KR20220144639A - Mobile robot wireless control method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wireless control method of a mobile robot which can reduce the network load of a server and greatly reduce the communication delay in comparison to existing solutions. The wireless control method of a mobile robot comprises: a first step in which robots and a control console are connected to a server; a second step in which the robots periodically transmit information of the robots to the server; a third step in which the console requests a list and information of the robots from the server; a fourth step in which the console sends an instruction command to the server based on information of a robot to be accessed; a fifth step in which the server sends a push notification including the IP address of the control console to the robot based on the instruction command; a sixth step in which the robot receiving the push notification is connected to the control console and transmits information including a video; and a seventh step in which the control console also transmits control for remote control based on the connection between the robot and the control console.

Description

Mobile robot wireless control method and device {Mobile robot wireless control method and device}

The present invention relates to a wireless control method of a mobile robot and an apparatus therefor.

In the process of the robot performing tasks such as delivery and crime prevention through autonomous driving, the existence of a controller to monitor it is essential. Monitoring the robot's current status through a camera and switching to remote control when an unexpected situation occurs are essential steps before proceeding with the mobile robot autonomous driving service.

Existing solutions for problems where robot control is essential can be divided into two main methods.

The first is a method of receiving images from the robot by connecting the control console to the robot, similar to the operation method of CCTV. The robot works as a video server and the control console becomes a client. The above method does not require a separate server to relay it.

Second, there is a server that relays the robot and the control console. The control console sends a request signal to the Server, and the Server receives it and delivers it to the robot. After that, the robot sends a response to the request to the Server, and the Server delivers it to the control console. Both the robot and the control console operate like clients through the relay server. The two methods are commonly used solutions up to now, but their limitations are clear.

The above-described problems will be described with reference to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of the conventional invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , the control console is connected to a mobile robot equipped with a camera and a wireless communication device. The mobile robot acts as a video server, and the control console becomes a client and transmits information including video from the mobile robot directly to the control console.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the control console sends a request to the relay server to receive information including a video of a mobile robot equipped with a camera and a wireless communication device. The server sends a signal to the mobile robot, the mobile robot sends the requested information to the server, and the server sends it to the control console.

Since there is a relay server, both the control console and the mobile robot become clients.

The first method is the simplest method in that the console directly connects to the robot, but since the mobile robot becomes a video server, there is a limitation in that the server's IP address operates only in a static state. Commercially available wireless communication devices do not receive a static IP because they mainly provide a dynamic IP address, and since they provide a virtual IP address there, it is very difficult to connect directly from the console to the mobile robot.

Since the second method passes through the server, the problem in the first method does not occur. And because there is a relay server, the connection from the console to the robot is relatively easy even in situations where the robot is given a dynamic IP address. However, since all information is sent and received through the relay server, there is a large delay problem. It is fatal in situations where real-time video must be exchanged. Also, there is a limit in that the network cost increases because the amount of moving information is large because information enters and exits through the relay server. The present invention is to overcome these problems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for wireless control of a mobile robot and an apparatus therefor, which can overcome the above-mentioned problems.

A method and apparatus for wireless control of a mobile robot according to the present invention proposes a method in which a relay server exists but information does not pass through the server. Specifically, the first step of connecting the robot and the control console to the server; A second step of the robot transmitting its information to the server periodically to the server; A third step of the console requesting a list and information of the robot from the server; A fourth step of the console sending a command command to the server based on the information of the robot to be accessed; A fifth step of the server sending a push notification including the IP address of the control console to the robot based on the command command; A sixth step of connecting the robot receiving the push notification to the control console and transmitting information including video; And based on the connection between the robot and the control console, the control console is composed of a seventh step that also transmits control for remote control.

The present invention can provide a method for wirelessly controlling a mobile robot and an apparatus therefor, which can overcome the above-mentioned problems. More specifically, since there is a relay server, connection between the robot and the console is possible without any problem even when the robot has an address of a dynamic IP or virtual IP structure. Therefore, there is an advantage that the control system can be configured by using the existing communication device without any major changes.

