TWI676812B - Two-stage navigating system - Google Patents

Abstract

A two-stage navigation system is applied to a navigation space and includes a plurality of positioning tags and a mobile platform. Mobile platform, including a map creation module that creates a map of the entire area corresponding to the navigation space, a path planning module, a navigation module that guides the mobile platform, a tag image search identification module, and a tag processing module . The path planning module generates a target positioning label area where a target label is located, and plans a first stage navigation path to reach the target positioning label area. The tag image search identification module is used to search and identify target tags. The coordinate processing module is to resolve a target coordinate of one of the target labels, the path planning module is to plan a second stage navigation path to the target coordinate, and the mobile platform is operatively moved to the target coordinate.

Description

Two-stage navigation system

The invention relates to a navigation system, in particular to a two-stage navigation system.

Since the wave of Industry 4.0 launched by Germany in 2011, several years have passed, and smart manufacturing and smart factories have gradually been applied to industrial production and manufacturing. However, the shortage of labor resources and the increase in labor costs caused by the global wave of declining birthrate have become a problem that must be faced by today's business operations.

Automatic Guided Vehicle (AGV), or unmanned transporter, is used to automatically move items to solve the problem of labor resource shortage.

In the prior art automatic guided vehicle, in actual operation, a magnetic strip needs to be laid on the moving path of the automatic guided vehicle to guide the automatic guided vehicle to move and transport items in a magnetic induction manner. The above-mentioned way of laying a magnetic strip on a moving path or a track is generally referred to as a rail-guided guidance system. The track guidance system can ensure that the automatic guided vehicle moves on the magnetic stripe or the track, and it can also ensure that the automatic guided vehicle will not be in a trek state.

However, the rail-guided guidance system cannot dynamically adjust the moving path of the automatic guided vehicle, which further limits the mobile delivery area of the automatic guided vehicle. However, if the target position that the automatic guided vehicle wants to reach, such as a table or an item rack, moves due to force majeure and does not match the track or magnetic stripe, the automatic guided vehicle cannot accurately deliver the item to the target position. In addition, the cost of laying rails or magnetic strips is high, and whether it can effectively reduce the cost of business is still open to question.

In view of the problems in the prior art, the rail-based guidance system cannot dynamically adjust the movement path and is expensive. One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a two-stage navigation system to solve the above problems.

In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention adopts the necessary technical means to provide a two-stage navigation system, which is applied to a navigation space, where a plurality of positioning objects are set in the navigation space, and the two-phase positioning navigation system includes a plurality of positionings. Tag with a mobile platform.

Each positioning label is respectively disposed on one of the positioning objects and has a corresponding positioning label area, so that the navigation space has a plurality of the positioning label areas described above.

The mobile platform includes a map creation module, a path planning module, a navigation module, a tag image search identification module, and a tag processing module.

The map creation module is used to create a map of the whole area corresponding to the navigation space, and the map of the whole area includes positioning labels, positioning objects and positioning label areas. The path planning module is an electrical connection map building module for generating a target label in the positioning label, defining the positioning label area corresponding to the target label as a target positioning label area, and planning a target positioning The label area is a first-stage navigation path at a first-stage end.

The navigation module is an electrical connection path planning module for guiding the mobile platform to move to the target positioning label area along the first stage navigation path. The tag image search and identification module is electrically connected to the map creation module and the navigation module. When the mobile platform moves to the target positioning label area along the first-stage navigation path, it searches for and identifies the target label. The coordinate processing module is electrically connected to the label image search identification module and the path planning module. When the label image search identification module recognizes the target label, it resolves one target coordinate corresponding to the target label, so as to make the path planning. The module plans a second stage navigation path with the target coordinates as the end point of a second stage, and causes the navigation module to guide the mobile platform to move along the second stage navigation path to the target coordinates.

