A system for managing books

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a system for managing books. A system for managing books according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a driving robot that moves between bookshelves and collects information regarding books placed on the bookshelves, and a book management device that calculates and records location information of books based on information regarding books. Herein, the driving robot includes a sensor unit that acquires surrounding environment data, a book recognition unit that recognizes books placed on the bookshelves, a body unit on which the sensor unit and the book recognition unit are installed, and a driving unit coupled to the lower side of the body unit. Additionally, the book management device receives driving position and information regarding books from the driving robot and calculates location information of books based thereon.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system for managing books, and more specifically, to a system for managing books by collecting location information of books through an autonomous driving robot and utilizing the information. Background Technology

[0002] Libraries generally manage books according to a systematic classification system (e.g., call numbers). However, user accessibility can be hindered if books are misplaced out of alignment with the classification system due to a lack of understanding of call numbers or careless organization by users. To prevent this problem, library staff must periodically inspect all bookshelves and relocate misplaced books to their correct positions, but this can lead to a decrease in work efficiency.

[0003] Meanwhile, technology utilizing library guidance service robots in libraries has recently become known. However, the use of robots in libraries is primarily focused on user services and basic operational support, and they are not currently being utilized for book management tasks, such as monitoring book status in real time or detecting misplaced books. The problem to be solved

[0004] The present disclosure aims to solve the problems of the aforementioned prior art by providing a system capable of managing books, such as monitoring the status of books and detecting misplaced books using a robot. means of solving the problem

[0005] Representative configurations of the present disclosure for achieving the above objectives are as follows.

[0006] A system for managing books according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a driving robot that moves between bookshelves and collects information regarding books placed on the bookshelves, and a book management device that calculates and records location information of books based on information regarding books. Herein, the driving robot includes a sensor unit that acquires surrounding environment data, a book recognition unit that recognizes books placed on the bookshelves, a body unit on which the sensor unit and the book recognition unit are installed, and a driving unit coupled to the lower side of the body unit. Additionally, the book management device receives driving position and information regarding books from the driving robot and calculates location information of books based thereon.

[0007] A book management device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured to further calculate incorrectly placed book information based on the location information of the books.

[0008] A driving robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can acquire environmental data through a LiDAR sensor and calculate a driving position based on the environmental data.

[0009] A driving robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured to generate a surrounding environment map based on environment data and to calculate a driving position by comparing the changed environment data with the environment map.

[0010] A driving robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured to calculate a driving path based on an environment map and a driving position, and to adjust the driving path based on environment data acquired in real time.

[0011] A book recognition unit of a driving robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured to recognize a barcode of a book placed on a bookshelf and collect information about the book.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the body portion of a driving robot is stacked in a plurality of layers, and the book recognition portion may be configured to recognize a book placed at a height corresponding to the height at which the installed body portions are stacked.

[0013] A driving robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a support having an interlocking structure formed at each corner of a body part and having an upper and lower part that are mutually coupled.

[0014] In addition to this, the system according to the present disclosure may further include other additional configurations to the extent that it does not impair the technical concept of the present disclosure. Effects of the invention

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, by collecting book information through a driving robot and calculating location information of books based thereon, the status of books can be monitored and incorrectly placed books can be automatically detected.

[0016] Accordingly, this can prevent problems where users' access to materials is reduced due to misplaced books, and furthermore, create an environment where library personnel can focus on high-value-added tasks such as customer service. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0017] Figure 1 is a photograph exemplifying the arrangement of books on a bookshelf. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of a book management system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a photograph showing a driving robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the functional configuration of a driving robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the functional configuration of a book management device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a drawing exemplarily showing a book management application screen according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a photograph showing an environment for testing a book management system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is an image showing an environment map generated according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is an image showing an environment map with noise removed according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 shows the result of visualizing the real-time position of a driving robot on an environment map generated according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the following, specific descriptions of already known functions and configurations are omitted where it is deemed that doing so would unnecessarily obscure the essence of the present disclosure.

[0019] The terms used in this disclosure are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this disclosure. For example, a component expressed in the singular should be understood as a concept including a plural component unless the context clearly implies only the singular. Terms such as "comprising" or "having" used in this disclosure are intended only to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in this disclosure, and the use of such terms is not intended to exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined in this specification, all terms used in this disclosure, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology and should not be interpreted as being overly restrictive or broad unless explicitly defined otherwise in this disclosure.

