KR20130011086A - Location set land mark of the industrial transfer robot and the drive control method which uses this - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Landmark for position setting of industrial transfer robot and a driving control method using it are provided to implement accurate measurement of position and autonomous navigation without guide, in a more broaden area. CONSTITUTION: Lens(12) controls spreading angle of light of light source(11). Transfer robot recognizes landmark(10). The transfer robot comprises power unit, wheel, and control circuit. The control circuit recognizes color of light source inputted to light receiving sensor of camera, constellation, and size. According to recognized information, the control circuit controls driving direction of the transfer robot, beginning and ending of the driving.

Description

Location set land mark of the industrial transfer robot and the drive control method which uses this}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a landmark for setting the position of an automated guided vehicle (AGV) in a wireless guided manner, and a method for controlling the driving of a robot using such a landmark.

As is well known, one of the most important techniques for operating robots in recent years is a method of recognizing a position in a certain space without a guide system such as a conventional magnet tape or rail guide. It can be divided into two things.

Vision-based robot position recognition system is a technology that determines the position by analyzing the image information of the camera mounted on the robot.The robot also sets the movement path by recognizing the furniture and the wall angle of the house like a human being. Although it is the highest level technology, it is still difficult to commercialize it because it is not easy to develop software that can recognize the shape of objects that change according to lighting, and the hardware specifications required for vision recognition are very high.

 An artificial landmark-based location recognition system installs a marker that indicates the position value in advance in the interior space where the robot will be put in.It is relatively simple and cheaper than the vision method, so it is partially applied to the mobile robot market. It started to be.

Artificial indicators of location to robots often use infrared, ultrasound, or radio waves. Infrared position recognition does not need to change the interior and installation is simple, but the reach is too short to apply in a relatively large indoor space. In addition, the recognition rate of the infrared sign may decrease due to sunlight or lighting environment.

When the camera recognizes landmarks, even if the resolution of the camera sensor is high, if you want to locate a remote location, the position of each pixel to distinguish colors using the color image sensor is different. The efficiency is lowered in accurate positioning, and the effect of color tone due to ambient light conditions is large, and operations for distinguishing color difference signals have to be performed.

In order to maximize the resolution resolution, a large number of monochromatic landmarks are often used. In this case, it is common to implement the markers of the monochromatic landmark to be distinguished by a geometric pattern. In this case, too, there is a large amount of calculation for comparative operation of the marker pattern, and in the case of a long distance, it is difficult to identify a specific pattern, and an operation for distinguishing patterns that vary according to angles is also an additional burden.

In the case of using an infrared landmark, a method of irradiating infrared rays using an infrared reflector or projecting a geometric pattern shape as a landmark using infrared rays is generally used. There is a disadvantage that it is not possible to remotely position and use in a large space. It is also affected by the ambient light.

The present invention proposes a landmark marking technique that improves the disadvantages of the conventional positioning method using a camera and landmarks, and a landmark for improving the efficiency of pattern recognition and distance recognition for a landmark located at a long distance in a wide space. To develop a positioning system and algorithm.

Currently, the technology level of robots has not yet been established for safety technology such as skillfully avoiding people or obstacles or autonomous stable walking. To overcome this, various sensors are adopted, which is one of the best sensors in the case of a camera. For humans, vision is responsible for more than 80% of the total information, but in the case of robots and industrial fields, various sensing fields such as ultrasound, laser, visible light, acceleration, and RIFD have been actively developed. Although it is evolving, most of the technologies are limited to the recognition in a narrow space or are implemented as very expensive technologies, and thus, many problems must be solved for commercialization.

The present invention provides an improved landmark and positioning system that is less susceptible to the limitations of reach and disturbance factors in the way of using landmarks while reducing the high cost of the positioning system using pure vision only. The method aims to upgrade the functionality of the landmark positioning system to the next level and expand the range of camera use.

In the case of a general landmark, the command code is informed by a combination of colors or figures, the landmark is recognized by the camera as an input device on the AGV, and the controller side analyzes the command code to control the movement of the AGV itself.

As a problem that may occur, the larger the distance between the landmark and AGV in a state where the size of the landmark is limited, the more difficult the recognition of the landmark is due to the resolution of the camera. As a result, command code analysis becomes impossible, which hinders AGV operation.

The present invention is configured by adding a lighting means such as an LED having a good straightness in the construction of the landmark and to adjust the diffusion angle of the light using the lens, the robot is configured to the camera of the landmark input through the lens It is characterized in that the illumination is judged by the position coordinates and size recognized by the light receiving sensor and used as a positioning means until approaching the landmark.

In the present invention, the short distance of the conventional infrared position recognition and the landmark marking technique that can reduce the influence of disturbance caused by sunlight or lighting environment, and the pattern and distance recognition for landmarks in a long distance in a large space We will propose landmarks that will increase your efficiency.

Therefore, by enabling accurate positioning and autonomous driving without a guide in a wider space, it will greatly contribute to wider use of the multipurpose transfer robot.

 In the future, providing additional functions of surveillance system such as image capturing, signal transmission and recording, which are the camera's original functions, will be the basis of advanced technology that can be used for more value-added security, security, and risk management fields.

