IP Library Granted Patent US 12,092,771
Granted Patent B2
US 12,092,771 · App. 17/216,775 · Granted Sep 17, 2024

Systems, methods and apparatuses for calibrating sensors mounted on a device

Inventors: Simon Couture (San Diego, CA); Avi Halpern (San Diego, CA); Thomas Hrabe (San Diego, CA); Matt Atlas (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: Brain Corporation
G01S7/4972G01S17/894G01S17/931G05D1/0238G06T7/80B25J9/1692G01D18/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,092,771
App. No.
17/216,775
Granted
Sep 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for calibrating sensors of a robot are disclosed. In one exemplary implementation, an environment comprising a plurality of sensor targets and a fixed position for a robot allows for faster, more accurate calibration of a robot's sensors.

Claims (59)

1. A system comprising an environment for calibrating sensors on a robot, comprising:

a fixed location to secure the robot, the robot being configured to collect data from at least one sensor unit from the fixed location; and

at least one visual target, the at least one visual target comprises a plurality of two-dimensional shapes, the plurality of shaped being detectable by the at least one sensor unit of the robot, the visual target is different from a reference target, the reference target corresponds to sensor data of the at least one sensor target from a calibrated sensor, and the visual target comprises a plurality of two-dimensional, black and white shapes arranged in an asymmetrical pattern,

adjustment of location of the at least one sensor unit of the robot based on rotational alignment and translational alignment of the at least one sensor unit;

wherein the adjustment of location of the at least one sensor unit is based on transforming the visual target onto the reference target such that a center of the visual target is aligned to a center of the reference target.

2. The system claim 1 , wherein,

the plurality of two-dimensional shapes are arranged in an asymmetric pattern.

3. The system claim 1 , wherein,

the plurality of two-dimensional shapes are black and white.

4. A robot, comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to the robot; and

at least one controller configured to execute computer readable instructions stored on a memory to:

capture data from the at least one sensor, the data represents at least one visual target detected within the field of view of the at least one sensor;

determine, for each sensor of the at least one sensor, a difference between representation of the at least one visual target in the data and a reference target, the reference target corresponds to sensor data of the at least one sensor target from a calibrated sensor, the visual target is different from a reference target, the reference target corresponds to sensor data of the at least one sensor target from the calibrated sensor, and the visual target comprises a plurality of two-dimensional, black and white shapes arranged in an asymmetrical pattern; and

determine at least one transformation for each one of the at least one sensor based on the difference, the at least one transformation causes data from the at least one sensor to match the reference target,

adjust location of the at least one sensor of the robot based on rotational alignment and translational alignment of the at least one sensor unit;

wherein the adjustment of location of the at least one sensor is based on transforming the visual target onto the reference target such that a center of the visual target is aligned to a center of the reference target.

5. The robot of claim 4 , wherein,

the robot is affixed to a predetermined location prior to capturing data from the at least one sensor.

6. The robot of claim 4 , wherein,

the at least one sensor target includes a plurality of two-dimensional rings.

7. The robot of claim 6 , wherein,

the plurality of two-dimensional rings are arranged in an asymmetrical pattern.

8. The robot of claim 6 , wherein,

the at least one sensor is configured to capture images of the visual target; and

the difference corresponds to discrepancies between one or more of the shape, size, and location of the plurality of rings in the captured images and their respective shape, size, and location in the reference target.

9. The robot if claim 4 , wherein the at least one controller is further configured to execute the computer readable instructions to:

capture the sensor data in response to a user input to a user interface.

10. A method for calibrating at least one sensor on a robot, comprising:

capturing data from the at least one sensor while the robot is within a calibration room, the data includes an image of a visual target within the calibration room and within a field of view of the at least one sensor;

determining, for each sensor, a difference between the representation of the visual target in the data and a reference target, the reference target corresponds to sensor data of the at least one sensor target from a calibrated sensor, the visual target is different from a reference target, the reference target corresponds to sensor data of the at least one sensor target from the calibrated sensor, and the visual target comprises a plurality of two-dimensional, black and white shapes arranged in an asymmetrical pattern; and

determining at least one transformation for each of the at least one sensor based on the difference, the at least one transformation causes data from the at least one sensor to match the reference target,

adjusting location of the at least one sensor of the robot based on rotational alignment and translational alignment of the at least one sensor; wherein the adjustment of location of the at least one sensor is based on transforming the visual target onto the reference target such that a center of the visual target is aligned to a center of the reference target.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein,

the robot is affixed to a predetermined location prior to capturing data from the at least one sensor.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein,

the at least one sensor target includes a plurality of two-dimensional rings.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein,

the plurality of two-dimensional rings are arranged in an asymmetrical pattern.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein,

the at least one sensor is configured to capture images of the visual target; and

the difference corresponds to discrepancies between one or more of the shape, size, and location of the plurality of rings in the captured images and their respective shape, size, and location in the reference.

15. The method if claim 10 , further comprising:

capturing the sensor data in response to a user input to a user interface.

16. A robot, comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to the robot; and

at least one controller configured to execute computer readable instructions stored on a memory to:

capture data from the at least one sensor in response to an input to a user interface, the data represents a visual target detected within the field of view of the at least one sensor;

determine, for each sensor, a difference between representation of the visual target in the data and a reference target, the reference target corresponds to sensor data of the at least one sensor target from a calibrated sensor, the visual target is different from a reference target, the reference target corresponds to sensor data of the at least one sensor target from the calibrated sensor; and

determine at least one transformation for each of the at least one sensor based on the difference, the at least one transformation causes data from the at least one sensor to match the reference target;

adjust location of the at least one sensor of the robot based on rotational alignment and translational alignment of the at least one sensor;

wherein,

the robot is affixed to a predetermined location prior to capturing data from the at least one sensor;

the at least one visual target includes a plurality of two-dimensional rings;

the plurality of two-dimensional rings are arranged in an asymmetrical pattern;

the at least one sensor is configured to capture images of the sensor target; and

the difference corresponds to discrepancies between one or more of the shape, size, and location of the plurality of rings in the captured images and their respective shape, size, and location in the reference;

the at least one visual target includes a plurality of two-dimensional, black and white shapes arranged in an asymmetrical pattern; and

the adjustment of location of the at least one sensor is based on transforming the visual target onto the reference target such that a center of the visual is aligned to a center of the reference target.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2023
From: COUTURE, SIMON; HALPERN, AVI; HRABE, THOMAS; ATLAS, MATT
To: BRAIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062640/0650 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2021
From: BRAIN CORPORATION
To: HERCULES CAPITAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 057851/0574 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 17142669 · Jan 6, 2021
Continuation PCTUS2019040237 · Jul 2, 2019
Provisional Application 62694679 · Jul 6, 2018
Related Publication 20210215811A1 · Jul 15, 2021
Cited By (2)
US 12,189,034 US 12,323,574