[0021] Throughout the specification, identical or similar reference numerals are assigned to identical components. Furthermore, the size, thickness, location, etc., of each component shown in the drawings are depicted arbitrarily or exaggeratedly for convenience of explanation, and thus the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to what is illustrated. That is, specific shapes, structures, and characteristics described in the specification may be modified from one embodiment to another without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that the location or arrangement of individual components may also be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0022] Library collections are systematically classified according to call numbers and placed on bookshelves. Call numbers are unique identifiers that identify the subject area and physical location of each book, serving as a key element in improving user access to materials. However, incorrect placement of books can frequently occur due to users' lack of understanding of the call number system or their carelessness.

[0023] Figure 1 is a photograph illustrating the arrangement of books on a bookshelf. Figure 1 (a) shows an example of a bookshelf arranged in disorder, and Figure 1 (b) shows an example of a bookshelf arranged correctly according to the call number system. As can be seen in Figure 1, when books are arranged in disorder, not only is it aesthetically unpleasing, but it also makes it difficult to identify and search for each book, which can cause inconvenience to users. To solve this problem, library personnel must manually inspect the entire bookshelf and rearrange misplaced books, which leads to an inefficient work process and can cause disruptions to other core tasks.

[0024] The present disclosure originates from the recognition of such problems and provides a system for managing books (hereinafter, a book management system) that can improve work efficiency through a driving robot.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the overall configuration of a book management system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 2, a book management system (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a driving robot (110), a book management device (130), and a user terminal (140).

[0026] A driving robot (110) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can move between bookshelves (S) and perform the function of collecting information regarding books placed on the bookshelves. For example, the driving robot (110) can collect book information such as call numbers and book titles of books placed on the bookshelves, and to do so, it can scan barcodes attached to books.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a photograph showing a driving robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the functional configuration of a driving robot according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the driving robot (110) may include a body part (201), a driving part (203), a sensor part (205), a book recognition part (207), a control part (209), and a communication part (211).

[0029] The components illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 do not reflect all the functions of the driving robot (110) and are not essential, so the driving robot (110) may include more components than the illustrated components or fewer components.

[0030] The body portion (201) of the driving robot (110) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure functions as the main body of the driving robot (110) on which other components, including the driving portion (203), are installed.

[0031] The material of the frame constituting the body part (201) can be selected considering the maneuverability characteristics and structural safety of the driving robot (110). In one embodiment, the frame constituting the body part (201) may be made of polypropylene having excellent lightness and high purity characteristics.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the body portion (201) of the driving robot (110) may be stacked in multiple layers and configured as a modular expansion structure so that each body portion (201) can function independently. At this time, support members may be formed at each corner of the base frame of the body portion (201) to distribute the load applied to each body portion (201). In one embodiment, the support members may be formed from a polylactic acid (PLA) material that satisfies both ease of manufacturing and required physical properties. Additionally, the support members may be formed with an interlocking structure that allows for mutual connection between the upper and lower portions.

[0033] A driving unit (203) of a driving robot (110) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure performs the function of enabling the driving robot (110) to move. In one embodiment, the driving unit (203) may be composed of a wheel system driven by a motor. Specifically, the driving unit (203) may include a driving wheel, a coupling mechanism, and a DC motor.

[0034] The driving wheel may be made of a wheel with high elasticity and durability to support the load of the robot. A coupling mechanism that mechanically connects the driving wheel and the DC motor is a key element of the driving unit (203). To ensure that the driving wheel and the DC motor are firmly coupled, the coupling may be configured to be precisely fitted with the driving wheel and the motor shaft. Since the coupling must ensure structural stability to withstand the total load of the driving robot (110), it may be made of a material having a medium carbon steel component. In one embodiment, the coupling may be coupled to the driving wheel with a fastening screw to prevent slipping and optimize the efficiency of driving force transmission.

[0035] The driving unit (203) may further include a reduction gear. The reduction gear can transmit sufficient torque to the driving wheel even at low speeds, thereby enabling the book recognition unit (207), described later, to reliably recognize books.

[0036] A book recognition unit (207) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure performs the function of recognizing a book placed on a bookshelf and collecting information about the book. Here, the information about the book may include at least one of the book's call number and book title. In one embodiment, the book recognition unit (207) may be installed and fixed to a body part (201) and may include a barcode scanner that recognizes the barcode of a book placed on a bookshelf. The barcode scanner may be installed so that its position (height) can be variably adjusted, taking into account cases where there is a height difference of the bookshelf.

