Autonomous Mobile Robot Sign Sizing for Accurate Distance Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for calculating subject distance in autonomous mobile robots face errors when signs of varying sizes are present, leading to inaccurate distance measurement and guidance, especially when normal-sized signs are close and larger-sized signs are far, causing the robot to erroneously recognize equal distances.
Innovation Solution
The autonomous mobile robot system includes an imaging unit, storage unit, and calculation unit to detect signs with individual identification information and actual sizes, allowing accurate distance calculation based on sign sizes and switching guidance targets as the robot approaches predetermined distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a normal-sized sign close to the robot and a larger-sized sign far from the robot are simultaneously shown in image data, then the robot can detect both signs, but the robot erroneously recognizes that distances to both signs are the same
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing the known actual size of signs as an additional parameter for distance calculation. The calculation unit computes distance based on both the imaged size from image data and the predetermined actual size stored in the storage unit, thereby resolving the ambiguity when signs of different actual sizes appear with the same imaged size.
2Measurement precision
If a distance measuring sensor with high accuracy is provided to measure distance to distant signs, then distance measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the need for complex distance measuring sensors with a calculation-based approach. The calculation unit computes distance by comparing the imaged size of signs with their predetermined actual sizes stored in the storage unit, substituting physical measurement mechanisms with computational methods.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is an autonomous mobile robot (1) that moves by being guided by a plurality of signs that have a plurality of types of sizes, are aligned along a movement path (10), and includes a first sign and a second sign, the autonomous mobile robot (1) including: an imaging unit (26); a storage unit (25) storing individual identification information of each of a plurality of signs and an individual actual size of each of the plurality of signs; and a calculation unit (27) calculating a distance (D1) to the first sign on the basis of a size of the first sign on image data captured by the imaging unit (26) and the individual actual size of the first sign corresponding to the individual identification information of the first sign.