JPH06187033A - In-environment acting method for mobile robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a time required for the preparation of an environment map by a mobile robot. CONSTITUTION:An object existing in an environment is recorded in a recorder (step 1). The robot moves to the closest object among the recorded objects, and patrol observation is operated (step 3 and 4). The curvature of the outline of the object is checked during the patrol observation, and when the code of the curvature is changed, the spot is recorded in the recorder as an interrupted point, and the patrol observation is interrupted (step 5 and 8). Then, the patrol observation of the new object is operated (step 4). When the recording of the object is absent in the recorder, whether or not the interrupted point is recorded is checked (step 2 and 9) and when the interrupted point is recorded, the robot moves to the closest interrupted point among the recorded interrupted points (step 10), the interrupted point is deleted from the recording (step 11), and the patrol observation is resumed (step 4).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention allows a mobile robot (hereinafter simply referred to as a robot) to previously record an object in the environment in its own memory device by using a sensor, a television camera, etc. The present invention relates to an in-environmental behavior method of a mobile robot in the case of sequentially creating a map of the entire environment by creating a map of the selected object by orbiting around the selected object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A process in which a robot searches and creates a map of the surrounding environment by itself is called robot environment map creation. Regarding the background of the need to create an environmental map of a robot, the applicant previously applied for "environmental learning method for mobile robots" (Japanese Patent Application No. 4-6).
6317).

When the robot creates an environment map, first the coordinate axes are set, and the contour lines of the individual objects existing in the environment are entered on the set coordinate axes (individual objects represented on the coordinate axes. Is called the object map).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a conventional environment map creating method.

First, a robot detects a part of a contour line of an object existing around it (hereinafter referred to as a quasi-object) using an ultrasonic sensor or a television camera, and records it in a storage device together with its rough position. (Step 21, this operation is called surrounding observation. Further, the quasi-object recorded in the storage device for the surrounding observation result is called a recorded object). next,
It is checked whether or not there is a recorded object in the storage device (step 22). If it does not exist, the environment map creation ends. If a recorded object exists, one recorded object is selected from the recorded objects based on a predetermined criterion (for example, the distance is the shortest), and one point on the selected recorded object (that is, the corresponding object is selected). (One point on the contour line of) (step 23). Next, an object map is created by going around the object along the contour of the object (step 2).
4. This operation is called orbit observation). When the orbit observation of one object is completed, the recorded object corresponding to the object is deleted from the storage device (step 25), and another recorded object is recorded in the storage device (hereinafter, simply referred to as recording). Select from among them, move to one point on the recorded object, and perform orbital observation (steps 22 to 24). The operation for the robot to detect the quasi-object, that is, the surrounding observation, is appropriately executed while the robot is moving (steps 23 and 24), and as a result, the newly detected quasi-object is added to the record.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of how the robot behaves according to the procedure shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows how the robot R is located in a room 33 connected to the corridor 31 via the doorway 32. The room 33 is surrounded by a wall surface 34, and inside the room 33, there are two objects 35 and 36 in addition to the robot R.

In the case of the environment shown in FIG. 4, the most recent recorded object obtained as a result of the first surrounding observation is the wall surface 34.
Is a part 37 of the contour line of the. Therefore, the robot R
Moves along the moving path C ₁ to the point P ₉ on the wall surface 34 first, and then makes a round trip observation along the moving path C ₂ .
Since the moving route C ₂ is connected to the corridor 31 via the entrance / exit 32, the robot R goes through the corridor 31 to another room before creating a map of the inside of the room 33.

[0009]

The above-described conventional robot behavior method in the environment mapping has the following problems. That is, for the purpose of reducing the time required to create the environment map, it is necessary to minimize the movement distance of the robot. To achieve this, it is desirable to move to the next room after creating a map of one room. On the other hand, if the robot starts the orbiting observation of the wall surrounding the room, the wall is continuous over the entire building, so after moving around the entire building in the orbiting observation, the interior of each room Will create an object map of the objects included in. As a result, the robot will move through the entire building twice for the purposes of observing the walls and observing the objects contained in each room. Extremely increased.

As described above, the conventional method has a problem that when the robot starts the orbital observation of the wall surface, it becomes difficult to create a map for each room, and as a result, the time required to create the environment map increases. . The above problem is solved if the robot can distinguish the wall surface from other objects. However, it is difficult to make this distinction from the limited information available from the sensors on the robot.

