WO2020024613A1

WO2020024613A1 - Robot control apparatus and robot system

Info

Publication number: WO2020024613A1
Application number: PCT/CN2019/081942
Authority: WO
Inventors: 阮杰
Original assignee: 安克创新科技股份有限公司
Priority date: 2018-08-01
Filing date: 2019-04-09
Publication date: 2020-02-06
Also published as: CN110011376A; CN110011376B; CN210156934U; CN109038724A

Abstract

The embodiments of the present invention provide a robot control apparatus and a robot system. The control apparatus comprises at least a first group of signal apparatuses and a second group of signal apparatuses, wherein first signals transmitted by the first group of signal apparatuses cover a first region at the periphery of the control apparatus; and second signals transmitted by the second group of signal apparatuses cover a second region at the periphery of the control apparatus, the second signals are different from the first signals, and the distance between an outer boundary of the second region and the control apparatus is farther than that between an outer boundary of the first region and the control apparatus. The robot control apparatus and the robot system of the embodiments of the present invention can enable a robot to enter a region near the control apparatus, and can also enable the robot to return more rapidly to the position where control apparatus is located.

Description

Robot control device and robot system

Technical field

The present invention relates to the field of robot technology, and more particularly, to a robot control device and a robot system.

Background technique

A robot (for example, a sweeping robot, etc.) can automatically move in space to complete a job. Taking the cleaning robot as an example, the charging base of the existing cleaning robot usually uses LED infrared light to determine the direction and angle. At this time, the LED infrared light needs to allow the cleaning robot to avoid the position of the charging base and clean the vicinity of the charging base during normal cleaning. In the area, the cleaning robot needs to identify the position, and it can accurately return to the charging base for charging in the recharging mode. It also needs to avoid mutual interference caused by the superposition of multiple signals.

In view of this, the present invention proposes a new robot control device and robot system, which can avoid the above problems.

Summary of the invention

A series of simplified forms of concepts are introduced in the summary section, which will be explained in further detail in the detailed description section. The summary of the present invention does not mean trying to define the key features and necessary technical features of the claimed technical solution, let alone trying to determine the protection scope of the claimed technical solution.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems. According to an aspect of the present invention, a robot control device is provided. The control device includes at least a first group of signal devices and a second group of signal devices, wherein a first signal emitted by the first group of signal devices covers the first group of signal devices. A first area on the periphery of the control device; a second signal from the second set of signal devices covers a second area on the periphery of the control device, wherein the second signal is different from the first signal, and the The outer boundary of the second region is farther from the control device than the outer boundary of the first region.

Further, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices do not work at the same time.

In one embodiment, the first group of signaling devices and the second group of signaling devices are alternately turned on and off.

In one embodiment, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices each include two sub-signal devices, and the two sub-signal devices are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the front surface of the charging device, The signals sent by the two sub-signaling devices can cover a range of 180 degrees.

In one embodiment, the control device further includes an additional signal device disposed at a middle position on a front surface of the control device, and a signal sent by the control device is used for a robot to recognize a distance from the control device and communicate with the control. The device performs alignment.

In an embodiment, the signal sent by the additional signal device can also implement the functions of the first signal and / or the second signal.

In one embodiment, the signal from the additional signal device can cover a range of 20-40 degrees.

In one embodiment, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices each include four sub-signal devices, and the four sub-signal devices are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the front surface of the charging device and On the left and right sides of the rear surface, signals from the four sub-signaling devices can cover a range of 360 degrees.

In one embodiment, the control device further includes a third group of signal devices, and a third signal sent by the third group of signal devices covers a third region on the periphery of the control device and an outer boundary of the third region It is farther from the control device than the outer boundary of the second region.

In one embodiment, the first signal and the second signal have different identification codes, and the robot recognizes the first signal and the second signal according to the identification code.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a robot system is provided, including: a robot; and the control device according to any one of the above.

The control device and the robot system of the robot according to the embodiments of the present invention can not only allow the robot to enter the area near the control device, but also allow the robot to return to the control device faster.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent. The accompanying drawings are used to further explain the embodiments of the present invention. The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the description, and are used to explain the present invention together with the embodiments of the present invention, and do not constitute a limitation on the present invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same or similar parts or steps.

