KR101028743B1 - System and method for returning robot to charging station - Google Patents

Abstract

A charging stand return system for a robot, and a method are disclosed. The charging zone return system of the robot is a robot movement system for connecting the robot to a charging zone that emits distinct zone signals to a plurality of emission zones separated by spaced intervals at predetermined intervals, and includes a signal sensing unit and a robot movement unit. do. The signal detector detects an area signal. The robot moving unit (1) when the signal sensing unit detects any one of the plurality of emission areas while the robot is moving, continuously moves the robot in the direction in which the robot was moving, and (2) the sensing unit of any one of the plurality of emission areas. When detecting the boundary between the discharge area and the spaced area, the robot is rotated in the direction of the charging table, and (3) the robot is moved in the direction of the charging table along the boundary. This configuration allows the robot to quickly and accurately return to the charging station to perform charging.

Robot, charging station, infrared

Description

System and method for returning robot to charging station

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a robotic system, and more particularly, to a system and a method for allowing a robot to perform charging on its own.

As technology advances, robots, which were formerly used in industrial and scientific facilities, are being used in daily life. A representative example is a cleaning robot, which cleans itself even when there is no user adjustment according to a preset program.

In general, a mobile robot such as a cleaning robot charges the built-in battery to use electricity as an energy source. Therefore, when the electricity stored in the battery is exhausted, the battery must be recharged.

In this case, the robot needs not only to clean the battery but also to charge the battery on its own. For this purpose, the robot must not only find the charging station quickly but also combine it with the correct part of the charging station.

Many attempts have been made to return the sweeping robot to the charging station quickly and to accurately combine it with the charging part of the charging station. However, it has not been satisfactory.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a system, and a method for allowing a robot to quickly and accurately return to a charging station to perform charging.

In order to achieve the above object, the charging stand return system of the robot according to the present invention is a robot moving system for connecting the robot to the charging stand which emits the area signals which are distinguished from each other in the plurality of emission areas separated by the spaced intervals of the predetermined intervals. , A signal sensing unit, and a robot moving unit.

The signal detector detects an area signal. The robot moving unit (1) the robot continuously moves in the direction in which the robot is moving when the signal sensing unit detects a predetermined emission area among the plurality of emission areas while the robot moves, and (2) the signal detection unit emits a predetermined one of the plurality of emission areas. When detecting the boundary between the area and the spaced area, the robot is rotated in the direction of the charging table, and (3) the robot is moved in the direction of the charging table along the detected boundary.

This configuration allows the robot to quickly and accurately return to the charging station to perform charging.

When the signal detecting unit detects a boundary between a predetermined emission area and a spaced area among the plurality of emission areas, the robot moving part may further rotate a predetermined distance and then rotate in the charging direction.

Since the signal detection unit may not be located at the center of the robot, when the signal detection unit detects a preset area boundary, the robot moving unit moves further by a preset distance to position the rotation axis of the robot on the detected boundary line and then rotates it more accurately. You will find the charging station.

The charging table return system of the robot may further include an obstacle detecting unit detecting an obstacle adjacent to the robot, and the robot moving unit may slow down the moving speed when the obstacle detecting unit detects the presence of an obstacle when the robot moves in the charging direction. .

When the robot moves toward the charging station at high speed for charging, the robot system may be damaged due to the collision between the charging station and the robot. When the robot approaches the charging station, the robot speeds down and can be combined smoothly and accurately.

The signal detector may be a remote control signal receiver of the robot. According to such a structure, since the response signal from a charging stand is also received using the remote control signal receiving part of a robot, the structure of a robot system can be simplified.

In addition, the charging zone return system of the robot may further include a call signal emitter for emitting a call signal to start the emission of the area signal when the charging zone detects it. This configuration can reduce the power consumption because the charging station does not have to continuously emit a signal for the return of the robot.

In addition, an invention embodying the system invention in the form of a method is disclosed.

According to the present invention, the mobile robot can quickly and accurately return to the charging station to perform charging.

In addition, when the robot detects a preset boundary, the robot may move and rotate by a predetermined distance to find the charging station more accurately.

In addition, when the robot is close to the charging station, it is possible to reduce the speed of the robot to combine smoothly and accurately.

In addition, by using the robot's remote control signal receiver to detect infrared signals from the charging station, the structure of the system can be simplified.

