance and the short distance for the same direction, and then by determining coherency to each moving distance on the basis of information provided by the two different sensors, the moving distance sensing apparatus comprising: a long distance sensor for sensing a moving distance with respect to a long distance; a short distance sensor mounted on the same sensing line in one-to-one correspondence with the long distance sensor, for sensing a moving distance with respect to a short distance; and a micro computer for determining a moving distance error on the basis of moving distance information with respect to the same direction provided by the long distance sensor and the short distance sensor.

A vehicle-useful, high-resolution 3D-detection of the environment of a street vehicle with environment scanning sensors is not possible today. Depending on application the first commercially available vehicle integrated systems may be a comprise between resolution of the sensors and size of the sampled area. With the inventive two dimensional distance resolution sensor device it becomes possible, in contrast to those which are known, to produce a system which, installed in a street vehicle, detects and preferably processes complex dynamics scenarios such for example street traffic, from the prospective of the active dynamic moving vehicle. Therein a three dimensional image of the environment is produced using a distance sensor, which produces a two dimensional distance profile (depth profile), and on the other hand, using a data processing and a storage unit, which process and store sequential distance profiles and sequence a series of distance profiles into the three dimensional image of the environment.

A Micro Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) which is based on MEMS accelerometers and gyro sensors is developed for real-time recognition of human hand motions, especially as used in the context of writing on a surface. Motion is recorded by a rate gyro and an accellerometer and communicated to a Bluetooth module, possibly to a computer which may be 20 to 30 feet or more from the sensor. The motion information generated and communicated is combined with appropriate filtering and transformation algorithms to facilitate a complete Digital Writing System that can be used to record handwriting on any surface, or on no surface at all. The overall size of an IMU can be less than 26 mm×20 mm×20 mm, and may include micro sensors, a processor, and wireless interface components. The Kalman filtering algorithm is preferably used to filter the noise of sensors to allow successful transformance of hand motions into recognizable and recordable English characters. The immediate advantage is the facilitation of a digital interface with both PC and mobile computing devices and perhaps to enable wireless sensing.

The invention relates to the technical field of smartphones, and particularly relates to a full-screen mobile phone. The full-screen mobile phone comprises a mobile phone body, the mobile phone body comprises a shell, a touch screen and a controller, and the shell and the touch screen are combined together to form a totally enclosed structure; a chute is arranged in the shell behind the upper part of the touch screen, a lifting panel is arranged in the chute in an up and down sliding manner, a distance sensor, a telephone receiver and a camera device are arranged on the lifting panel from left to right in sequence, the camera device comprises a camera and a flashlight, and a light sensor is arranged at the top of the lifting panel above the distance sensor; a microphone, a loudspeaker and an interface are arranged at the bottom of the shell from left to right in sequence; side keys are arranged at the upper part of one side of the shell; and the distance sensor, the telephone receiver, the camera device, the light sensor, the microphone, the loudspeaker, the interface and the side keys are electrically connected with the controller. The full-screen mobile phone is reasonable in structure, convenient and practical and is flexible to operate, and the screen occupation ratio is higher than 95%.

The invention discloses a floor sweeping robot controlled by a smart phone. The floor sweeping robot comprises a core control system, a wireless charging device, a wireless communication device, a power moving mechanism, a sweeping mechanism, an environment monitoring module, a vision system, a voice system and a humidifying system; wherein the vision system comprises an infrared sensor, a distance sensor and a photographing system. The floor sweeping robot is wirelessly charged through a charging pile. A user can set the operation mode of the floor sweeping robot by means of a smart phone control system, and furthermore can transmit an instruction through speech. In the sweeping process, the robot can determine whether to humidify the environment. All information which comprises analog three-dimensional pictures, real-time cleaning video pictures and indoor environment information is transmitted to the smart phone for viewing by the user. The floor sweeping robot according to the invention has advantages of reducing potential safety hazard, realizing more convenient and quicker user operation and improving user experience.

