초록 ▼

Apparatus and method which provides for the determination of a vehicle\s orientation and position in an environment, such as a hallway, from an image of ceiling lights. A mobile robot 10 includes a camera 12 that is pitched up obliquely at an intermediate angle between a horizon and a zenith. The ca

Apparatus and method which provides for the determination of a vehicle\s orientation and position in an environment, such as a hallway, from an image of ceiling lights. A mobile robot 10 includes a camera 12 that is pitched up obliquely at an intermediate angle between a horizon and a zenith. The camera views a ceiling having one or more ceiling lights 16 which may be of rectangular shape and which are preferably aligned with an axis of the hallway. In that the lights present a pattern or alignment which is substantially parallel to or perpendicular to a long axis of the hallway the pattern is detected and processed to derive robot navigation information therefrom.

대표청구항 ▼

Navigation apparatus for generating navigation related information for a vehicle, comprising: means for obtaining a two-dimensional image of a surface which overlies a vehicle or a projected path of the vehicle, the two-dimensional image being comprised of a plurality of image pixels, the surface be

Navigation apparatus for generating navigation related information for a vehicle, comprising: means for obtaining a two-dimensional image of a surface which overlies a vehicle or a projected path of the vehicle, the two-dimensional image being comprised of a plurality of image pixels, the surface being a horizontal surface disposed parallel to a plane upon which the vehicle moves, the surface having one or more sources of illumination disposed upon or within the surface; means, coupled to said obtaining means, for detecting a location within the image of the one of more sources, said detecting means comprising means for processing the two-dimensional image to detect pixels having a brightness value that exceeds a threshold brightness value, the detected pixels including pixels associated with an image of an edge of the one or more sources of illumination; and means, coupled to said detecting means for generating, from the detected source location or locations, at least vehicle orientation information relative to the edge of the one or more sources of illumination.