/Patent Tracker
SamsungGranted patentRobots & automationInterest 6/10

Samsung patents robot that finds its way when it loses its map location

This patent describes a robot that uses a Lidar sensor to scan its surroundings when it cannot determine its exact position on a pre-stored map. The robot moves around to create a new map of its current area and compares it to the original map to figure out where it actually is.

Why it mattersThis helps robots recover from getting lost in their environment, which is a common issue for autonomous devices like delivery bots or cleaning robots.

In the filing’s own words

A robot includes: a light and detection ranging (“Lidar”) sensor; a driving module; a memory configured to store first map data corresponding to a first traveling space; and at least one processor configured to: acquire sensing data through the Lidar sensor at a traveling start position of the robot, control the driving module to move the robot in a state in which a position corresponding to the traveling start position of the robot is not identified on the first map data based on the acquired sensing data, acquire second map data based on the sensing data acquired through the Lidar sensor while the robot is moving, identify whether a second traveling space corresponding to the second map data matches the first traveling space based on probability information included in the first map data and position information on one or more objects included in the second map data, and identify the traveling start position of the robot on the first map data based on the traveling start position of the robot on the second map data and the position information on the one or more objects in a state in which it is identified that the second traveling space matches the first traveling space.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A robot, comprising: a light and detection ranging (“Lidar”) sensor; a driver comprising a motor; a memory configured to store first map data corresponding to a first traveling space; and at least one processor configured to: acquire sensing data through the Lidar sensor at a traveling start position of the robot, control the driver to move the robot in a state in which a position corresponding to the traveling start position of the robot is not identified on the first map data based on the acquired sensing data, acquire second map data based on the sensing data acquired through the Lidar sensor while the robot is moving, acquire point map data corresponding to a second traveling space through the Lidar sensor, identify as one or more valid points in the point map data based on a preset probability value, acquire position information on one or more objects included in the second map data based on position information of the identified one or more valid points, identify whether the second traveling space corresponding to the second map data matches the first traveling space based on probability information included in the first map data and the position information on one or more objects included in the second map data, and identify the traveling start position of the robot on the first map data based on the traveling start position of the robot on the second map data and the position information on the one or more objects in a state in which it is identified that the second traveling space matches the first traveling space.

Facts

Company
Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
Official title
Robot and robot control method
Patent number
US12743094B2
Application number
18639611
Filed
Apr 18, 2024
Granted
Sep 22, 2026
Inventors
7
Claims
18

Classified under

G05D 1/2295 Physics & computingG05D 1/243 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

More from Samsung in Robots & automation

Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.