Lens assembly, obstacle detecting unit using the same, and moving robot having the same

{
  "publication_number": "US9864914B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Lens assembly, obstacle detecting unit using the same, and moving robot having the same",
  "abstract": "An obstacle detecting unit includes a reflective mirror formed to reflect light which is incident from a front area and a lower portion of the front area below a central portion of the reflective mirror; a catadioptric lens disposed coaxially with the reflective mirror in an upper portion of the reflective mirror, the catadioptric lens on which light incident from the front area and an upper portion of the front area; and an image forming module disposed coaxially with the reflective mirror below the reflective mirror, the image forming module on which the light reflected by the reflective mirror is incident, wherein a through hole is formed in the central portion of the reflective mirror, and the light coming out of the catadioptric lens passes through the through hole and then is incident on the image forming module.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A lens assembly mountable in an obstacle detection device comprising: a reflective mirror formed to reflect light that is incident from at least a portion of an area in front of the obstacle detection device and from at least a portion of a lower portion of the area in front of the obstacle detection device toward below a central portion of the reflective mirror and including a through hole formed in the central portion of the reflective mirror; and a catadioptric lens to direct light, which is incident from at least a portion of the area in front of the obstacle detection device and from at least a portion of an upper portion of the area in front of the obstacle detection device, to pass through the through hole of the reflective mirror, the catadioptric lens being disposed coaxially with the reflective mirror in an upper portion of the reflective mirror.",
    "2. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the catadioptric lens is detachably disposed in the reflective mirror.",
    "3. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the catadioptric lens comprises: a first surface including a reflecting area formed on an inside of the first surface and a refracting area surrounding the reflecting area formed on the inside of the first surface, and a second surface facing the first surface and including a refracting area and a reflecting area surrounding the refracting area of the second surface.",
    "4. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein the refracting area of the first surface of the catadioptric lens is formed to receive outside light, the reflecting area of the second surface of the catadioptric lens is formed to reflect the light incident on the refracting area of the first surface to the reflecting area of the first surface, and the refracting area of the second surface is formed to transmit the light reflected by the reflecting area of the first surface so that the light is emitted to an outside of the catadioptric lens.",
    "5. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein the refracting area of the first surface is formed so that light having an incident angle of between 0 and 60 degrees is incident.",
    "6. The lens assembly of claim 5, wherein a masking area to limit the incident angle is formed on the first surface.",
    "7. The lens assembly of claim 3, wherein the reflecting area of the first surface and the reflecting area of the second surface are formed of any one of aluminum and chrome.",
    "8. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the reflective mirror is formed to reflect light having an incident angle of between −60 and 0 degrees below the through hole of the reflective mirror.",
    "9. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the through hole of the reflective mirror is formed to not interfere with the light emitted from the catadioptric lens."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field\n\nThe present disclosure relates to an obstacle detecting unit using a lens that is used for a mobile robot. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a lens assembly that may be used for an obstacle detecting unit which can detect all of obstacles which are located in a front area, an upper side, and a lower side in front of a mobile robot by using a single image sensor, an obstacle detecting unit using the same, and a mobile robot having the same.\n\n2. Description of the Related Art\n\nA mobile robot, such as a robot cleaner, is configured to move automatically while avoiding obstacles located in front of the mobile robot in order to be able to perform autonomous navigation and certain tasks.\n\nFor this, the mobile robot is provided with an obstacle detecting unit. Conventional robot cleaners are provided with a number of position sensitive detectors (PSD) that are a position detecting sensor and are disposed in the front and at the top of the mobile robot as the obstacle detecting sensor in order to avoid obstacles. However, this method has problems that the blind spot of the obstacle detection cannot be completely eliminated, and the material cost is increased because it uses a plurality of sensors.\n\nFor solving these problems, a robot cleaner has been developed to detect obstacles in front of the robot cleaner using an omni-directional camera system.",
  "cpc": [
    "G02B 17/00",
    "A47L 2201/04",
    "B25J 11/00",
    "B25J 5/00",
    "B25J 9/1666",
    "G01S 17/46",
    "G01S 17/931",
    "G01S 17/936",
    "G01S 7/4816",
    "G02B 13/06",
    "G02B 17/08",
    "G02B 17/0804",
    "G02B 17/0808",
    "G02B 17/0812",
    "G02B 17/086",
    "G05D 1/0088",
    "G05D 1/0238",
    "G05D 1/0246",
    "G05D 2201/0203",
    "G06K 9/00805",
    "G06V 20/58",
    "H04N 23/55",
    "H04N 5/2254",
    "Y10S 901/01"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 5/00",
    "B25J 9/16",
    "G01C 22/00",
    "G01S 17/46",
    "G01S 17/931",
    "G01S 7/481",
    "G02B 13/06",
    "G02B 17/00",
    "G02B 17/08",
    "G05D 1/00",
    "G05D 1/02",
    "G06K 9/00",
    "H04N 5/225"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Samsung Electronics Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jong-Il Kim",
    "Suk-june YOON",
    "Shin Kim",
    "Kyung-shik Roh",
    "Soon-Yong Park",
    "Sang-Sik Yoon",
    "Seung-jae Lee"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-10-15",
  "publication_date": "2018-01-09",
  "grant_date": "2018-01-09",
  "priority_date": "2014-12-24",
  "application_number": "US-201514883773-A",
  "family_id": "54608324",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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}