Based on the above-mentioned necessary technical means, one of the subsidiary technical means derived from the present invention is to make the two-stage navigation system further include a mileage calculation module. The mileage calculation module is an electrical connection path planning module and label image search identification. The module is used to calculate the route mileage of the first stage navigation path, and when the mobile platform moves the route mileage and does not reach the target positioning label area, a re-search identification signal is generated, and the label image search identification module is used to search again. Identify positioning labels.

Based on the above-mentioned necessary technical means, a subsidiary technical means derived from the present invention is that a navigation module in a two-stage navigation system includes a positioning unit, and the positioning unit is used to locate a current position coordinate of a mobile platform.

Based on the above-mentioned necessary technical means, one of the subsidiary technical means derived from the present invention is to enable the mobile platform in the two-stage navigation system to further include a search trigger module. The search trigger module is electrically connected to the navigation module and the path. The planning module and the label image search identification module are used to generate a search identification signal when confirming that the current position coordinates are located in the target positioning label area, and use the label image search identification module to search for and identify the target label.

Based on the above-mentioned necessary technical means, one of the subsidiary technical means derived from the present invention is to make the positioning label in the two-stage navigation system a two-dimensional bar code label.

Based on the above-mentioned necessary technical means, a subsidiary technical means derived from the present invention is a tag image search and identification module in a two-stage navigation system, which includes a two-dimensional barcode scanner.

Based on the above-mentioned necessary technical means, a subsidiary technical means derived from the present invention is a tag image search and identification module in a two-stage navigation system, which has an image search optical axis and rotates a rotation angle on the mobile platform to make the image When the search optical axis is aligned with the target label, the coordinate processing module is used to analyze the target coordinate by using the rotation angle.

Based on the above-mentioned necessary technical means, a subsidiary technical means derived from the present invention is to enable the tag image search and identification module in the two-stage navigation system to include an image scale identification unit, and the image scale identification unit is used for When the mobile platform is moved to the target positioning label area, an image ratio of the target label is determined, so that the coordinate processing module can analyze the target coordinate.

Based on the above-mentioned necessary technical means, a subsidiary technical means derived from the present invention is to enable a tag image search and recognition module in a two-stage navigation system to include an image tilt recognition unit, and the image tilt recognition unit is used for When the mobile platform moves to the target positioning label area, an inclination angle of an image of the target label is determined, so that the coordinate processing module can analyze the target coordinate.

As mentioned above, the two-stage navigation system provided by the present invention uses a positioning label, a map creation module, a path planning module, a navigation module, a tag image search and identification module, and a coordinate processing module to make the mobile platform The first-stage navigation path and the second-stage navigation path move to the target coordinates corresponding to the target label.

Please refer to the first diagram and the second diagram. The first diagram is a block diagram showing a mobile platform of a two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and the second diagram is provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Schematic diagram of the second stage navigation system. As shown in the figure, a two-stage navigation system 100 is applied to a navigation space SN, and a plurality of positioning objects POa, POb, POc, POd, POe, POf are provided in the navigation space SN, and the two-stage navigation system 100 includes A plurality of positioning tags 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f and a mobile platform 1.

The positioning labels 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f are respectively provided on the positioning objects POa, POb, POc, POd, POe, and POf, and each has a positioning label area Aa, Ab, Ac, Ad, Ae, Af. In this embodiment, the positioning labels 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f are two-dimensional bar code labels, but not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present invention, the positioning tag may be another tag having a positioning function.

The mobile platform 1 includes a map creation module 11, a path planning module 12, a navigation module 13, a tag image search and identification module 14, and a tag processing module 15.

The map creation module 11 is used to establish a map MG of the whole area corresponding to the navigation space SN, and the map MG of the whole area includes the positioning tags 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f, the positioning objects POa, POb, POc, POd, POe, POf and the positioning label regions Aa, Ab, Ac, Ad, Ae, Af. The map creation module 11 can use a laser scanning unit and an ultrasonic scanning unit to confirm the distance from the surrounding objects in the navigation space SN, confirm the intensity value of the laser light or ultrasonic waves reflected by the surrounding objects, and convert them into map information through signal processing. To build a map of the whole area MG.