In the drawings:

1 is a schematic structural diagram of a robot control device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a schematic structural diagram of a robot control device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a first example of a timing diagram in which the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices do not work at the same time according to one embodiment; FIG.

4 is a second example of a timing diagram in which the first group of signaling devices and the second group of signaling devices do not work at the same time according to another embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a third example of a timing diagram in which the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices operate at different times according to still another embodiment.

detailed description

In the following description, numerous specific details are given to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without one or more of these details. In other examples, in order to avoid confusion with the present invention, some technical features known in the art are not described.

It should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. The same reference numerals denote the same elements throughout.

It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on", "adjacent", "connected to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, it can be directly on the other element or layer. Layers, adjacent, connected, or coupled to other elements or layers, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly adjacent to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or Floor. It should be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below can be represented as a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

Spatial relation terms such as "below", "below", "below", "below", "above", "above", etc., in It may be used here for convenience of description to describe the relationship between one element or feature and other elements or features shown in the figure. It should be understood that in addition to the orientations shown in the figures, the spatial relationship terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, then the element or feature described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other element or feature. Thus, the exemplary terms "below" and "below" can include both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or otherwise) and the spatial descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended as a limitation of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "comprising" and / or "including", when used in this specification, determine the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude one or more other The presence or addition of features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts, and / or groups. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items.

In order to thoroughly understand the present invention, a detailed structure will be proposed in the following description in order to explain the technical solution proposed by the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, however, in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present invention may have other embodiments.

In order to solve the existing technical problems, the present invention provides a robot control device and a robot system. The robot may be any robot known in the art, such as a sweeping robot, a handling robot, etc. The robot control device may be a device that is used in conjunction with or docked with the robot, such as a charging device for a sweeping robot or other robot, or a maintenance device for a handling robot. Wait. Those skilled in the art should understand that the above-listed robots and robot control devices are merely exemplary, and the present invention does not limit the types of robots and robot control devices.

Exemplarily, the robot in the embodiment of the present invention may have one or more modes, such as two, three, etc., and the robot may switch between various modes when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The modes of different robots may be different, which is not limited in the present invention. For example, the mode of the cleaning robot may include a cleaning mode, a charging mode, and the like, and the mode of the handling robot may include a low power mode, a carrying mode, and a failure maintenance mode.

Among them, the robot usually needs to make different actions in different modes, for example, the robot cannot approach the control device in the first mode, and needs to move to the control device in the second mode. The robot control device in the embodiment of the present invention can assist the robot to complete the above-mentioned actions in different ways. For example, the control device divides different areas around it by sending different signals, so that the robot makes different when receiving different signals. Actions.

Exemplarily, the control device may include two or more sets of signal devices, each of which emits a different signal and covers a different size area around the control device. In this way, the robot can receive different signals at different positions and thus make different actions. For example, taking the charging device of a cleaning robot as an example, the charging device may include two sets of signal devices, and the signals from the first group of signal devices are used as guard signals to cover a first area around the charging device, so that the cleaning robot does not Enter the first area; the signal from the second group of signal devices serves as a guide signal, covering a larger second area around the charging device. When the cleaning robot is in the recharging mode, the guide signal can guide the robot to accurately return to the charging base for charging. .

Exemplarily, each group of signaling devices may include two or more sub-signaling devices, which are arranged at different positions on the control device, and the signals sent by each sub-signaling device are different, so that when the robot receives the signals, it can not only judge It is also possible to determine the source and position of the signal from which signal device sends out the signal, thereby further determining the position and distance of the control device. For example, taking the charging device of the cleaning robot as an example, each sub-signaling device may be uniformly or non-uniformly arranged on the side or top surface of the charging device.

Exemplarily, in order to avoid the interference of signals from different signaling devices, each group of signaling devices can work at different times, for example, each group of signaling devices alternately turns on and off; firstly, turn on a group of signaling devices, and other signaling devices are turned off. At this time, another set of signaling devices is turned on, and the other signaling devices are turned off.

The robot control device and robot system according to the embodiments of the present invention can enable the robot to perform different actions in different modes, and can also avoid mutual interference between signals.

