JP2002341937A - Method for moving work robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To guide a work robot to a destination by installing radio repeaters on a work passage. SOLUTION: In processes to move a work robot 14 and a work support robot 16 along a work passage 12 while sending/receiving radio waves to/from radio communication equipment mounted on the work robot, the work support robot 16 and a remote controller radio repeaters 18 are successively installed on the way of the work passage 12 by using a manipulator 20 in accordance with the movement of the work robot 14. The work robot 14 is guided to the target while sending/receiving the radio waves to/from the remote controller through the radio repeaters 18 installed on the work passage 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for moving a working robot, and more particularly to a complex plant facility such as a nuclear power plant, and difficulties in wireless communication with the outside due to obstacles to wireless communication due to walls and structures. The present invention relates to a method of moving a work robot suitable for moving the work robot by remote control in a simple facility.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a facility such as a nuclear power plant, inspection work is regularly performed. However, since there is a danger that a worker enters such a facility, a part of the inspection work is performed by the worker. Instead of a work robot. When performing inspection work using a work robot, it has been proposed that the work robot be remotely controlled by wireless communication from a remote control device installed outside the facility.However, facilities such as nuclear power plants are necessary for safety measures. Since it is composed of walls and structures, this becomes an obstacle in wireless communication, and a method of remotely operating the work robot by wired communication is adopted.

However, when the work robot is remotely controlled by wire communication, it is necessary to provide the work robot with a cable reel or the like.
The work area is restricted by the length of the cable, and studies on wireless communication are underway.

For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-233059, a work support robot having a wireless relay function is provided together with a work robot. A method of transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from a work robot and moving the work robot to a destination is adopted.

As another wireless communication technique, a method of increasing the electric field strength of a radio wave so that a radio wave can be transmitted and received via a radio relay device even when there is a wall or a structure.

[0006]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In the prior art of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-209, when the work robot is remotely operated, the wireless relay robot is installed on the movement path of the work robot. Therefore, the work robot can be moved to the destination by a radio wave. However, a large number of wireless relay robots must be installed on the moving path of the work robot, which increases costs. In other words, when moving a work robot through a facility that has walls or structures that can interfere with radio waves, unless many wireless relay robots are installed on the movement path of the work robot, the work robot can be remotely controlled by radio wave interruption. You can't do that.

[0007] The method of increasing the electric field strength of radio waves has the advantage of not using a wireless relay device. However, since the radio waves may adversely affect other devices, the electric field method restricts the electric field strength. And an application for permission is required. In a facility such as a nuclear power plant, it is necessary to use a specific power device, so that a large number of wireless relay devices are required to perform wireless communication.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of moving a work robot that can guide the work robot to a destination by installing a wireless relay device in a work path.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a wireless relay device that is sequentially installed in a work path according to the movement of a work robot, and a wireless communication device is provided between the remote operation device and the work robot. And keep giving and receiving
The work robot is guided to a destination.

[0010] More specifically, the present invention provides a method for moving a work robot while transmitting and receiving a radio wave between a radio communication device mounted on the work robot and a remote control device. By moving the work robot along the work path, according to the movement of the work robot, a wireless relay device is sequentially installed in the work path, and the work robot and the work robot through the wireless relay device installed in the work path A method of moving a work robot, wherein the work robot is moved to a destination while transmitting and receiving a radio wave to and from a remote control device is adopted.

In adopting the method of moving the work robot, the following elements can be added.

(1) When the attenuation of the carrier amplitude of the radio wave transmitted and received between the remote control device and the work robot falls below a set value, the work robot is moved before the radio wave is interrupted. Restrict.

(2) In accordance with the movement of the work robot, movement history information of the work robot is generated and recorded in the work robot, and based on the movement history information when the radio wave from the remote control device is cut off. Moving the work robot to a position where radio waves can be received from the remote control device.

