An energy management system for a modular robot

Abstract

This invention provides an energy management system for a modular robot, comprising a local management unit within each modular unit and a global scheduling unit located on the main control side of the modular robot. The local management unit, centered on a microcontroller, includes an energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module, a lithium-ion battery pack management and monitoring module, a lithium-ion battery pack current capacity estimation module, and a modular unit energy consumption prediction module. It estimates and outputs to the main control controller the current capacity of each modular unit and the future energy consumption requirements for each trajectory in the task sequence. The global scheduling unit, centered on the main control controller, includes a modular robot energy scheduling module. Based on data provided by each microcontroller, it performs global energy planning for the operation of the modular robot and sends energy scheduling commands to each microcontroller. This invention is applicable to solving the problem of localized failures caused by uneven energy consumption in independent power supply systems, and improving the remaining power balance rate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an energy management system for a modular robot, belonging to the fields of robotics and power supply technology. Background Technology

[0002] Modular robotics technology originated in the 1980s. Its basic components are modular units, which are multiple homogeneous or heterogeneous electromechanical system units with universal software and hardware interfaces and relatively independent functions. These robotic systems can not only change their overall configuration by reconfiguring the modular units to adapt to specific application tasks, but also ensure continued task execution by replacing faulty or failed units, exhibiting high system reliability and robustness.

[0003] The application of modular robots currently faces a series of challenges, one of the most prominent being how to efficiently utilize limited energy. During task execution, the energy consumption of each modular unit is uneven, primarily manifested in the lower modules consuming more energy than the top modules, and high-frequency moving modules consuming more energy than low-frequency moving modules. In current modular robot systems, traditional power supply methods are mainly divided into centralized and independent power supply modes. Centralized power supply uses a single external power source to provide power to the entire modular robot system. However, with the increase in the number of modular units and the rising demands for end-effector load capacity, this method suffers from drawbacks such as high wire load pressure, poor scalability, and a high risk of single-point failure. Independent power supply integrates dedicated lithium-ion battery packs in each modular unit, achieving distributed autonomous power supply. Due to the uneven energy consumption of each modular unit during task execution, when the battery of a high-energy-consuming module is depleted prematurely, even if other modules still have sufficient energy, the entire modular robot system will still fail to function properly due to partial energy depletion. This system failure caused by partial energy depletion forms a typical "weakest link" effect. To address the aforementioned limitations, this invention presents a modular robot energy management system with energy scheduling capabilities based on independent power supply design. It uses the current capacity of the lithium-ion battery packs in each module of the modular robot and the future energy consumption requirements of each trajectory in the task sequence as a basis. During task execution, it performs dynamic energy planning and scheduling across modules, balancing the remaining capacity of each module after task completion, resolving the "weakest link" effect caused by uneven energy consumption, improving energy utilization, and increasing the overall operating time of the modular robot. This system has significant practical application value. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an energy management system for modular robots, aiming to solve the problem of system failure caused by uneven energy consumption in the independent power supply mode of modular robots. The energy management system provided by this invention can manage and schedule the energy of modular robots during task sequence execution, achieving balanced remaining capacity of each module unit after task sequence execution, avoiding system failure due to local energy depletion, improving energy utilization, and increasing the overall operating time of the modular robot.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following solution:

[0006] This invention provides an energy management system for a modular robot, wherein the modular robot is composed of several modular units interconnected through mechanical and electrical interfaces, and each modular unit contains a lithium-ion battery pack.

[0007] The energy management system of the modular robot adopts a distributed architecture, including a local management unit set in a single module unit and a global scheduling unit set in the main control side of the modular robot.

[0008] The local management unit is based on a microcontroller and includes an energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module, a lithium-ion battery pack management and monitoring module, a lithium-ion battery pack current capacity estimation module, and a module unit energy consumption prediction module.

[0009] The global scheduling unit is centered on the master controller and includes a modular robot energy scheduling module. The microcontroller is connected to the master controller via a communication interface.

