An omnidirectional mobile device, system, and control method

Abstract

This application discloses an omnidirectional movement device, including a base, floor elements, and a drive unit. A walking area for interaction is formed on the base, and configuration areas are respectively disposed outside the walking area along a first direction and a second direction. Multiple floor elements are laid on the walking area and at least a portion of the configuration areas along the first and second directions. In the omnidirectional movement device of this application embodiment, the required displacement of the floor elements is decomposed into displacements in the first and second directions, and then the drive unit drives the floor elements to move the corresponding displacements along the first or second direction to achieve omnidirectional movement within a plane. The omnidirectional movement device provided by this application embodiment has the advantages of simple structure and the ability to achieve omnidirectional movement within a plane. This application also provides an omnidirectional movement system and control method, both of which overcome the limitations of physical space in the user's interaction process and achieve omnidirectional movement within a plane.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of multidimensional simulation technology in planar space, and in particular to an omnidirectional mobile device, system, and control method. Background Technology

[0002] XR (Extended Reality) technology refers to the use of computers to combine the real and virtual worlds, creating an interactive virtual environment. It's a collective term for various technologies including Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR). XR technology is fundamentally mature and has already demonstrated significant value in certain areas of virtual and mixed reality. Its immersive experience offers a visual presentation completely different from traditional technologies, but it largely remains at the level of sensory interaction, such as visual perception. MR technology, to some extent, blends virtual and physical real-world scenes, expanding the application scope of virtual scenes and demonstrating significant value in scientific experiments, engineering practices, simulations, education, and certain interactive scenarios. However, in existing technologies, the user's interaction process is limited by physical space, thus affecting the user's viewing or interactive experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, embodiments of this application aim to provide an omnidirectional mobile device, system, and control method to solve the problem of physical space limitations in the user's interaction process.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, one aspect of this application provides an omnidirectional mobile device, comprising:

[0005] The base has a walking area for interaction, and configuration areas disposed outside the walking area along a first direction and a second direction, respectively.

[0006] Floor elements, a plurality of said floor elements being laid along the first direction and the second direction on said walking area and at least a portion of said configuration area; and

[0007] A drive unit is configured to drive the floor element in the configuration area to move the floor element in the walking area, so that the floor element moves along the first direction or along the second direction.

[0008] The required displacement of the floor element is decomposed into displacements in the first direction and the second direction. The driving unit drives the floor element to move the corresponding displacement along the first direction or the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are not parallel.

[0009] Furthermore, the base includes:

[0010] Platform; and

[0011] A rolling section is provided on the platform, and the floor element is laid on the rolling section.

[0012] Furthermore, the rolling part includes omnidirectional balls, and mounting holes are formed on the platform, with a plurality of omnidirectional balls disposed in the mounting holes.

[0013] Furthermore, the number of floor elements arranged in the configuration area along the first direction is at least one row.

[0014] Furthermore, the number of floor elements arranged in the configuration area along the second direction is at least one row.

[0015] Furthermore, the omnidirectional moving device also includes:

[0016] A recycling pool is provided outside the configuration area to receive the floor elements squeezed out from the configuration area.

[0017] Furthermore, the recycling pool includes:

[0018] A positive recycling pool is provided at both ends of the base along the first direction and along the second direction.

[0019] Furthermore, the recycling pool also includes:

[0020] A corner recycling pool is provided at the boundary of the adjacent forward recycling pool.

[0021] Furthermore, the omnidirectional moving device also includes:

[0022] A transfer unit is configured to transfer the floor element from the recycling pool to the configuration area to replenish the floor element in the configuration area; and

[0023] The arrangement unit is configured to arrange the floor elements supplied by the configuration area along the first direction or along the second direction.

[0024] Furthermore, the base is provided with driving units at both ends along the first direction and the second direction, and each driving unit is capable of driving the floor element corresponding to the configuration area along the opposite configuration area direction.

[0025] Furthermore, the driving unit includes:

[0026] Rollers; and

[0027] A driving component, connected to the roller drive, is used to drive the roller to rotate, so that the roller pushes the floor element to move.

[0028] Furthermore, the drive unit also includes a bracket, on which the roller is rotatably connected, and the bracket is configured to adjust the positional relationship between the roller and the floor element.

[0029] Furthermore, the first direction and the second direction are orthogonal, and the floor element is a square.

[0030] Another aspect of this application provides an omnidirectional mobility system, including:

[0031] The omnidirectional mobile device described in any of the above claims;

[0032] The detection unit is configured to detect the walking data of a user located in the walking area;

[0033] The control unit is communicatively connected to the detection unit and the drive unit, and issues a command to the drive unit to move the floor element based on the detection result of the detection unit.

[0034] Another aspect of this application provides a control method for an omnidirectional mobile device, including:

[0035] Detect walking data of users located in the walking area;

[0036] The walking data speed data is decomposed into walking speed along a first direction and walking speed along a second direction;

[0037] Based on the walking data, a control strategy is formed to drive the floor elements in the driving configuration area to move the floor elements in the walking area.

[0038] Furthermore, the step of forming a control strategy based on the walking data to drive the floor element in the configuration area to move the floor element in the walking area specifically includes:

[0039] Based on the location data of the walking data, determine the safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area;

[0040] Determine the response time or the moving speed of the floor element after the user walks.

[0041] Furthermore, the steps of determining the response time of driving the floor element and the moving speed of driving the floor element after the user walks specifically include: if there is a safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area, the response time of driving the floor element lags behind the user's walking time.

[0042] Furthermore, the steps of determining the response time of driving the floor element and the moving speed of driving the floor element after the user walks specifically include: if there is a safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area, the moving speed of driving the floor element is less than the user's moving speed.