(3) In accordance with the movement of the work robot, movement history information of the work robot is generated and recorded in the work robot, and travel route map information of the work robot is created according to the recorded movement history information. And moving the work robot to the original position according to the recorded movement route map information when the work robot returns.

(4) The wireless relay device includes a television camera,
Infrared TV camera, radiation dosimeter, thermometer, hygrometer,
Microphone, gas component analyzer, liquid component analyzer, smoke detector, equipped with one or more combinations of lighting equipment, information obtained by the equipment mounted on the wireless relay device from the wireless relay device The wireless relay device nearby, the work robot, the remote control device,
To transmit to other wireless devices.

(5) When the work robot returns, the work robot is moved to its original position using the illumination provided by the lighting device mounted on the wireless relay device as a guidepost.

(6) The wireless relay device is mounted on one or a plurality of work support robots traveling together with the work robot, and the wireless relay device mounted on the work support robot is mounted on the work path by a manipulator of the work robot. To be installed in

According to the above-mentioned means, in the process of moving the work robot along the work path in accordance with a command from the remote control device, the wireless relay device is sequentially installed in the work path according to the movement of the work robot, Radio waves are exchanged between the remote control device and the work robot via the relay device.By simply installing a fixed wireless relay device in the work path of the work robot, the work robot can reach the destination. Can be moved. In this case, since only the wireless relay device needs to be installed in the work passage, the cost of the system can be reduced as compared with the case where the wireless relay is performed by the self-propelled robot.

When the attenuation of the carrier amplitude of the radio wave falls below the set position, the movement of the work robot is restricted before the interruption of the radio wave. Disruption can be prevented.

Further, the work robot records its own movement history information, and when the radio wave is cut off, moves the work robot to a position where radio waves can be received based on the movement history information, so that the work robot has an object. It can be surely guided to the ground.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a wireless mobile robot system to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, a nuclear power plant 10 is provided with a work passage 12 for inspecting a nuclear reactor and the like constituting the nuclear plant 10, and the work passage 12 allows a work robot 14 and a work support robot 16 to travel. Is configured.

The work robot 14 and the work support robot 16 are equipped with a wireless communication device. The work robot 14 and the work support robot 16 communicate with a remote control device installed at a remote place outside the travel path 12 and a radio wave. It is possible to travel along the work path 12 in accordance with a command from the remote control device while giving and receiving. Further, while the work robot 14 and the work support robot 16 move along the work path 12, one of the plurality of wireless repeaters 18 mounted on the work support robot 16 is connected to the work robot 14. Manipulator 20
, And are sequentially installed in the middle of the work passage 12 so as to travel while transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from a remote control device via a wireless relay device 18 installed in the work passage 12.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the work robot 14 has a manipulator 20 for performing various works.
The work robot 14 and the work support robot 16 have substantially the same configuration except that the work support robot 16 has a plurality of wireless relay devices 18 mounted thereon.

That is, the work robot 14 and the work support robot 16 are composed of a traveling device 22 having an endless track and the like, a traveling system sensor 24 composed of an encoder for measuring a moving distance of the traveling device 22 traveling, and a control device 26. ,
The control device 26 includes a wireless communication device 28, an antenna 30, and a camera 32. The control device 26 controls a memory 34 that records movement history data as movement history information measured by the traveling system sensor 24, the traveling device 22, and the like. And a CPU (microprocessor) 36 for performing the arithmetic and control operations described above.

The radio communication device 28 transmits and receives radio waves to and from the radio relay device 18 and the remote control device via the antenna 30, and transfers communication information to the CPU 36. The CPU 36 controls the driving of the traveling device 22 based on the communication information. In this case, the work robot 1
The fourth CPU 36 controls the driving of the traveling device 22 and the driving of the manipulator 20 based on the communication information. The image data captured by the camera 32 is also transferred to the CPU 36, and the CPU 36 is configured to control the driving of the traveling device 22 based on the image data.

