JPH0441364Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a posture confirmation device for an underwater robot, which makes it easier to monitor the posture of an underwater robot.

Underwater robots have been developed for the purpose of cleaning, inspecting, etc. waterways with walls. This underwater robot navigates through a waterway with walls and performs cleaning inspections, etc., in accordance with commands from a monitoring and control unit on the land side.

As described above, a control system for a robot that performs work underwater is provided with an attitude confirmation device to confirm the attitude of the robot, such as its direction of movement and inclination. In order to check the robot's attitude, an underwater robot must be equipped with attitude detection means, but conventionally, an expensive and short-life gyroscope type detector was used to detect the direction angle (yaw angle). There is. Furthermore, in the case of the gyroscope type, a detection signal must be generated within the underwater robot and transmitted to the land side, which requires a complicated circuit to be provided within the underwater robot.

This idea was made in view of the above circumstances.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a posture confirmation device for an underwater robot that can accurately detect the position and posture of an underwater robot by a simple means, and also makes posture monitoring easy to understand even on the land side, and also makes it easy to control the robot. shall be.

In this invention, a predetermined sound wave is attached to the underwater robot body to detect distances between the underwater robot body moving in an underwater culvert or waterway, and the distances between the underwater robot body and the left and right walls of the culvert or waterway. a detector, a means for guiding the detection output of the predetermined sound wave detector to a data processing unit on the land side via an underwater cable, and a means for adding left and right data corresponding to each of the left and right distances obtained by the data processing unit. , the first data resulting from the comparison is compared with second data indicating a predetermined actual distance between the left and right walls, and the value of the first data is greater than the value of the second data. determining means for determining the traveling direction of the underwater robot depending on whether the first data and the second data are equal to or equal to each other; The above object is achieved by using means for displaying monitoring lines on the screen that maintain intervals according to the difference.

An embodiment of this invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the area divided is the land side, and the area is the underwater side. In the underwater side area, there is an underwater robot body 11, and this robot body 11 has ultrasonic detectors 13A, 13B, 13C, 1 led out from a waterproof terminal box 12.
It has a tilt angle oscillator 14 that generates 3D, pitch angle, and roll angle information. Ultrasonic detector 13A-1
3D is for obtaining horizontal and vertical distance measurement and direction angle (yaw angle) detection information of the underwater robot main body 11 relative to the culvert wall.

Electrical connection between the underwater side and the land side is made by an underwater cable 15. That is, underwater cable 1
One end of 5 is led to a waterproof terminal box 12 and connected to a predetermined terminal inside this box.
The other end of the underwater cable 15 is wound around a cable drum 16 on land, and the cable terminal is connected to an ultrasonic transceiver 17 and an analog-to-digital converter 18. Since the cable drum 16 rotates forward or reverse in response to the cable being sent out or wound up, its rotational state is detected by a distance oscillator 19 that generates cable extension distance information.

The output data of the ultrasonic transceiver 17, analog-to-digital converter 18, and distance oscillator 19 are input to a data processing device 20. Data processing device 2
0 converts input information into data that can be easily handled by the personal computer 21 and inputs the data to the personal computer 21. The data processing device can also convert the control data output from the personal computer 21 into a drive signal, provide it to the ultrasound transceiver 17, and output an operation command signal for ultrasound transmission and reception.

The personal computer 21 analyzes input information from the data processing device 20 and performs data calculations according to processing purposes. For example, when performing calculations based on information from the distance oscillator 19, data corresponding to the length of the underwater cable 15 is generated and inputted to the monitor 22 as cable length display data. Other personal computers 21 are
It also calculates the pitch angle, roll angle, etc., and inputs the angle display data to the monitor 21. Furthermore, the personal computer 21 is also capable of calculating the direction angle (yaw angle) of the underwater robot, and inputs the display data to the monitor 22. Further, the personal computer 21 can also output various control information through the line 21A. 23 is a constant voltage power supply device, which supplies power supply voltage to each circuit.

Next, a method for checking the attitude of the underwater robot main body 11 when it is moving through a culvert or a waterway will be explained. First, the keyboard 21B of the personal computer 21 is operated to input data on the dimensions of the culvert. Once the culvert dimension data is entered,
The personal computer 21 generates display data for displaying the culvert wall baseline corresponding to the dimensions. Therefore, on the screen of the monitor 22, the second
As shown in the figure, a culvert wall baseline 30 is displayed.
The distance from each culvert wall facing the left side, upper side, and lower side of the underwater robot body 11 is determined by the ultrasonic detector 13.
It is calculated by the personal computer 21 based on each signal from A, 13B, 13C, and 13D.
The personal computer 21 is connected to the robot body 1.
For example, the following calculation and display method is used to represent the posture of 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the principle of a robot moving through a culvert. Based on signals from ultrasonic detectors 13A and 13B provided on the left and right sides of the underwater robot body 11, the personal computer 21 determines the distance _l1 from the robot body 11 to the left wall, and the distance l1 to the right wall. ₂ can be calculated. When the distances l ₁ and l ₂ are known, the personal computer 21 calculates l ₁ +l ₂ , and the first data obtained thereby and the second data indicating the distance between the left and right walls of the actual culvert wall. Compare with L.

