IP Library › Granted Patent US 12663813

Granted Patent B2

US 12663813 · App. 18/834,520 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and mobile apparatus

Inventor: Xi Chen (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION

G05D1/686

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12663813
App. No.: 18/834,520
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

There is provided an information processing apparatus that includes an orientation determination unit that determines an orientation of an object to be followed, and a path generation unit that determines an orientation of a path end point on the basis of the orientation of the object to be followed, the path end point being an end point of a path for a mobile apparatus to follow the object to be followed, and generates the path.

Claims (64)

1 . An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU) configured to:

detect an object from an image captured by a mobile apparatus, wherein the mobile apparatus is configured to follow the object;

determine, based on the detection of the object, a speed of the mobile apparatus to follow the object;

increase the determined speed of the mobile apparatus based on a time length, wherein the object is lost for the time length;

determine an orientation of the object based on the detection of the object;

determine an orientation of a path end point based on the determined orientation of the object;

generate, based on the determined orientation of the path end point, a path for the mobile apparatus to follow the object, wherein the path end point is an end point of the generated path; and

control, based on the increased speed and the generated path, a moving mechanism of the mobile apparatus to move on the generated path.

2 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the determined orientation of the path end point matches the determined orientation of the object.

3 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the CPU is further configured to:

determine a difference between a moving direction of the mobile apparatus and the determined orientation of the object;

determine that the determined difference is larger than a threshold; and

generate, based on the determination that the determined difference is larger than the threshold, a curved path as the path.

4 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the CPU is further configured to:

determine an estimated position of the object; and

determine a position of the path end point based on the estimated position.

5 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the CPU is further configured to:

generate a Bezier curve that leads to the path end point;

divide the Bezier curve by a plurality of division points;

generate a plurality of sub-curved paths based on the division of the Bezier curve, wherein each of the plurality of sub-curved paths includes two adjacent division points of the plurality of division points; and

generate the path based on the plurality of sub-curved paths, wherein the generated path includes the plurality of sub-curved paths.

6 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the CPU is further configured to:

determine an estimated position of the object;

determine that an orientation of the mobile apparatus and a moving direction of the mobile apparatus are independently controllable; and

generate the plurality of sub-curved paths based on the determination that the orientation of the mobile apparatus and the moving direction of the mobile apparatus are independently controllable, wherein

an orientation of an end point of each of the plurality of sub-curved paths matches an orientation of a straight line, and

the straight line connects the end point of each of the plurality of sub-curved paths and the estimated position.

7 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the CPU is further configured to:

determine that an orientation of the mobile apparatus and a moving direction of the mobile apparatus are linked; and

determine, based on the determination that the orientation of the mobile apparatus and the moving direction of the mobile apparatus are linked, a Bezier curve as the path.

8 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the CPU is further configured to determine the speed of the mobile apparatus further based on a difference between an orientation of an end point of each of a plurality of sub-curved paths and an orientation of a tangent line of the end point of each of the plurality of sub-curved paths, and

the mobile apparatus moves on the plurality of sub-curved paths.

9 . The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein

the CPU is further configured to increase the determined speed of the mobile apparatus further based on an increase in the difference between the orientation of the end point of each of the plurality of sub-curved paths and the orientation of the tangent line of the end point of each of the plurality of sub-curved paths.

10 . An information processing method, comprising:

detecting an object from an image captured by a mobile apparatus, wherein the mobile apparatus is configured to follow the object;

determining, based on the detection of the object, a speed of the mobile apparatus to follow the object;

increasing the determined speed of the mobile apparatus based on a time length, wherein the object is lost for the time length;

determining an orientation of the object based on the detection of the object;

determining an orientation of a path end point based on the determined orientation of the object;

generating, based on the determined orientation of the path end point, a path for the mobile apparatus to follow the object, wherein the path end point is an end point of the generated path; and

controlling, based on the increased speed and the generated path, a moving mechanism of the mobile apparatus to move on the generated path.

11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon, computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a central processing unit (CPU), cause the CPU to execute operations, the operations comprising: