Autonomous mobile robot, self position estimation method, environmental map generation method, environmental map generation apparatus, and data structure for environmental map

摘要

To improve the accuracy of the self position estimation of a mobile robot. A robot measures a distance to an object in the mobile environment by using a range sensor. An environmental map storage unit stores an environmental map containing a plurality of map data each corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of measurement directions from which a point in the mobile environment is to be observed. A self position estimation unit selects a map data corresponding to a measurement direction in which a distance to the object is measured by the range sensor from the plurality of map data. Then, the self position estimation unit estimates a self position of the mobile robot based on the selected map data and range data obtained by the range sensor.

主权项

1. A mobile robot comprising:
a range sensor that measures a distance to a measured point of an object in a mobile environment; an environmental map storage unit that stores an environmental map containing a plurality of maps in regard to the measured point, each of the plurality of maps corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of measurement directions of the range sensor and being obtained based on a measurement result obtained by observing the measured point in the mobile environment from a respective one of the plurality of measurement directions of the range sensor; and a self position estimation unit that selects a map from the plurality of maps corresponding to a measurement direction in which the object is measured by the range sensor, and estimates a self position of the mobile robot based on the selected map and range information of the object obtained by the range sensor; wherein the self position estimation unit estimates the self position by classifying the plurality of measured points into one of the plurality of the measurement directions based on a measurement direction of the range sensor in which the object is measured by the range sensor and a candidate self position calculated by using odometry and by comparing the range information of each of the plurality of measured points with the plurality of maps for the classified measurement direction of the range sensor, and wherein the environmental map includes a plurality of map data with regard to a measured point in the mobile environment, each of the plurality of map data corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of measurement directions and being obtained based on a measurement result obtained by observing the measured point in measurement directions, the measurement directions including a top-to-bottom direction in the map (“−y direction”), a bottom-to-top direction in the map (“+y direction”), a right-to-left direction in the map (“−x direction”), and a left-to-right direction in the map (“+x direction”).