For the convenience of description, in the embodiments of the present invention, the cleaning robot and its charging device are taken as an example for description.

Example one

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a control device 100 for a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a control device 200 for a robot according to another embodiment of the present invention Schematic. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the control device 100/200 may include a first group of signal devices and a second group of signal devices. Those skilled in the art should understand that this is merely exemplary, and the control device 100/200 may include more groups of signal devices, for example, a third group of signal devices, a fourth group of signal devices, etc., which is not limited in the present invention. specifically:

Among them, the first group of signal devices is configured to emit a first signal SG1. The first signal SG1 covers a first region of the periphery of the control device 100/200, and an outer boundary of the first region is referred to as a first signal wall 10. The first signal SG1 is used to perform a first action when the robot is in the first mode. The first mode is, for example, a working mode. For a cleaning robot, the working mode may be a cleaning mode. The first action is, for example, that the first signal SG1 prevents the robot from entering the area within the first signal wall 10 (that is, the area covered by the first signal SG1), thereby preventing the robot from colliding with its control device 100 in the first mode. / 200. At this time, the first signal SG1 may be referred to as a guard signal.

Exemplarily, the distances between the points of the first signal wall 10 and the center of the control device 100/200 are close. Exemplarily, each point of the first signal wall 10 is equidistant from the center of the control device 100/200. Specifically, the first signal wall 10 may be semi-circular / circular with the center of the control device 100/200 as the center. Specifically, a precise algorithm and a precise resistor can be used to control the irradiation distance and angle of the first group of signal devices to realize a semi-circular / circular signal wall.

Because the first signal SG1 is a guard signal, in order to ensure that the robot can avoid the position of the control device 100/200 and enter the area near the control device normally in the first mode, the coverage area of the first signal SG1 should be around the control device. The 100/200 case is as small as possible. Therefore, for example, the transmission power of the first group of signal devices is small, so that the range of the first area that the first signal SG1 can cover is also small, for example, about 0.5 meters (that is, the first signal wall 10 and the control device 100). / 200 distance is about 0.5 meters) and so on. Those skilled in the art should understand that the transmission power of the first group of signal devices can be adjusted according to the needs and the size of the control device 100/200, thereby adjusting the coverage of the first signal SG1, which is not limited in the present invention.

Exemplarily, the first group of signaling devices may be LEDs (light emitting diodes), LDs (laser diodes), laser transmitters or ultrasonic transmitters, and the like. Exemplarily, the LED may be an infrared light LED. Those skilled in the art should understand that the first group of signal devices can also be set to any other type of light transmitter or wave transmitter known in the art as required, which is not limited in the present invention.

Among them, the second group of signal devices is used to emit a second signal SG2. The second signal SG2 covers a second area on the periphery of the control device 100/200, and the outer boundary of the second area is referred to as the second signal wall 20. The second signal SG2 is used to perform a second action when the robot is in the second mode. Exemplarily, the second mode may be, for example, a non-working mode. For a cleaning robot, the non-working mode may be a recharging mode. The second action may be, for example, returning to the control device. For the cleaning robot, the second action may be the second signal SG2 to guide the cleaning robot back to the charging device for charging. At this time, the second signal SG2 may be referred to as a pilot signal.

Exemplarily, the distance between each point of the second signal wall 20 and the center of the control device 100/200 is close. Exemplarily, each point of the second signal wall 20 is equidistant from the center of the control device 100. Specifically, the second signal wall 20 may be in a semi-circular / circular shape with the center of the control device 100/200 as the center. Specifically, a precise algorithm and a precise resistor can be used to control the irradiation distance and angle of the second group of signal devices to realize a semi-circular / circular signal wall.

Because the second signal SG2 is a guidance signal, in order that when the robot is in the second mode, the robot can receive the second signal SG2 with less time and return to the position of the control device 100/200 as soon as possible. The coverage area should be large. Therefore, exemplarily, the transmission power of the second group of signal devices is large, so that the range of the second area that the second signal SG2 can cover is also large, for example, about 2 to 5 meters (that is, the second signal wall 20 and the control The distance of the device 100/200 is about 2 to 5 meters). In this way, as long as the robot enters a range of 5 meters, for example, it can receive the data of the second signal SG2 and know the position of the control device 100/200. Those skilled in the art should understand that the coverage of the second signal SG2 can be adjusted according to the size of the space in which the control device 100/200 is used, such as adjusting the exit angle of the second signal or increasing the transmission power of the second signal device. The invention does not limit this.