[0037] In the case where the body portion (201) has a stacked structure, the book recognition portion (207) may be configured to recognize books placed at a height corresponding to the height at which each installed body portion (201) is stacked. In this case, a single driving robot (110) may scan each tier of the bookshelf individually or simultaneously.

[0038] A sensor unit (205) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure performs the function of acquiring surrounding environment data of a driving robot (110). In one embodiment, the sensor unit (205) may include a LiDAR sensor. The surrounding environment data acquired from the LiDAR sensor may be expressed as point cloud data in a two-dimensional (x, y) or three-dimensional (x, y, z) coordinate system.

[0039] A control unit (209) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure performs the function of estimating the current position of a driving robot (110) and managing a driving path. Specifically, the control unit (209) estimates the movement trajectory of the driving robot (110) through the alignment of continuous point cloud data obtained from a sensor unit (205) and can utilize this for real-time position estimation. In one embodiment, the control unit (209) may include an environment map generation unit (2091) and a driving path management unit (2093).

[0040] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the environment map generation unit (2091) and the driving path management unit (2093) may be program modules, at least some of which communicate with an external system (not shown). These program modules may be included in the control unit (209) in the form of an operating system, an application program module, and other program modules, and may be physically stored on various known storage devices. Additionally, these program modules may be stored in a remote storage device capable of communicating with the control unit (209). Meanwhile, these program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, subroutines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or execute specific abstract data types as described below according to the present disclosure.

[0041] Meanwhile, LiDAR SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) is a position estimation and mapping technique based on laser sensors. Unlike optical-based camera sensors, it is robust to changes in illumination and enables high-accuracy measurements even in low-light environments. For precise position estimation of a driving robot (110), data fusion of multiple sensors such as encoder-based odometers, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) is required. However, there is a trade-off in which the complexity of the algorithm increases and the amount of data to be processed increases as the precision of position estimation improves.

[0042] Accordingly, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control unit (209) can calculate a driving path based on a Hector SLAM algorithm that utilizes only a single LiDAR sensor, taking into account computational efficiency and ease of implementation.

[0043] The Hector SLAM algorithm utilizes high-resolution and high-frequency laser scan data and adopts a position estimation method that excludes odometry information.

[0044] The environment map generation unit (2091) of the control unit (209) performs the function of generating a surrounding environment map based on environment data. Specifically, the environment map generation unit (2091) can generate an environment map by discretizing an unknown environment into a grid form and mapping environment information based on environment scan data to each grid cell.

[0045] The driving path management unit (2093) of the control unit (209) can estimate the position of the driving robot (110) based on an environment map and driving location, and can calculate a driving path. Specifically, the driving path management unit (2093) can generate and adjust a driving path through a method that includes the following steps.

[0046] a. Localization of the driving robot (110) through comparison between real-time acquired environment data and a pre-generated environment map

[0047] b. Calculation of driving path based on environment map, obstacles, and current driving location

[0048] c. Control of the driving unit based on the driving path

[0049] d. Calculate alternative obstacle driving paths and perform detour maneuvers based on real-time environmental data

[0051] In relation to step a, the driving path management unit (2093) can estimate the relative displacement of the driving robot (110) by comparing the continuously acquired environmental data.

[0052] At the initial location, the driving path management unit (2093) sets the first frame collected from the sensor unit (205) as a reference graph, and calculates the optimal pose of the LiDAR sensor through comparison with the environment data acquired thereafter and the environment map generated earlier.

[0053] The optimal pose of the LiDAR sensor is transmitted to the Hector mapping node in the robot operating system environment, and this node registers the calculated optimal position of the LiDAR sensor in the base_link and the algorithm's driving coordinate system. The optimal solution is derived through the Gauss-Newton gradient method, and the optimal pose of the LiDAR sensor It can be expressed as shown in the following mathematical formula 1.

[0054]

[0055] Here is the endpoint coordinate of the LiDAR in the global coordinate system It represents.

[0056] The coordinates are Represents the grid map value when. The Gauss-Newton gradient method is applied, and the initial estimated value Depending on To estimate, the following mathematical formula 2 is used.

[0057]

[0058] Expand into a first-order Taylor expansion, and If we obtain a value where the partial derivative with respect to is zero, it is equal to the following mathematical equation 3.

[0059]

[0061] Here, H represents the Hessian Matrix, and H can be calculated as shown in the following mathematical formula 4 and utilized in the process of estimating the position of the driving robot (110) and updating the environment map.

