JPH0728525A - Self-advancing robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an absolute position without recognizing the origin again even at the time of losing the absolute position by arranging a position recognition plate, which reports the absolute position, on a track route with plural blocks as a bit string. CONSTITUTION:A robot main body 1 is moved on a track 4 to which a position recognition plate 3 is attached and reads the position recognition plate 3 by a sensor 2 to recognize the absolute position. Meanwhile, a console panel 6 consists of an operation part 7, a power source part 8, and a control part 9, and transmission of a control signal, power supply, or the like is performed through a trolley line 5, laid on the track 4 to remotely control the robot 1. That is, one or more position recognition plates 3 which report the absolute position are arranged on the track route, and the robot is provided with the sensor 2 which reads these position recognition plates 3. The position recognition plate 3 is arranged with plural blocks as a bit string, and the absolute position can be recognized by only this recognition plate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-propelled robot which travels on a certain orbit for remote monitoring, remote control, transportation and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional method for recognizing the position of an autonomous self-propelled robot has been to measure the number of pulses from a rotary encoder that rotates in conjunction with traveling wheels within the robot. Further, as a method of solving the position error accumulation due to wheel slip, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-663.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 64, etc., a method of recognizing the position from the reference point by detecting the seam of the pipe has been adopted.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional self-propelled robot has the following problems. That is, first, in the method of measuring the pulse of the encoder, errors due to slippage are accumulated when the robot adopts the friction drive method. In addition, when a drive method such as a rack and pinion method is adopted, or in the method of detecting the joints of pipes, errors due to slippage are not accumulated, but some origin is set to recognize the absolute position. Information was obtained by counting the joints of encoders and pipes once they were accurately detected. Therefore, if an abnormality occurs in the control system of the robot and the absolute position is lost, the position cannot be detected until the origin is recognized again.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a self-propelled robot capable of recognizing an absolute position without re-recognizing the origin even if the absolute position of the robot is lost due to an abnormality in a control system or the like. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the self-propelled robot of the present invention has one or more position recognition plates for notifying an absolute position on the trajectory route, and the self-propelled robot has Is equipped with a sensor for reading the position recognition plate. Further, the position recognition plate is characterized in that a plurality of blocks are arranged as a bit string and the recognition plate alone can recognize the absolute position.

[0006]

With the above configuration, when the robot travels on the orbit, the sensor in the robot can recognize the absolute position by reading only one position recognition plate. Even if you lose track of the absolute position, you can get the absolute position without re-recognizing the origin.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a self-propelled robot of this embodiment. The robot body 1 moves on the track 4 to which the position recognition plate 3 is attached, and the sensor 2 reads the position recognition plate 3 to recognize the absolute position. On the other hand, operation panel 6
Is composed of an operation unit 7, a power supply unit 8 and a control unit 9, and transmits a control signal, supplies power, etc. through the trolley wire 5 laid on the track 4 to remotely control the robot 1.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the self-propelled robot body 1 of this embodiment. The robot body 1 includes a CPU 11, a memory 12, an interface 13, a sensor 2 connected to the interface 13, a driver 14, and a drive unit 15 connected to the driver 14. The sensor 2 detects the position recognition plate 3 installed on the track 4, and the CPU 11 recognizes the absolute position.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the position recognition plate. The clock bit dog 31, the clock bit dog 32, the clock bit dog 33, and the clock bit dog 34 are fixed on the position recognition plate 3. It comprises a data bit dog 35, a data bit dog 36, a data bit dog 37, and a data bit dog 38. Each dog represents some encoded numeric data that is detected by the sensor 2 moving with the body and whether or not there are data bits. The operation of the specific data reading method in the forward traveling direction will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the clock bit index is initialized (100). The CPU 11 is always waiting for the detection of the first clock bit, and at the same time as the detection, it shifts to the reading routine (101).

That is, first, the data bit is detected simultaneously with the detection of the first clock bit, and "1" and "0" are stored in the memory 12 depending on the presence / absence of the dog for bit. Then, waiting for the detection of the next clock bit (103, 104) If the presence or absence of data bits is stored in the memory 12 in synchronization with all the clock bits, it corresponds to the configuration of each data bit stored in the memory 12. It is recognized as a numerical value such as an address by referring to the encoded value table.

That is, in the arrangement of the data bits of FIG. 3, the sensor output is as shown in FIG. 4, and the numerical value "10" is recognized by referring to the table of FIG.
The encoded value is based on the absolute position conversion table stored in the memory 12, or the encoded value is transmitted to the control unit 9 in the operation panel 6, and conversely the absolute position data is received from the control unit 9. By doing this, you can recognize your position. Figure 5
Is a data recognition method in the normal traveling direction, but data recognition can be performed also in the own traveling direction by turning the traveling direction into a flag and reversing the index and the table.

The running position between arbitrary position recognition plates can be recognized by a conventional method, that is, by using, for example, a rotary encoder which is interlocked with the drive shaft.

Another embodiment of the position recognition plate according to the present invention is shown in FIG. This is to install the recognition plate 3 of the previous embodiment in a cantilever structure at the end of the track, etc., using a thin plate for the plate body 3 to make a flexible structure, and the sensor 2 Even if it interferes with the plate due to backlash, etc., it can be read without any trouble. Further, by increasing the number of data bits and the number of bit strings in the position recognition plate 3 itself, more complicated data can be read by only changing the data conversion table in the robot.

[0015]

As described above, according to the self-propelled robot of the present invention, one or more position recognition plates for notifying the absolute position are arranged on the trajectory route, and the position is recognized in the robot. Equipped with a sensor to read the recognition plate,
Also, by arranging multiple blocks as a bit string in the position recognition plate, the sensor in the robot can recognize the absolute position by reading only one position recognition plate, and once the absolute position is detected due to an abnormality in the control system, etc. Even if the position is lost, the absolute position can be obtained without re-recognizing the origin.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a self-propelled robot main body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of the self-propelled robot shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a position recognition plate according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a position detection timing chart of a self-propelled robot.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation flowchart.

FIG. 6 is a table showing conversion of position recognition plate data.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a position recognition plate of a self-propelled robot according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Robot, 2 ... Sensor, 3 ... Position recognition plate, 4 ... Orbit, 5 ... Trolley wire, 6 ... Operation panel, 7 ... Operation part, 8 ... Power supply part, 9 ... Control part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a self-propelled robot, one or more position recognition plates for locating the absolute position of the robot are arranged on a trajectory route, and a sensor for reading the position recognition plate is provided in the robot. Self-propelled robot characterized by having. 2. The position recognizing plate arranges data for recognizing a position in a plurality of blocks as bit strings, and the recognizing plate alone recognizes an absolute position. Mobile robot.