Energy storage device turning following method and device, energy storage device and readable storage medium

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of energy storage equipment, and particularly relates to an energy storage equipment turning following method and device, an energy storage equipment and a readable storage medium. The method comprises the following steps: in the process of following the user movement of the energy storage equipment, the force information of the energy storage equipment when being acted on by the user is acquired in real time by using each force sensor; whether the energy storage equipment needs to turn is determined according to the force information, and the turning direction of the energy storage equipment is identified when the energy storage equipment needs to turn; and the rotating speed of the wheel motor at the corresponding position of the energy storage equipment is controlled according to the turning direction, so that the energy storage equipment performs the turning following movement. The method can perform the turning following when the turning is needed, so that the user no longer needs a large turning force, and the user experience is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of energy storage device technology, and in particular to a steering following method, apparatus, energy storage device, and readable storage medium for an energy storage device. Background Technology

[0002] Outdoor energy storage devices often need to be moved according to changes in outdoor usage scenarios. Because these devices are often quite heavy, considerable force is required to tow them so they can follow the user. During movement, especially when turning, the user needs to provide significant steering force to allow the device to turn left, right, or make a U-turn as desired. Improper force application can even lead to tipping over, resulting in a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a method, apparatus, energy storage device, and readable storage medium for steering following of an energy storage device.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a steering following method for an energy storage device, wherein the energy storage device is equipped with at least two force sensors, and the method includes:

[0005] During the process of the energy storage device following the user's movement, the force sensors are used to acquire the force information of the energy storage device when it is subjected to the user's action in real time.

[0006] Based on the force information, determine whether the energy storage device needs to be turned, and identify the turning direction of the energy storage device when it needs to be turned;

[0007] Based on the steering direction, the rotational speed of the wheel motor at the corresponding position of the energy storage device is controlled so that the energy storage device can perform steering and following motion.

[0008] In some embodiments, at least one force sensor is provided at different positions of the pull rod of the energy storage device, and the force information includes the magnitude and direction of the force collected by each force sensor;

[0009] The step of determining whether the energy storage device needs to be turned based on the force information, and identifying the turning direction of the energy storage device when turning is required, includes:

[0010] If the difference between the magnitudes of the forces corresponding to each of the force sensors exceeds a preset deviation range, it is determined that the energy storage device needs to be turned, and the direction of the force corresponding to the force sensor with the larger force magnitude is taken as the turning direction of the energy storage device.

[0011] In some embodiments, the energy storage device steering following method further includes:

[0012] If the difference between the magnitudes of the forces corresponding to each of the force sensors is within the preset deviation range, then it is determined that the energy storage device does not need to turn and continues to follow the user's movement.

[0013] In some embodiments, controlling the wheel motor speed at the corresponding position of the energy storage device according to the steering direction includes:

[0014] When the steering direction is left front, the motor speed of the right wheel of the energy storage device is greater than the motor speed of the left wheel;

[0015] When the steering direction is to the right front, the motor speed of the left wheel of the energy storage device is controlled to be greater than the motor speed of the right wheel.

[0016] In some embodiments, the energy storage device steering following method further includes:

[0017] The magnitude of the force corresponding to each force sensor is used as the steering pressure, and the motor speeds of the left and right wheels of the energy storage device are determined based on the steering pressure, specifically including:

[0018] If the steering pressure conforms to the first preset model, then the motor of the wheel closest to the steering direction is controlled to rotate at a first rotational speed, and the motor of the wheel furthest from the steering direction is controlled to rotate at a second rotational speed; wherein, the second rotational speed is greater than the first rotational speed.

[0019] If the steering pressure conforms to the second preset model, the motor speed of the wheel closest to the steering direction is controlled to be zero, and the motor speed of the wheel furthest from the steering direction is controlled to be a third rotational speed; wherein the third rotational speed is greater than zero.