[0062]

[0064] Generally, loop closure detection is required for high-quality map generation, but Hector SLAM has the characteristic that accurate loop completion is possible without such a function. In addition, unlike other SLAM algorithms based on odometers, Hector SLAM estimates the position of the driving robot (110) through scan matching, so rapid position estimation is possible through a high update cycle, and a 2D Occupancy Grid Map can be generated quickly by minimizing the amount of computation.

[0065] A communication unit (211) of a driving robot (110) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can perform the function of enabling data transmission and reception from / to a driving unit (203), a sensor unit (205), a book recognition unit (207), and a control unit (209), and can also function to communicate with an external communication network (120) of the driving robot (110).

[0066] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a driving robot (110) may be configured to repeatedly travel back and forth between bookshelves to perform book recognition. This is intended to reduce the probability of book recognition errors by performing repeated scans of books. For example, a failure probability of 48% in a single attempt can be significantly reduced to about 2.5% in 5 repetitions, thereby yielding reliable results.

[0067] A book management device (130) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure performs the function of calculating and recording location information of a book based on information regarding a book. In one embodiment, the book management device (130) is a digital device equipped with memory means and equipped with a microprocessor to have computational capabilities, and may be a server system, and may perform communication with a driving robot (110) and a user terminal (140) through a communication network (120).

[0068] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the functional configuration of a book management device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 5, a book management device (130) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a book location management unit (501) and a communication unit (503). The components illustrated in FIG. 5 do not reflect all functions of the book management device (130) and are not essential, so the book management device (130) may include more components than the illustrated components or fewer components.

[0070] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the book location management unit (501) and the communication unit (503) may be program modules, at least some of which communicate with an external system (not shown). These program modules may be included in the book management device (130) in the form of an operating system, an application program module, and other program modules, and may be physically stored on various known storage devices. Additionally, these program modules may be stored in a remote storage device capable of communicating with the book management device (130). Meanwhile, these program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, subroutines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or execute specific abstract data types as described below according to the present disclosure.

[0071] The book location management unit (501) receives information regarding the driving location and books (e.g., book call number, book title, etc.) from the driving robot (110) and can calculate and record book location information based thereon. Here, book location information refers to the location information of the bookshelf where a specific book is currently placed. In one embodiment, the book location management unit (501) can calculate book location information by comparing the bookshelf placement information with the driving location and matching the recognized book information.

[0072] The book location management unit (501) can calculate incorrectly placed book information based on the location information of the books. For example, the book location management unit (501) can calculate incorrectly placed book information by comparing the previously entered book placement information with the calculated book location information.

[0073] A communication unit (503) of a book management device (130) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can perform the function of enabling data transmission and reception from / to a book location management unit (501), and can also function to communicate with an external communication network (120) of the book management device (130).

[0074] A user terminal (140) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a digital device that includes the function of connecting to and communicating with a book management device (130) through a communication network (120). In one embodiment, the user terminal (140) may be a digital device equipped with memory means and equipped with a microprocessor to have computational capabilities, such as a smartphone, tablet, desktop computer, laptop computer, workstation, PDA, web pad, mobile phone, etc., and is not limited to a specific form.

[0075] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a user terminal (140) may include an application (hereinafter referred to as a book management application) for supporting a book management function (Book Error Examination & Relocation, BEER) according to the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the book management application may provide the user with information about incorrectly placed books in real time. Such a book management application may be downloaded from a book management device (130) or an external application distribution server (not shown).

[0076] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary screen of a book management application according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The book management application can provide book information generated through a driving robot (110) and a book management device (130) to a user in a visualized form.

[0077] In one embodiment, the book management application may provide the following information to the user.

[0078] i) Total quantity of books successfully placed in designated locations

[0079] ii) Total quantity of books placed in inappropriate locations

[0080] iii) Detailed information on books with location errors and the correct shelf location

[0082] A communication network (120) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured regardless of the mode of communication, such as wired communication or wireless communication, and may be configured as various communication networks such as a Local Area Network (LAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), or a Wide Area Network (WAN). Preferably, the communication network (120) referred to in this specification may be the known Internet or the World Wide Web (WWW). However, the communication network (120) may include at least a part of a known wired / wireless data communication network, a known telephone network, or a known wired / wireless television communication network, without being limited thereto.

[0083] For example, the communication network (120) may be a wireless data communication network and may implement conventional communication methods such as WiFi communication, WiFi-Direct communication, Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication, 5G communication, Bluetooth communication (including Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication), infrared communication, ultrasonic communication, etc., in at least a part thereof. As another example, the communication network (120) may be an optical communication network and may implement conventional communication methods such as Light Fidelity (LiFi), etc., in at least a part thereof.