Exemplarily, the second group of signaling devices may be LEDs (light emitting diodes), LDs (laser diodes), laser transmitters, or ultrasonic transmitters. Exemplarily, the LED may be an infrared light LED. Those skilled in the art should understand that the second group of signal devices can also be set to any other type of light transmitter or wave transmitter known in the art as required, which is not limited in the present invention.

Because there are at least two sets of signal devices, the signals from the two sets of signal sources are superimposed together, there is often a problem of mutual interference, which distort the signals received by the robot, which affects the robot to make correct judgments based on the signals, and may even make wrong judgments. Therefore, in one embodiment, in order to prevent the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 from interfering with each other, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices do not work at the same time.

3 and 4, FIG. 3 is a first example of a timing diagram in which the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices do not work at the same time according to one embodiment; FIG. 4 is a first example according to another embodiment A second example of a timing diagram in which the group signaling device and the second group signaling device do not operate at the same time.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices are alternately turned on and off.

Among them, in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices are always turned on and off alternately periodically.

Specifically, for example, the first group of signaling devices is turned on, the second group of signaling devices is turned off, the second group of signaling devices is turned on after the first predetermined time t1 has elapsed, and then the second group of signaling devices is turned off after the second predetermined time t2. One set of signaling devices is turned on and the second set of signaling devices is turned off, so that the first set of signaling devices and the second set of signaling devices are alternately turned on and off periodically. In this way, the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 do not exist at the same time, thereby avoiding mutual interference between different signals.

The first predetermined time t1 and the second predetermined time t2 may be set in advance as required, and the two may be the same or different. Among them, in order to avoid the loss of the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2, the first predetermined time t1 and the second predetermined time t2 should be set sufficiently small. For example, the first predetermined time t1 and the second predetermined time t2 may be less than Equal to the first threshold. Exemplarily, the first threshold value can be set according to empirical or experimental data, for example, 100 ms. Exemplarily, the first predetermined time t1 and the second predetermined time t2 may be 20 ms, 50 ms, 100 ms, and the like. Those skilled in the art should understand that the first predetermined time t1 and the second predetermined time t2 can also be set to other values according to actual needs or experimental data, which is not limited in the present invention.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, only the first group of signaling devices is turned on initially. When the first predetermined condition is satisfied, the second group of signaling devices is also turned on. After the second group of signaling devices is turned on, the first group of signaling devices and the first group of signaling devices are turned on. The two sets of signal devices are alternately turned on and off periodically, for example, at intervals of 20ms, 50ms, 100ms, and so on. Similarly, when the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices are alternately turned on and off periodically, the time interval between the two groups of alternately turned on and off may be the same or different. Among them, in order to avoid signal loss, the alternate time interval should also be set sufficiently small, for example, 100ms or less. At this time, because the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 do not exist at the same time, mutual interference between different signals can be avoided, and the second group of signal devices is not always on, so the overall control device 100/200 can also be saved. Energy consumption.

The first predetermined condition may include after a third predetermined time t3 elapses after the first group of signaling devices is turned on.

Exemplarily, the third predetermined time t3 may be factory-set according to the model, or may be set independently by the user according to actual needs or experience. For example, taking the charging device of the cleaning robot as an example, if the longest use time of the cleaning robot when fully charged is about 8 hours, the third predetermined time t3 may be factory-set to 6 hours, 7 hours, 7.5 hours, and the like. As another example, as the robot battery ages, the user may modify the second predetermined time t2 to 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, and so on.

Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a third example of a timing diagram in which the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices do not work at the same time according to yet another embodiment. In this embodiment, the first group of signaling devices is turned on and the second group of signaling devices is turned off initially. When the second predetermined condition is satisfied, the second group of signaling devices is turned on and the first group of signaling devices is turned off.

