Detecting objects near an autonomous device

Abstract

An example autonomous device is configured to detect objects within a vicinity of the autonomous device. The autonomous device is configured to move along a surface. The autonomous device includes a body, at least one long-range sensor on the body configured for detection in a first field, and at least one short-range sensor on the body. Each short-range sensor is configured for detection in a second field directed towards the surface. The second field is smaller than the first field. Each short-range sensor is configured to output signals based on detection of an object within the second field. A control system is configured to control movement of the autonomous device based, at least in part, on the signals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An autonomous device configured to move along a surface, the autonomous device comprising:
 a body;   at least one long-range sensor on the body configured for detection in a first field;   at least one short-range sensor on the body, each short-range sensor being configured for detection in a second field directed towards the surface, the second field being smaller than the first field, each short-range sensor being configured to output signals based on detection of an object within the second field; and   a control system to control movement of the autonomous device based, at least in part, on the signals.   
     
     
         2 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one short-range sensor comprises proximity sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one short-range sensor comprises near-field sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises one or more corners; and
 wherein a group of short-range sensors is arranged at each corner so that second fields of at least some of the short-range sensors in each group overlap at least in part.   
     
     
         5 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises four corners; and
 wherein there are four or more short-range sensors arranged at each of the four corners so that second fields of adjacent short-range sensors among the four or more short-range sensors overlap at least in part.   
     
     
         6 . The autonomous device of  claim 5 , wherein each corner comprises an intersection of two edges, each edge of each corner comprising three short-range sensors, adjacent ones of the three short-range sensors having second fields that overlap at least in part. 
     
     
         7 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a circular perimeter; and
 wherein short-range sensors are arranged along the circular perimeter so that second fields of at least some of the short-range sensors overlap at least in part.   
     
     
         8 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a curved perimeter; and
 wherein short-range sensors are arranged along the curved perimeter so that second fields of at least some the short-range sensors overlap at least in part.   
     
     
         9 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a top part and a bottom part, the bottom part being closer to the surface during movement of the autonomous device than the top part; and
 wherein short-range sensors are located on the body closer to the top part than to the bottom part.   
     
     
         10 . The autonomous device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one short-range sensor is located adjacent to the top part. 
     
     
         11 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one short-range sensor on the body is angled towards the surface such that a second field of the at least one short-range sensor is directed towards the surface. 
     
     
         12 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein a horizontal plane extending from the body is at 0° and the surface is at −90° relative to the horizontal plane; and
 wherein short-range sensors are directed towards the surface such that the second field of at least some of the short-range sensors is between −1° and −90° relative to the horizontal plane. 
 
     
     
         13 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein a horizontal plane extending from the body is at 0° and the surface is at −90° relative to the horizontal plane; and
 wherein short-range sensors are directed towards the surface such that the second field of all of the short-range sensors is between −1° and −90° relative to the horizontal plane. 
 
     
     
         14 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one short-range sensor is configured to output signals in response to detecting the object, the at least one short-range sensor being configured to use non-visible light to detect the object. 
     
     
         15 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one short-range sensor is configured to output signals in response to detecting the object, the at least one short-range sensor being configured to use infrared light to detect the object. 
     
     
         16 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one short-range sensor is configured to output signals in response to detecting the object, the at least one short-range sensor being configured to use electromagnetic signals to detect the object. 
     
     
         17 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one short-range sensor is configured to output signals in response to detecting the object, the at least one short-range sensor comprising photoelectric sensors. 
     
     
         18 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein each second field is 30 centimeters (cm) in diameter at most. 
     
     
         19 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein each second field is 20 centimeters (cm) in diameter at most. 
     
     
         20 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises corners;
 wherein a group of short-range sensor is arranged at each of the corners; and   wherein adjacent ones of the short-range sensors have second fields that overlap at least in part such that, for a corner among the corners, there are no blind spots for the autonomous device in a partial circumference of a circle centered at the corner.   
     
     
         21 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bumper that is comprised of an elastic material, the bumper being around at least part of a perimeter of the autonomous device;   wherein the at least one short-range sensor is located underneath the bumper.   
     
     
         22 . The autonomous device of  claim 1 , wherein sensors are arranged around at least part of a perimeter of the body. 
     
     
         23 . The autonomous device of  claim 18 , wherein short-range sensors are directed towards the surface such that a second field of each short-range sensor extends at least from 15 centimeters (cm) above the surface to the surface. 
     
     
         24 . The autonomous device  1 , wherein the autonomous device comprises a mobile robot. 
     
     
         25 . An autonomous device comprising:
 a body for supporting weight of an object;   wheels on the body to enable the body to travel across a surface;   a camera on the body to obtain images in front of the autonomous device, the camera having first field that extends from the body; and   sensors disposed along at least part of a perimeter of the body, the sensors having a second field that extends from the surface to at least a location below the first field.   
     
     
         26 . The autonomous device of  claim 25 , wherein the second field intersects the first field. 
     
     
         27 . The autonomous device of  claim 25 , wherein at least two of the sensors that are adjacent to each other have fields that overlap at least partly. 
     
     
         28 . The autonomous device of  claim 25 , wherein the sensors are configured to use non-visible light to detect an object. 
     
     
         29 . The autonomous device of  claim 25 , wherein the sensors are configured to use infrared light to detect an object. 
     
     
         30 . The autonomous device of  claim 25 , wherein the sensors are configured to use electromagnetic signals to detect an object. 
     
     
         31 . The autonomous device of  claim 25 , wherein the sensors comprise photoelectric sensors. 
     
     
         32 . The autonomous device of  claim 25 , wherein the body comprises one or more corners, at least one of the corners being defined by edges that support a group of the sensors, the group of sensors having fields that overlap at least in part such that, for the at least one corner, there are no blind spots for the autonomous device in a partial circumference of a circle centered at the at least one corner. 
     
     
         33 . The autonomous device of  claim 32 , further comprising a rubber bumper along at least part of the perimeter, the sensors being underneath the rubber bumper. 
     
     
         34 . The autonomous device of  claim 25 , wherein the sensors comprise proximity sensors configured to sense an object within at most 20 centimeters. 
     
     
         35 . The autonomous device of  claim 25 , wherein the sensors comprise proximity sensors configured to sense an object within at most 30 centimeters. 
     
     
         36 . The autonomous device  25 , wherein the autonomous device comprises a mobile robot.