It should be noted that the navigation space SN refers to the physical space, and the map MG of the whole area is a map corresponding to the navigation space SN, which should be different drawings. However, it is beneficial to describe the embodiment of the present invention in which the top view of the navigation space SN is used, and the top view of the navigation space SN is almost the same as the whole area map MG. Therefore, the present invention does not draw the top view of the navigation space SN separately from the whole area map MG , But use the same diagram to illustrate and explain.

The path planning module 12 is an electrically connected map creation module 11 for generating a target label TT (labeled in the third figure) in the positioning labels 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f, and converting the target label TT The corresponding positioning label area is defined as a target positioning label area AT (labeled in the third figure), and a first-stage navigation path P1 (labeled on the first phase) with the target positioning label area AT as an end point of the first phase is planned. Three images).

Generally, the path planning module 12 establishes a reference origin of the map MG of the whole area. In this embodiment, the position of the navigation space SN where the mobile platform 1 is located corresponds to the coordinate point of the map MG of the whole area. The path planning module 12 corresponds to the coordinate points of the global map MG according to the actual target position of the actual target located in the navigation space SN, and establishes the coordinate system of the global map MG according to the reference origin for path planning. Usually, the x distance, y distance, and moving angle of the reference point and the coordinate point of the actual target are calculated, and the path planning is performed accordingly.

The navigation module 13 is electrically connected to the path planning module 12 for guiding the mobile platform 1 to move to the target positioning label area AT along the first-stage navigation path P1.

The tag image search and identification module 14 is electrically connected to the map creation module 11 and the navigation module 13. When the mobile platform 1 moves to the target positioning tag area AT along the first-stage navigation path P1, it searches for and identifies the target tag TT.

The coordinate processing module 15 is electrically connected to the label image search and identification module 14 and the path planning module 12, and when the label image search and identification module 14 recognizes the target label, it resolves one target coordinate corresponding to the target label. So that the path planning module 12 plans a second stage navigation path P2 (labeled in the eighth figure) with the target coordinates as the end point of a second stage, and the navigation module 13 guides the mobile platform 1 to navigate along the second stage The path P2 moves to the target coordinates.

In this embodiment, the mobile platform 1 further includes a mileage calculation module 16 and a search trigger module 17. The navigation module 13 includes a positioning unit 131.

The mileage calculation module 16 is electrically connected to the path planning module 12 and the tag image search and identification module 14 for calculating the mileage of one of the navigation paths P1 in the first stage, and the mileage of the moving route on the mobile platform 1 is not yet calculated. When the target positioning tag area AT is reached, a re-search identification signal is generated, and the tag image search identification module 14 is used to re-search and identify the positioning tags 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f.

The positioning unit 131 is used to locate a current position coordinate of one of the mobile platforms 1. The search trigger module 17 is electrically connected to the navigation module 13, the path planning module 12, and the tag image search and identification module 14, and is used to generate when confirming that the current position coordinate of the mobile platform 1 is located in the target positioning tag area AT. A search identification signal is used, and the tag image search identification module 14 is used to search for and identify the target tag TT.

Next, please refer to the first diagram to the fifth diagram together; wherein, the third diagram is a schematic diagram showing the mobile platform of the two-stage navigation system moving along the first stage navigation path provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention; the fourth diagram It is another schematic diagram showing the mobile platform of the two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention moving along the first-stage navigation path; and the fifth diagram shows the two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention Schematic diagram of the mobile platform moving to the target positioning label area. As shown in the figure, the path planning module 12 defines the positioning label 2b as a target label TT. Therefore, the positioning label area Ab corresponding to the positioning label 2b is defined as a target positioning label area AT.

The path planning module 12 uses the target positioning label area AT as the end point of the first stage to plan the first stage navigation path P1. The first stage navigation path P1 will include the target positioning label area AT and the positioning label areas Aa and Ad passing along the route.

