JP2008165289A - Robot system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easy to introduce low-cost robot system that can be utilized for preventing disasters/crimes. <P>SOLUTION: This robot system is provided with abnormality detection sensors S1-S5, such as disaster prevention sensor and crime prevention sensor installed in necessary positions of a monitoring target area 1; a sensor management device 2 that outputs sensor specification information of a sensor for detecting abnormal conditions; a self-propelled robot A, traveling tracklessly inside the monitoring target area 1; and a robot controller 3 controlling the self-propelled robot A. The robot controller 3 is provided with a receipt part 4 receiving the sensor specification information from the sensor management device 2; a route storage part 6 storing route information R1-R5 from a travel starting point of the self-propelled robot to positions P1-P5 corresponding to specific abnormality detection sensors; a transmission part 7 transmitting specific route information to the self-propelled robot A; and a processing part 5 extracting the route information corresponding to the received sensor specification information from the route storage part 6 and transmitting it to the self-propelled robot A. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot system for causing a disaster prevention or crime prevention robot to travel based on a detection result of an abnormality detection sensor.

Conventionally, surveillance cameras are installed in places where people are gone, such as office buildings at night, and not only the security guards monitor the monitor in the management room, but also various disaster prevention sensors and security sensors are installed. A method of receiving a sensor signal by a monitoring device is known. When the sensor detects an abnormality and a notification is sent to the monitoring device in the management room, the guards rush to perform the predetermined processing. It was also used to reduce the burden on guards.
And as a robot system currently known, there exists a fire extinguishing robot system shown in patent document 1, for example. In this system, a fire extinguishing robot that has received a signal from a fire alarm identifies a fire source by detecting infrared rays, moves toward the fire source, and performs fire fighting activities such as spraying a fire extinguishing agent. That's it.
JP 2000-126324 A

As described above, a fire extinguishing robot that identifies and moves a fire source, analyzes the detection results of the infrared sensor, identifies the fire source, and approaches the fire source for each identified fire source. It is necessary to have a function to calculate the movement route for Such a robot would be expensive. Therefore, such a robot system has a problem that it cannot be easily introduced.
An object of the present invention is to provide a robot system that can be used for disaster prevention and crime prevention, is inexpensive and easy to introduce.

  1st invention provides the sensor specific information for specifying the abnormality detection sensor which detected the abnormality while providing the 1 or several abnormality detection sensor which consists of a disaster prevention sensor, a security sensor, etc. in the required location of the monitoring object area. While the sensor management device is provided, in the monitoring target area, one or more self-propelled robots that run without a track are arranged, and a robot control device that controls the self-propelled robot is provided. A receiving unit that receives sensor identification information output from the sensor management device; and a path storage unit that stores path information from a starting point where the self-propelled robot is installed to a position corresponding to a specific abnormality detection sensor; A transmission unit for transmitting specific route information to the self-propelled robot, and a route corresponding to the sensor identification information received via the reception unit. A processing unit that extracts information from the route storage unit and transmits the route information to the self-propelled robot via the transmission unit, and the self-propelled robot travels according to the received route information. It has the characteristics.

The position corresponding to the abnormality detection sensor is a position determined for each abnormality detection sensor and is a position where a robot is required, but does not have to be the same position as the abnormality sensor position.
The traveling start point of the robot is a position where the robot is normally installed.

  On the premise of the first invention, a second invention is provided with a plurality of abnormality detection sensors for detecting abnormality of different types of detection targets, and a plurality of self-propelled having functions corresponding to the types of these abnormality detection sensors. It has a feature in that it has a robot.

  In the first and second inventions, the route on which the self-propelled robot should move is set for each abnormality detection sensor, and the route information is stored in the route storage unit. By instructing the route to the self-propelled robot, the robot can be moved to a necessary location. Self-propelled robots only need to have a function to move according to the route information transmitted from the robot controller, and it is necessary to have a function to identify the destination and determine the route to the destination. Therefore, the structure can be simplified and the manufacturing cost of the robot can be reduced accordingly.

Also, the robot controller can extract the route information stored in the route storage unit in advance based on the sensor identification signal and send it, so that route information can be created each time depending on the situation, There is no need to make it function, and simple functions are sufficient.
Thus, if the robot and the robot control device can be simplified and the price thereof is lowered, the introduction cost of the robot system can be kept low, and the introduction is easy in various situations.

  In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the fire detection sensors S1, S2, and S3 that are abnormality detection sensors of the present invention are arranged in the monitoring target area 1, and a self-propelled fire extinguishing robot A is installed. It is a robot system. The fire detection sensors S1, S2, and S3 are sensors that detect a fire according to temperature, and are connected to the sensor management device 2 to transmit a signal to the sensor management device 2 when a high temperature exceeding a set value is detected. To do.

In addition, a robot control device 3 is connected to the sensor management device 2, and the robot control device 3 controls the robot A installed in the monitoring target area 1 by wireless communication.
The sensor management device 2 and the robot control device 3 may be installed anywhere, but are installed, for example, in a building management room. Both devices may be a single device.