The CPU 36 generates movement history data as movement history information of each robot in accordance with the movement of the work robot 14 or the work support robot 16 and stores the movement history data in the memory 34.
, And also creates movement route map information of the work robot 14 or the work support robot 16 based on the movement history data and stores it in the memory 34.

Further, the program of the CPU 36 restricts the movement of the work robot 14 or the work support robot 16 before the interruption of the radio wave when the attenuation of the carrier amplitude of the radio wave falls below the set value. An algorithm for stopping, and when the radio wave from the remote operation device is cut off, the work robot 1 reaches a position where the radio wave can be received from the remote operation device based on the movement history data.
4 or an algorithm for moving the work support robot 16 backward.

When the work robot 14 and the work support robot 16 return, the program of each CPU 36 stores the work robot 14 or the work support robot 16 in the original position according to the moving route map information recorded in each memory 34. The algorithm for moving to is stored.

In the above configuration, when the work robot 14 and the work support robot 16 move along the work path 12, they exchange radio waves with the remote control device,
The vehicle sequentially travels along the work path 12 according to a command from the remote control device. In this case, the work robot 14 travels along the work passage 12 while being led by the work support robot 16, and when traveling along the work passage 12, when it reaches an area where a wall or a structure that is an obstacle to wireless communication is present, The wireless relay device 18 is installed in the work passage 12 using the manipulator 20, and the wireless relay device 16 exchanges radio waves with the remote control device via the wireless relay device 16.

In the course of such traveling, as shown in FIG. 3A, after the wireless relay device 18 is installed, when the work robot 14 is traveling along the work path 12, When the attenuation of the carrier amplitude of the radio wave transmitted and received between the remote operation device and the work robot 14 becomes equal to or less than the set value, the work is performed before the radio wave is cut off as shown in FIG. As a process for restricting the movement of the robot 14, the movement of the work robot 14 is stopped. In this case, the wireless relay device 18 is installed using the manipulator 20 at the position where the work robot 14 is stopped, and it is possible to exchange radio waves with the remote control device via the newly installed wireless relay device 18. , The traveling of the work robot 14 is started. This enables continuation of wireless communication.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4A, after the work robot 14 has installed the wireless relay device 18,
As shown in FIG. 5, when the traveling of the work robot 14 makes it impossible to exchange radio waves with the wireless relay device 18 on the work passage 12, that is, when the radio waves from the remote control device are cut off, 14 memories 34
Robot 1 based on the movement history data recorded in
Reference numeral 4 autonomously returns to a position where a radio wave from the remote control device can be received, and resumes wireless communication with the remote control device. Also in this case, the wireless communication device 18 is installed at the position where the work robot 14 returns, and the wireless communication device 18 can transmit and receive wireless waves to and from the remote control device via the newly installed wireless relay device 18. Start running.

By continuing such traveling, the work robot 14 can move to the destination with the guidance of the work support robot 16. When the robot reaches the destination, the work robot 14 performs various operations using the manipulator 20.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since the wireless relay device 18 is sequentially installed in the work passage 12 in accordance with the movement of the work robot 14, the autonomous robot is sequentially installed in the work passage 12. Instead, the work robot 14 can be reliably guided to the destination only by sequentially installing the fixed wireless relay devices 18, which can contribute to a reduction in system cost.

Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the wireless relay device 18 is mounted on the work support robot 16 has been described.
And the wireless relay device 1 using the manipulator 20.
A configuration in which 8 are sequentially installed in the work passage 12 may be adopted.

In this embodiment, since the travel route map information is recorded in each robot, each robot automatically returns to its original position according to the recorded travel route map information when each robot returns. You can move to the position. In this case, a lighting device or the like is mounted on the wireless relay device 18, the camera 32 captures an image of the lighting device, and the robot can be moved to its original position using the lighting as a guidepost.