[0043] Furthermore, the step of forming a control strategy based on the walking data to drive the floor element in the configuration area to move the floor element in the walking area specifically includes:

[0044] Based on the walking speed in the first direction, the floor element in the configuration area corresponding to the first direction is driven to move along the first direction, so that the movement direction of the floor element is opposite to the walking speed in the first direction.

[0045] Based on the walking speed in the second direction, the floor element in the configuration area corresponding to the second direction is driven to move along the second direction, so that the movement direction of the floor element is opposite to the walking speed in the second direction.

[0046] Furthermore, the control method includes:

[0047] The preset walking speed of the user is determined by the set virtual scene tour route;

[0048] The preset speed is decomposed into a preset speed along a first direction and a preset speed along a second direction;

[0049] The floor element in the first direction is driven to move in the opposite direction to a preset speed in the first direction, and the floor element in the second direction is driven to move in the opposite direction to a preset speed in the second direction.

[0050] Further, the steps of driving the floor element in the first direction to move in the opposite direction to a preset speed in the first direction, and driving the floor element in the second direction to move in the opposite direction to a preset speed in the second direction, specifically include:

[0051] A compensation threshold is set for the tour route to form a first preset distance. Within a preset time, the floor element in the first direction is driven to move at a constant speed in the opposite direction of the preset speed in the first direction, and the floor element in the second direction is driven to move at a constant speed in the opposite direction of the preset speed in the second direction.

[0052] Detect walking data of users located in the walking area;

[0053] Based on the walking data, adjust the speed of the floor element that is driven to move along the first direction, and adjust the speed of the floor element that is driven to move along the second direction.

[0054] This application provides an omnidirectional movement device, including a base, floor elements, and a drive unit. A walking area for interaction is formed on the base, and configuration areas are respectively disposed outside the walking area along a first direction and a second direction. Multiple floor elements are laid on the walking area and at least part of the configuration areas along the first and second directions. In this omnidirectional movement device, the required displacement of the floor elements is decomposed into displacements in the first and second directions, and then the drive unit drives the floor elements to move the corresponding displacements along the first or second direction, thereby achieving omnidirectional movement within a plane. The omnidirectional movement device provided in this application has the advantages of simple structure and the ability to achieve omnidirectional movement within a plane. This application also provides an omnidirectional movement system and control method, both of which overcome the limitations of physical space in the user's interaction process and achieve omnidirectional movement within a plane. Attached Figure Description

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the omnidirectional mobile device in the embodiments of this application;

[0056] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the base structure in an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 3 This is a top view of the omnidirectional moving device in the embodiments of this application;

[0058] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the floor element after it has moved along the second direction in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the floor element after it has moved along the first and second directions in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the floor element falling into the corner recycling pool after it moves along the first and second directions in an embodiment of this application.

[0061] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the control method for the omnidirectional mobile device in the embodiments of this application; and

[0062] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of another control method for the omnidirectional mobile device in the embodiments of this application.

[0063] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0064] 1. Base; 11. Platform; 12. Rolling part; 1a. Walking area; 1b. Configuration area; 2. Floor element; 3. Drive unit; 31. Roller; 32. Drive component; 33. Bracket; 4. Recycling pool; 41. Forward recycling pool; 42. Corner recycling pool; 5. Guide plate; 100. Omnidirectional moving device. Detailed Implementation

[0065] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and technical features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other, and the detailed descriptions in the specific implementation should be understood as explanations of the purpose of this application and should not be regarded as undue limitations on this application.

[0066] The directional terms used in the description of this application are for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0067] As part of the concept of this application, it is necessary to briefly describe the existing technology. Besides the general visual perception combined with controller operation, existing XR experiences have the following problems in terms of interaction:

[0068] Within a limited space, such as a specific room, content creation, such as setting up turning prompts, impassable rivers, and walls in the virtual scene, guides users to walk realistically in the real-world environment. The main problem with this technology is that, limited by physical space, the content creation of the virtual scene is greatly restricted, and prolonged interaction can easily expose its spatial limitations. For example, in a small physical space, the virtual scene cannot allow users to freely walk or run in one direction.

[0069] The device features a rotating wheel with a freely spinning ball. When a user runs, the ball's rotation returns them to their original position. However, because the simulated walking surface and ground expansion differ from the infinite space of a real ground, the feedback to the user is also different, failing to provide a realistic experience. There are also certain safety hazards; users must wear a saddle-style safety harness when using this type of device.

[0070] One aspect of this application provides an omnidirectional mobile device, see [link to previous document]. Figures 1-3 As shown, the system includes a base 1, floor elements 2, and a drive unit 3. A walking area 1a for interaction is formed on the base 1, and configuration areas 1b are respectively disposed outside the walking area 1a along a first direction and a second direction. Multiple floor elements 2 are laid on the walking area 1a and at least a portion of the configuration areas 1b along the first and second directions. The drive unit 3 is configured to drive the floor elements 2 in the configuration areas 1b to move the floor elements 2 in the walking area 1a, causing the floor elements 2 to move along the first direction or the second direction. The required displacement of the floor elements 2 is decomposed into displacements in the first and second directions, and the drive unit 3 drives the floor elements 2 to move the corresponding displacement along the first or second direction, wherein the first and second directions are not parallel.

[0071] The omnidirectional mobile device provided in this application embodiment is described in [reference]. Figures 4-6 As shown, by decomposing the required displacement of the floor element 2 into displacements in a first direction and a second direction, and then driving the floor element 2 to move the corresponding displacement along the first or second direction through the driving unit 3, omnidirectional movement within a plane is achieved, overcoming the limitation of physical space in the user's interaction process. The omnidirectional movement device provided in this application embodiment has the advantages of simple structure and the ability to achieve omnidirectional movement within a plane.

