Robot Vacuum 3D Camera Docking for Charging Station Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot cleaners face challenges in precisely detecting the position of a charging station, leading to difficulties in docking and efficient battery charging due to reliance on infrared sensors which can be disturbed or imprecise.
Innovation Solution
Equipping the robot cleaner with a 3D camera sensor to acquire 3D coordinates information of the terrain and obstacles, allowing for precise detection and navigation to the charging station, and using this information to control the docking process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an infrared sensor is used to detect the charging station position, then the robot cleaner can perform autonomous docking, but the detection precision is insufficient and prone to signal disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the infrared sensor-based detection system with a vision-based detection system using a camera. The camera captures images of the charging station and its markers, and through image processing and coordinate transformation, calculates the precise position and orientation of the charging station. This substitution of detection mechanism eliminates the signal disturbance issues inherent in infrared-based systems while achieving higher measurement precision and docking reliability.
2Measurement precision
If a 3D camera sensor is used to acquire 3D coordinates information, then the positioning precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a 2D camera to capture images of the charging station markers, then through image processing creates a digital representation of the marker positions and orientations. By establishing coordinate transformations between the camera coordinate system and the charging station coordinate system, the system reconstructs 3D spatial information from 2D images. This approach achieves 3D positioning precision without requiring complex 3D sensors, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining high measurement accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A cleaner which performs an autonomous driving, includes: a cleaner body; a driving unit for moving the cleaner body; a camera for detecting 3D coordinates information; a memory for storing pattern information related to a charging station; and a controller for comparing the 3D coordinates information detected by the camera with the pattern information related to the charging station stored in the memory, and for determining whether the charging station is positioned near the cleaner body based on a result of the comparison.