Flexible Virtual Bumper Control for Robot Route Clearance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional automatic traveling robots are limited in their travelable regions and routes due to fixed minimum allowable separation distances from obstacles, leading to restricted navigation even in wider passages where no contact is possible.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus and method that utilize a flexible virtual bumper, which can change in size or shape to maintain a predetermined distance from obstacles, allowing the robot to adapt and avoid collisions by simulating and selecting safe travel routes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a fixed minimum allowable separation distance is used, then collision avoidance is ensured, but travelable regions and routes are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision avoidanceVSAvoidtravelable regions and routes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The virtual bumper is made dynamically adjustable in size rather than fixed. The control unit changes the size of the virtual bumper based on the robot's current situation, allowing the separation distance to be optimized for each specific context. This enables the robot to traverse passages of varying widths while maintaining appropriate safety margins, thereby increasing travelable regions without compromising collision avoidance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If a large fixed separation distance is maintained, then safety is improved, but navigation flexibility in narrow passages is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidnavigation flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The separation distance parameter is changed dynamically based on passage width and environmental conditions. In narrow passages, the virtual bumper size is reduced to allow navigation, while in open spaces, the bumper size increases to maintain safety. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between safety and navigation flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If a fixed virtual bumper size is used, then simple control is maintained, but route optimization is hindered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol simplicityVSAvoidroute optimization

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit continuously monitors the robot's position, passage width, and proximity to obstacles, using this feedback to adjust the virtual bumper size in real-time. This feedback mechanism enables automatic route optimization without requiring complex manual control, allowing the robot to select optimal paths while maintaining manageable system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12197221B2Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Publication Date: 2025.01.14 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

A device and a method for performing control to change a flexible virtual bumper for maintaining a space between a mobile object and an obstacle to be equal to or larger than a predetermined distance are enabled. A data processing unit that executes control to change the flexible virtual bumper for maintaining the space between the mobile object and the obstacle to be equal to or larger than the predetermined distance, and a drive unit that drives the mobile object in such a way that no obstacle enters the flexible virtual bumper are included. The data processing unit executes control to change the flexible virtual bumper at least either in size or shape. For each one of a plurality of travel route candidates for the mobile object, the data processing unit executes a simulation of changing the bumper size in such a way that no obstacle enters the flexible virtual bumper, and selects a safe travel route.