[0084] To verify the utility and reliability of the book management system according to the present disclosure, tests were conducted on book scanning accuracy and the overall performance of the robot. A systematic experimental group was designed and executed to evaluate system efficiency in a library environment. The experimental evaluation items were configured to comprehensively verify the core functions of the robot system, such as the ability to process various book sizes, autonomous driving performance in complex environments, and interaction performance in multi-tier shelving environments.

[0085] The detailed configuration of the system built for testing and the test results are described below.

[0086] In the library environment where the test was conducted, the distance between bookshelves is approximately 70 cm, and the spacing between each shelf is approximately 300 mm. Considering the size and environment of these bookshelves, the size of the body part (201) of the driving robot (110) was determined. Specifically, the bottom plate of the body part (201) was manufactured with a length of 500 mm, a width of 450 mm, and a thickness of 12 mm, and the corners were chamfered at a 45° angle to ensure driving safety.

[0087] In a test environment, the average mass of one book is about 1 kg to 2 kg. The body (201) is designed to safely support an estimated mass of about 20 kg of the driving robot (110), including the weight of other components, so as to accommodate 8 to 10 books. At this time, the estimated pressure due to the load is about 872 Pa.

[0088] The support members of the body part (201) are designed to evenly distribute the load expected during the lamination of the body part (201). The expected load acting on each support member was calculated to be approximately 7 kPa when converted into pressure units. Table 1 shows the results of the physical property analysis of PLA used as the material for the support members.

[0089] division density[ kg / m 3 ] Elastic modulus[ GPa ] Poisson's Ratio Yield stress[ MPa ] value 1250 3.45 0.39 54.1

[0090] Modeling of the support was performed using the 3D CAD software Siemens UG NX11, and the support was manufactured using 3D printing technology. Considering the spacing (300 mm) between each shelf, the support was designed to be divided into upper and lower modules of 150 mm. To ensure structural stability between the modules of the body part (201), fastening screws of 650 mm × 5 mm were applied to optimize the joint strength of the connection part.

[0091] The coupling of the driving part (203) is made of a material (SM45C) having a medium carbon steel component, which exhibits physical properties as shown in Table 2 below.

[0092] division density[ kg / m 3 ] Elastic modulus[ GPa ] Poisson's Ratio Yield stress[ MPa ] value 7850 200 0.3 200

[0094] As a result of the load analysis for calculating design specifications, the unit weight of a typical book (300–400 pages) was measured to be approximately 500 g. The total load was set to 20 kg, taking into account the book loading capacity (20 books, 10 kg), the robot's own weight (5 kg), and a safety factor. Based on this, the maximum pressure (P) acting on the coupling was calculated to be 990.1 kPa. This is approximately 0.5% of the fracture strength (200 MPa) of the applied medium carbon steel, which quantitatively verified that structural safety is sufficiently ensured.

[0095] The DC motor, which is a key component of the driving unit (203), was selected considering cost efficiency and required torque, and was firmly fixed to the driving robot (110) through brackets and fastening screws. As a result of driving performance evaluation experiments, significant limitations were observed in the turning radius and direction change of the two-wheel drive system (front or rear wheels). Accordingly, in the final design, a four-wheel drive system was adopted to secure all-around driving performance.

[0096] In this embodiment, a 2D LiDAR sensor (TG50) was adopted. The point cloud data obtained through this enables high-precision distance measurement between the robot and surrounding obstacles, making it suitable for generating an environment map based on SLAM.

[0097] In selecting the battery, considering that the rated voltage of the adopted DC motor is 12 V, a 4 AH capacity battery was selected for long-term autonomous driving operation.

[0098] The barcode scanner included in the book recognition unit (207) is designed to enable stable data transmission even at the maximum distance between bookshelves.

[0099] A mounting system was designed to mount a barcode scanner on the body (201). The housing of the barcode scanner was modeled using 3D CAD software NX 11 and manufactured using an additive manufacturing method.

[0100] A mechanism was implemented to variably adjust the position of the barcode scanner, taking into account the height variation of the bookshelf. Pillars were formed on both sides of the barcode scanner housing, and adjustment holes with a 10 mm pitch were applied to enable vertical position adjustment. In addition, a slide block was designed and applied considering dimensional tolerances to ensure structural stability between the pillars and the housing.