Exemplarily, the second predetermined condition may include a signal that the control device 100/200 receives a carry mode instruction, and the like. For example, the mode instruction may instruct the robot to switch from the first mode to the second mode. For example, taking the charging device of the cleaning robot as an example, the first mode may be a cleaning mode, and the second mode may be a recharging mode. Those skilled in the art should understand that the above-mentioned second predetermined condition is merely exemplary, and the second predetermined condition may be set to other conditions according to the application occasion of the robot, which is not limited in the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices do not work at the same time, avoiding the interference of signals from the two groups of signal devices, and the signal received by the robot has high fidelity, so that the robot can make accurate signals based on the signals. Judge.

Further, the second signal SG2 is different from the first signal SG1.

Further, the coverage range of the second signal SG2 may be different from the coverage range of the first signal SG1. For example, if the first signal SG1 is a guard signal and the second signal SG2 is a guidance signal, the coverage of the second signal SG2 may be larger than the coverage of the first signal SG1 in order to guide the robot back to the control device as soon as possible.

Exemplarily, the frequencies of the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 may be different, so that the robot recognizes the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 according to the signal frequency.

Exemplarily, the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 have different identification codes, and the robot recognizes the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 according to the different identification codes.

Exemplarily, the identification code may identify that the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 are different in at least one of a signal frequency, a signal strength, a signal frequency, or an alternating rule of signal strength.

Exemplarily, the identification code can be sent to the robot when the first group of signaling devices or the second group of signaling devices are turned on, so that the robot judges that the received signal is the first signal according to the identification code carried by the received signal SG1 (guard signal) is also the second signal SG2 (pilot signal). For example, when the first group of signaling devices is turned on and the second group of signaling devices is turned off, the identification code of the first signal SG1 is sent to the robot; when the second group of signaling devices is turned on and the first group of signaling devices is turned off, a second signal is sent to the robot. Identification code of signal SG2.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 shows that the first group of signal devices includes

signal devices

111 and 112 and the second group of signal devices includes signal devices 121 and 122 (

signal devices

111, 112, 121, 122 may be referred to as sub-signal devices) . Exemplarily, the

sub-signaling devices

111 and 112 are respectively disposed at different positions of the control device, such as the left and right sides of the front surface of the control device; or, the

sub-signal devices

111, 112 may be added to the left, middle, and right positions according to the needs. SIGNAL DEVICE. Exemplarily, the

sub-signaling devices

121 and 122 are also disposed at different positions of the control device, such as the left and right sides of the front surface of the control device; or, it can be added to the left, middle, and right three positions as required. Sub-signaling device.

Exemplarily, the wide angles of the

sub-signaling devices

111, 112, 121, 122 may be the same or may be different. Exemplarily, the wide angles of the

sub-signaling devices

111, 112, 121, and 122 are all 60-120 degrees. Exemplarily, the wide angles of the

sub-signaling devices

111, 112, 121, and 122 are all about 90 degrees. At this time, the first signal SG1 from the first group of signal devices and the second signal SG2 from the second group of signal devices can cover. A range of about 180 degrees. This embodiment is applicable to a case where the control device 100 is placed against a wall or placed in a corner, and the like. Those skilled in the art should understand that, in theory, a larger wide-angle sub-signaling device can also be used. Both the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 can cover a range exceeding 180 degrees. The transmitted signal is severely attenuated with increasing distance and cannot be transmitted far enough, so the wide-angle of the sub-signal device should not exceed 90 degrees.

Among them, the signals sent by each sub-signaling device are different, which are called azimuth signals. Exemplarily, each position signal may be different in one or more aspects of frequency, intensity, identification code carried, alternating rule of intensity and frequency, and the like.

Exemplarily, the identification codes carried by each azimuth signal are different, so as to uniquely identify each azimuth signal. In this way, after receiving the signal, the robot can not only determine whether the received signal is the first signal SG1 (guard signal) or the second signal SG2 (guide signal), but also determine the source and direction of the signal to further determine the control. The orientation of the device 100. This is because the specific position of each signal device will be set according to a certain rule to ensure that signals can be transmitted within a range of, for example, 180 degrees (360 degrees in other embodiments). This setting rule will inform the robot in advance. Once the robot receives With the specific identification code, it is possible to know the relative position of the user and the control device 100.