[0072] During the interaction, the user is located in the walking area 1a. Based on the turning, running, and walking prompts in different directions set in the virtual scene, the user is guided to walk realistically in the real scene. To ensure the user is not limited by physical space and remains within the walking area 1a regardless of their movement, the required displacement of the floor element 2 is decomposed into displacements in a first direction and a second direction. The driving unit 3 drives the floor element 2 to move the corresponding displacement along the first or second direction, achieving omnidirectional movement within the plane and providing the user with a realistic experience. Furthermore, the omnidirectional movement device provided in this embodiment has a simple structure and high safety performance.

[0073] Within the same plane, any displacement can be decomposed into displacements in any two non-parallel directions, therefore the first direction and the second direction are not parallel. The displacement corresponding to floor element 2 is determined by the user's displacement, and the required displacement of floor element 2 is decomposed into displacements in the first direction and the second direction.

[0074] See Figures 3-6 As shown, multiple floor elements 2 are laid along a first direction and a second direction on a walking area 1a and at least a portion of a configuration area 1b. Wherein, if a floor element 2 needs to move in a certain direction, a floor element 2 is configured in the configuration area 1b of that direction; if a floor element 2 does not need to move in that direction, a floor element 2 may or may not be configured in the configuration area 1b of that direction.

[0075] In one embodiment, the projected shape of the base 1 along the thickness direction can be a square, a circle, a regular pentagon, or other shapes. The walking area 1a can also be a square or a circle, etc.

[0076] In one embodiment, see Figure 2As shown, the base 1 includes a platform 11 and a rolling part 12. The rolling part 12 is disposed on the platform 11, and the floor element 2 is laid on the rolling part 12. The rolling part 12 is disposed on the platform 11 and located in the walking area 1a and at least part of the configuration area 1b of the base 1. During interaction, when the user walks, the floor element 2 will move accordingly. Because the platform 11 is provided with the rolling part 12 and the floor element 2 is laid on the rolling part 12, when the drive unit 3 drives the floor element 2 in the configuration area 1b to move the floor element 2 in the walking area 1a, the resistance when the floor element 2 moves is reduced. On the one hand, this reduces the driving force required by the drive unit 3 to drive the floor element 2, which is beneficial for energy saving; on the other hand, reducing the resistance when the floor element 2 moves is beneficial for the floor element 2 to move the floor element 2 in the configuration area 1b, which is not driven by the driving force; and furthermore, it is beneficial for the floor element 2 in the configuration area 1b to move the floor element 2 in the walking area 1a.

[0077] In one embodiment, see Figure 2 As shown, the rolling part 12 includes omnidirectional balls, and mounting holes are formed on the platform 11, with multiple omnidirectional balls disposed in the mounting holes. With multiple omnidirectional balls disposed in the mounting holes on the platform 11, the floor element 2 is directly laid on the platform 11 of the base 1 and directly supported by the omnidirectional balls, reducing the friction between the floor element 2 and the platform 11. Furthermore, the omnidirectional balls allow the floor element 2 to move in any direction, making the movement of the floor element 2 smoother, enabling it to move simultaneously in the first and second directions, providing the user with a realistic feel and achieving a realistic experience.

[0078] The rolling part 12 can be a roller that can change direction at will. The platform 11 has mounting holes, and multiple rollers are arranged in the mounting holes. The rolling part 12 can also be a ball, with multiple balls laid on the platform 11, and the floor element 2 is directly laid on the balls on the platform 11.

[0079] In one embodiment, the number of floor elements 2 arranged in the configuration area 1b along the first direction is at least one row. When the driving unit 3 drives the floor elements 2 in the configuration area 1b along the first direction, causing the floor elements 2 in the walking area 1a to move, one end of the floor element 2 in the first direction will overflow from the configuration area 1b, resulting in a gap in the floor element 2 at the other end of the first direction. The configuration area 1b is configured to replenish the floor elements 2 at the end in the first direction where the floor elements 2 are gapped, so that the floor elements 2 can continuously move in one direction. The number of floor elements 2 arranged in the configuration area 1b along the first direction can be one row, two rows, three rows, or more. When there are more rows of floor elements 2 arranged in the configuration area 1b along the first direction, it is beneficial to improve configuration efficiency, reduce the frequency of configuration, and improve work efficiency. When there are fewer rows of floor elements 2 arranged in the configuration area 1b along the first direction, the configuration space is reduced, the area of ​​the walking area 1a is increased within a certain space, and the user experience is improved.

[0080] If the user moves a short distance or moves slowly in that direction, the number of rows of floor elements 2 arranged along the first direction in configuration area 1b can be less, for example, 1 or 2 rows; if the user moves a long distance or moves quickly in that direction, the number of rows of floor elements 2 arranged along the first direction in configuration area 1b can be more, for example, 3 or 4 rows.

[0081] In one embodiment, the number of floor elements 2 arranged in the configuration area 1b in the second direction is at least one row. It is understood that the selection of the number of floor elements 2 arranged in the configuration area 1b in the second direction is similar to the selection of the number of floor elements 2 arranged in the configuration area 1b in the first direction.

[0082] In one embodiment, see Figures 1-6 As shown, the omnidirectional moving device 100 also includes a recycling pool 4, located outside the configuration area 1b, to receive floor elements 2 squeezed out from the configuration area 1b. During the interaction, if the customer moves in a certain direction, the floor element 2 will also move by a corresponding displacement. For example, if the floor element 2 moves in the first direction, there will be a situation where floor elements 2 are squeezed out from the configuration area 1b in the direction of the movement of the floor element 2. The squeezed floor elements 2 are recycled using the recycling pool 4 for continued use in subsequent interactions.

[0083] The recycling pool 4 is located outside the configuration area 1b and can directly receive the floor elements 2 that are squeezed out from the configuration area 1b. No additional configuration is required to put the squeezed floor elements 2 into the recycling pool 4. The setting of the recycling pool 4 saves resources and improves recycling efficiency.