The sensor management device 2 receives the output signals from the sensors S1, S2, S3, specifies which sensor the signal is output from, and sends the sensor specification information to the robot control device 3. It has a function to send.
The robot control device 3 includes a receiving unit 4 that receives sensor specifying information transmitted from the sensor management device 2, a processing unit 5 connected to the receiving unit 4, a path storage unit 6 connected to the processing unit 5, and a robot. And a transmitter 7 for transmitting a signal wirelessly.

The path storage unit 6 is a storage unit that stores path information corresponding to each abnormality detection sensor S1, S2, S3 installed in the monitoring target area 1. For example, as shown in FIG. Stores a path R1, a path S2 associated with the sensor S2, and a path R3 associated with the sensor S3.
As shown in FIG. 1, each of the above paths R1, R2, and R3 is a path of the robot A that uses the neighboring points P1, P2, and P3 of the sensors S1, S2, and S3 as target points, and detects an abnormality. This is the movement path that the robot A should travel according to the sensor. That is, when the sensor S1 detects an abnormality, the route on which the robot A should travel is the route R1, when the sensor S2 detects an abnormality, the route R2, and when the sensor S3 detects an abnormality, the route R3. That is.

  The target points P1, P2, and P3 are set in the vicinity of the sensors S1, S2, and S3, respectively. However, the target points only need to correspond to the sensors, and need not be set in the vicinity of the sensors. As described above, when multiple fire detection sensors are installed, the target point of the robot that runs near each sensor is set assuming that there is a fire source near the sensor that detected the abnormality. .

These routes R1, R2, and R3 are information on how far and in what direction the robot A travels from the travel starting point that is the installation position shown in FIG. For example, when the front surface of the robot A is f and the rotation angle of the robot is θ (see FIG. 3), the route R1 can be specified by θ = 0 and the distance d1 from the travel start point to the destination point P1. it can. Similarly, the route R2 can be specified by the rotation angle θ and the distance d2 that direct the robot front f toward the target point P2, and the route R3 can be specified by the rotation angle θ and the distance d3 that directs the robot front f toward the target point P3.
However, the route is not limited to a straight line. In that case, route information including information such as the distance to the waypoint in the middle, the rotation angle at the waypoint, and the distance from the waypoint to the target point should be used. Good.

When the processing unit 5 of the robot control device 3 receives the sensor specifying information via the receiving unit 4, the processing unit 5 obtains the route information corresponding to the sensor specified by the received sensor specifying information from the route storage unit 6. Extract and send to robot A.
The robot A is a self-propelled fire extinguishing robot and has a function of running according to the route information received from the robot control device 3 and starting a fire fighting operation at a target point.

  In such a system, for example, when a fire occurs in the monitoring target area 1 and the sensor S1 detects a fire, the sensor management device 2 receives a signal from the sensor S1, and controls the specific information of the sensor S1 by robot control. Transmit to device 3. In the robot control device 3, the processing unit 5 receives the identification information of the sensor S1 via the reception unit 4, and the processing unit 5 identifies the route R1 corresponding to the sensor S1 from the route storage unit 6. Then, the transmission unit 7 transmits the route R1 to the robot A.

The robot A travels according to the route R1 that is the received route information, and sprays a fire extinguisher at the target point P1.
The robot A is set in advance so that when route information is input, the robot A travels according to the information and performs a fire extinguishing operation at a target point. However, the robot control device 3 may transmit a command signal instructing fire extinguishing work each time the route information is transmitted.
In addition, a monitor camera may be mounted on the fire extinguishing robot A, and an image captured during traveling may be transmitted to a management device (not shown) and displayed on a monitor such as a management room.

In the robot system as described above, since the abnormality detection sensor and the robot path information are associated in advance, it is not necessary for the robot A to have a processing function for specifying the path, and the robot A is simple and inexpensive. Can be a thing.
Also, the robot control device 3 only needs to extract and transmit route information stored in advance, so that processing such as calculating a route according to the situation is unnecessary, and a simple configuration can be achieved.
Therefore, it is possible to introduce a robot system at a low cost.
In the first embodiment, the case where the abnormality detection sensor is a fire detection sensor has been described. However, the abnormality detection sensor may be any object such as temperature, smoke, sound, or vibration. .

The second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is a robot system in which different types of abnormality detection sensors are installed in the monitoring target area 1 and robots having different types of functions corresponding to the sensors are provided. It is an example.
As shown in FIG. 4, sensors S <b> 1, S <b> 2, S <b> 3, S <b> 4, S <b> 5 and robots A and B are installed in the monitoring target area 1. The sensors S1 to S3 are the same fire detection sensors as the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and the robot A is a fire extinguishing robot.
The sensors S4 and S5 are sensors that detect unauthorized intrusion when the detection target is vibration and is provided near the entrance / exit. On the other hand, the robot B corresponds to the sensors S4 and S5, has a different function from the robot A, and is a security robot against unauthorized intrusion. Specifically, the robot B has a function of ejecting color powder when it moves to the target points P4 and P5 corresponding to the sensors S4 and S5 in order to stand out when an unauthorized person escapes. Yes. However, the traveling function is the same as that of the robot A. It is the same as the robot A in that the vehicle travels in accordance with the route information transmitted from the robot control device 3 and proceeds toward the front direction f in the traveling direction.