[0010] The energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module switches the energy source of the module unit according to the scheduling instructions of the main control controller.

[0011] The lithium-ion battery pack management and monitoring module has its input end connected to the lithium-ion battery pack and its output end connected to the microcontroller. It collects basic data of the lithium-ion battery pack in the module unit in real time, including voltage, current and temperature, and transmits the basic data to the microcontroller through the communication interface.

[0012] The lithium-ion battery pack current capacity estimation module estimates the current capacity of the lithium-ion battery pack based on the collected basic data.

[0013] The module unit energy consumption prediction module predicts the future energy consumption demand of each module unit during the trajectory operation based on the running trajectory.

[0014] Before the task sequence is executed, the modular robot energy scheduling module performs global planning and scheduling of the modular robot's energy during the task sequence movement based on the current capacity output by each module unit and the future energy consumption requirements of each trajectory in the task sequence, thereby improving the balance of the remaining capacity of each module unit after the task sequence is completed.

[0015] Furthermore, the energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module includes a relay matrix circuit and a standardized docking interface circuit. The communication end of the relay matrix circuit is connected to the microcontroller, and its output end is connected to the load inside the module unit, the lithium-ion battery pack, and the standardized docking interface circuit, forming a first power supply path and a second power supply path. The first power supply path allows the load inside the module unit to be powered by the lithium-ion battery pack inside the module unit, while the second power supply path allows the load inside the module unit to receive power from the lithium-ion battery pack inside other module units through the standardized docking interface circuit. According to the scheduling instructions of the main control controller, the microcontroller controls the connection of the first or second power supply path and selects the power source. The standardized docking interface circuit includes a male interface circuit and a female interface circuit. The communication end is connected to the microcontroller. Both the male and female interface circuits contain multiple sets of power contacts, communication contacts, and contact feedback contacts. When two module units dock through the standardized docking interface, the microcontroller pin level corresponding to the contact feedback contact is pulled high. The two parties establish a power bus and communication link through the power contacts and communication contacts, and by exchanging identity information, the ID of the newly connected module unit is incorporated into the energy management system of the modular robot.

[0016] Furthermore, the lithium-ion battery pack current capacity estimation module processes the basic data collected by the lithium-ion battery pack management and monitoring module in real time, and uses the extended Kalman filter algorithm to estimate the current capacity of the lithium-ion battery pack, and transmits it to the modular robot energy scheduling module as key input data for implementing energy scheduling.

[0017] Furthermore, the module unit energy consumption prediction module calculates the joint torque and joint angular velocity of each joint of each module unit in each trajectory of the task sequence through a planning algorithm, considers multi-source energy consumption, and combines the joint kinetic energy recovery characteristics to predict the future energy consumption demand of each module unit during the operation of each trajectory in the task sequence, and transmits it to the modular robot energy scheduling module as another key input data for implementing energy scheduling.

[0018] Furthermore, a working principle of the modular robot energy scheduling module is provided. Before the execution of the task sequence, the modular robot energy scheduling module performs global planning of the modular robot's energy during the execution of the task sequence based on the current capacity provided by each module unit of the modular robot and the future energy consumption requirements of each trajectory in the task sequence. Before the execution of each trajectory, one module unit is selected as the main power supply module, and its internal lithium-ion battery pack is connected to the power bus. Another module unit is selected as the powered module, using the energy of the main power supply module connected to the power bus. Under the current trajectory, the main power supply module bears both its own load energy consumption and the load energy consumption of the powered module, forming a "one supply, one demand" pairing mode. The current power supply circuit must not be switched before any trajectory is completed. By dynamically allocating energy for each trajectory in the task sequence, "supply-demand" pairing is planned at each decision point, thereby achieving a balance of the remaining capacity of each module unit after the task sequence is completed.