[0084] In one embodiment, see Figures 2-6As shown, the recycling pool 4 includes a forward recycling pool 41, and the base 1 has forward recycling pools 41 at both ends along the first direction and the second direction. The displacement required for the floor element 2 is decomposed into displacements in the first direction and the second direction. The base 1 has forward recycling pools 41 at both ends along the first direction and the second direction so that most of the floor element 2 in the extruded configuration area 1b falls into the forward recycling pool 41.

[0085] In one embodiment, see Figures 2-6 As shown, the recycling pool 4 also includes a corner recycling pool 42, which is provided at the junction of adjacent forward recycling pools 41. Forward recycling pools 41 are provided at both ends along the first direction and the second direction, and corner recycling pools 42 are provided in the area at the junction of the ends of the first direction and the second direction, that is, at the junction of adjacent forward recycling pools 41.

[0086] See Figure 6 As shown, the floor element 2 squeezed out between the first and second directions has an uncertain fate of falling into either the first or second direction's positive recycling pool 41. This randomness can cause the floor element 2 within the positive recycling pool 41 to become disorganized, hindering the replenishment of configuration area 1b. By setting up corner recycling pools 42 at the boundaries of adjacent positive recycling pools 41 to collect the floor element 2 squeezed out between the first and second directions, the floor element 2 collected by the positive recycling pools 41 is ensured to be neat and orderly. This improves the efficiency of replenishing configuration area 1b with floor element 2. Furthermore, based on the actual interaction, the number of floor element 2 in each positive recycling pool 41 corresponding to the first and second directions can be determined, allowing for targeted allocation of floor element 2.

[0087] In one embodiment, see Figures 1-6 As shown, the omnidirectional moving device 100 also includes a guide plate 5. One side of the guide plate 5 is connected to the outside of the configuration area 1b, and the other side extends toward the forward recycling pool 41, so that the floor elements 2 squeezed out from the configuration area 1b fall into the forward recycling pool 41 via the guide plate 5. The floor elements 2 squeezed out from the configuration area 1b are guided by the guide plate 5 and then slide into the forward recycling pool 41, ensuring that the floor elements 2 collected in the forward recycling pool 41 are neat and regular. For example, the floor elements 2 squeezed out from the configuration area 1b are in a row, and the floor elements 2 are connected in rows. The floor elements 2 are guided by the guide plate 5 and will not be scattered due to uneven force.

[0088] In one embodiment, the omnidirectional mobility device 100 further includes a transfer unit and an arrangement unit. The transfer unit is configured to transfer floor elements 2 from the recycling pool 4 to the configuration area 1b to replenish the configuration area 1b with floor elements 2; the arrangement unit is configured to arrange the floor elements 2 replenished in the configuration area 1b along a first direction or a second direction. During interaction, if the user keeps walking in one direction, the floor elements 2 in the recycling pool 4 in that direction will accumulate more and more, while the recycling pool 4 in the other direction will have a shortage of floor elements 2. By setting up the transfer unit, the floor elements 2 in the recycling pool 4 that have accumulated too many floor elements 2 can be transferred to the configuration area 1b that needs to replenish the floor elements 2, and then the arrangement unit arranges the floor elements 2 replenished in the configuration area 1b along the first direction or the second direction, so that the omnidirectional mobility device 100 always maintains a state where there is no shortage of floor elements 2 in the first and second directions, thereby realizing omnidirectional movement of the omnidirectional mobility device 100 in the same plane.

[0089] By setting up transfer units, floor elements 2 can be transferred between recycling pools 4 to achieve optimized configuration of floor elements 2. The transfer units can be used for manual transfer or by automated machinery. It is understood that the transfer units can also be containment pools formed between recycling pools 4 in various directions. Floor elements 2 falling into recycling pools 4 eventually flow into the containment pools. Since the containment pools are connected to recycling pools 4 in various directions, the transfer of floor elements 2 within each configuration area 1b can be achieved.

[0090] The arrangement unit is configured to arrange the floor elements 2 supplied to the configuration area 1b along a first direction or a second direction. The arrangement unit can be prepared in advance by manual labor, robotic arms or other automated pre-sorting tools to arrange the floor elements 2 in rows and supply the configuration area 1b with vacant floor elements 2, so as to meet the needs of users' timely and random walking, and enable the omnidirectional moving device 100 to replenish the floor elements 2 in the configuration area 1b in a timely manner.

[0091] In one embodiment, the base 1 is provided with a drive unit 3 along both the first direction and the second direction, and each drive unit 3 is capable of driving the floor element 2 of the configuration area 1b in the direction it is located.

[0092] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 as well as Figure 2 As shown, drive units 3 are provided at both ends of the base 1 along the first direction and the second direction. Each drive unit 3 can drive the floor element 2 of the corresponding configuration area 1b along the opposite configuration area 1b. The presence of drive units 3 at both ends of the base 1 along the first direction and the second direction improves the driving effect and makes the structure more reliable.

[0093] In one embodiment, see Figure 1As shown, the drive unit 3 includes a roller 31 and a drive component 32. The drive component 32 is driven to the roller 31 and is used to drive the roller 31 to rotate, so that the roller 31 pushes the floor element 2 to move. The roller 31 is in contact with the floor element 2, and there is friction between them. When the drive component 32 drives the roller 31 to roll, the floor element 2 is moved by the friction. The drive component 32 can be a motor or a motor, etc.