  In addition, the same code | symbol as FIG. 1 is used for the same component as 1st Embodiment, and detailed description regarding the same function is abbreviate | omitted. Then, each sensor S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 is connected to the sensor management device 2, and the robot control device 3 sends route information to the robot A or B according to the sensor identification information output from the sensor management device 2. Is the same as that of the first embodiment in that the robot is caused to travel and the robot performs a specific operation at the target point.

  However, in the second embodiment, the route storage unit 6 of the robot control device 3 includes, as shown in FIG. 5, robot identification information for identifying a robot that is a destination of route information along with the route for each sensor. It is stored in association. And each path | route R4, R5 is the information specified by the distance from the driving | running | working starting point to the target points P4, P5 of the robot B, and rotation angle (theta) which determines the direction of a robot similarly to path | route R1-R3. . And what added the robot specific information which specifies the robot of the transmission destination of information to these information respond | corresponds to the route information of this invention.

  FIG. 4 shows target points P4 and P5 corresponding to the sensors S4 and S5 and routes R4 and R5 of the robot B to the points. Further, the distances from the starting point of travel where the robot B is shown to the target points P4 and P5 are d4 and d5. The target points P4 and P5 are also set in the vicinity of the sensors S4 and S5, but are not limited thereto. It is preferable that an intruder's intrusion route is predicted, and a position where the color powder can be sprayed on the intrusion route is a target point.

In such a robot system, when any sensor detects an abnormality and outputs a signal, the sensor management device 2 that has received the signal transmits a sensor specifying signal to the robot control device 3.
Next, the processing unit 5 of the robot control device 3 receives the sensor specifying information via the receiving unit 4 and extracts path information corresponding to the received sensor specifying signal. For example, when the identification information of the security sensor S4 is received, the route R4 corresponding to the sensor S4 is extracted, but at the same time, the robot B associated with the sensor S4 is identified.

Then, a route R4 is transmitted as route information to the specified robot B.
When the robot B receives the route R4, the robot B travels to the target point P4 according to the route information, and sprays color powder as a crime prevention operation there.
On the other hand, when the sensors S1 to S3 detect an abnormality, the route information corresponding to each sensor is transmitted to the robot A and the fire extinguishing work is performed, as in the first embodiment.
In this way, self-propelled robots having different functions are prepared according to the type of detection target, and the robot to be operated is selected according to the sensor that detected the abnormality, that is, according to the type of abnormality. Thus, since the robot type and the route information are associated in advance according to the type of sensor, the processing unit 5 or the robot itself must make a determination on the spot according to the situation. Elements can be minimized. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the functions of the robots A and B and the robot control device 3, and to enable quick response at low cost.

In the second embodiment, the sensors S1 to S3 and the sensors S4 and S5 are used as two types of sensors having different detection targets, but any number of sensors may be used.
In addition to the function of spraying color powder as described above, a robot having a function of generating a threatening sound or launching a net for capturing a criminal can be used as the security robot.
Further, a plurality of robots having the same function may be installed, and for example, in order to shorten the travel distance, each robot may be associated with a sensor according to a target point and stored in the route storage unit 6. .
Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which each robot has only one function for disaster prevention or crime prevention, but one robot may have a plurality of functions. In that case, an abnormality detection sensor is associated with each function of the robot. The point that each robot travels according to the route information corresponding to the abnormality detection sensor is the same as in the above embodiment.

It is a system configuration figure of a 1st embodiment. It is an example of the data which the path storage part of a 1st embodiment has memorized. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the path | route information of the robot of 1st Embodiment. It is a system configuration figure of a 2nd embodiment. It is an example of the data which the path | route memory | storage part of 2nd Embodiment has memorize | stored.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Monitoring object area 2 Sensor management apparatus 3 Robot control apparatus 4 Receiving part 5 Processing part 6 Path | route storage part 7 Sending part S1-S5 Sensor A, B Robot R1-R5 Path | route

Claims (2)

  While providing one or a plurality of abnormality detection sensors composed of disaster prevention sensors, security sensors, etc. at necessary locations in the monitoring target area, a sensor management device that outputs sensor identification information for identifying the abnormality detection sensor that has detected an abnormality is provided. In the monitoring target area, one or more self-propelled robots that run without a track are arranged, and a robot control device that controls the self-propelled robot is provided. The robot control device is output from the sensor management device. A receiving unit that receives sensor specific information, a route storage unit that stores route information from a starting point where the self-propelled robot is installed to a position corresponding to a specific abnormality detection sensor, and specific route information. A transmission unit for transmitting to the self-propelled robot, and route information corresponding to the sensor identification information received via the reception unit Extracted from 憶部, robotic systems that route information through the transmitting unit and a processing unit which transmits the self-propelled robot, the self-propelled robot, which travels according to the received route information.   2. A plurality of abnormality detection sensors for detecting abnormality of different types of detection targets are provided, and a plurality of self-propelled robots having functions corresponding to the types of the abnormality detection sensors are provided. Robot system.

Images