When the mobile platform 1 moves along the first-stage navigation path P1, the positioning unit 131 positions the current position coordinates of the mobile platform 1 at all times to ensure that the mobile platform 1 moves along the first-stage navigation path P1. For example, if the positioning unit 131 determines that the current position coordinates are located in the positioning label areas Aa and Ad, it means that the mobile platform 1 does move along the first stage navigation path P1; otherwise, if the positioning unit 131 determines that the current position coordinates are located in the positioning One of the label areas Ac, Ae, and Af indicates that the mobile platform 1 has deviated from the first-stage navigation path P1, and the navigation module 13 will be used to stop guiding the mobile platform 1 and use the label image search identification module 14 to search again The positioning tags 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f are identified to reposition the mobile platform 1, and finally the path planning module 12 is used to replan another navigation path in the first stage.

In this embodiment, the positioning labels 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f are two-dimensional barcode labels, and the label image search and identification module 14 includes a two-dimensional barcode scanner.

Under normal circumstances, the mobile platform 1 will follow the first stage navigation path P1, sequentially pass through the positioning label areas Ad, Aa, and reach the target positioning label area AT where the target label TT is located.

Finally, please refer to the first to eighth drawings together, in which the sixth drawing is a partial schematic diagram showing that the mobile platform of the two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention moves to the target positioning label area; the seventh drawing It is a schematic diagram showing the mobile platform searching and identifying target tags of the two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, the eighth diagram is showing the mobile platform along the first stage of the two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Schematic diagram of the two-stage navigation path moving to the target label. As shown in the figure, the mobile platform 1 reaches the target positioning tag area AT where the target tag TT is located.

The search trigger module 17 generates a search identification signal when it is confirmed that the coordinates of the current position of the mobile platform 1 are within the target positioning label area AT. After receiving the search identification signal, the label image search identification module 14 searches for the identification target label TT, and further analyzes a target coordinate corresponding to the target label TT by the coordinate processing module 15. As shown in the sixth figure, the current position coordinate of the mobile platform 1 is located in the target positioning label area AT, and the image search optical axis X of one of the label image search recognition modules 14 does not find the target label TT. Therefore, after receiving the search identification signal, the mobile platform 1 starts to rotate until the rotated image search optical axis X 'finds the target tag TT.

The coordinate processing module 15 can use the rotation angle a between the image search optical axis X and the image search optical axis X ′ to determine which angular position of the target tag TT is on the mobile platform 1 and between the target tag TT and the mobile platform 1 The distance between them, and further infer the target coordinates of the target label TT. In addition, the tag image search and recognition module 14 may include an image scale recognition unit, which is used to determine an image scale of the target tag TT when the mobile platform 1 moves to the target positioning tag area AT, and further uses coordinates The processing module 15 parses out the target coordinates of the target tag TT. In addition, the tag image search recognition module 14 may include an image tilt recognition unit, and the image tilt recognition unit is configured to determine an image tilt angle of one of the target tags TT when the mobile platform 1 moves to the target positioning tag area AT, and further borrow The coordinate processing module 15 analyzes the target coordinates of the target tag TT. The coordinate processing module 15 may also use the trapezoidal correction method to analyze the target label TT to parse out the target coordinates. Practically speaking, the coordinate processing module 15 usually works with the image of the target label TT identified by the label image search and identification module 14 and the transformation matrix to calculate the target coordinate method of the target label TT.

The path planning module 12 uses a target coordinate as an end point of the second stage, and plans a second stage navigation path P2 that moves to the end point of the second stage. The navigation module 13 guides the mobile platform 1 according to the second-stage navigation path P2, so that the mobile platform 1 moves along the second-stage navigation path P2 to the target coordinates where the target label TT is located.