A system for displaying a wide field of view video image of a location. A series of location cameras disposed at the location captures the wide filed of view video image as a series of individual video images covering the desired field of view. A distance sensor unit senses distances of closest objects in one or more overlap areas between field of views of the location cameras from the two or more location cameras covering each respective overlap area. A display unit displays the series of individual video images to a user for creating a visual experience of the location. A processor unit determines a horizontal span of each individual video image displayed by the display unit based on the sensed distances of the closest objects.

Disclosed are a robot, a robot hand, and a method of controlling the robot hand, in which the robot hand rapidly and correctly approaches an object to be gripped and safely grips the object regardless of the shape and material of the object. The method of controlling a robot hand, which has a palm, and a plurality of fingers, each having a plurality of segments, connected to the palm, includes causing the palm to approach an object using at least one first distance sensor installed on the palm; causing the plurality of fingers to approach the object using at least one second distance sensor installed on the plurality of fingers; and causing the palm and the plurality of fingers to come into contact the object to grip the object.

The invention discloses a wearing state detection method and device of wearable equipment. The method comprises that an accelerometer is used to detect the acceleration of the wearable equipment, and when the acceleration of the wearable equipment changes, wearing state detection for the wearable equipment is started; a near-distance sensor detects the distance between the wearable equipment and an neighbor object, a heart rate sensor and a temperature sensor are started when the distance is lower than a set distance threshold, and wearable equipment is determined to be in the wearing state when data detected by the heart rate sensor satisfies the set heart rate condition and the surface temperature, detected by the temperature sensor, of the neighbor object satisfies the set temperature condition. According to the invention, the accelerometer is used to start wearing state detection for the wearable equipment, power consumption of the wearable equipment can be effectively reduced, and during wearing state detection, different types of sensor are used comprehensively to detect the wearing state of the wearable equipment accurately.

The invention discloses a blind guiding cell phone, which comprises a baseband processing module and a voice output module, a range sensor and a camera shooting module, wherein the range sensor is used to detect barriers in the front and send the detecting results to the baseband processing module, the camera shooting module is used to collect the image data of the barriers in the front and transmit to the baseband processing module, the baseband processing module is used to gain the range information according to the detecting results and conduct the image matching identification for the barriers according to the image data and a local object mold base, and transmit the type and the range information of the barriers which are identified to the voice output module, and the voice output module is used to provide the type and the range information of the barriers to users through the voice way. The blind guiding cell phone and the process of the invention can provide specific information of the barriers for users, which is convenient for the action of users under the condition of paropsia.

A method for remotely controlling vehicle parking including recognizing a smart key in a first region by a vehicle, upon recognizing the smart key, activating a distance sensor of a camera and a parking assistance system (PAS) by the vehicle, recognizing a driver having the smart key through the activated camera, setting a position of the driver as a reference point by the vehicle, and calculating a detected distance of the driver and the vehicle through the PAS, and after the setting of the reference point and the calculating of the detected distance, moving forward or backward based on the detected distance or turning left or right based on a change in a position of the driver in right and left directions with respect to the reference point while receiving a parking signal from the smart key.

To provide a monitoring device which can detect conditions of a sleeping person reliably and which is simple. A monitoring device comprising: multiple independent distance sensors 11 installed facing different positions in a monitored target area 50 to be monitored for measuring a distance to a monitored target 2, a calculating unit 22 for calculating changes over time in the outputs of the distance sensors 11, and a detection processor 23 for detecting changes in shape of the monitored target 2 based on the calculated changes over time in one or multiple distance sensor 11 among the multiple distance sensors 11.