It is an object of the present invention to prevent a robot from making an object map by performing orbital observation on a wall surface existing in the environment like other objects, so that the environment map creation is completed in a short time. , To provide a method for a mobile robot to act in the environment.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above object, the method of moving a robot in an environment according to the present invention is such that an object selected by the mobile robot is orbited along its contour line to obtain an object map. During the orbital observation to create, the curvature of the contour line of the object is examined, and when the curvature changes from positive to negative or from negative to positive, the point where the change occurs is recorded in the storage device as an interruption point, The orbiting observation of the object is interrupted, an object satisfying a predetermined selection criterion is newly selected from the objects recorded in the storage device, and the orbiting observation for the object is started. When the orbiting observation of the object is completed or the interruption point is reached, when selecting the object for the next orbiting observation from the storage device, first select the object that is not performing the orbiting observation at all, and if there is no corresponding object, Interruption Select includes initiating orbiting observation of the object containing the break point around by moving the break point that has been selected.

[0013]

The feature of the present invention resides in that the behavior of the robot is controlled by utilizing the property of the wall surface with respect to its surroundings, that is, having both concave and convex surfaces. That is, if the robot alternately detects the concave surface and the convex surface in the process of making an orbiting observation of an object, it records the point at which it was detected as an interruption point in a storage device and interrupts the orbiting observation. Then, a new recording object is selected from the recordings, the recording object is moved to the recording object, and the orbit observation is started. If there is no new recorded object in the record, move to the previously recorded interruption point and restart the orbit observation that was interrupted at that point.

By controlling the behavior of the robot as described above, when the robot is performing the orbital observation on the wall surface, if the concave surface and the convex surface are alternately detected, the orbital observation is immediately interrupted and the robot is surrounded by the wall surface. Since the process moves to orbital observation of other objects, when creating a map of an environment consisting of a plurality of rooms, the map creation for each room is facilitated. As a result, the time required to create the environmental map is shortened.

As a method for the robot to detect that the object under which the orbiting observation is performed has a concave surface and a convex surface alternately, the present invention uses the change in the sign of the curvature of the contour line of the object as a reference. That is, the robot performing the orbiting observation moves while always detecting the object on one side. If the moving direction of the robot changes in the same direction as the side where the object exists, the curvature of the contour line of the object at that point is positive. On the contrary, if the moving direction of the robot changes in the direction opposite to the side where the object exists,
The curvature of the contour of the object at that point is assumed to be negative. In this method, a robot performing orbiting observations
When it is detected that the curvature of the contour line of the object changes from positive to negative or from negative to positive, it is determined that the object performing the orbiting observation has concave and convex surfaces alternately.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a procedure of a method for operating a mobile robot in an environment according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a behavior of the mobile robot according to the procedure of FIG. .

First, the robot observes the surroundings (step 1). Next, the storage device is checked to see if there is a recorded object (step 2). If there is a recorded object, the latest one is selected from the recorded objects and moved toward it (step 3). Then, the orbital observation is performed (step 4). Up to this point, the method is the same as the conventional method (FIG. 3). During this orbiting observation, the robot checks whether the curvature of the contour of the object has changed from positive to negative or from negative to positive (step 5). If the sign of the curvature has not changed, check whether orbit observation is completed (step 6),
If not completed, the procedure returns to step 4 to continue the orbit observation, and if completed, the recorded object corresponding to the object is deleted from the storage device (step 7) and the procedure returns to step 2.
When a change in the sign of the curvature is detected in step 5,
The point where the curvature changes is recorded in the storage device as an interruption point (step 8), and the process proceeds to step 7. If there is no recorded object in step 2, it is checked whether or not an interruption point is recorded in the storage device (step 9). If the break point is recorded, the robot moves toward the latest break point (step 10), deletes the break point from the storage device (step 11), and restarts the surrounding observation (step 4). ). If there is no break point, the environment map creation is completed and the mobile robot stops moving. During the execution of steps 3, 4 and 10, surrounding observation is appropriately performed.

Next, an example in which the mobile robot acts according to the procedure of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The environment shown in FIG. 2 is the same as the environment shown in FIG.