[0020] In some embodiments, the force information is obtained by synthesizing the force magnitude and force direction collected by each of the force sensors, and the force information includes the force synthesis direction;

[0021] The energy storage device follows the user's movement, including:

[0022] Based on the gravity acting on the energy storage device and the direction of the resultant force, the rotational speed of the motor used to control the energy storage device is calculated.

[0023] The user's stepping distance is acquired in real time using the image capture device on the energy storage device, and the user's walking speed is calculated based on the stepping distance;

[0024] The energy storage device controls the motor output power based on the travel speed and the motor rotation speed to follow the user's movement.

[0025] In some embodiments, the energy storage device is further provided with an attitude sensor and an image capture device, and the method further includes:

[0026] If resistance is detected to the energy storage device, the image capture device is used to collect environmental image information when the energy storage device is subjected to resistance, and the attitude sensor is used to obtain the motion attitude of the energy storage device when it is subjected to resistance.

[0027] If the motion posture detects that the tilt angle of the energy storage device is less than a preset angle, and the resistance is determined to be a ground obstacle based on the environmental image information, then the position and type of the ground obstacle are determined based on the motion posture, wherein the type includes concave surface and convex surface;

[0028] Based on the location and type of the ground obstacle, adjust the motor output power of the corresponding wheel of the energy storage device to enable the energy storage device to safely cross the ground obstacle.

[0029] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a steering following device for an energy storage device, wherein the energy storage device is provided with at least two force sensors, and the device includes:

[0030] The information acquisition module is used to acquire the force information of the energy storage device when it is subjected to the user's action by each of the force sensors in real time during the process of the energy storage device following the user's movement.

[0031] The steering determination module is used to determine whether the energy storage device needs to turn based on the force information, and to identify the turning direction of the energy storage device when turning is required;

[0032] The steering control module is used to control the speed of the wheel motor at the corresponding position of the energy storage device according to the steering direction, so that the energy storage device can perform steering and following motion.

[0033] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide an energy storage device, the energy storage device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the above-described energy storage device steering and following method.

[0034] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed on a processor, implements the above-described energy storage device steering and following method.

[0035] This application has the following beneficial effects:

[0036] The energy storage device steering and following method proposed in this application acquires force information on the energy storage device in real time when it is subjected to user action using various force sensors during the user-following process. Based on this force information, it determines whether the energy storage device needs to turn, and identifies the turning direction when turning is required. According to the turning direction, it controls the rotation speed of the wheel motors at the corresponding positions of the energy storage device to enable the device to follow the user's steering motion. This method allows for steering and following only when needed, eliminating the need for a large steering force from the user and allowing for easy steering with just a steering traction force, thus greatly improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0038] Figure 1 A first flowchart of the energy storage device follow-up control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0039] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an energy storage device with a tie rod according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0040] Figure 3 A second flowchart of the energy storage device follow-up control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0041] Figure 4 A third flowchart of the energy storage device follow-up control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0042] Figure 5 A fourth flowchart of the energy storage device follow-up control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0043] Figure 6 A first flowchart of a steering following method for energy storage devices according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0044] Figure 7 A second flowchart of the energy storage device steering following method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0045] Figure 8 A third flowchart of the energy storage device steering following method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0046] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the energy storage device follower control device according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0047] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of the energy storage device steering follower device according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0049] The components of the embodiments of this application described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings can be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0050] In the following text, the terms "comprising," "having," and their cognates, which may be used in various embodiments of this application, are intended only to indicate a particular feature, number, step, operation, element, component, or combination thereof, and should not be construed as primarily excluding the presence of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, or adding the possibility of one or more combinations thereof. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used only for distinguishing descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0051] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the various embodiments of this application pertain. Terms (such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries) shall be interpreted as having the same meaning as in their contextual meaning in the relevant technical field and shall not be construed as having an idealized or overly formal meaning, unless clearly defined in the various embodiments of this application.