Each of the wireless relay devices 18 includes a television camera, an infrared television camera, a radiation dose system, a thermometer, a hygrometer, a microphone, a gas component analyzer, a liquid component analyzer,
Smoke detector, equipped with one or more combinations of lighting equipment, information obtained by these mounted equipment,
For example, information on the radiation dose, the damage state of the wall, and the like can be transmitted to each work robot and the remote operation device.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In the process of moving the work robot along the work path in accordance with a command from the remote control device, wireless relay devices are sequentially installed in the work passage according to the movement of the work robot, and the remote control device is connected to the remote control device via each wireless relay device. By transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from the work robot, the work robot can be moved to the destination simply by installing a fixed wireless relay device in the work path of the work robot.
This simplifies the development, operation, and maintenance of the system compared to wireless relay by a self-propelled robot, and can reduce the total cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a wireless mobile robot system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a work robot and a work support robot.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a moving method when the carrier amplitude of a radio wave is attenuated.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a moving method when a radio wave is cut off.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Nuclear plant 12 Work passage 14 Work robot 16 Work support robot 18 Wireless relay device 20 Manipulator 22 Travel device 24 Travel system sensor 26 Control device 28 Wireless communication device 30 Antenna 32 Camera 34 Memory 36 CPU

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Hattori 502, Kandachi-cho, Tsuchiura-shi, Ibaraki Machinery Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Haruo Kinoshita 3-1-1 Sachimachi, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki Prefecture Within the Nuclear Power Division of the Works (72) Inventor Akihiro Sugano 3-1-1, Sachimachi, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki F-term within the Nuclear Power Division of Hitachi, Ltd. DD07 DD17 GG09 5K048 BA10 BA21 DB01 DC01 EB02 EB15 HA03 HA04 HA06 5K067 BB28 DD27 EE02 EE06 FF03

Claims (7)

[Claims] When a work robot is moved while transmitting and receiving radio waves between a wireless communication device mounted on the work robot and a remote control device, the work robot is moved by a command from the remote control device. Along with moving the work robot, a wireless relay device is sequentially installed in the work passage according to the movement of the work robot, and between the work robot and the remote control device via the wireless relay device installed in the work passage. A method of moving a work robot, wherein the work robot is moved to a destination while transmitting and receiving a radio wave. 2. The method for moving a working robot according to claim 1, wherein when the carrier amplitude of the radio wave transmitted and received between the remote operation device and the working robot is reduced to a set value or less. A method of moving a work robot, wherein the movement of the work robot is restricted before the interruption of radio waves. 3. The remote operation device according to claim 1, wherein the movement history information of the work robot is generated and recorded in the work robot in accordance with the movement of the work robot. A method of moving the work robot to a position at which a radio wave can be received from the remote control device based on the movement history information when the radio wave from the robot is cut off. 4. One of claims 1, 2 and 3
The movement method of the work robot according to the item, wherein the movement history information of the work robot is generated according to the movement of the work robot and recorded on the work robot, and the movement path of the work robot according to the recorded movement history information Create and record map information, and when the work robot returns,
Moving the work robot to an original position according to the recorded movement route map information. 5. The method for moving a working robot according to claim 1, wherein the wireless relay device includes a television camera, an infrared television camera, a radiation dosimeter, a thermometer, and a humidity. Meter, a microphone, a gas component analyzer, a liquid component analyzer, a smoke detector, and one or more combinations of lighting devices, and relay the information obtained by the device mounted on the wireless relay device to the wireless relay device. A method of moving a work robot, wherein the work robot is transmitted by radio waves from the device to nearby wireless relay devices, the work robot, the remote control device, and other wireless devices. 6. The method for moving a work robot according to claim 5, wherein when the work robot returns, the work robot is moved to an original position by using a lighting device mounted on the wireless relay device as a guidepost. A method for moving a work robot, comprising: 7. The method for moving a work robot according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, wherein one or a plurality of the plurality of vehicles move the wireless relay device together with the work robot. A method for moving a work robot, wherein the work relay robot is mounted on the work support robot, and a wireless relay device mounted on the work support robot is installed in the work passage by a manipulator of the work robot.