Further, the robot may use a preset algorithm to obtain the position relationship between the robot and the first signal wall 10, the second signal wall 20, and the control device 100 by using signals from the identified sub-signal devices. The algorithm for calculating the position relationship is the prior art, and is not repeated here.

With continued reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows that the first group of signaling devices includes signaling

devices

111, 112, 113, 114, and the second group of signaling devices includes signaling

devices

121, 122, 123, 124 (signaling

devices

111, 112, 113, 114, 121, 122, 123, 124 can all be referred to as sub-signaling devices). Exemplarily, the

sub-signaling devices

111, 112, 113, and 114 are respectively disposed at different positions of the control device, such as the left and right sides of the front surface of the control device and the left and right sides of the rear surface; or, Need to increase the left, middle and right sub-signal devices. Exemplarily, the

sub-signaling devices

121, 122, 123, and 124 are also disposed at different positions of the control device, such as the left and right sides of the front surface of the control device and the left and right sides of the rear surface; or, It can be added to the left, middle and right sub-signal devices as required.

Exemplarily, the wide angles of the

sub-signaling devices

111, 112, 113, 114, 121, 122, 123, 124 may be the same or may be different. Exemplarily, the wide angles of the

sub-signaling devices

111, 112, 113, 114, 121, 122, 123, 124 are 60-120 degrees. Exemplarily, the wide angles of the

sub-signaling devices

111, 112, 113, 114, 121, 122, 123, and 124 are all about 90 degrees. At this time, the first signal SG1 and the second signal device issued by the first signal device The second signal SG2 can cover a range of approximately 360 degrees. This embodiment is applicable to a case where all directions of the control device 200 are free.

Among them, the azimuth signals emitted by each sub-signaling device are also different. Exemplarily, each position signal may be different in one or more aspects of frequency, intensity, identification code carried, alternating rule of intensity and frequency, and the like.

Exemplarily, the identification codes carried by each azimuth signal are different, so as to uniquely identify each azimuth signal, and make the robot determine the source and direction of the signal according to the identification code.

Those skilled in the art should understand that the number of the sub-signaling devices in the above FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is only exemplary and not limitative. In practice, one or more sub-signaling devices with different wide angles may be arranged according to needs, so that The first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 cover a desired range.

Exemplarily, the setting position of each sub-signaling device may also be changed as needed to achieve a desired coverage area and direction.

Exemplarily, the angle and intensity of signals sent by each sub-signaling device are adjustable, so that the coverage and signal direction of each sub-signaling device can be changed as needed. For example, the coverage and signal direction of the

sub-signaling devices

111, 112, 113, 114, 121, 122, 123, 124 are adjusted according to the size and placement of the control device 100/200, respectively.

Exemplarily, the control device 100/200 may further include a controller 130. Exemplarily, the controller 130 may be configured to control alternate turning on and off of the first group of signaling devices and the second group of signaling devices. For example, the controller 130 may be further configured to encode the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 and generate an identification code.

Exemplarily, the control of the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices by the controller 130 may further include, but is not limited to, stabilizing the first group of signal devices through a low dropout linear regulator (LDO). With the second group of signal devices, the irradiation distance of each signal device is finely adjusted by the current limiting resistor, and the luminous intensity of the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices is controlled.

Exemplarily, the controller 130 may be any suitable controller known in the art, such as a microcontroller (MCU, Microcontroller Unit), a programmable controller (PLC, Programmable Logic Controller), etc., which is not limited in the present invention. .

For example, the controller 130 may control the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices through, for example, a general input / output interface (GPIO, General Input / Output) or a dedicated input / output interface.

Exemplarily, the robot and the control device 100/200 can communicate using wireless communication methods known in the art, including but not limited to satellite communication, cellular communication, Bluetooth, Infrared Data Association Standard (IrDA), and wireless fidelity (WiFi). ) And global microwave access interoperability (WiMAX), etc., the present invention does not limit this.

