Captured-Image Destination Selection for Autonomous Mobile Movement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods require users to manually input location information or character strings for designating movement destinations, which can be cumbersome and difficult for selecting desired destinations, especially when the person registering and selecting the destination are different.

Innovation Solution

A communication system that allows operators to select movement destinations using captured images of the surroundings, improving user operability by displaying captured images as candidates and enabling selection directly from these images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If users manually input location information or character strings to designate movement destinations, then the system can identify destinations, but the operability becomes cumbersome and difficult especially when the person registering and selecting the destination are different

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedestination identification accuracyVSAvoidoperability in selecting movement destination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses captured images as visual copies of destination locations. Instead of requiring users to input or recall location information, the system captures images at various locations and displays them as selectable options. Users can directly select destinations by recognizing visual content in the images, which resolves the contradiction between reliable destination identification and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by capturing and storing images at potential destination locations before the user needs to select a destination. This pre-capturing of visual information allows users to quickly select destinations from pre-prepared image options without needing to input location data at the moment of selection, improving both reliability and operability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the system requires manual input of location information, then destination specification is possible, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed of destination selectionVSAvoidcomplexity of destination input process
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical input process (manual typing or selection from text lists) with an optical recognition system. Users select destinations by visually recognizing images and touching the display screen, which substitutes complex mechanical input operations with simple visual identification and touch selection, thereby reducing both complexity and time required for destination selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically captures images at various locations and prepares them for selection without requiring user intervention for input. The destination selection process becomes self-service in the sense that the system presents ready-made visual options that users can directly select, eliminating the need for users to perform complex input operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4314972B1Display apparatus and communication system
Publication Date: 2025.11.26 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP4314972B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4314972B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4314972B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A display apparatus (400) includes: a reception unit that receives a plurality of captured images (415a-415f); a display control unit that displays, on a display, the plurality of captured images for selection (420) by a user, as a candidate of a movement destination of a mobile apparatus; an operation input unit that receives selection of one or more captured images from among the plurality of captured images being displayed; an autonomous movement request generator that generates autonomous movement request information including information on the one or more selected captured images; and a transmission unit that transmits the autonomous movement request information that causes the mobile apparatus to autonomously move to one or more movement destinations each corresponding to an area indicated by corresponding one of the one or more selected captured images.