IP Library Granted Patent US 12,638,593
Granted Patent B2
US 12,638,593 · App. 18/203,860 · Granted May 26, 2026

Robot comprising lidar sensor and method controlling robot

Inventors: Taehee Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Donghan Koo (Suwon-si, KR); Junghoe Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Kuyoung Choi (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
G01S17/931G01S7/4811G05D1/024
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,638,593
App. No.
18/203,860
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device includes: a first sensor mounted inside a body of the electronic device; a second sensor configured to sense a posture of the body; an optical device configured to: reflect light output from the first sensor by using a mirror, and output the reflected light to an outside of the electronic device through a transparent region in the electronic device; a processor configured to: obtain information on the posture of the body through the second sensor, obtain information on a tilting angle of the mirror based on the obtained posture of the body and a refractive index of the transparent region, and control the mirror based on the obtained information on the tilting angle.

Claims (54)

1 . An electronic device comprising:

a first sensor mounted inside a body of the electronic device;

a second sensor configured to sense a posture of the body;

an optical device configured to:

reflect light output from the first sensor by using at least one mirror, and

output the reflected light to an outside of the electronic device through a transparent region in the electronic device; and

a processor configured to:

obtain information on the posture of the body through the second sensor,

obtain information on a tilting angle of the at least one mirror based on the obtained information on the posture of the body and based on a refractive index of the transparent region, and

control the at least one mirror based on the obtained information on the tilting angle.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a robot.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a memory configured to store information on a plurality of tilting angles corresponding to a plurality of postures of the body obtained based on the refractive index of the transparent region,

wherein the processor is further configured to obtain information on the tilting angle corresponding to the obtained information on the posture of the body among the information on the plurality of tilting angles corresponding to the plurality of postures of the body.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of tilting angles are angles to enable lights reflected by the at least one mirror from a posture of the plurality of postures of the body to be refracted by the transparent region and output in a direction parallel with a ground.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a left wheel on a left side of the body, and

a right wheel on a right side of the body.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the left wheel and the right wheel are 360-degree rotatable,

wherein a shape of the electronic device is spherical, and

wherein the first sensor outputs the light while rotating at 360 degrees.

8 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the transparent region comprises:

a first transparent region provided at a position corresponding to a position of the first sensor on a front surface of the body or a rear surface of the body, and

a second transparent region provided in the left wheel or the right wheel.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent region comprises a material that passes the light output from the first sensor.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor comprises:

a light emitting element configured to output the light; and

a light receiving element configured to, based on the output light being reflected by an object, receive the reflected light,

wherein the at least one mirror comprises:

a first mirror configured to adjust a first angle and provided in front of the light emitting element; and

a second mirror configured to adjust a second angle and provided in front of the light receiving element.

11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the first angle of the first mirror and the second angle of the second mirror to the obtained tilting angle.

12 . A method performed by an electronic device, the method comprising:

obtaining information on a posture of a body;

obtaining information on a tilting angle of at least one mirror based on the obtained information on the posture of the body and based on a refractive index of a transparent region in the electronic device;

controlling the at least one mirror based on the obtained information on the tilting angle; and

reflecting light output from a first sensor through the at least one mirror and outputting the reflected light to an outside of the electronic device through the transparent region.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the reflecting light output from the first sensor comprises reflecting light output from a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the obtaining information on the tilting angle of the at least one mirror comprises obtaining information on the tilting angle corresponding to the obtained information on the posture of the body among information on a plurality of tilting angles corresponding to a plurality of postures of the body.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of tilting angles are angles to enable lights reflected by the at least one mirror from a posture of the plurality of postures of the body to be refracted by the transparent region and output in a direction parallel with a ground.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a left wheel and a right wheel are provided on left and right sides of the body constituting a central portion of the electronic device,

wherein a shape of the electronic device comprising the body, the left wheel, and the right wheel has a spherical shape, and

wherein the first sensor outputs the light while rotating 360 degrees.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the left wheel and the right wheel are 360-degree rotatable.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the transparent region comprises:

a first transparent region provided at a position corresponding to a position of the first sensor on a front surface or a rear surface of the body, and

a second transparent region provided in the left wheel or the right wheel.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first sensor comprises:

a light emitting element configured to output the light; and

a light receiving element configured to, based on the output light being reflected by an object, receive the reflected light,

wherein the at least one mirror comprises:

a first mirror configured to adjust a first angle and provided in front of the light emitting element; and

a second mirror configured to adjust a second angle and provided in front of the light receiving element.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the controlling comprises adjusting the first angle of the first mirror and the second angle of second mirror to the obtained tilting angle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2023
From: LEE, TAEHEE; KOO, DONGHAN; KIM, JUNGHOE; CHOI, KUYOUNG
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063810/0780 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0094789 · Jul 29, 2022 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTKR2023006102 · May 4, 2023
Related Publication 20240036213A1 · Feb 1, 2024
References Cited (31)
US 5258822A · Nakamura et al. · 1993 [cited by applicant]
US 10921818B2 · Ogawa et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11105900B2 · Sayyah et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 12429876B2 · Kim et al. · 2025 [cited by applicant]
US 20180231640A1 · Han · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190056484A1 · Bradley · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190094874A1 · Ogawa · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20210373169A1 · Tokura et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220244357A1 · Lee · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230297115A1 · Kim et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
DE 102019110803B3 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2712061B2 · 1997 [cited by applicant]
JP 2005288655A · 2005 [cited by applicant]
JP 20064334A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009229458A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017227516A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018105978A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 7022547B2 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
KR 101079897B1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
KR 101417431B1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020150047215A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020170036234A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020220102058A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO 2012091807A2 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO 2022110062A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
WO 2022154242A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
David Kubalak, Theodore Hadjimichael, and Raymond Ohl, “Absolute Position of Targets Measured Through a Chamber Window Using Lidar Metrology Systems” 2012, NASA Tech Briefs, pp. 8 (Year: 2012). [cited by examiner]
International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210) issued Sep. 1, 2023 by the International Searching Authority in counter International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2023/006102. [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion (PCT/ISA/237) issued Sep. 1, 2023 by the International Searching Authority in counter International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2023/006102. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report issued May 19, 2025 by the European Patent Office for EP Patent Application No. 23846754.2. [cited by applicant]
Communication issued on Feb. 26, 2026 by the European Patent Office in European Patent Application No. 23846754.2. [cited by applicant]