More specifically, in terms of technical aspects, the present invention aims to develop a general camera system and a new landmark marking method that can be implemented at a realistic low cost. Compared to the landmark methods used, we propose a landmark pattern identification method that can be identified at a far distance and can use landmarks in the form of basic figures. Contribute to expanding the reach and scope of use.

  In addition, by simplifying the recognition method of the landmark pattern for positioning and optimizing the calculation amount, the size of the positioning system can be minimized and optimized to facilitate installation and utilization.

In addition, by expanding the scope and scope of application of multi-purpose transfer robots and service robots in terms of industrial economy, it is possible to multi-task many tasks in the harsh environment that human beings could replace due to the space or environmental constraints in which AGV or RGV cannot be installed. By allowing transfer robots to take over, they can contribute to improving production efficiency and maximizing work efficiency per unit of workforce.

In addition, it is possible to autonomous driving rather than to move only fixed areas such as guides or rails, or to drive only programmed areas as defined, and to add more value and create new demands for intelligent surveillance robots, security systems, defense, It is expected to contribute to increasing the utilization of robots in various industrial sectors such as service robots.

1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of driving a transfer robot according to the present invention;
2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the principles of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a landmark according to the present invention.
4 is an exemplary view illustrating driving by light source recognition and coordinates according to the present invention.
5 is a flow chart of the operation according to the present invention

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention configures the light source 11 in the center part when constructing the landmark 10.

As a specific example of the light source, an LED having good straightness and a relatively narrow diffusion angle may be useful. If the lens 12 is installed and configured to adjust the diffusion angle of the light emitted from the light source 11 will be able to recognize more accurately at a distance.

And the transport robot 20 to recognize the landmark (10) to carry out the transfer operation, such as a conventional robot for driving the power unit 21 and the wheel 22 and the start and end of driving and the like when moving and A control circuit 23 having a function of adjusting a direction and having an existing landmark recognition system is configured.

Transfer robot 20 of the present invention is provided with a camera 30 that can be photographed toward the front, the color and position coordinates and the size of the light source input to the light receiving sensor 31 (CCD, CMOS, etc.) of the camera 30 The control circuit 23 is provided with a function of recognizing and controlling the start and end of the driving direction or the driving of the robot according to the recognized information.

The control circuit function may be implemented by a program, for example, by outputting the position of the recognized light source as coordinates to detect the landmark 10 located at a certain degree from the straight angle of the transport robot 20 when driving. It is to control the direction, it is to recognize the distance of the landmark 10 by recognizing how large the size of the recognized light source.

In addition, it is possible to classify colors and make it impossible to recognize other than a specific color of a pre-input light source, and to install a light source of a different color for each transport destination, and to sequentially classify recognition colors and transfer them in order, thereby enabling higher and more efficient transport.

Referring to FIG. 5, the procedure of position recognition driving according to the present invention will be described. First, driving starts, and then a light source having a color designated to a light receiving sensor 31 through which light input through a lens is emitted from a camera 30 is recognized. Determine whether or not.

If the light source is not recognized, the search function is activated so that the control circuit 23 of the transfer robot 20 commands the rotation drive and stops the rotation drive when the light source is recognized by the light receiving sensor 31 of the camera 30. The position of the light source detected by the light receiving sensor 31 is recognized as a coordinate value, and the driving is started while adjusting the direction.

When the existing landmark is completely recognized in close proximity to the landmark 10, the driving is stopped and the next operation previously input is performed.

According to the present invention, by using the LED light source is very clear recognition from a distance to control the position of the robot to operate the robot smoothly regardless of distance, and improve the productivity to improve the accuracy and maneuverability.

10: Landmark
11: Light source
12: Lens
20: transfer robot
21: power unit
22: wheels
23: control circuit
30: Camera
31: light receiving sensor

Claims (2)

When constructing the landmark (10) comprises a light source 11 made of an LED in the center,
It installs a lens 12 that can adjust the angle of diffusion of light emitted from the light source 11,
The transport robot 20 which recognizes the landmark 10 and performs the transport operation controls the power device 21 and the wheel 22 and the start and end waits for driving and moves in the same direction as a conventional robot. Configure a control circuit 23 having a function of adjusting the power and an existing landmark recognition system, and the like,
The camera 30 is installed in the transport robot 20 and photographs the front, but has a function of recognizing the color, position coordinates and size of the light source input to the light receiving sensor 31 of the camera 30 and the recognition. Landmark for positioning of the industrial transport robot, characterized in that the control circuit 23 is provided with a function to control the driving direction or the start and end of the driving according to the information. When constructing the landmark (10) comprises a light source 11 made of an LED in the center,
Determining whether or not the light source of the color specified in the light receiving sensor 31 is recognized through the camera 30 installed in the transport robot,
If the light source is not recognized, the search function is activated and the control circuit 23 of the transport robot 20 commands the search rotation drive until the light source is recognized by the light receiving sensor 31 of the camera 30.
Recognizes the position of the light source detected by the light receiving sensor 31 as a coordinate value to start driving while adjusting the direction, and outputs the position of the recognized light source as a coordinate by several degrees from the straight angle of the transfer robot 20. The driving direction is controlled depending on whether the landmark 10 is located at
Recognize the size of the recognized light source to recognize the distance to the landmark (10),
When the existing landmark is completely recognized in close proximity to the landmark 10, the drive control method using a landmark for positioning the industrial transport robot, characterized in that to stop the driving and perform the next operation previously input.

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