JP3229476B2 - Communication method of robot in pipe - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication method of a robot for searching for a leak location in a pipe such as a gas pipe.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a robot for searching for a leak location or the like is inserted into a pipe such as a gas pipe, and the robot is moved in the pipe to search for a leak location.

In this case, a robot moves while pulling a wired communication cable and communicates with an operator outside the tube using a communication cable, or a robot is equipped with a radio and a base station side has a radio device. There is a method of installing an antenna in a pipe and performing wireless communication between a robot and a base station.

[0004]

However, in the former method, if the pipe has a large bend, there is a problem that the communication cable is caught on the bend and the robot cannot move. Further, the latter method has a problem that the range in which radio waves can reach within the pipe is limited, so that the moving range of the robot is limited.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a communication method of a robot in a pipe that can communicate with the robot in a wide range in the pipe.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a robot in which a plurality of relay stations are connected to a base station, and performs radio communication between the base station and the robot. A method for moving a robot, the method comprising: (a) detecting a reception intensity of a radio wave transmitted to a robot side; and (b) detecting a reception intensity of the radio wave smaller than a predetermined value.
(C) relaying the radio wave transmitted from the base station at the disconnected relay station and transmitting the relayed radio wave to the robot, A communication method for a robot in a pipe, wherein the steps (a) to (c) are repeated.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the reception intensity of the radio wave transmitted to the robot side is detected, and when the reception intensity becomes smaller than a predetermined value, the relay station connected at that point is separated, and the radio wave transmitted from the base station is separated. Is relayed by the relay station and sent to the robot.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of movement of a robot in a pipe.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a pipe such as a gas pipe, in which an antenna 3 of a base station 2 is installed. FIG. 1 (a)
As shown in (1), the robot 5 connected with the relay stations 7, 9 is inserted into the opening of the tube 1. When the relay stations 7 and 9 are connected to the robot 5, wireless communication is performed between the base station 2 and the robot 5.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the robot 5. The robot 5 detects the received electric field strength (step 201), and compares the received electric field strength with a threshold value (step 202). When the received electric field strength is larger than the threshold value, the robot 5 moves with the relay stations 7 and 9 connected, and searches for a leak location (FIG. 1B).

When the received electric field strength becomes smaller than the threshold value in step 202, the robot 5 turns on the mobile relay station (step 203). That is, when the robot 5 moves away from the antenna 3 on the base station 2 side, the received electric field strength of the robot 5 decreases. When the received electric field strength becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the relay station 9 is separated and the relay station 9 is disconnected. (FIG. 1 (c)). After that, robot 5
Moves further with the relay station 7 connected.

Then, it is determined whether or not the input of all the relay stations has been completed (step 204). If the input of all the relay stations has not been completed, the process returns to step 201, and the above-described operation is repeated. When the received electric field strength becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold, as shown in FIG. 1D, the relay station 7 is disconnected, and the robot 5 and the base station 2 are connected via the relay stations 7 and 9.
The robot 5 moves while communicating with the robot.

As described above, in this embodiment, the robot 5 moves while connecting a plurality of relay stations, and when the received electric field strength becomes smaller than a predetermined value, the relay station is disconnected and the relay station transmits radio waves. Since the robot 5 moves while performing the relay, the robot 5 can move over a wide range.

In the above-described embodiment, the robot 5 is 2
Although the relay stations are connected, one or two or more relay stations may be connected.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to communicate with a robot in a wide range in a pipe.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of movement of a robot in a pipe.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the robot 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1… Tube 2… Base station 3… Antenna 5… Robot 7, 9… Relay station

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for moving a robot in a pipe while performing wireless communication between a robot having a plurality of relay stations connected to a base station and a base station, wherein: (a) sending the robot to the robot side; Detecting the reception intensity of the received radio wave; (b) disconnecting the base station-side relay station connected at that point when the reception intensity becomes lower than a predetermined value; (c) the base station Radio waves sent from the said separated relay
A method of relaying at a station and sending to the robot, wherein the steps (a) to (c) are repeated.