The mobile platform 1 moves to the target positioning tag area AT, the tag image search recognition module 14 searches for and recognizes the target tag TT again, and the path planning module 12 plans the second-stage navigation path P2 for the purpose of positioning the target tag TT. The object POb may move due to any factor. Therefore, the tag image search recognition module 14 searches for the recognition target tag TT again, which can ensure that the mobile platform 1 will move to the target coordinate where the target tag TT is located.

In today's society, the mobile platform 1 is mainly an automatic guided vehicle or a robot, and its main function is to transport items. Taking the restaurant's food delivery robot as an example, the positioning objects POa, POb, POc, POd, POe, and POf are the tables and chairs of the dining area. The restaurant table may be forced to move due to various factors, such as side-by-side table, collision, too small seating space, etc. Even the restaurant staff may wipe the table after the customer finishes the meal, which may cause the table to move slightly, which may cause the map to move. The area map MG created by the establishment module 11 does not match.

Therefore, when the mobile platform 1 moves to the target positioning tag area AT, it uses the tag image search recognition module 14 to search and recognize the target tag TT again to ensure that it can move to the current target coordinates of the target tag TT. Even if the position object POb is not in accordance with the map MG of the whole area due to some force majeure factors, the mobile platform 1 can still smoothly move to the target coordinates where the target label TT on the position object POb is located.

In addition, the mileage calculation module 16 calculates the mileage of the path, assuming that it is 10 meters. After the mobile platform 1 moves 10 meters, the current position coordinates received by the mileage calculation module 16 do not fall in the target positioning label area. AT indicates that the mobile platform 1 may have deviated from the first stage navigation path P1 and is in a trek state. The mileage calculation module 16 will generate a re-search identification signal, and use the tag image search identification module 14 to re-search and identify the positioning tags 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f, so as to re-judge the current position of the mobile platform 1. Coordinates and re-planning another first stage navigation path, so that the mobile platform 1 can continue to move toward the target positioning label area AT.

To sum up, the two-stage navigation system provided by the present invention uses positioning tags and a mobile platform, so that the mobile platform can move to the target positioning tag area through the first stage navigation path and move to the target through the second stage navigation path. Coordinates, compared with the prior art, need to set a magnetic stripe or track along the path and cannot dynamically adjust the path. The two-stage navigation system provided by the present invention can be set on a positioning object by using a positioning label that is common in today's society. To achieve the effect of planning the first stage of the navigation path to guide the mobile platform. Furthermore, by analyzing the target coordinates of the target label on the positioning object, the second stage of planning the navigation path to guide the mobile platform is achieved, and the problem that the mobile platform cannot reach the target label smoothly due to the movement of the positioning object can also be avoided. To achieve the effect of dynamically adjusting the path.

With the above detailed description of the preferred embodiments, it is hoped that the features and spirit of the present invention can be more clearly described, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the preferred embodiments disclosed above. On the contrary, the intention is to cover various changes and equivalent arrangements within the scope of the patents to be applied for in the present invention.

