Moving robot and controlling method thereof

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing robot cleaners rely on expensive equipment like laser sensors and multiple cameras to detect their posture and navigate, which increases costs and limits their versatility across different environments, including those with varying floor textures and grain sizes.

Innovation Solution

A robot cleaner equipped with a single camera that uses vanishing point detection and a RANSAC algorithm to classify line segments into a 3D coordinate system, allowing it to detect its posture and navigate autonomously without expensive sensors, and perform effectively in various indoor environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If laser sensors and multiple cameras are used to detect robot posture, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposture detection precisionVSAvoidnumber of sensors and cameras

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The single camera is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting line segments, determining vanishing points, and inferring robot posture information. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for multiple specialized sensors and cameras, reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision through sophisticated image processing algorithms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces vanishing point detection as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the gap between simple single-camera imaging and complex posture detection. By detecting vanishing points from line segments in the image and using geometric relationships, the system derives accurate posture information without requiring expensive laser sensors or multiple cameras

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If laser sensors and multiple cameras are used for navigation, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenavigation detection precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive, complex sensing equipment (laser sensors and multiple cameras) with a single, inexpensive camera. The cost-effective approach uses affordable image processing algorithms (RANSAC for line segmentation, vanishing point detection) to achieve navigation precision that would traditionally require costly hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes physical mechanical sensing systems (laser sensors, multiple cameras) with a computational imaging approach. By using a single camera combined with image processing algorithms to detect line segments and vanishing points, the system replaces expensive hardware with software-based solutions, significantly reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining navigation precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If multiple cameras are used to detect robot posture, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposture detection precisionVSAvoidnumber of cameras

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10966585B2Moving robot and controlling method thereof

Publication Date: 2021.04.06 SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION

AI summary

A cleaner includes a main body having a suction port, a cleaning unit provided in the main body to suck a cleaning object through the suction port, a driving unit moving the main body, a camera provided in the main body and photographing an image, and a controller detecting a vanishing point related to the image and detecting information related to a posture of the main body based on the detected vanishing point.