[0052] The following detailed description of some embodiments of this application is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0053] Considering that existing portable energy storage devices often require significant manual pulling or pushing, making outdoor transport inconvenient for users, and some rely on sensors for tracking, these methods present several challenges. First, users need to carry the sensors to ensure the device can detect them. Second, these sensors cannot guarantee that the device will match the user's walking speed for real-time tracking. Therefore, this application proposes an energy storage device tracking control method that allows users to easily move the device with minimal traction, eliminating the need for substantial manual pulling. Furthermore, it enables the device's speed to better match the user's walking speed, improving the user experience. The energy storage device tracking control method is described below.

[0054] Example 1

[0055] Please refer to Figure 1 As an example, the energy storage device follow-up control method includes:

[0056] Step S110: Obtain information on the external forces acting on the energy storage device, including the direction of the forces.

[0057] External forces refer to the forces exerted on the energy storage device by other external objects. These may include, but are not limited to, external driving forces or resistance exerted by the user on the energy storage device, or the pressure exerted by the user sitting on the energy storage device. Their form is not limited. In this embodiment, the external force includes its magnitude and direction.

[0058] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the pull rod of the energy storage device can be equipped with a force sensor, which is used to collect the external driving force or resistance applied by the user to the pull rod. For example, there can be multiple force sensors, such as on the left side, right side, or handle of the pull rod. It is understood that the form of the external driving force is not limited; it can be applied by the user in a pulling or pushing manner to drive the energy storage device to move.

[0059] Step S120: Calculate the motor rotation speed for controlling the energy storage device based on the gravity acting on the energy storage device and the direction of the force.

[0060] Exemplarily, the rotation speed of the motor of the energy storage device can be controlled based on the magnitude of the gravity acting on the device and the direction of the external forces, thereby achieving user-following control of the energy storage device. It is worth noting that the gravity acting on the energy storage device can be the weight of the device itself, or it can include the weight of external objects placed on the device. For example, when someone sits on the device, the gravity can include the device's own weight and the weight of the person sitting on it. It is understood that the gravity acting on the energy storage device affects its friction in the direction of movement, which in turn affects the driving force of the motor that drives the device. If insufficient motor driving force is generated, the device cannot be guaranteed to follow the user's movement.

[0061] In one embodiment, step S120 includes: if the direction of the force acting on the energy storage device is the same as the forward direction of the energy storage device, it is identified as an external driving force, such as a pulling force and / or a pushing force, and the motor rotation speed required for the energy storage device to move after gravity compensation is calculated; conversely, if the direction of the force acting on the energy storage device is opposite to the forward direction of the energy storage device, it is identified as an external resistance, and the motor rotation speed of the energy storage device is controlled to be zero.

[0062] In this embodiment, the user's intention can be determined based on the type of force exerted on the energy storage device, and the device can then be controlled to respond accordingly. For example, if the user exerts a pulling or pushing force, it indicates that the user wants to move the energy storage device; conversely, if the user exerts a resistance force, it indicates that the user wants to stop the energy storage device from moving.

[0063] Step S130: The user's stepping distance is acquired in real time using the image capture device on the energy storage device, and the user's walking speed is calculated based on the stepping distance.

[0064] As an example, an image capture device, such as a camera, can be installed on the energy storage device to capture images of the user's location in real time, so as to obtain information about the user's step distance; after obtaining the step distance, the user's walking speed can then be calculated.

[0065] In one implementation, such as Figure 3 As shown, step S130 above includes:

[0066] Step S131: Real-time image acquisition is performed using an image capture device to obtain the user's contour data. It is understood that the height of the captured image of the person will vary depending on the distance between the user and the energy storage device; generally, the height is higher when the distance is closer and lower when the distance is farther.

[0067] Step S132: Compare the user's contour data with several preset contour models and select the target contour model with the highest similarity. The preset contour model is a pre-stored human image height.

[0068] As an example, several preset contour models can be pre-stored, where each preset contour model primarily represents different heights of the user's portrait image. Therefore, upon acquiring the user's contour data, the current portrait image height can be extracted, and then it can be compared with the contour models for similarity. The contour model with the highest similarity is selected as the target contour model for subsequent processing. It is understandable that the more preset contour models there are, the higher the requirement for similarity determination, thereby improving the accuracy of judging the user's contour data.