[0094] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 As shown, the drive unit 3 also includes a bracket 33, on which the roller 31 is rotatably connected. The bracket 33 is configured to adjust the positional relationship between the roller 31 and the floor element 2. A drive component 32 is fixed to the bracket 33 to drive the roller 31 to rotate relative to the bracket 33. The bracket 33 can rotate and rise / fall relative to the base 1 to adjust the positional relationship between the roller 31 and the floor element 2. The pressure between the roller 31 and the floor element 2 is controlled by controlling the rise / fall of the bracket 33, thereby controlling the friction between the roller 31 and the floor element 2 during rolling. When the bracket 33 descends, the pressure of the roller 31 on the floor element 2 increases, and the driving force of the roller 31 on the floor element 2 increases during rolling, but the friction between the floor element 2 and the base 1 also increases. When the bracket 33 rises, the pressure of the roller 31 on the floor element 2 decreases, and the driving force of the roller 31 on the floor element 2 decreases during rolling, but the friction between the floor element 2 and the base 1 also decreases. Therefore, the optimal height for driving the floor element 2 can be found by adjusting the rise / fall of the bracket 33. The bracket 33 is rotated to control whether it moves away from or closer to the base 1.

[0095] In one embodiment, see Figures 3-6 As shown, the first and second directions are orthogonal, and the projection of the floor element 2 along the thickness direction is a square. The orthogonality of the first and second directions decomposes the displacement of the floor element 2 into two perpendicular displacements along the first and second directions, facilitating calculation and movement of the floor element 2. The square projection of the floor element 2 along the thickness direction also facilitates its placement, retrieval, transfer, and arrangement.

[0096] In one embodiment, the angle between the first direction and the second direction is α, where 0 < α < 90°, and the projection of the floor element 2 along the thickness direction is a rhombus or a parallelogram.

[0097] In another aspect of the embodiments of this application, an omnidirectional mobility system is provided, including a detection unit, a control unit, and an omnidirectional mobility device 100 of any of the above embodiments; the detection unit is configured to detect the walking data of a user located in the walking area 1a; the control unit is communicatively connected to the detection unit and the drive unit 3, and issues a command to the drive unit 3 to move the floor element 2 according to the detection result of the detection unit.

[0098] During the interaction, the user is positioned on floor element 2 within the walking area 1a. Based on the turning, running, and walking prompts in different directions set in the virtual scene, the user is guided to walk realistically in the real-world scene. The omnidirectional movement system provided in this application embodiment, to ensure that the user is not limited by physical space and that any displacement of the user remains within the walking area 1a, decomposes the required displacement of floor element 2 into displacements in a first direction and a second direction. The driving unit 3 drives floor element 2 to move the corresponding displacement along the first or second direction, thereby achieving omnidirectional movement within the plane and providing the user with a realistic experience. This overcomes the limitation of physical space in the user's interaction process. The omnidirectional movement system provided in this application embodiment has the advantages of simple structure, high safety performance, and the ability to achieve omnidirectional movement within a plane.

[0099] Specifically, during the interaction, the user is positioned on floor element 2 within walking area 1a. Based on the settings in the virtual scene, the user is guided to walk in the real-world environment. The detection unit detects the user's walking data within walking area 1a, including the user's position, speed and direction, and the safe distance between the user and walking area 1a. The detection data is fed back to the control unit, which is communicatively connected to the detection unit. The control unit analyzes and calculates the detection data, and then issues a command to drive floor element 2 to move to drive unit 3 based on the calculation results.

[0100] The control unit may also include a data processing module, configured to decompose the required displacement of the floor element 2 into displacements in a first direction and a second direction based on the user's walking data detected by the detection unit, calculate the speed of the floor element 2, and then, based on the calculation results, issue a command to the drive unit 3 to drive the floor element 2 to move. The drive unit 3 drives the floor element 2 to move the corresponding displacement along the first direction or the second direction to achieve omnidirectional movement in the plane.

[0101] Another aspect of the embodiments of this application, see Figures 1-7 As shown, a control method for an omnidirectional mobile device is provided, comprising:

[0102] S101: Detects walking data of users located in the walking area;

[0103] S102: Decompose the walking speed data into walking speed along the first direction and walking speed along the second direction;

[0104] S103: A control strategy is formed based on the walking data to drive the floor elements in the configuration area to move the floor elements in the walking area.

[0105] It should be noted that the control method of the omnidirectional mobile device provided in the embodiments of this application is explained using the omnidirectional mobile device provided in the embodiments of this application as an example, but is not limited to the omnidirectional mobile device provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0106] The system detects the user's walking data within walking area 1a, decomposing the speed data into walking speed along a first direction and walking speed along a second direction. Based on this walking data, a control strategy is formulated to drive the floor element 2 of configuration area 1b to move the floor element 2 of walking area 1a. By formulating this control strategy, the user remains within walking area 1a regardless of whether they are turning, running, or walking in different directions as set in the virtual scene. This achieves omnidirectional movement within a plane and provides the user with a realistic experience.

[0107] The omnidirectional movement system detects the user's walking data through its detection unit. The control unit decomposes the walking data into walking speed along a first direction and walking speed along a second direction; specifically, the data processing module of the control unit processes the walking data. Based on the walking data, a control strategy is formed to drive the floor element 2 of configuration area 1b to move the floor element 2 of walking area 1a. Specifically, the control unit controls the drive unit 3 to drive the floor element 2 of configuration area 1b to move the floor element 2 of walking area 1a.

[0108] The omnidirectional mobility system includes a detection unit, a control unit, and an omnidirectional mobility device 100 according to any of the above embodiments; the detection unit is configured to detect the walking data of a user located in the walking area 1a; the control unit is communicatively connected to the detection unit and the drive unit 3, and issues a command to the drive unit 3 to move the floor element 2 according to the detection result of the detection unit.

[0109] During the interaction, the user is positioned on floor element 2 within the walking area 1a. Based on the turning, running, and walking prompts in different directions set in the virtual scene, the user is guided to walk realistically in the real-world scene. The omnidirectional movement system provided in this application embodiment, to ensure that the user is not limited by physical space and that any displacement of the user remains within the walking area 1a, decomposes the required displacement of floor element 2 into displacements in a first direction and a second direction. The driving unit 3 drives floor element 2 to move the corresponding displacement along the first or second direction, thereby achieving omnidirectional movement within the plane and providing the user with a realistic experience. This overcomes the limitation of physical space in the user's interaction process. The omnidirectional movement system provided in this application embodiment has the advantages of simple structure, high safety performance, and the ability to achieve omnidirectional movement within a plane.

