IP Library Granted Patent US 12,411,013
Granted Patent B2
US 12,411,013 · App. 17/299,366 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Mobile body, method of controlling mobile body, and program

Inventors: Yusuke Takahashi (Kanagawa, JP); Ryo Watanabe (Tokyo, JP); Yukihiro Saito (Tokyo, JP); Masaomi Nabeta (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
G01C21/28B60W60/001G01C21/1656G05D1/0212G05D1/024G05D1/0272G05D1/0274G05D1/0278
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,411,013
App. No.
17/299,366
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mobile body controller according to the present disclosure includes circuitry configured to recognize an environment surrounding a mobile body to be controlled, and change parameters used for self-position estimation by the mobile body based on the recognized environment.

Claims (39)

1. A mobile body controller comprising:

circuitry configured to

recognize an environment surrounding a mobile body to be controlled, and

change one or more parameters to determine a weight of each sensor used for self-position estimation by the mobile body based on a determined class at each point along a planned path of the mobile body through the recognized environment,

wherein the class is determined based on an input image used to recognize the environment,

wherein the determined class of the recognized environment is determined based on a degree of slip associated with a recognized ground surface condition at each point along the planned path of the mobile body, and

wherein the circuitry changes at least one parameter to determine a weight of wheel odometry used for the self-position estimation according to the degree of slip associated with the recognized ground surface condition at each point along the planned path of the mobile body.

2. The mobile body controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the circuitry recognizes the environment surrounding the mobile body by recognizing a traveling environment in which the mobile body travels.

3. The mobile body controller according to claim 2 ,

wherein the traveling environment includes the planned path from a current position of the mobile body to a target position of the mobile body.

4. The mobile body controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the determined class of the recognized environment is further determined by recognizing at least one of a presence of buildings around the mobile body or a presence of materials that transmit, reflect, or diffract light around the mobile body.

5. The mobile body controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the circuitry recognizes the environment surrounding the mobile body by recognizing whether wheels of the mobile body are likely to slip.

6. The mobile body controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the one or more changed parameters used for self-position estimation further relate to at least one of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), map matching, a laser scanner, or a global positioning system (GPS) used to estimate a position of the mobile body.

7. The mobile body controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the one or more changed parameters used for self-position estimation relate to a localization profile.

8. The mobile body controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the environment surrounding the mobile body is recognized using one or more sensors included in the mobile body.

9. A mobile body comprising:

one or more sensors; and

a mobile body controller, the mobile body controller including circuitry configured to

recognize an environment surrounding the mobile body controlled by the mobile body controller, and

change one or more parameters to determine a weight of each sensor used for self-position estimation by the mobile body based on a determined class at each point along a planned path of the mobile body through the recognized environment,

wherein the class is determined based on an input image used to recognize the environment,

wherein the determined class of the recognized environment is determined based on a degree of slip associated with a recognized ground surface condition at each point along the planned path of the mobile body, and

wherein at least one parameter is changed to determine a weight of wheel odometry used for the self-position estimation according to the degree of slip associated with the recognized ground surface condition at each point along the planned path of the mobile body.

10. A mobile body control method comprising:

recognizing an environment surrounding a mobile body to be controlled; and

changing one or more parameters to determine a weight of each sensor used for self-position estimation by the mobile body based on a determined class at each point along a planned path of the mobile body through the recognized environment,

wherein the class is determined based on an input image used to recognize the environment,

wherein the determined class of the recognized environment is determined based on a degree of slip associated with a recognized ground surface condition at each point along the planned path of the mobile body, and

wherein at least one parameter is changed to determine a weight of wheel odometry used for the self-position estimation according to the degree of slip associated with the recognized ground surface condition at each point along the planned path of the mobile body.

11. The mobile body controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the circuitry is further configured to acquire the input image.

12. The mobile body controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the circuitry changes the at least one parameter to determine the weight of the wheel odometry used for the self-position estimation such that a covariance of the wheel odometry with the self-position estimation is smaller as the degree of slip decreases.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2021
From: TAKAHASHI, YUSUKE; WATANABE, RYO; SAITO, YUKIHIRO; NABETA, MASAOMI
To: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057023/0094 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-231033 · Dec 10, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220019224A1 · Jan 20, 2022
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