Sector Depth Camera Positioning Without Rotating Laser Mechanics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 360-degree rotating laser navigation technologies for mobile robots are costly and have a short lifespan due to the rotating mechanical structure, and they struggle with limited 3D point cloud data collection, affecting positioning accuracy and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A positioning system based on a sector depth camera that collects 3D point cloud data within a sector range without a rotating mechanical structure, combining visual image data and IMU data to optimize and compensate for the limitations, improving positioning accuracy and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a 360-degree rotating laser mechanism is used for navigation, then positioning accuracy and map construction effect are improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to the rotating mechanical structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical rotating laser structure with a fixed sector depth camera combined with IMU (inertial measurement unit). The IMU provides motion compensation and orientation data, allowing the fixed camera to achieve positioning accuracy comparable to rotating laser systems without the mechanical complexity and reliability issues of moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions into a single integrated system. The fixed depth camera and IMU work together to perform both positioning and navigation tasks that traditionally required a rotating laser mechanism, achieving multi-functionality without increasing device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If a 360-degree rotating laser mechanism is used for navigation, then positioning accuracy is improved, but reliability decreases due to the rotating mechanical structure having short life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the rotating mechanical structure entirely by using a fixed depth camera combined with an IMU. This substitution removes the wear and tear associated with mechanical rotation, significantly improving system reliability and lifespan while maintaining positioning accuracy through sensor fusion algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The IMU provides self-compensation for the fixed camera's limited field of view by measuring the robot's orientation and motion. This allows the system to maintain accurate positioning without mechanical rotation, improving reliability through a maintenance-free solid-state solution.
3Device complexity
If a sector depth camera is used instead of rotating laser, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but measurement precision and data collection completeness worsen due to limited sector range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the data from the fixed sector depth camera with orientation and motion data from the IMU. This combination allows the system to reconstruct three-dimensional spatial information and achieve positioning accuracy comparable to rotating laser systems, compensating for the limited field of view through sensor fusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the temporal and orientation dimensions provided by the IMU to compensate for the spatial limitation of the fixed camera. By incorporating motion and orientation data, the system effectively extends its sensing capability beyond the static sector range, maintaining measurement precision without mechanical rotation.
4Reliability
If a sector depth camera is used instead of rotating laser, then reliability is improved by eliminating rotating parts, but data collection completeness worsens due to limited collection angle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fixed camera's depth data with IMU orientation data to compensate for the limited collection angle. The IMU provides information about the robot's pose and motion, allowing the system to infer and reconstruct environmental information that would otherwise be outside the camera's field of view, reducing information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The IMU acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the fixed camera's limited field of view and the need for comprehensive environmental understanding. By providing motion and orientation context, the IMU enables the system to interpret and reconstruct three-dimensional space without requiring a wide static field of view.
Data Source
AI summary
A positioning system based on a sector depth camera is disclosed. The positioning system comprises: a sector depth camera used for acquiring 3D point cloud data within a sector range of a preset angle in a horizontal direction and transmitting the 3D point cloud data to a positioning optimization module; an image acquisition device used for acquiring image data and transmitting the image data to the positioning optimization module; an inertial sensor used for acquiring IMU data and transmitting the IMU data to the positioning optimization module; and the positioning optimization module used for receiving the 3D point cloud data transmitted by the sector depth camera, the image data transmitted by the image acquisition device, and the IMU data transmitted by the inertial sensor, and optimizing the 3D point cloud data based upon the image data and the IMU data to obtain an optimized location information.