[0019] Furthermore, a scheduling process for the modular robot energy scheduling module is provided, including:

[0020] Step S1: The main control controller reads the current capacity and future energy consumption requirements of each trajectory in the task sequence provided by each module unit;

[0021] Step S2: Based on the current capacity and future energy consumption requirements, before the task sequence is executed, the main control side controller aims to balance the remaining capacity of each module unit after the task sequence is completed. It uses a heuristic algorithm to solve the "supply-demand" pairing of each task trajectory in the task sequence offline.

[0022] Step S3: Based on the "supply-demand" pairing, the main control side controller sends a scheduling command to control the energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module to perform energy scheduling.

[0023] The advantages of this invention are:

[0024] 1. In this invention, the energy management system of the modular robot can reconstruct the energy bus, breaking the isolated power supply islands and establishing power supply loops between different module units, thereby realizing energy sharing among the various module units that make up the modular robot.

[0025] 2. In this invention, the joint torque and joint angular velocity of each joint of each module unit in each trajectory of the task sequence can be calculated by the planning algorithm to predict the future energy consumption requirements of each module unit when running each trajectory in the task sequence. At the same time, the current capacity of the battery pack can be estimated in real time by current, voltage and temperature, providing an accurate input data basis for the modular robot energy scheduling module.

[0026] 3. In this invention, the modular robot energy scheduling module can perform global planning and scheduling of the robot's energy during the execution of the task sequence, improve the balance rate of the remaining capacity of each module unit after the task sequence is executed, and increase the overall running time of the modular robot. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the specific embodiments will be briefly introduced below.

[0028] Figure 1 A diagram illustrating the modular robot energy management system provided in this application;

[0029] Figure 2 The module unit structure diagram provided in this application;

[0030] Figure 3 The relay matrix circuit diagram provided in this application;

[0031] Figure 4 Power supply conversion diagram for the new modular robot access module unit provided in this application;

[0032] Figure 5 Power supply diagram for modular robot energy dispatch provided in this application. Specific Implementation

[0033] To more clearly explain the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of this invention, the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] like Figure 1As shown, the modular robot consists of one or more interconnected modular units via mechanical and electrical interfaces. The modular robot's energy management system adopts a distributed architecture, including a local management unit within each modular unit and a global scheduling unit located on the main control side of the modular robot. The local management unit, centered on a microcontroller, includes an energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module, a lithium-ion battery pack management and monitoring module, a lithium-ion battery pack current capacity estimation module, and a modular unit energy consumption prediction module. The global scheduling unit, centered on the main control side controller, includes a modular robot energy scheduling module. The microcontroller and the main control side controller are connected via a communication interface. Based on the current capacity transmitted by the microcontrollers of each modular unit and the future energy consumption requirements of each trajectory in the task sequence, the modular robot energy scheduling module performs global planning and scheduling of the robot's energy during task sequence execution. It also sends scheduling commands through the main control side controller to control the energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module to perform energy scheduling, achieving a balance of remaining capacity among the modular units after the task sequence execution.

[0036] The modular unit structure of the present invention is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, each module unit includes 201-first female end docking interface, 202-first female end interface joint, 203-first hemispherical shell, 204-microcontroller, 205-hemispherical rotation joint, 206-hemispherical connection mechanism, 207-second male end docking interface, 208-second female end docking interface, 209-second female end interface joint, 210-second hemispherical shell, 211-lithium-ion battery pack, and 212-second male end docking interface. The male and female end docking interface circuits are assembled in the male and female end docking interfaces. The module units are mechanically and electrically connected through the male and female end docking interfaces, realizing the assembly of the modular robot while building the power and communication circuits between the module units.

[0037] This invention provides a modular unit relay matrix circuit, such as... Figure 3 As shown, 301 is the first power supply path relay, 302 is the module unit load, 303 is the lithium-ion battery pack, and 304 is the second power supply path relay. The switching on and off of these relays can change the power supply path of the 302 module unit load. Either the 303 lithium-ion battery pack can be selected to power it by closing the 304 second power supply path relay, or the lithium-ion battery pack of the main power supply module connected to the standardized interface circuit can be used to power it by closing the 301 first power supply path relay. The initial state of the relay matrix circuit of the module unit is that the 304 second power supply path relay is normally open, and the 301 first power supply path relay is normally closed.