[0101] The software architecture installed in the control unit (209) is implemented based on the Robot Operating System (ROS). ROS is an open-source meta-operating system for robot software development and serves as an integrated development framework. ROS provides comprehensive tools and libraries necessary for the development and deployment of robot applications and includes core functions such as hardware abstraction, device drivers, simulation environments, visualization tools, and distributed communication systems.

[0102] Additional advantages of ROS include the efficiency of real-time debugging and patching processes and high source code flexibility, which enables rapid system optimization according to user requirements. In this embodiment, to take advantage of these benefits of ROS, an autonomous driving system was implemented by adopting the ROS Noetic distribution based on the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS operating system.

[0103] The ROS 'teleop_twist_keyboard' package was used to generate an environment map. This enables remote control of the driving robot (110) via keyboard input.

[0104] FIG. 7 is a photograph showing an environment for testing a book management system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 8 is an image showing an environment map generated according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, it is confirmed that noise occurs due to a distance measurement error of the LiDAR sensor during the map generation process.

[0105] FIG. 9 is an image showing a noise-removed environment map according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. To generate a precise environment map, noise caused by measurement errors of the LiDAR sensor was removed using the kolourpaint4 editing tool of Ubuntu. When FIG. 9 is compared with FIG. 8, it is confirmed that an environment map with improved precision was generated by effectively removing noise.

[0106] FIG. 10 shows the result of visualizing the real-time position of a driving robot on an environment map generated according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 visualizes the position of the driving robot (110) at (a) the initial position (p0) of the driving robot (110), (b) the driving position (p1), and (c) the target position (p2), respectively, wherein the visualization was performed using RViz. As shown in FIG. 10, the driving robot (110) successfully performed autonomous driving to a target point through real-time position estimation and driving path generation within the generated environment map.

[0107] In this way, the driving robot (110) generates an initial environment map based on a LiDAR sensor, circulates through the bookshelves within the library to collect information about books, and the book management device (130) can calculate location information of books based on the driving position of the driving robot (110) and information about books and provide it to the user. By automating repetitive book inspection tasks through this series of processes, the efficiency of library operations can be optimized, and an environment can be created where library personnel can focus on high-value-added tasks such as customer service. Additionally, user satisfaction can be improved by significantly reducing the problem of reduced accessibility to materials for users caused by misplaced books. These effects can lead to an improvement in the quality of overall library services.

[0108] Although the present disclosure has been described above with specific details such as specific components and limited embodiments, the embodiments are provided only to aid in a more comprehensive understanding of the present disclosure and are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs can make various modifications and variations from this description.

[0109] Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and all things equivalent to or modified to the claims set forth below, as well as the claims described below, shall be considered to fall within the scope of the scope of the present disclosure. Explanation of the symbols

[0110] 100: Book Management System 110: Driving robot 120: Communication network 130: Book management device 140: User terminal

Claims

Claim 1 A system for managing books, comprising a driving robot that moves between bookshelves and collects information regarding books placed on the bookshelves, and a book management device that calculates and records location information of books based on the information regarding books, wherein the driving robot comprises a sensor unit that acquires surrounding environment data, a book recognition unit that recognizes books placed on the bookshelves, a body unit on which the sensor unit and the book recognition unit are installed, and a driving unit coupled to the lower side of the body unit, and wherein the book management device receives driving position and information regarding books from the driving robot and calculates location information of books based thereon. Claim 2 In claim 1, the system is configured such that the book management device further calculates incorrectly placed book information based on the location information of the book. Claim 3 A system according to claim 1, wherein the driving robot is configured to acquire environmental data through a LiDAR sensor and calculate the driving position based on the environmental data. Claim 4 In paragraph 3, the system is configured such that the driving robot generates a surrounding environment map based on the environment data and calculates the driving position by comparing the changed environment data with the environment map. Claim 5 In paragraph 4, the system is configured such that the driving robot calculates a driving path based on the environment map and the driving position, and adjusts the driving path based on the environment data acquired in real time. Claim 6 A system according to claim 1, wherein the book recognition unit of the driving robot is configured to recognize the barcode of a book placed on the bookshelf and collect information regarding the book. Claim 7 A system according to claim 1, wherein the body portion of the driving robot is stacked in a plurality of layers, and the book recognition portion is configured to recognize books placed at a height corresponding to the height at which the body portions installed therein are stacked. Claim 8 In claim 7, the driving robot comprises a system including a support having an interlocking structure formed at each corner of the body part and having an upper and lower portion that are mutually coupled.

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