A method is provided for moving backwards a combination and an assembly is provided for assisting the backward movement of a combination into an area, which might be surrounded by obstacles. The combination includes a propelled vehicle and an implement. The implement can pivot with respect to the vehicle. The vehicle moves the combination backwards. A pivoting angle sensor on board of the combination measures the pivoting angle of the implement with respect to the vehicle. A distance sensor on board of the implement measures the distance to a border of the area. A path sensor on board of the implement measures the length of a path along which the implement is moved. A computer on board of the implement calculates a required change of the travelling direction of the vehicle by using the pivoting angle, the path length, and the measured distance. A signal indicative of the required change is transmitted to an output unit.

The invention discloses a device and a method for automatic helical milling of a hole. The device comprises a base, a spindle slide base, an outer eccentric sleeve, an inner eccentric sleeve, a torque motor, a circular grating, an electric spindle, a presser foot, an industrial camera, a linear grating, four laser distance sensors, a servo motor, a ball screw assembly, a synchronous belt and the like, wherein axes of inner and outer contours of the inner and outer eccentric sleeves have offsets; the inner eccentric sleeve is installed in the outer eccentric sleeve; and the axis of the inner contour of the outer eccentric sleeve and the axis of the outer contour of the inner eccentric sleeve are coincident. The device and the method have the advantages that the tool radial offset is realized through control of a relative rotation angle between the inner eccentric sleeve and the outer eccentric sleeve; in spindle feeding, a double-grating feedback technology is adopted so that dimple depth accuracy is guaranteed; and a preset hole position on a workpiece is detected by the industrial camera and a normal vector of the preset hole position is detected by the four laser distance sensors and the industrial camera and the four laser distance sensors cooperate with automatic numerically-controlled devices such as an industrial robot, a numerically-controlled machine tool and the like and thus high-precision and high-efficiency automatic hole milling is realized.

A method of and arrangement for mapping first range sensor data from a first range sensor to image data from a camera are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes: receiving time and position data from a position determination device on board a mobile system, as well as the first range sensor data from the first range sensor on board the mobile system and the image data from the camera on board the mobile system; identifying a first points cloud within the first range sensor data, relating to at least one object; producing a mask relating to the object based on the first points cloud; mapping the mask on object image data relating to the same object as present in the image data from the at least one camera; and performing a predetermined image processing technique on at least a portion of the object image data.

Methods and apparatus are provided for reducing the occurrence of vehicle door bumps against an adjacent object facing the door. The apparatus comprises one or more distance sensors mounted on the vehicle for measuring distance D from the door to the object, a brake for inhibiting outward movement of the door toward the object, a warning system and a controller coupled to the distance sensors, warning system and brake for applying the brake to inhibit further outward movement of the door when D≦D(MIN), a predetermined minimum distance away from the object. In a preferred embodiment, a first driver warning is activated when the initial door-to-object spacing D(INIT)≦D(SAFE), the maximum outward door reach. A second warning is desirably added when the door begins moving toward the object or has reached about (D(INIT))/2 and a third warning is activated when the brake is engaged.

An indirect detection of the reflected radiation pulses, when measuring a distance by means of the photoeffect, allows considerably expanding the usability of the distance sensor and the distance measuring method, wherein the adaption to a new field of application only requires little design changes. Since in the external photoeffect the photoelectrons are ejected from the material irradiated photon by photon or quantum by quantum and the photons, when being ejected, only require a certain minimum energy and correspondingly the radiation used for irradiation only requires a sufficiently small wavelength, the external photoeffect allows detecting radiation over a large spectral range. When interferences occur in a certain wavelength range in a certain field of application, the operating wavelength range of the distance sensor technology may at first simply be set to another spectral range by using such an irradiation source having a spectrum outside the spectral range containing the interferences.