Further, the control device 100/200 may further include an additional signal device 140 disposed at a middle position on the front surface of the control device 100/200. The additional signal ASG sent from the additional signal device 140 can be used as a registration signal for the robot. When the robot is in the second mode, after receiving the additional signal ASG, the distance from the control device 100/200 can be identified and aligned with the control device 100/200 according to the additional signal ASG. Specifically, the robot receives the signal on the left by the receiver on the left and the signal on the right by the receiver on the right. When the receivers on the left and right sides cannot receive the signal on the other side, the robot and the control device can be confirmed to be correct. Match up. Those skilled in the art should understand that the additional signal ASG can also be used to implement the function of the first signal and / or the second signal, that is, the function of guard and / or guidance.

Exemplarily, the additional signal device 140 may be an LED (light emitting diode), an LD (laser diode), a laser transmitter, an ultrasonic transmitter, or the like. Those skilled in the art should understand that the additional signal device 140 can be set to any other type of light transmitter or wave transmitter known in the art as required, which is not limited in the present invention.

Those skilled in the art should understand that the control device 100/200 may not include the additional signal device 140. When the additional signal device 140 is not included, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices need to be used to implement the alignment function. In order to use the left and right signal devices to achieve alignment, it is required that the signals emitted by the left and right signal devices must have a small area overlap in the middle area to achieve accurate alignment. However, because the angle of the signal from the signal device is Limited, the signal sent by each signal device can only cover an effective range of about 90 degrees (more than 90 degrees will cause serious signal attenuation and cannot be transmitted far enough). At this time, the signal coverage angle on both sides must be less than 180 degrees. After the additional signal device 140 is added, the additional signal ASG sent by the additional signal device 140 is used as an alignment signal for alignment with the control device 100/200. At this time, the signal coverage angles on both sides are close to 180 degrees.

For example, the additional signal device 140 may include a sub-signal device. Exemplarily, the additional signal device 140 may include two adjacent narrow-angle sub-signaling devices (wherein the wide-angle of each sub-signaling device may be, for example, about 20-40 degrees), so as to increase the alignment accuracy, and at the same time, Further expand the coverage of signal devices on both sides.

Exemplarily, the control device 100/200 may further include a third group of signal devices (not shown). The third signal sent by the third group of signal devices covers a third area on the periphery of the control device, and the outer boundary of the third area is called It is the third signal wall, and the third signal wall is farther from the control device than the second signal wall.

Exemplarily, the two signals of the second signal and the third signal can be used as the guidance signal of the robot, so that the robot can receive the guidance signal more quickly and return to the control device faster.

In the same way, more signal walls can be added by adding more sets of signal devices. By establishing a multi-layer signal wall, the robot can receive the guidance signals faster, so that it can return to the control device faster. Users feel smarter.

Example two

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a robot system is provided. The robot system may include a robot and a robot control device. The control device includes at least a first group of signal devices and a second group of signal devices, wherein a first signal SG1 emitted by the first group of signal devices covers a first area of the periphery of the control device. ; The second signal SG2 issued by the second group of signal devices covers a second area outside the control device, wherein the second signal SG2 is different from the first signal SG1, and the outer boundary of the second area is controlled by a distance greater than the outer boundary of the first area. Install further.

In one embodiment, in order to prevent the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 from interfering with each other, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices do not work at the same time.

Exemplarily, the first group of signaling devices and the second group of signaling devices are alternately turned on and off.

In one embodiment, the first group of signaling devices and the second group of signaling devices are alternately turned on and off periodically at all times. Specifically, for example, the first group of signaling devices is turned on, the second group of signaling devices is turned off, the second group of signaling devices is turned on after the first predetermined time t1 has elapsed, and then the second group of signaling devices is turned off after the second predetermined time t2. One set of signaling devices is turned on and the second set of signaling devices is turned off, so that the first set of signaling devices and the second set of signaling devices are alternately turned on and off periodically. In this way, the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 do not exist at the same time, thereby avoiding mutual interference between different signals.