Here, if l ₁ +l ₂ =L, it means that the underwater robot main body 11 is moving parallel to the left and right culvert walls and is normal. Next, l ₁ +
If l ₂ >L, it means that the traveling direction of the underwater robot main body 11 is non-parallel to the left and right culvert walls. This can also be understood from the following equation.

(l ₁ +l ₂ ) cos θ=L cos θ=L/l ₁ +l ₂ 1 If l ₁ +l ₂ >L, the personal computer 11 can shift to attitude control of the underwater robot body. Further, the posture control may be performed manually by the user operating, for example, a cursor key on the keyboard 21B. When automatic posture control is performed, the personal computer 21 calculates l ₁ +l ₂
An attitude control signal corresponding to the difference between L and L is generated, and this signal is applied to, for example, a drive motor of the underwater robot main body 11 via an underwater cable 15. The underwater robot main body 11 has, for example, left and right driving wheels, and is configured to be able to drive and control each wheel independently. The personal computer 21 sends an attitude control signal to the underwater robot main body 11 side, and if the difference between l ₁ + l ₂ and L decreases, it sends an attitude control signal until l ₁ + l ₂ and L match, and l If the difference between ₁ +l ₂ and L increases, the underwater robot body 1
An attitude control signal is sent to switch the control direction of 1.

On the other hand, the personal computer 21 displays posture monitoring lines 31A and 31B on the screen of the monitor 22 so that the posture control situation can be easily monitored.
The posture monitoring lines 31A, 31B are displayed parallel to the culvert wall base lines 30a, 30b corresponding to the left and right culvert walls. The larger the previous value of l ₁ +l ₂ is than L, the more the monitoring lines 31A, 31
B is displayed away from the culvert wall baselines 30a and 30b, and when the value of l ₁ +l ₂ is close to L, it is displayed closer to the culvert wall baselines 30a and 30b. l ₁ + l ₂
If the value of is equal to L, the monitoring lines 31A, 31B
overlap the culvert wall baselines 30a and 30b, respectively. The display data of the monitoring lines 31A and 31B is
The superimposition position on the video signal is changed by varying the data read timing from the character memory in accordance with the difference data between l ₁ +l ₂ and L.

Further, on the screen of the monitor 22, a direction angle (yaw angle) degree display section 32, a pitch angle display section 33, a roll angle display section 34, and a cable length display section 35 are also set. These display data are obtained by a program stored in the personal computer 21 performing calculations using data from the ultrasonic transceiver 17, analog-to-digital converter 18, and distance oscillator 19.

As explained above, according to the present invention, by using a sound wave detector and its output processing means as a device for confirming the posture of an underwater robot, the configuration is simple, and unlike mechanical means, the device has a long lifespan. It is possible to obtain a long-lasting and inexpensive confirmation device. Further, the attitude control status of the underwater robot can be easily confirmed by looking at the monitor screen.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of this invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display on the monitor screen of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an example of calculating the direction angle (yaw angle) in this invention. It is a principle diagram for explaining. 11...Underwater robot body, 12...Waterproof terminal box, 13A to 13D...Ultrasonic detector, 14...Inclination angle oscillator, 15...Underwater cable, 16...Drum, 17...Ultrasonic transmitter/receiver, 18...Analog-digital converter, 19...
Distance oscillator, 20...Data processing device, 21...
Personal computer, 22...monitor.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] an underwater robot body moving through an underwater culvert or waterway; and a predetermined sonic wave detector attached to the underwater robot body to detect distances between the underwater robot body and the left and right wall surfaces of the culvert or waterway; means for guiding the detection output of the predetermined sound wave detector to a data processing unit on the land side via an underwater cable;
Adding left and right data corresponding to the left and right distances obtained by the data processing unit, first data resulting from the addition, and second data indicating a predetermined actual distance between the left and right walls. Compare the above first
determining means for determining the traveling direction of the underwater robot depending on whether the value of the data is greater than or equal to the value of the second data; An apparatus for confirming the attitude of an underwater robot, comprising means for displaying on the screen a monitoring line that maintains an interval corresponding to the difference between the first data and the second data with respect to a baseline.