US 12,226,909 B2
Robotic device with time-of-flight proximity sensing system
Cheng Peng, Plano, TX (US); and Xiaoyong Yang, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to STMICROELECTRONICS, INC., Coppell, TX (US)
Filed by STMICROELECTRONICS, INC., Coppell, TX (US)
Filed on Aug. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/884,492.
Application 17/884,492 is a division of application No. 16/230,302, filed on Dec. 21, 2018, granted, now 11,453,123.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/610,607, filed on Dec. 27, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0032490 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 19/02 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1664 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1694 (2013.01); B25J 19/021 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, from a time-of-flight proximity sensor system coupled to a movable device, a first distance of an object measured from a first time-of-flight proximity sensor of the time-of-flight proximity sensor system and a second distance of the object measured from a second time-of-flight proximity sensor of the time-of-flight proximity sensor system;
analyzing the first distance with respect to the second distance; and
controlling detection ranges of the first time-of-flight proximity sensor and the second time-of-flight proximity sensor based on the first distance and the second distance and based on a result of the analyzing,
wherein the controlling the detection ranges includes moving the detection ranges of the first time-of-flight proximity sensor and the second time-of-flight sensor either closer together or further apart based on a difference between the first distance and the second distance, and
wherein the controlling the detection ranges includes moving the detection ranges linearly in a first direction by tilting or rotating at least one of the first time-of-flight proximity sensor or the second time-of-flight proximity sensor.