In addition, when the charging station senses, it emits a call signal to start the emission of the infrared signal so that the charging station does not have to continuously emit a signal for the return of the robot it is possible to further reduce the power consumption.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a charging station return system for a robot according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the charging base returning system 100 of the robot includes a signal detector 110, a robot moving unit 120, an obstacle detector 130, and a call signal emitter 140.

The charging station return system 100 of the robot detects an area signal emitted from the charging station and returns to the charging station and connects it. The charging station emits a plurality of area signals that are distinguished from each other. The area signal may be an infrared signal as a wireless signal, and each area signal may be generated to be distinguished from each other by encoding.

In addition, an area in which the area signal is not detected is formed between the areas where the area signal is emitted to separate the areas in which the area signal is emitted from each other. For example, a separation plate is provided between the area signal radiation sources. Can be formed.

The signal detector 110 detects an area signal emitted from the charging stand. The robot returns to the charging station by using the signal detected by the signal detector 110.

The signal detector 110 may be a remote control signal receiver of the robot. In this case, since the robot does not have a separate signal receiver for detecting a signal for returning to the charging station, the robot can return to the charging station using the remote control signal receiver of the robot, thereby simplifying the structure of the robot system. .

The robot moving unit 120 returns the robot to the charging station by using the area signal emitted from the charging station. The robot moving unit 120 may be implemented as a moving means for moving the robot, a rotating means for rotating the robot, and a control means for controlling the moving means and the rotating means.

In order to return to the charging station, the robot moving unit 120 continuously moves in the direction in which the robot moves when the signal detecting unit 110 detects any one of the plurality of emission areas.

When the signal detecting unit 110 detects a boundary between a predetermined emission area and a spaced area among a plurality of emission areas, the robot rotates the robot toward the charging table during the movement. Which of the boundaries between the various zones can be preset in the robot to rotate the robot at the boundary between the discharge zone and the spaced zone. By setting, the robot can set the boundary between the discharge zone before passing through the spaced zone or after passing through the spaced zone. Rotate in the direction of charging zone at the boundary with the discharge area.

The direction of the charging station can be determined using a variety of methods that can be considered by one skilled in the art, including, for example, the intensity of the area signal being sensed, and rotates clockwise or counterclockwise as set in advance.

At this time, the robot moving unit 120 may further advance a predetermined distance before rotating the robot and then rotate in the direction of the charging table. Because the signal detector 110 may not be located at the center of the robot, when the signal detector 110 is not located at the rotation center of the robot, the signal detector 110 may detect the boundary of the emission area. In this case, the robot moving unit 120 moves further by a predetermined distance, thereby positioning the robot's rotation axis on the detected boundary line and rotating the robot to more accurately find the charging stand.

After the robot rotates in the charging zone direction, the robot moving unit 120 moves the robot in the charging zone direction along the boundary between the discharge area and the spaced area.

Depending on the form of the system implementation, the distance between the spaced areas may be smaller than the detection range of the signal detection unit 110 of the robot, so that the robot may simultaneously detect a plurality of adjacent emission areas. However, even in this case, if the priority is given between the area signals emitted from the charging station, the robot can move along the boundary of the high priority emission area and return to the charging station accurately.

The obstacle detecting unit 130 may detect an obstacle adjacent to the robot, and the robot moving unit 120 may decelerate the traveling speed when the obstacle detecting unit 130 detects the presence of an obstacle when the robot moves in the charging direction. can do.

If the robot is moving toward the charging station at high speed for charging, the collision of the charging station and the robot may cause the robot system to break down or the exact coupling with the charging station may not occur. To reduce the accuracy of the combination with the charging station.

The call signal emitter 140 emits a call signal for calling the charging station, and the charging station starts to emit the area signal when detecting the call signal. This configuration can reduce the power consumption because the charging station does not have to continuously emit a signal for the return of the robot.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state of use of the charging stand return system of the robot of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 2, the robot is implemented as a cleaning robot 200, and the charging stand is described as the charging station 300.

The cleaning robot 200 includes a signal detector 210, a robot moving unit 220, an obstacle detector 230, and a call signal emitter 240. The charging station 300 includes an infrared signal emitter 310, an infrared signal receiver 320, a charging terminal 330, and a blocking plate 340.

The infrared signal emitter 310 is implemented in two and emits a different infrared signal, respectively, and the blocking plate 340 located between the two infrared signal emitters 310 emits infrared signals emitted from each infrared signal emitter. Keep them separate from each other.