The robot R first performs the surrounding observation (step
1). As a result, the parts 34, 35, 3 shown in FIG.
A part of 6 is recorded as a recorded object.
Therefore, for example, a part of the object 34 is simply called the object 34.
Bu). Next, when I examine the storage device, there is a recorded object.
Make sure that you select the most recent one from
The result robot R is the path C₁ Towards the wall 37 along
Move (steps 2 and 3). Next, the robot R
C₂ , C₃ Orbit observation of wall 37 along
P₂ (Step 4). During this orbit observation, robot
First, point R is point P ₁ Detect negative curvature at
Point P₂ Detect positive curvature at. As a result, Robo
Point R is point P₂ The change in curvature from negative to positive at
Since it was put out, point P₂ As the breakpoint (step
5, 8), the recorded object 37 is deleted from the record of the storage device.
(Step 7), return to the operation for examining the record (Step 2)
It Next, a new recorded object 35 is selected, and as a result, the robot
Route R is route C_Four Move along and go to point P₃ Leading to
Steps 2 and 3). And the robot R is the route C_Five along
Orbiting observation of recorded object 35, point P_Four Reach
(Step 4). Robot R is on the spot during this orbit observation
P₃ And P_Four Since both detect positive curvature in,
Continue to observe the surrounding area, point P_Five Reach At this time,
Robot R detects negative curvature and changes curvature from positive to negative
It has been done. At this time, point P_Five Surrounding observation at
As a result point P_Five The area including is the recorded object 35.
Since the robot R is recorded as_Five At
Path C without changing the orbiting object₆ along
Move (step 4). Next, the robot R moves to the point P.₆ 
The change in curvature is detected at₇ Moved along
Then, the orbit observation is completed (steps 5 and 6). Outlook
Since the measurement is completed, the robot R records the recording object 35.
Deleted (step 7). Next, a new recorded object 34
, Which results in the robot R₈ Recorded along
Move towards the object 34 and follow path C₉ Orbit observation along
Now (step 4). Point P₇ Change in curvature at
Start, route C_TenOrbiting along the line, point P₈ To
Change in curvature is detected and path C₁₁Orbiting along
(Steps 4 and 5). And the orbital observation first
Start point P₉ It was judged that the lap observation was completed
Then, the recorded object 34 is deleted from the record of the storage device (step
Up 6, 7). Next, the robot R makes a path C₁₂Along
Move to the nearby recording object 36, and go to path C₁₃Orbiting along
Do point P_TenIt was judged that the orbit observation was completed at
The recorded object 36 is deleted from the recording (steps 2 to 7).
Next, route C₁₄Along with a recent recorded object 34,
Route C₁₆Orbit along the line (Step 2
4). Furthermore, route C₁₆Make a map of the room that exists in front of
Created, and if all recorded objects are deleted, record the break point
(Steps 2 and 9). In this case, as a break point
Point P₂ , The robot R is at the point P. ₂ Back to
(Step 10) and delete the record (step 1
1), route C₁₇Orbit observations are restarted (step
4).

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, the curvature of the contour line of the object is checked during the orbiting observation, and when the sign of the curvature changes, the orbiting observation is interrupted and the point is set as the interruption point in the storage device. , And when new orbiting observations of the object are performed and there are no objects that have not made orbiting observations at all,
By moving to the recorded break point and starting the orbital observation of the object including the interrupted point in the surroundings, there is a wall surface in the environment surrounding the robot, and the entire building moves for the orbital observation. Even if it is necessary, the environment map of the robot can be created for each room, and as a result, the environment map of the robot can be completed in a short time as compared with the conventional method.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a method of a mobile robot moving in an environment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a behavior of a mobile robot according to the procedure of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a conventional method of moving a mobile robot in an environment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a behavior of a mobile robot according to the procedure of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 to 11 steps R mobile robot C _{1 to} C ₁₇ path P _{1 to} P ₁₀ points

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location G09B 29/10 7517-2C

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A mobile robot pre-records objects in the environment in its own storage device by using a sensor, a television camera, etc., sequentially selects the recorded objects, and circulates around the selected objects. A method for in-environmental action of a mobile robot in the case of creating a map of the entire environment step by step by creating a map of the object, wherein the mobile robot follows the outline around the object selected by the mobile robot. Orbiting to create an object map, the curvature of the contour line of the object is checked during the orbiting observation, and when the curvature changes from positive to negative or from negative to positive, the point where the change occurs is regarded as an interruption point. Recording in a memory device, interrupting the orbital observation of the object,
A new selection of an object satisfying a predetermined selection criterion from the objects recorded in the storage device to start an orbital observation on the object; and the mobile robot completes or interrupts an orbital observation of one object. When the object to be orbited next is selected from the storage device by reaching the point, first select the object that has not been orbited at all, and if there is no corresponding object, select the interruption point and select it. A method of moving a mobile robot in an environment, the method including moving to an interruption point and starting an orbital observation of an object including the interruption point.