[0069] Step S133: Based on the correspondence between the height of the person image in the target contour model and the stepping distance, determine the user's stepping distance, and then calculate the user's walking speed.

[0070] Because people of different heights have different leg lengths, different heights correspond to different stride distances. For example, the relationship between the height of the person's image and the stride distance can be obtained by conducting multiple tests. Exemplarily, after selecting the target contour model, the stride distance of the current user can be determined based on the stored relationship between the height of the person's image and the stride distance, and thus the user's walking speed can be calculated. For example, this walking speed can be obtained by calculating the distance the user travels per unit time or within a preset time, or by calculating the frequency of foot alternation corresponding to that stride distance, etc., and is not limited here.

[0071] Step S140: Based on the travel speed and the motor rotation speed, control the motor output power of the energy storage device to perform following motion.

[0072] Finally, control is performed based on the calculated user's walking speed and the rotational speed of the motor driving the device. For example, if the walking speed and the motor rotational speed are within the allowable error range, the power output can be adjusted according to the motor rotational speed. Conversely, when the walking speed and the motor rotational speed differ significantly, the motor output power can be increased or decreased to increase or decrease the motor rotational speed. This allows the energy storage device to follow the user's movement at a speed closer to the user's, avoiding situations where the user's walking speed is too fast but the energy storage device's movement speed is too slow, causing the user to need to drag the energy storage device or reduce their walking speed to match the energy storage device, or where the energy storage device's movement speed is too fast, causing the user to be pushed along.

[0073] As an alternative solution, during the follow-motion process of the energy storage device, such as Figure 4 As shown, the energy storage device follow-up control method also includes:

[0074] Step S210: If resistance is detected in the energy storage device, the depth camera is used to capture environmental image information of the energy storage device when it is subjected to resistance.

[0075] For example, in one embodiment, the image capture device includes two depth cameras, namely a first depth camera and a second depth camera. The first depth camera can be used to acquire dynamic contour data of the user in real time. The second depth camera, as the aforementioned depth imaging device, is mainly used to capture environmental image information when the energy storage device is subjected to resistance. It can be understood that the data acquired by the depth camera can accurately determine the distance of each point in the image from the camera, that is, it can detect the depth of field of the shooting space.

[0076] Step S220: Perform road condition analysis on the environmental image information to determine the current source of resistance, wherein the types of resistance sources include ground obstacles and user resistance.

[0077] As an example, a road condition recognition model trained on a neural network can be used to identify the acquired environmental images and obtain road condition analysis data. This road condition recognition model can be trained using existing publicly available methods; details on its construction and training can be found in publicly available literature, which will not be elaborated here. Furthermore, based on the road condition analysis information, such as identifying the presence and shape of obstacles on the current road, the cause of resistance encountered by the energy storage device can be determined. For example, there might be ground obstacles such as potholes or protruding obstacles (like pebbles), or resistance imposed by the user to hinder the device's movement.

[0078] In step S230, if the obstacle is a ground obstacle, the energy storage device is controlled to increase the motor output power so that the energy storage device can overcome the ground obstacle and continue to move forward.

[0079] In step S240, if the resistance is from the user, the energy storage device is controlled to reduce the motor output power to stop movement. It can be understood that by determining the type of resistance, different controls are applied to the energy storage device, thereby improving its intelligence.

[0080] As an alternative solution, such as Figure 5 As shown, the energy storage device follow-up control method also includes:

[0081] Step S310: When the gravity sensor detects a change in the gravity acting on the energy storage device, gravity change data is acquired.

[0082] In one embodiment, the gravity sensor can be, but is not limited to, being installed at a location where gravity information of the entire energy storage device can be collected, such as on the wheels of the energy storage device. Exemplarily, based on changes in gravity data uploaded at two or more consecutive moments, such as a significant deviation between the gravity at a later moment and the gravity at a previous moment, the energy storage device can determine whether a significant change in gravity has occurred. If a change occurs, gravity change data can be acquired to enable appropriate control of the energy storage device.