By this configuration, the induction region for returning the robot 200 to the charging table 300 is divided into three regions, which are formed by the two infrared signal emitters 310 and the blocking regions (1 and 2, respectively). Three regions formed by 340 are it.

The infrared signal emission interval of the charging station 300 may be designed in consideration of the interval of generating a remote control (remote control) control signal. When the remote control signal receiver 210 of the robot is used together as a signal detection unit for receiving a signal from the charging station 300, the infrared signal from the charging station 300 and the signal from the remote control device collide with each other. This is because the control command may not be recognized.

3 is a side view of the cleaning robot of FIG. 2.

The cleaning robot 200 and the charging station are implemented to communicate using infrared rays. For this purpose, the cleaning robot 300 includes seven infrared transmitters 210 and one infrared receiver 220.

In FIG. 3, the infrared transmitter 230 and the call signal emitter 240 are implemented to emit signals through the same hole. The infrared transmitter 230 and the call signal emitter 240 are arranged to the left and right sides based on the front of the cleaning robot 200, and the infrared receiver 230. ) Is installed on the upper surface of the cleaning robot 200.

The infrared transmitter 240 of the cleaning robot 200 may not only emit a call signal for returning to the charging station but may also transmit a charging notification signal or a charging completion signal after the charging is completed to the sensor in front of the cleaning robot 200. .

The obstacle sensor 230 of the cleaning robot 200 recognizes that the charging station 300 is close to allow the cleaning robot 200 to be accurately and smoothly coupled to the cleaning station 300.

4 is a perspective view of the charging station of FIG. 2.

The charging station 300 receives power from the adapter and supplies it to the robot through the charging terminal 330 when the cleaning robot is coupled with the charging station 300.

In FIG. 4, the charging station 300 includes an infrared transmitter 310 including one infrared receiver 320 and two infrared signal generators.

The infrared receiver 320 of the charging station 300 may receive the charging notification signal of the cleaning robot as data loaded on a carrier frequency, and may also receive the charging completion signal of the cleaning robot. The infrared light amount sensor detects the charge completion signal of the cleaning robot as the light amount and distinguishes whether it is data. Due to this configuration, it is possible to more easily check the charge completion state and the undocking state of the cleaning robot 200.

The infrared light emitting sensor 310 of the charging station 300 transmits an infrared signal forward by dividing the left signal and the right signal based on the charging station 300.

The charging terminal 330 checks the state before and after the connection between the charging station 300 and the cleaning robot 200 and starts charging when the cleaning robot is connected to the charging station 300.

In addition, charging station 300 may have a power LED, and an indicator LED such as a charge LED. In this case, the power LED is turned on when the adapter is connected to the charging station 300 and the switch is turned on. The charge LED is on when the robot is charging and off when charging is complete.

Infrared signal emission intervals of the charging station can be implemented in various ways, and when the signal emission interval is narrow, more precise control is possible. For example, if a signal is transmitted in a period of 10ms, the robot has an error of 3mm when the speed of the robot is 30cm / sec.

In addition, the infrared signal emission interval of the charging station may be designed in consideration of the interval of generating the remote control device control signal. If the remote control signal receiver of the robot is used together as a signal detection unit for receiving a signal from the charging station, the infrared signal from the charging station and the signal from the remote control device may collide, and thus the robot may not recognize the control command from the user. Because.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a design example of a charge return signal of the robot and a remote control signal of the robot.

In FIG. 5, the signal interval of the charging station is 90ms, and the signal interval of the remote controller is 120ms. In this case, the minimum common multiple of the two signals is 360 ms, and when there is a continuous input from the remote controller, it can be confirmed that at least one of the inputs of the remote controller is recognized at least once. Since 360ms is not a long time from the user's point of view, the user may not feel discomfort due to a signal collision.

According to this configuration, since the signal from the charging station and the signal from the remote control device do not continuously collide with each other, when the user continuously inputs the control to the remote control device, the robot executes the user's control command even while returning to the charging station. You can do it.

6 is a schematic flowchart for carrying out an embodiment of the method for returning the charging base of the robot according to the present invention.

First, the charging station emits two infrared signals which are distinguished from each other (S210). These area signals are emitted so as to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance, each forming a range of emission areas. In FIG. 6, two region signals are represented as a blue signal and a red signal, respectively.