[0038] When modular units are reconstructed into a modular robot, such as Figure 4As shown, the initial module unit needs to manually close the 401-first module second power supply path relay; when a new module unit is connected, the nearest module unit supplies power to the load of the newly connected module unit through the energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module; the newly connected module unit closes its 402-fourth module second power supply path relay and opens the 403-fourth module first power supply path relay, completing the reconfiguration of the modular robot and the entire reconfigured modular robot is in an independent power supply mode.

[0039] After the modular robot is reconfigured, the microcontrollers of each module unit estimate the current capacity of the lithium-ion battery pack using the current, voltage, and temperature of the lithium-ion battery pack as data. The estimation is achieved using an extended Kalman filter algorithm combined with a second-order RC model of the lithium-ion battery pack. This estimate is then transmitted to the modular robot energy scheduling module as key input data for energy scheduling. Simultaneously, based on the input task sequence, the module unit energy consumption prediction module, using the output joint torque and angular velocity calculated for each trajectory as data, considers multi-source energy consumption, including work done to overcome external loads, reducer losses, motor copper losses, motor iron losses, motor mechanical losses, and actuator losses. It also incorporates joint kinetic energy recovery characteristics to predict the future energy consumption requirements of each module unit under each trajectory in the sequence. This prediction is then transmitted to the modular robot energy scheduling module as another key input data for energy scheduling. Based on the estimated current capacity and predicted future energy consumption demand, before the task sequence is executed, the main control controller aims to balance the remaining capacity of each module unit after the task sequence is completed. It uses a genetic algorithm to solve the "supply-demand" pairing for each task trajectory in the task sequence offline. During the execution of each trajectory in the task sequence, the main control controller sends scheduling instructions based on the "supply-demand" pairing to control the energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module to change the main power supply module and the powered module for modular robot energy scheduling. Figure 5 As shown, the "supply-demand" pairing under the current trajectory is that the first module supplies power to the third module. The 502-first power supply path relay of the first module is closed, the 501-first power supply path relay of the third module is closed, and the 503-second power supply path relay of the third module is opened, so that the lithium-ion battery pack of the first module, which is the main power supply module, supplies power to the module unit load of the third module. Typical tasks such as inspection, gantry handling, and docking are performed through the configuration shown in the figure. During the operation, the estimation error of the current capacity estimation module of the lithium-ion battery pack of each module unit of the modular robot is less than 2%, and the prediction error of the module unit energy consumption prediction module is less than 10%. After the task is completed, the balancing effect in the inspection, gantry handling, and docking tasks is improved by no less than 30% compared with the independent power supply case, which increases the overall running time of the modular robot.

[0040] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] The contents not described in detail in this specification are common knowledge to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An energy management system for a modular robot, characterized in that, The modular robot is composed of several modular units interconnected through mechanical and electrical interfaces, and each modular unit contains a lithium-ion battery pack. The energy management system of the modular robot adopts a distributed architecture, including a local management unit set in a single module unit and a global scheduling unit set in the main control side of the modular robot; The local management unit is based on a microcontroller and includes an energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module, a lithium-ion battery pack management and monitoring module, a lithium-ion battery pack current capacity estimation module, and a module unit energy consumption prediction module. The global scheduling unit is centered on the master control side controller and includes a modular robot energy scheduling module. The microcontroller is connected to the master control side controller through a communication interface. The energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module switches the energy source of the module unit according to the scheduling instructions of the main control controller; The lithium-ion battery pack management and monitoring module has its input end connected to the lithium-ion battery pack and its output end connected to the microcontroller. It collects basic data of the lithium-ion battery pack in the module unit in real time, including voltage, current and temperature, and transmits the basic data to the microcontroller through the communication interface. The lithium-ion battery pack current capacity estimation module estimates the current capacity of the lithium-ion battery pack based on the collected basic data; The module unit energy consumption prediction module predicts the future energy consumption demand of each module unit during the trajectory operation based on the running trajectory. Before the task sequence is executed, the modular robot energy scheduling module performs global planning and scheduling of the modular robot's energy during the task sequence movement based on the current capacity output by each module unit and the future energy consumption requirements of each trajectory in the task sequence, thereby improving the balance of the remaining capacity of each module unit after the task sequence is completed.