[0110] Specifically, during the interaction, the user is positioned on floor element 2 within walking area 1a. Based on the settings in the virtual scene, the user is guided to walk in the real-world environment. The detection unit detects the user's walking data within walking area 1a, including the user's position, speed and direction, and the safe distance between the user and walking area 1a. The detection data is fed back to the control unit, which is communicatively connected to the detection unit. The control unit analyzes and calculates the detection data, and then issues a command to drive floor element 2 to move to drive unit 3 based on the calculation results.

[0111] The control unit may also include a data processing module, configured to decompose the required displacement of the floor element 2 into displacements in a first direction and a second direction based on the user's walking data detected by the detection unit, calculate the speed of the floor element 2, and then, based on the calculation results, issue a command to the drive unit 3 to drive the floor element 2 to move. The drive unit 3 drives the floor element 2 to move the corresponding displacement along the first direction or the second direction to achieve omnidirectional movement in the plane.

[0112] The omnidirectional mobile device provided in this application embodiment is described in [reference]. Figures 1-6 As shown, the system includes a base 1, floor elements 2, and a drive unit 3. A walking area 1a for interaction is formed on the base 1, and configuration areas 1b are respectively disposed outside the walking area 1a along a first direction and a second direction. Multiple floor elements 2 are laid on the walking area 1a and at least a portion of the configuration areas 1b along the first and second directions. The drive unit 3 is configured to drive the floor elements 2 in the configuration areas 1b to move the floor elements 2 in the walking area 1a, causing the floor elements 2 to move along the first direction or the second direction. The required displacement of the floor elements 2 is decomposed into displacements in the first and second directions, and the drive unit 3 drives the floor elements 2 to move the corresponding displacement along the first or second direction, wherein the first and second directions are not parallel.

[0113] See Figures 3-6 As shown, by decomposing the required displacement of the floor element 2 into displacements in a first direction and a second direction, and then driving the floor element 2 to move the corresponding displacement along the first or second direction through the driving unit 3, omnidirectional movement within the plane is achieved, overcoming the limitation of physical space in the user's interaction process. It has the advantages of simple structure and the ability to achieve omnidirectional movement within a plane.

[0114] In one embodiment, see Figure 2As shown, the base 1 includes a platform 11 and a rolling part 12. The rolling part 12 is disposed on the platform 11, and the floor element 2 is laid on the rolling part 12. The rolling part 12 is disposed on the platform 11 and located in the walking area 1a and at least part of the configuration area 1b of the base 1. When the floor element 2 moves accordingly, because the rolling part 12 is disposed on the platform 11 and the floor element 2 is laid on the rolling part 12, when the drive unit 3 drives the floor element 2 in the configuration area 1b to move the floor element 2 in the walking area 1a, the resistance when the floor element 2 moves is reduced. On the one hand, this reduces the driving force required by the drive unit 3 to drive the floor element 2, which is beneficial for energy saving; on the other hand, reducing the resistance when the floor element 2 moves is beneficial for the floor element 2 to move the floor element 2 in the configuration area 1b, which is not driven by the driving force; and furthermore, it is beneficial for the floor element 2 in the configuration area 1b to move the floor element 2 in the walking area 1a.

[0115] In one embodiment, the rolling part 12 is a universal ball bearing, and mounting holes are formed on the platform 11, with multiple universal ball bearings disposed in the mounting holes. With multiple universal ball bearings disposed in the mounting holes on the platform 11, the floor element 2 is directly laid on the base 1 platform 11 and directly supported by the universal ball bearings, reducing the friction between the floor element 2 and the platform 11. Furthermore, the universal ball bearings allow the floor element 2 to move in any direction, making the movement of the floor element 2 smoother, enabling simultaneous movement in the first and second directions, providing users with a realistic feel and achieving a realistic user experience.

[0116] In some embodiments, step S103 specifically includes:

[0117] S131: Determine the safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area based on the location data of the walking data;

[0118] S132: Determine the response time or the moving speed of the floor element after the user walks.

[0119] Based on the walking data of the user in walking area 1a detected by the detection unit, including position data, speed magnitude, and speed direction, the distance between the user and the boundary of walking area 1a is determined based on the user's position data. This distance is considered a safe distance. Within this safe distance, floor element 2 can remain stationary even when the user moves. Therefore, the method by which floor element 2 in configuration area 1b moves floor element 2 in walking area 1a can be determined based on the value of the safe distance. Specifically, this is reflected in the response time and speed of floor element 2 after the user moves.

[0120] In some embodiments, the step of determining the response time and moving speed of the floor element 2 after the user walks includes: if there is a safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area 1a, the response time of the floor element 2 lags behind the user's walking time. Since there is a safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area 1a, even if the floor element 2 does not move after the user starts walking for a period of time, there is no risk of the user leaving the walking area 1a. Therefore, the response time of the floor element 2 can lag behind the user's walking time. This asynchronous control strategy reduces the timeliness requirements and dynamic response needs of the detection unit in the omnidirectional motion system, and to some extent, it is beneficial to the energy saving of the omnidirectional motion system.

[0121] For example, if the walking area 1a is a 3m×3m square area, and the user stands in the center of the walking area 1a, then the safe distance for the user to walk in any direction is 1.5m. Since this distance is a safe distance, the floor element 2 does not need to respond synchronously within this safe distance.

[0122] In some embodiments, the steps of determining the response time and moving speed of the floor element 2 after the user walks include: if there is a safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area 1a, the moving time of the floor element 2 is synchronized with the user's walking time. Since the floor element 2 moves simultaneously with the user, this synchronous control strategy reflects the timeliness of the floor element 2's movement, providing a more realistic user experience.

