Apparatus for guiding an autonomous vehicle towards a docking station

Abstract

An apparatus for guiding an autonomous vehicle towards a docking station including an autonomous vehicle with a camera-based sensing system, a drive system for driving the autonomous vehicle, and a control system for controlling the drive system. The apparatus includes a docking station including a first fiducial marker and a second fiducial marker, wherein the second fiducial marker is positioned on the docking station to define a predetermined relative spacing with the first fiducial marker, wherein the control system is operable to receive an image provided by the camera-based sensing system, the image including a representation of the first and second fiducial markers, and to control the drive system so as to guide the autonomous vehicle towards the base station based on a difference between the representation of the first and second fiducial markers in the received image and the predetermined relative spacing between the first and second fiducial markers.

1 . A docking station for an autonomous vehicle, the docking station comprising a main body having a first fiducial marker and a second fiducial marker spaced a predetermined distance from the first fiducial marker. 
     
     
         2 . The docking station of  claim 1 , wherein the first fiducial marker and the second fiducial marker are located on a display portion of the docking station that is in a substantially upright orientation when the docking station is placed on a floor surface. 
     
     
         3 . The docking station of  claim 2 , wherein the display portion of the docking station is planar. 
     
     
         4 . The docking station of  claim 2 , wherein the display portion is pivotable with respect to a base portion of the docking station. 
     
     
         5 . The docking station of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second fiducial markers defines a pattern, and wherein the pattern of the first fiducial marker is the same as the pattern of the second fiducial marker. 
     
     
         6 . The docking station of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second fiducial markers defines a pattern, and wherein the pattern of the first fiducial marker is the mirror image of the pattern of the second fiducial marker. 
     
     
         7 . The docking station of  claim 5 , wherein the pattern is a grid comprising four squares in a two-by-two arrangement, wherein alternate squares in the grid are contrasting colors.