As in the second method, all information does not go through the server, but the robot directly transmits video information to the console and the robot directly receives the control control from the console. can be reduced

When connecting directly from the control console to the robot, each robot must authenticate all control consoles that can connect to the robot. Since all robots have the authentication keys of all control consoles, a hacker can acquire the authentication keys of all consoles even if only one robot is hacked, so there is a weak security problem.

However, the current method is centralized, and since the server already knows the list of robots, a simple procedure is performed between the robot and the server through an authentication key. Since the authentication process between the consoles is omitted, and as a result, only the authentication process between the robot and the server and between the console and the central server is required, which simplifies authentication, which is advantageous for security. Even if the robot is hacked, only the information of the robot is exposed, so it can maintain superior security than the existing method.

1 and 2 are diagrams showing the problems of the prior invention;
3 to 7 are views showing the operation process of the present invention;

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In describing the embodiments, descriptions of technical content that are well known in the technical field to which the present specification belongs and are not directly related to the present specification will be omitted. This is to more clearly convey the gist of the present specification without obscuring the gist of the present specification by omitting unnecessary description.

For the same reason, some components are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In addition, the size of each component does not fully reflect the actual size. In each figure, the same or corresponding elements are assigned the same reference numerals.

Hereinafter, the present specification will be described with reference to the drawings for explaining the temperature measuring apparatus and method according to the embodiments of the present specification.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the wireless control method of the mobile robot according to the present invention proposes a method in which a relay server is present but information does not pass through the server. Specifically, the first step of connecting the robot and the control console to the server; A second step of the robot transmitting its information to the server periodically to the server; A third step of the console requesting a list and information of the robot from the server; A fourth step of the console sending a command command to the server based on the information of the robot to be accessed; A fifth step of the server sending a push notification including the IP address of the control console to the robot based on the command command; A sixth step of connecting the robot receiving the push notification to the control console and transmitting information including video; And based on the connection between the robot and the control console, the control console is composed of a seventh step that also transmits control for remote control.

Referring to FIG. 4 , for connection between the console and the server, the console requests the robot list and information from the server. The server verifies the console by authenticating it using the console's authentication key, and provides the robot list and information to the verified console. The console sends information including its own port to the server for remote control. The server receives this information and sends it to the robot.

Referring to FIG. 5 , for the connection between the robot and the server, the robot maintains the connection with the server and periodically transmits information of the robot. The robot attempts to connect to the server, and the server sends the authentication key to the robot. If authentication is successful, a connection with the server is maintained. The robot and server continue to wait until a separate command is received from the console. When the authenticated console sends a command to the server, the server delivers a message including port information to the robot in the form of a push notification.

Referring to FIG. 6 , for connection between the robot and the console, the robot connects to the control console through a method such as socket communication to the console using the control console port information received through the push notification. When the connection between the robot and the control console is established, the control console transmits control commands to the robot. The robot sends the camera image directly to the control console.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the authentication procedure and the robot-console connection embodiment according to the present invention can be reviewed.

Those of ordinary skill in the art to which this specification belongs will be able to understand that the present specification may be embodied in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present specification is indicated by the claims described later rather than the detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts are included in the scope of the present specification. should be interpreted

On the other hand, in the present specification and drawings, preferred embodiments of the present specification have been disclosed, and although specific terms are used, these are only used in a general sense to easily explain the technical content of the present specification and help the understanding of the present invention, It is not intended to limit the scope of the specification. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which this specification pertains that other modifications based on the technical spirit of the present specification may be implemented in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims (1)

A first step of connecting the robot and the control console to the server;
A second step of the robot transmitting its information to the server periodically to the server;
A third step of the console requesting a list and information of the robot from the server;
A fourth step of the console sending a command command to the server based on the information of the robot to be accessed;
A fifth step of the server sending a push notification including the IP address of the control console to the robot based on the command command;
A sixth step of connecting the robot receiving the push notification to the control console and transmitting information including video; and
Wireless control method of a mobile robot, characterized in that based on the connection between the robot and the control console, the control console also includes a seventh step of transmitting control for remote control

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