[0123] In some embodiments, the step of determining the response time of the drive floor element 2 and the moving speed of the drive floor element 2 after the user walks includes: if there is a safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area 1a, the moving speed of the drive floor element 2 is less than the user's moving speed. Since there is a safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area 1a, within the safe distance, the moving speed of the drive floor element 2 can be less than the user's moving speed. An appropriate speed can be selected to make the user feel realistic, and it is also beneficial to the energy saving of the omnidirectional motion system.

[0124] Understandably, if a safe distance exists between the user and the boundary of walking area 1a, the moving speed of the floor element 2 is equal to the user's moving speed. At this time, the user's position within walking area 1a remains unchanged, ensuring a safe distance is always maintained between the user and walking area 1a. This facilitates control of the floor element 2 and improves the safety performance of the omnidirectional movement system.

[0125] In some embodiments, the step of forming a control strategy based on walking data to drive the floor element 2 of the configuration area 1b to move the floor element 2 of the walking area 1a specifically includes:

[0126] Based on the walking speed in the first direction, the floor element 2 of the configuration area 1b corresponding to the first direction is driven to move along the first direction, so that the movement direction of the floor element 2 is opposite to the walking speed in the first direction.

[0127] Based on the walking speed in the second direction, the floor element 2 in the configuration area 1b corresponding to the second direction is driven to move along the second direction, so that the movement direction of the floor element 2 is opposite to the walking speed in the second direction.

[0128] In some embodiments, see Figures 1-6 as well as Figure 8 As shown, the control method includes:

[0129] S201: Determine the user's preset walking speed based on the set virtual scene tour route;

[0130] S202: Decompose the preset speed into a preset speed along a first direction and a preset speed along a second direction;

[0131] S203: Drive the floor element in the first direction to move in the opposite direction to the preset speed of the first direction, and drive the floor element in the second direction to move in the opposite direction to the preset speed of the second direction.

[0132] By integrating the virtual scene's tour route into the control unit, a pre-control scheme is generated, and a pre-configuration scheme is formed based on the movement along the tour route. First, by integrating the content of the virtual scene's tour route, a preset walking speed for the user is determined, including both magnitude and direction. The control unit decomposes the preset speed into a preset speed along a first direction and a preset speed along a second direction, where speed refers to magnitude. Then, the drive unit 3 drives the floor element 2 in the first direction to move in the opposite direction to the preset speed in the first direction, and drives the floor element 2 in the second direction to move in the opposite direction to the preset speed in the second direction. The control process of the pre-control scheme does not require detecting the user's precise position and speed; instead, it uniformly compensates for spatial movement according to the user's walking direction, controlling the floor element 2 to move in the preset direction at the preset speed. Since it is not necessary to continuously detect the user's precise position and speed, the instantaneous response requirements of the omnidirectional motion system are effectively reduced, as are the mechanical strength of the omnidirectional motion device 100. In the pre-control scheme, only the floor element 2 needs to be driven to move at a stable speed, forming stable system control, which is beneficial for energy saving in the omnidirectional motion system.

[0133] In S201, the preset walking speed for the user is determined. This speed includes both the magnitude and direction of the speed. Due to the setting of the tour route, different users share commonalities in their tour direction and speed. Therefore, the preset walking speed for the user in S201 represents the walking direction and speed of most users on this tour route.

[0134] In some embodiments, step S203 specifically includes:

[0135] S231: Set a compensation threshold for the tour route to form a first preset distance, drive the floor element in the first direction to move at a constant speed in the opposite direction of the preset speed in the first direction within a preset time, and drive the floor element in the second direction to move at a constant speed in the opposite direction of the preset speed in the second direction.

[0136] S232: Detect walking data of users located in the walking area;

[0137] S233: Based on the walking data, adjust the speed of the floor element that is driven to move along the first direction, and adjust the speed of the floor element that is driven to move along the second direction.

[0138] In S231, setting a compensation threshold for the tour route to form the first preset distance means that a compensation threshold is set in the control method for the tour route. In this control method, the pre-control scheme does not need to detect the user's exact position and speed; instead, it uniformly compensates for spatial movement according to the user's walking direction, i.e., controlling the floor element 2 to move at a preset speed in a preset direction. However, by setting the compensation threshold, the distance that the floor element 2 moves at the preset speed in the preset direction is defined as the first preset distance; it does not mean that the floor element 2 moves the entire distance at the preset speed in the preset direction.

[0139] The compensation threshold for the tour route can be set within the range of 60% to 90% of the tour distance. For example, the compensation threshold could be 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90%.

[0140] Step S232: Detect the walking data of the user located in the walking area.

[0141] Here, after the control floor element 2 moves a first preset distance in a preset direction at a preset speed, the detection unit detects the user's walking data in the walking area 1a. This walking data includes the user's position, speed direction, and speed magnitude.

[0142] Step S233: Based on the walking data, adjust the speed of the floor element 2 that is driven to move along the first direction, and adjust the speed of the floor element 2 that is driven to move along the second direction.

[0143] Because the compensation threshold for the tour route is set in S231 to form the first preset distance, that is, the floor element 2 moves the first preset distance within a preset time. Then, based on the detection unit's detection of the user's actual position data and speed data at this time, the moving speed of the floor element 2 is adjusted so that the user is still in the walking area 1a after completing the tour route.

[0144] For example, consider a virtual tour route for visiting a museum. Due to the route, different users share commonalities in their tour direction and speed. For instance, in a certain museum within the virtual scene, the tour direction might be a 15m area from west to east. If over 80% of users follow this route, this pattern can be extracted to form a pre-control scheme. This pre-control scheme doesn't require detecting the user's exact position and speed; instead, it uniformly compensates for spatial movement according to direction. For example, setting the tour route compensation threshold to 80%, the first preset distance in the museum is 15m × 80% = 12m, and the tour direction is from west to east. Within a preset time, floor element 2 is driven to move uniformly from east to west for 12m. After the preset time, floor element 2 moves uniformly from east to west for another 12m, and the user's position data within walking area 1a is detected. This detects the user's exact location within walking area 1a and their safe distance from the boundary of walking area 1a. Based on the detected data, the speed of floor element 2 is adjusted to provide a better user experience.