The robot moves to find the charging station to charge the internal battery (S110). When the robot detects a blue area, which is one of the areas formed by the area signal emitter of the charging station, the robot moves forward (S120). (S130). When the robot detects the spaced area formed by the blocking plate of the charging station while moving forward, the robot moves forward by the radius of the robot and checks the area where the robot is currently located while moving forward.

When detecting a red signal region, which is another zero formed by the infrared signal emitting unit of the charging station (S140), it advances by the radius of the robot (S150). Subsequently, the robot rotates left or right according to a preset bar until three regions formed by the blocking plate of the charging stand are detected (S160).

When the robot does not detect the red signal (170), the robot continues to rotate and moves forward, and the rotation continues until the moment when the blue signal is detected. When the robot detects a blue signal, it moves back in the opposite direction. In this way, the robot moves forward along the boundary line between the red and blue signal regions (S190).

When the charging stand detects the docking of the robot (S220), the docking notification signal is transmitted to the robot (S230), the emission of the infrared signal for the return of the robot is stopped (S240), and the robot is charged (S250). .

With this configuration, the mobile robot can quickly and accurately return to the charging station to perform charging.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of some preferred embodiments, the scope of the present invention should not be limited thereby, but should be construed as modifications or improvements of the embodiments supported by the claims.

1 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of a charging stand return system of a robot according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic use state diagram of the charging station return system of the robot of Figure 1;

3 is a side view of the cleaning robot of FIG. 2;

4 is a perspective view of the charging station of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a design example of a charge return signal of FIG. 1; FIG.

6 is a schematic flowchart for carrying out an embodiment of a charging stand return method of a robot according to the present invention;

Claims (14)

A charging stand return system for a robot for connecting a robot to a charging stand that emits distinct zone signals to a plurality of emission areas separated by spaced areas at predetermined intervals, respectively. A signal detector detecting the area signal; (1) If the signal sensing unit detects any one of the plurality of emission areas while the robot is moving, the robot continues to move in the direction in which the robot moves; (2) when the signal detection unit detects a boundary between a predetermined emission area and the spaced area among the plurality of emission areas, rotates the robot toward the charging table; (3) a robot moving unit for moving the robot along the boundary in the direction of the charging station, When the signal detecting unit detects a boundary between a predetermined emission area and the spaced area of the plurality of emission areas, the robot moving part further advances a predetermined distance and rotates the charging table in the direction of the charging table. system. delete The method of claim 1, And the predetermined distance is a distance at which the center of the robot reaches the sensed boundary. The method of claim 1, Further comprising an obstacle detecting unit for detecting an obstacle adjacent to the robot, And the robot moving unit decelerates the moving speed when the obstacle detecting unit detects the presence of an obstacle when the robot moves in the charging direction. The method of claim 1, The signal detecting unit is a charging table return system for a robot, characterized in that the remote control signal receiving unit of the robot. The method of claim 1, And a call signal emitter configured to emit a call signal for calling the charging stand, wherein the charge stand starts to emit the area signal when the call signal is detected. The method of claim 1, The charging base returns to the charging stage of the robot, characterized in that for emitting two distinct zone signals spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval. A method for returning a charging stand of a robot to connect the robot to a charging stand that emits a distinctive area signal to a plurality of emission areas separated by spaced areas at predetermined intervals, (1) continuing the movement in the moving direction when the robot detects one of the plurality of emission regions during movement; (2) rotating in the charging zone direction when detecting a boundary between a predetermined emission area and the spaced area among the plurality of emission areas; And (3) moving along the boundary in the direction of the charging station, In the step (2), when the boundary is detected, the robot charging stage returning method is further characterized by rotating in the direction of the charging stage after further proceeding a predetermined distance. delete The method of claim 8, And the predetermined distance is a distance at which the center of the robot reaches the sensed boundary. The method of claim 8, The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of slowing down the movement speed of the robot when an obstacle is detected during the movement in the charging direction. The method of claim 8, Wherein the area signal is detected via the remote control signal receiving unit of the robot charging table return method. The method of claim 8, And emitting a call signal for calling the charging station, wherein the charging station starts to emit the area signal when detecting the call signal. The method of claim 8, The charging stand returns to the charging stand of the robot, characterized in that to emit two distinct zone signals spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval.

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