2. The energy management system for the modular robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module includes a relay matrix circuit and a standardized interface circuit. The relay matrix circuit communication terminal is connected to the microcontroller, and the output terminal is connected to the load inside the module unit, the lithium-ion battery pack, and the standardized docking interface circuit respectively, forming a first power supply path and a second power supply path. The first power supply path allows the load inside the module unit to be powered by the lithium-ion battery pack inside the module unit, while the second power supply path allows the load inside the module unit to receive power from the lithium-ion battery pack inside other module units through the standardized docking interface circuit. According to the scheduling command of the main control controller, the microcontroller controls the connection of the first power supply path or the second power supply path and selects the power source. The standardized interface circuit includes a male interface circuit and a female interface circuit. The communication end is connected to the microcontroller. Both the male and female interface circuits contain multiple sets of power contacts, communication contacts, and contact feedback contacts. When two module units are connected through the standardized interface, the microcontroller pin level corresponding to the contact feedback contact is pulled high. The two parties establish a power bus and communication link through the power contacts and communication contacts, and by exchanging identification information, the ID of the newly connected module unit is incorporated into the modular robot's energy management system.

3. The energy management system for the modular robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lithium-ion battery pack current capacity estimation module processes the basic data collected by the lithium-ion battery pack management and monitoring module in real time, and uses the extended Kalman filter algorithm to estimate the current capacity of the lithium-ion battery pack, and transmits it to the modular robot energy scheduling module as key input data for implementing energy scheduling.

4. The energy management system for the modular robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The module unit energy consumption prediction module calculates the joint torque and joint angular velocity of each joint of each module unit in each trajectory of the task sequence through a planning algorithm. Taking into account multi-source energy consumption and combining the joint kinetic energy recovery characteristics, it predicts the future energy consumption demand of each module unit during the operation of each trajectory in the task sequence and transmits it to the modular robot energy scheduling module as another key input data for implementing energy scheduling.

5. The energy management system for the modular robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The working principle of the modular robot energy scheduling module includes: Before the task sequence is executed, the modular robot energy scheduling module performs global planning of the modular robot's energy during the task sequence execution based on the current capacity provided by each module unit and the future energy consumption requirements of each trajectory in the task sequence. Before each trajectory is executed, one module unit is selected as the main power supply module, and its internal lithium-ion battery pack is connected to the power bus. Another module unit is selected as the powered module, using the energy of the main power supply module connected to the power bus. Under the current trajectory, the main power supply module bears both its own load energy consumption and the load energy consumption of the powered module, forming a "one supply, one demand" pairing mode. The current power supply circuit must not be switched before any trajectory is completed. By dynamically allocating energy for each trajectory in the task sequence, "supply-demand" pairing is planned at each decision point, thereby achieving a balance of the remaining capacity of each module unit after the task sequence is completed.

6. The energy management system for the modular robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scheduling process of the modular robot energy scheduling module includes: Step S1: The main control controller reads the current capacity and future energy consumption requirements of each trajectory in the task sequence provided by each module unit; Step S2: Based on the current capacity and future energy consumption requirements, before the task sequence is executed, the main control side controller aims to balance the remaining capacity of each module unit after the task sequence is completed. It uses a heuristic algorithm to solve the "supply-demand" pairing of each task trajectory in the task sequence offline. Step S3: Based on the "supply-demand" pairing, the main control side controller sends a scheduling command to control the energy bus dynamic reconfiguration module to perform energy scheduling.

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