Robot Activity Restriction Using 3D Visual Area Notifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot control systems cannot easily restrict robot activity within arbitrary three-dimensional areas, as they primarily focus on specific positions or obstacles rather than defining restricted zones.
Innovation Solution
An activity area restriction method and apparatus that acquires and recognizes area setting information via visual notifiers, allowing for the definition of restricted areas with specific heights and activity conditions, enabling the robot to restrict its activity accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional robot control systems use specific position-based obstacle detection methods, then they can identify obstacles at specific locations, but they cannot easily define or restrict arbitrary three-dimensional activity areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual notifiers that display two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional restricted areas. The camera captures images of these notifiers, and the system reconstructs the three-dimensional area information from the two-dimensional visual display, enabling easy definition of 3D restrictions without complex physical sensors or markers throughout the space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms three-dimensional area restriction information into two-dimensional visual displays on notifiers. By encoding 3D spatial boundaries, heights, and activity conditions into 2D visual representations that can be captured by a camera, the system simplifies the process of defining and communicating restricted areas to the robot.
2Ease of operation
If the system uses visual notifiers with camera recognition to define restricted areas, then users can easily set area restrictions, but the system must accurately interpret visual information to determine three-dimensional space parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures images of visual notifiers using a camera and processes these images to extract area setting information including height and depth parameters. The visual notifier provides visual feedback about the restricted area boundaries, and the camera system provides feedback by capturing and analyzing the visual display to reconstruct three-dimensional space parameters with sufficient precision for robot navigation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the notifier is arranged in a removable manner within the robot's activity range, then users can flexibly adjust restricted areas, but the notifier must remain visible and accessible to the robot's camera for accurate recognition
Solution Approach 1:
The notifier is designed to be removably arrangeable within the robot's activity range, allowing dynamic reconfiguration of restricted areas. The visual display on the notifier maintains consistent visual characteristics that enable reliable camera recognition regardless of position, and the system can adapt to different notifier placements while maintaining accurate area restriction enforcement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to easily set and enforce three-dimensional activity restrictions for robots, preventing unauthorized access or use within designated areas, enhancing safety and operational control.
Implementation Method 1
an image of the notifier captured by a camera
Data Source
AI summary
An activity area restriction method for restricting an activity area of a robot includes: an area setting information acquisition step of acquiring area setting information notified by a notifier, the area setting information including a range of a predetermined restricted area with a height; an area restriction condition recognition step of recognizing the range of the restricted area, based on the area setting information; and an activity restriction step of restricting activity of the robot with respect to the restricted area.