100‧‧‧ two-stage navigation system

1‧‧‧mobile platform

11‧‧‧Map Creation Module

12‧‧‧ Path Planning Module

13‧‧‧Navigation Module

131‧‧‧ positioning unit

14‧‧‧Tag Image Search Identification Module

15‧‧‧ Coordinate processing module

16‧‧‧mileage calculation module

17‧‧‧Search trigger module

2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f‧‧‧ Positioning tags

Aa, Ab, Ac, Ad, Ae, Af‧‧‧ Position the label area

AT‧‧‧Targeting label area

a‧‧‧rotation angle

MG‧‧‧All district map

P1‧‧‧First Stage Navigation Path

P2‧‧‧ second stage navigation path

POa, POb, POc, POd, POe, POf‧‧‧

SN‧‧‧Navigation space

TT‧‧‧Target label

X, X’‧‧‧ image search optical axis

The first diagram is a block diagram showing a mobile platform of a two-stage navigation system provided by a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
The second figure is a schematic plan view showing a two-stage navigation system provided by a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
The third diagram is a schematic diagram showing a two-stage navigation system mobile platform moving along a first stage navigation path provided by a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
The fourth diagram is another schematic diagram showing that the mobile platform of the two-stage navigation system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention moves along the first-stage navigation path;
The fifth diagram is a schematic diagram showing that the mobile platform of the two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention moves to the target positioning label area;
The sixth diagram is a partial schematic diagram showing that the mobile platform of the two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention moves to the target positioning label area;
The seventh diagram is a schematic diagram showing a mobile platform of a two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention for searching and identifying target tags; and the eighth diagram is a mobile platform of the two-stage navigation system provided by the preferred embodiment of the present invention Schematic diagram of moving to the target label along the second stage navigation path.

Claims (9)

A two-stage navigation system is applied to a navigation space. The navigation space is provided with a plurality of positioning objects. The two-stage navigation system includes:
A plurality of positioning labels, each of which is respectively disposed on one of the positioning objects, and has a corresponding positioning label area, so that the navigation space has a plurality of the positioning label areas; and a movement Platform, including:
A map creation module is used to create a map of the whole area corresponding to the navigation space, and the map of the whole area includes the positioning tags, the positioning objects, and the positioning tag areas;
A path planning module is electrically connected to the map creation module for generating a target label among the positioning labels, and defining the positioning label area corresponding to the target label as a target positioning label area. Planning a first-stage navigation path using the target positioning label area as a first-stage end point;
A navigation module electrically connected to the path planning module for guiding the mobile platform to move along the first stage navigation path to the target positioning label area;
A tag image search and identification module is electrically connected to the map building module and the navigation module, and searches and recognizes the target tag when the mobile platform moves to the target positioning tag area along the first stage navigation path;
A tag processing module is electrically connected to the tag image search identification module and the path planning module. When the tag image search identification module recognizes the target tag, it resolves a target coordinate corresponding to the target tag. , So that the path planning module plans a second stage navigation path with the target coordinate as the end point of a second stage, and causes the navigation module to guide the mobile platform to move along the second stage navigation path to the Target coordinates. According to the two-stage navigation system described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the mobile platform further includes a mileage calculation module, the mileage calculation module is electrically connected to the path planning module and the tag image search identification module For calculating a mileage of one of the navigation paths in the first stage, and when the mobile platform moves the mileage of the route and does not reach the target positioning label area, a re-search identification signal is generated, and the label image is used for searching identification The module searches again to identify the positioning tags. The two-stage navigation system described in item 1 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the navigation module includes a positioning unit, and the positioning unit is used to locate a current position coordinate of the mobile platform. According to the two-stage navigation system described in item 3 of the scope of patent application, wherein the mobile platform further includes a search trigger module, the search trigger module is electrically connected to the navigation module, the path planning module and the label The image search identification module is used for generating a search identification signal when confirming that the current position coordinates are located in the target positioning label area, and using the label image search identification module to search for and identify the target label. The two-stage navigation system described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein each of the positioning tags is a two-dimensional bar code tag. The two-stage navigation system described in item 5 of the scope of patent application, wherein the tag image search identification module includes a two-dimensional barcode scanner. The two-stage navigation system described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the tag image search identification module has an image search optical axis, and a rotation angle is rotated on the mobile platform to align the image search optical axis with the target When labeling, the coordinate processing module is used to resolve the target coordinate using the rotation angle. According to the two-stage navigation system described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the tag image search recognition module includes an image scale recognition unit, and the image scale recognition unit is used to move to the target positioning tag on the mobile platform When the area is determined, an image ratio of the target label is determined, so that the coordinate processing module can analyze the target coordinate. According to the two-stage navigation system described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, the tag image search recognition module includes an image tilt recognition unit, and the image tilt recognition unit is used to move to the target positioning tag on the mobile platform. When the area is determined, an inclination angle of an image of the target label is determined, so that the coordinate processing module can analyze the target coordinate.