Apparatus and method for surface traversing with capacitive sensing of surface

{
  "publication_number": "US10814492B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Apparatus and method for surface traversing with capacitive sensing of surface",
  "abstract": "Apparatuses, methods and storage media associated with surface traversing by robotic apparatuses using capacitive sensing are described herein. In some instances, the apparatus comprises a body having at least one edge that faces a direction of traverse of a surface by the apparatus, and at least one capacitive probe disposed on or in proximity to the edge, to detect, during the traverse of the surface, a change in a dielectric property of a portion of the surface proximate to the edge. The dielectric property change indicates an obstacle associated with the surface portion. The apparatus further comprises circuitry configured to process the readings provided by the probe, such as to identify the obstacle, and generate instructions to adjust the traversing of the surface by the apparatus, based at least in part on a result of the probe readings processing. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An apparatus for surface traversing, comprising: a body having at least one edge that faces a direction of traverse of a surface by the apparatus, and at least one capacitive probe disposed on or in proximity to the at least one edge, to detect, during the traverse of the surface, a change in a dielectric property of a portion of the surface proximate to the at least one edge, wherein the dielectric property change indicates an obstacle associated with the surface portion.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stabilizer attached to the body on or in proximity to the at least one edge, wherein the probe is coupled to the stabilizer, wherein the stabilizer is to keep the probe at a substantially constant distance from the surface during the surface traverse.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body includes an area underneath the body proximate to the edge, wherein the at least one capacitive probe is disposed in the area underneath the body.",
    "4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive probe is disposed substantially parallel to the surface.",
    "5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capacitive probe is disposed at an angle to the surface.",
    "6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising circuitry coupled with the capacitive probe, to process readings of the probe.",
    "7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the circuitry is to generate instructions to adjust the traversing of the surface by the apparatus, based at least in part on a result of the probe readings processing.",
    "8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a sensor disposed on the body and coupled with the capacitive probe and circuitry, to sense a distance between the probe and the surface, wherein the circuitry is to apply the sensed distance to the readings processing, to compensate for a probe sensitivity to the distance to the surface.",
    "9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the obstacle associated with the surface portion includes at least one of: a presence of liquid on the surface; an anomaly of the surface, which includes unevenness or obstruction; or an edge of the surface, which includes a cliff, a bluff, a precipice, or an escarpment.",
    "10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one capacitive probe includes at least first and second probes disposed on or in proximity to the at least one edge along an axis that is parallel to the direction of traverse of the surface by the apparatus.",
    "11. A method for surface traversing, comprising: detecting, by at least one capacitive probe disposed on or in proximity to an edge of a body of an apparatus, during the apparatus traversing of a surface, a change in a dielectric property of a portion of the surface proximate to the edge, wherein the dielectric property change indicates an obstacle associated with the surface portion; identifying, by circuitry disposed in the apparatus and coupled with the at least one capacitive probe, the obstacle indicated by the dielectric property change in the surface portion; and adjusting, by the circuitry, a trajectory of traversing the surface by the apparatus, based at least in part on the detected obstacle of the portion of the surface.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: processing, by the circuitry, readings of the probe, wherein the adjusting of the trajectory is further based on a result of the processing of the readings.",
    "13. The method of claim 12, wherein the adjusting includes: generating, by the circuitry, one or more commands to: halt the traversing of the surface by the apparatus, mark a location of the probe in relation to the surface, or perform a motion maneuver on the surface to verify the readings of the probe.",
    "14. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the change in the dielectric property of the surface portion includes sensing, by the capacitive probe, a change in capacitance during the surface traversing by the apparatus, wherein the capacitance change indicates the obstacle associated with the surface portion, wherein a decrease in capacitance indicates a presence of an edge of the surface, and wherein an increase in capacitance indicates a presence of a fluid on the surface or an anomaly of the surface.",
    "15. A system for detecting obstacles during surface traversing, comprising: at least one capacitive probe, to be disposed on or in proximity to an edge of an apparatus, to detect, during a traverse of the surface by the apparatus, a change in capacitance of a portion of the surface proximate to the edge, wherein the capacitance change corresponds to a change of a dielectric property of the surface portion, wherein the dielectric property change indicates an obstacle associated with the surface portion; and circuitry coupled to the capacitive probe, to process readings of capacitance provided by the capacitive probe, or cause the capacitance readings processing; identify or cause to be identified the obstacle based at least in part on the processed readings; and adjust or cause to be adjusted a trajectory of the surface traversing by the apparatus, based at least in part on the detected obstacle of the portion of the surface.",
    "16. The system of claim 15, wherein the circuitry is to generate commands associated with the surface traversing trajectory adjustment, in response to the detection of the change in the dielectric property of the surface portion, wherein the system further comprises a motor control unit coupled with the circuitry, to implement the commands to adjust the trajectory of the surface traversing.",
    "17. The system of claim 16, wherein the commands include at least one of: halt a motion of the apparatus, perform a maneuver to verify the readings, mark a location of capacitive probe relative to the portion of the surface, or update a planning of the apparatus motion.",
    "18. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one capacitive probe is a first probe, wherein the edge is a first edge that faces a direction of traverse of the surface by the apparatus, wherein the system further includes a second edge disposed on the apparatus opposite the first edge, and a second capacitive probe, to be disposed on or in proximity to the second edge of the apparatus.",
    "19. The system of claim 15, wherein the circuitry includes: a capacitance measurement circuit coupled with the at least one capacitive probe, to measure the capacitance readings; and a communication unit, to communicate the measured readings to an external processing device for the readings processing; or a processing unit, to process the measured readings.",
    "20. The system of claim 15, wherein the obstacle associated with the surface portion includes at least one of: a presence of liquid on the surface; an anomaly of the surface, which includes unevenness or obstruction; or an edge of the surface, which includes a cliff, a bluff, a precipice, or an escarpment."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to the field of robotics, in particular, to apparatuses and methods associated with capacitive sensing for surface traversing machines.\n\nThe background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.\n\nThe dielectric coefficient is one of the characteristics of a substance. It describes the ratio between the permittivity of the substance to the permittivity of free space (vacuum). The measurements of the dielectric properties of different substances may distinguish these substances. The greater the difference between the dielectric coefficients of two substances, the greater the ability to distinguish the substances.\n\nTypically, measurements of the dielectric properties of a substance may be provided with a capacitive probe. A capacitive probe is made from two plates that may be coplanar, parallel or at an angle relative to each other. The capacitance between two plates is dependent on the dielectric coefficient of the surrounding medium (substance) between the plates.\n\nEmbodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. To facilitate this description, like reference numerals designate like structural elements. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.",
  "cpc": [
    "B25J 13/08",
    "B25J 19/02",
    "G01B 7/023",
    "G01N 27/221",
    "H03K 17/955",
    "H03K 2217/960755",
    "H03K 2217/960775"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 13/08",
    "B25J 19/02",
    "G01B 7/02",
    "H03K 17/955"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "R Go Robotics Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Nizan Horesh",
    "Tal Levi"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-02-15",
  "publication_date": "2020-10-27",
  "grant_date": "2020-10-27",
  "priority_date": "2019-02-15",
  "application_number": "US-201916276949-A",
  "family_id": "72041125",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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    "US20150158182A1",
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    "JP2018150624A"
  ]
}