[0145] The various embodiments / implementations provided in this application can be combined with each other without creating contradictions.

[0146] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. An omnidirectional mobile device, characterized in that, include: The base has a walking area for interaction, and configuration areas disposed outside the walking area along a first direction and a second direction, respectively. Floor elements, a plurality of said floor elements are laid along the first direction and the second direction on the walking area and at least a portion of said configuration area; as well as A drive unit is configured to drive the floor element in the configuration area to move the floor element in the walking area, so that the floor element moves along a first direction or a second direction; the drive unit includes a roller, a drive member, and a bracket; the drive member is drivenly connected to the roller and is used to drive the roller to rotate, so that the roller pushes the floor element to move; the roller is rotatably connected to the bracket, and the bracket is configured to adjust the positional relationship between the roller and the floor element; The required displacement of the floor element is decomposed into displacements in the first direction and the second direction. The driving unit drives the floor element to move the corresponding displacement along the first direction or the second direction. The first direction and the second direction are not parallel.

2. The omnidirectional mobile device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base includes: Platform; and A rolling section is provided on the platform, and the floor element is laid on the rolling section.

3. The omnidirectional moving device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rolling part includes omnidirectional balls, and mounting holes are formed on the platform, with a plurality of omnidirectional balls disposed in the mounting holes.

4. The omnidirectional mobile device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of floor elements arranged in the configuration area along the first direction is at least one row; and / or, The number of floor elements arranged in the configuration area along the second direction is at least one row.

5. The omnidirectional moving device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The omnidirectional mobility device further includes: A recycling pool is provided outside the configuration area to receive the floor elements squeezed out from the configuration area.

6. The omnidirectional moving device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The recycling pool includes: A positive recycling pool is provided at both ends of the base along the first direction and along the second direction.

7. The omnidirectional moving device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The recycling pool also includes: A corner recycling pool is provided at the boundary of the adjacent forward recycling pool.

8. The omnidirectional mobile device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The omnidirectional mobility device further includes: A transfer unit is configured to transfer the floor element from the recycling pool to the configuration area to replenish the floor element in the configuration area; and The arrangement unit is configured to arrange the floor elements supplied by the configuration area along the first direction or along the second direction.

9. The omnidirectional mobile device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base is provided with drive units at both ends along the first direction and the second direction, and each drive unit is capable of driving the floor element corresponding to the configuration area along the opposite configuration area direction.

10. The omnidirectional moving device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The first direction and the second direction are orthogonal, and the projection of the floor element along the thickness direction is a square.

11. An omnidirectional mobility system, comprising: The omnidirectional moving device according to any one of claims 1 to 10; The detection unit is configured to detect the walking data of a user located in the walking area; The control unit is communicatively connected to the detection unit and the drive unit, and issues a command to the drive unit to move the floor element based on the detection result of the detection unit.

12. A control method for an omnidirectional mobile device, applied to the omnidirectional mobile device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, include: Detect walking data of users located in the walking area; The walking data speed data is decomposed into walking speed along a first direction and walking speed along a second direction; Based on the walking data, a control strategy is formed to drive the floor elements in the driving configuration area to move the floor elements in the walking area.

13. The control method for the omnidirectional moving device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The steps of forming a control strategy based on the walking data to drive the floor elements in the configuration area to move the floor elements in the walking area specifically include: Based on the location data of the walking data, determine the safe distance between the user and the boundary of the walking area; Determine the response time or the moving speed of the floor element after the user walks.

14. The control method for the omnidirectional moving device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The steps for determining the response time and the moving speed of the floor element after the user walks include: If the user maintains the safe distance from the boundary of the walking area, the response time of the floor element lags behind the user's walking time; and / or, If the user is at the safe distance from the boundary of the walking area, the moving speed of the floor element is less than the moving speed of the user.

15. The control method for the omnidirectional moving device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The steps of forming a control strategy based on the walking data to drive the floor elements in the configuration area to move the floor elements in the walking area specifically include: Based on the walking speed in the first direction, the floor element in the configuration area corresponding to the first direction is driven to move along the first direction, so that the movement direction of the floor element is opposite to the walking speed in the first direction. Based on the walking speed in the second direction, the floor element in the configuration area corresponding to the second direction is driven to move along the second direction, so that the movement direction of the floor element is opposite to the walking speed in the second direction.

16. A control method for an omnidirectional mobile device, applied to the omnidirectional mobile device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The control method for the omnidirectional mobile device includes: The preset walking speed of the user is determined by the set virtual scene tour route; The preset speed is decomposed into a preset speed along a first direction and a preset speed along a second direction; The floor element in the first direction is driven to move in the opposite direction to a preset speed in the first direction, and the floor element in the second direction is driven to move in the opposite direction to a preset speed in the second direction.

17. The control method for the omnidirectional moving device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The steps of driving the floor element in the first direction to move in the opposite direction to a preset speed in the first direction, and driving the floor element in the second direction to move in the opposite direction to a preset speed in the second direction, specifically include: A compensation threshold is set for the tour route to form a first preset distance. Within a preset time, the floor element in the first direction is driven to move at a constant speed in the opposite direction of the preset speed in the first direction, and the floor element in the second direction is driven to move at a constant speed in the opposite direction of the preset speed in the second direction. Detect walking data of users located in the walking area; Based on the walking data, adjust the speed of the floor element that is driven to move along the first direction, and adjust the speed of the floor element that is driven to move along the second direction.

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