The invention discloses an automatic three-dimensional measuring method for a high-precision blade of an aviation engine. The automatic three-dimensional measuring method comprises the following steps of (1) rectification: performing rectification on a design coordinate system of a design model and a measurement coordinate system of a workpiece entity; (2) path planning: planning a motion path of a distance sensor in a measuring process by using a data processing device so that a measured region of the workpiece entity is in a measurement range of the distance sensor; and (3) automatic measurement: sampling a front region and a reverse region of the workpiece entity by using the distance sensor to obtain a complete surface profile of the workpiece entity. The distance sensor serves as a measuring terminal, and position information of surface points of the measured region can be acquired; and moreover, by a three-axis motion mechanism, measurement on different regions of the workpiece entity can be realized, measured cloud data of points of density of a local range are automatically fused to the same coordinate system, and complete precise measurement on a workpiece and quality testing operation on the workpiece entity are realized.

The invention discloses an intelligent induction glove system which comprises a left glove body and a right glove body. Pressure sensors are arranged at the end portions of a first finger part of the left glove body. Bent degree sensors are arranged at the joint bent positions. A temperature sensor, a distance sensor, an environment light sensor, a shock sensor, a three-shaft gyroscope and an acceleration sensor are arranged at the root portion of the first finger part. A flexible hand writing input board and a liquid crystal touch display screen are arranged at a first palm part. An ROM/RAM storage module, an NFC near-field communication module and a Bluetooth communication module are arranged on a first wrist part. A central processing unit, a battery module and a wireless charging module are installed on a first hand back part. Various elements installed on the right glove body are basically symmetrical and consistent with those on the left hand glove body except for a film key set arranged on a second palm part and a WIFI communication module additionally installed on a second wrist part. The intelligent induction glove system has the advantages of being capable of comprehensively catching various detailed motions of hands, capable of achieving wireless communication and power supply, small, exquisite, portable, flexible and easy to operate.

Camera-based autonomous parking is disclosed. An autonomous parking procedure can include detecting parking lines in images captured by a camera on a vehicle. The vehicle can be localized with respect to the parking lines based on location data for the vehicle from a GPS receiver and a location determination for the vehicle based on detected ends of the parking lines. The vehicle can further determine an occupancy state of one or more parking spaces formed by the two or more parking lines using a range sensor on the vehicle and select an empty space. A region of interest including the selected space can be identified and one or more parking lines of the selected space can be detected in an image of the region of interest. The vehicle can autonomously move to reduce errors between the location of the vehicle and the final parking position within the selected space.

The digital message display for vehicles detects a tailgater and automatically flashes a warning message, directed to the tailgater, on a message display that is located in the rear window of the vehicle in view of following traffic. In addition to the warning message directed to the tailgater, a distance display is located in view of the vehicle driver to indicate the distance of the tailgater. An audible alarm alerts the driver to the presence of the tailgater. Additionally, a wireless remote control device allows the driver to manually select and display one of a number of pre-defined safety and courtesy messages. Multiple distance sensors provide multiple functional ranges to accommodate varying driving or traffic conditions.

A legged robot includes: a body; a leg portion; a foot portion; a falling direction detection unit that detects a falling direction of the body; a control unit; and a distance detection unit that detects a distance between a sole of the foot portion and a road surface. The distance detection unit includes at least three distance sensors provided on the sole, and the control unit includes distance sensor selecting means for selecting a distance sensor and gait data correcting means for correcting gait data based on a detection signal from the distance sensor selected by the distance sensor selecting means. The distance sensor selecting means selects three distance sensors among the distance sensors based on a detection result of the falling direction detection unit.

Disclosed are systems, apparatuses and methods for determining the amount of liquid contained within a vessel. In one aspect, a liquid dispensing apparatus is provided comprising a pour spout mountable to an opening formed by a liquid containing vessel. A range sensor assembly is housed within the pour spout and comprises a trigger pulse source capable of receiving an actuation signal to thereby provide a trigger pulse and an echo pulse detector capable of providing an echo pulse detection signal. A microcontroller is provided in communication with the range sensor assembly. The microcontroller is configured to send an actuation signal to the trigger pulse source and to receive an echo pulse detection signal from the echo pulse detector, and, in a further aspect, can be configured to determine an elapsed time occurring between an actuation of the trigger pulse source and a subsequent detection of an echo pulse.