In another embodiment, only the first group of signaling devices is turned on initially. When the first predetermined condition is satisfied, the second group of signaling devices is also turned on. After the second group of signaling devices is turned on, the first group of signaling devices and the second group of signaling devices are turned on. The group signal device is alternately turned on and off periodically, for example, at intervals of 20ms, 50ms, 100ms, etc. (as shown in FIG. 4). Similarly, when the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices are alternately turned on and off periodically, the time interval between the two groups of alternately turned on and off may be the same or different. Among them, in order to avoid signal loss, the alternate time interval should also be set sufficiently small, for example, 100ms or less. At this time, because the first signal SG1 and the second signal SG2 do not exist at the same time, mutual interference between different signals can be avoided, and the second group of signal devices is not always on, so the overall control device 100/200 can also be saved Energy consumption.

In yet another embodiment, the first group of signaling devices is turned on and the second group of signaling devices is turned off initially. When the second predetermined condition is satisfied, the second group of signaling devices is turned on and the first group of signaling devices is turned off.

Exemplarily, the second predetermined condition may include a signal that the control device receives the carrying mode instruction, and the like. For example, the mode instruction may instruct the robot to switch from the first mode to the second mode. For example, taking the charging device of the cleaning robot as an example, the first mode may be a cleaning mode, and the second mode may be a recharging mode. Those skilled in the art should understand that the above-mentioned second predetermined condition is merely exemplary, and the second predetermined condition may be set to other conditions according to the application occasion of the robot, which is not limited in the present invention.

The beneficial effects of the present invention:

In this embodiment of the present invention, two sets of signal devices are used to form a first signal area and a second signal area around the control device, respectively. The robot can use the first signal as a guard signal and does not enter the first signal under normal working conditions. The control device is impacted by the area, and the robot can use the second signal as a guide signal back to the control device. Because the second signal wall is farther from the control device than the first signal wall, the first signal closer to the control device allows the robot to enter the area near the control device, and the second signal farther from the control device allows the robot Receive the guidance signal faster, and then recognize the distance to the control device, so as to return to the control device faster, that is, the robot can enter the area near the control device, and the robot can return to the control faster. Device.

In addition, the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices do not work at the same time, which prevents the signals from the two groups of signal devices from interfering with each other. The signal received by the robot has high fidelity, so that the robot can make an accurate judgment based on the signals.

Although example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above-described example embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as claimed in the following claims.

In the description provided here, numerous specific details are explained. It is understood, however, that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of the specification.

In addition, those skilled in the art can understand that although some embodiments described herein include certain features included in other embodiments and not other features, the combination of features of different embodiments is meant to be within the scope of the present invention Within and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any one of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present invention or a description of the specific embodiment, and the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to this. Any person skilled in the art can easily make the invention within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention. Any change or replacement is considered to be covered by the protection scope of the present invention. The protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

A robot control device, characterized in that the control device includes at least a first group of signal devices and a second group of signal devices, wherein:

A first signal sent by the first group of signal devices covers a first area around the control device;

A second signal sent by the second group of signal devices covers a second area around the control device,

The second signal is different from the first signal, and an outer boundary of the second region is farther from the control device than an outer boundary of the first region.
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices do not work at the same time.
The control device according to claim 2, wherein the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices are alternately turned on and off.
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices each include two sub-signal devices, and the two sub-signal devices are respectively disposed on the charging device. On the left and right sides of the front surface, signals from the two sub-signaling devices can cover a range of 180 degrees.
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device further comprises an additional signal device disposed at a middle position on a front surface of the control device, and a signal emitted by the control device is used for robot identification and the control The distance of the device is aligned with the control device.
The control device according to claim 5, wherein the signal from the additional signal device can further implement the functions of the first signal and / or the second signal.
The control device according to claim 5, wherein the signal from the additional signal device can cover a range of 20-40 degrees.
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the first group of signal devices and the second group of signal devices each include four sub-signal devices, and the four sub-signal devices are respectively provided in the charging device. The left and right sides on the front surface and the left and right sides on the rear surface, the signals emitted by the four sub-signaling devices can cover a range of 360 degrees.
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device further comprises a third group of signal devices, and a third signal emitted by the third group of signal devices covers a third region of the periphery of the control device, An outer boundary of the third region is farther from the control device than an outer boundary of the second region.
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the first signal and the second signal have different identification codes, and the robot recognizes the first signal and the second signal according to the identification code .
A robot system is characterized in that it includes:

Robots; and

The control device according to one of claims 1-10.