[0083] Possible reasons for changes in gravity include, for example, users placing items on the energy storage device or someone sitting on it, which increases the gravity acting on the device; or the removal of objects from the device, which reduces its gravity. Specific reasons are not limited here.

[0084] Step S320: Calculate the motor rotation update speed of the energy storage device based on the gravity change data and the information of the current external force.

[0085] As an example, when gravity changes, the motor rotation speed of the energy storage device can be further updated to achieve minimum power following, etc. It should be understood that if the change in gravity is caused by changes in external forces such as user actions, the latest motor rotation speed update should be calculated based on the most recently acquired information on the current external forces.

[0086] Step S330: Based on the travel speed and the motor rotation update speed, control the energy storage device to change the motor output power to continue following the motion.

[0087] Considering that if the weight of the energy storage device decreases or increases, its movement speed might not match the user's walking speed, the motor output power of the energy storage device is controlled based on the user's walking speed and the recalculated motor rotation speed to ensure continued user-following movement. This effectively addresses the issue of reduced motor rotation speed when children or other loads are present on the energy storage device, thus taking into account its load capacity.

[0088] As an optional solution, the energy storage device may also be equipped with a light sensor and a lighting device. Exemplarily, the energy storage device follow-up control method also includes: obtaining the ambient light intensity through the light sensor, and controlling the lighting device to turn on when the ambient light intensity is less than a preset light intensity threshold.

[0089] For example, considering nighttime use scenarios, the energy storage device can also be combined with a light sensor to obtain the ambient light intensity and automatically turn on the lighting device without the need for manual operation by the user. On the other hand, it can provide a corresponding light source for the image capture device when the light is poor, so that the shooting effect is clearer.

[0090] The energy storage device following control method in this embodiment combines a force sensing device and an image capture device for transport control. Only a small traction force from the user is needed to move the device, which can effectively solve the problem of relying on manual pulling of the device. Moreover, it can make the movement speed of the device follow the user's walking speed, avoiding situations where the user walks too fast but the movement speed of the energy storage device is too slow, requiring the user to drag the energy storage device or reduce their walking speed to match the energy storage device, or where the movement speed of the energy storage device is too fast, pushing the user forward. This achieves a better following effect and improves the user experience.

[0091] Example 2

[0092] Considering that energy storage devices may need to turn during the following process, existing technologies often require users to exert significant turning force. Improper force application can even lead to device tipping. Therefore, this application proposes a turning and following method for energy storage devices. This method, while ensuring the energy storage device can follow the user's movement in real time, uses force sensors to determine the user's turning intention and performs the turning and following when necessary. This eliminates the need for large turning forces; a single turning traction force is sufficient for easy device turning, greatly improving the user experience. The turning and following method for energy storage devices is described in detail below.

[0093] Please refer to Figure 6 As an example, the energy storage device steering follow method includes:

[0094] Step S410: During the process of the energy storage device following the user's movement, the force information of the energy storage device under the action of the user is obtained in real time using various force sensors.

[0095] The energy storage device following the user can employ the energy storage device following control method described in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here. This embodiment mainly focuses on how to better achieve steering following control when turning is required during the following process, so as to reduce the force required by the user when turning, thereby further improving the user experience.

[0096] By way of example, at least two force sensors are provided on the energy storage device. Specifically, one or more force sensors can be provided at different positions on the lever of the energy storage device, such as, but not limited to, the left and right sides of the lever and / or both ends of the lever handle. Generally, the more force sensors provided, the more force information will be obtained and the more accurate the detection will be.

[0097] When a user applies force to the lever, such as by pulling or pushing, the force sensors can collect data on the force at the corresponding location on the lever, thus obtaining the user's force on the entire energy storage device. It can be understood that the user's actions on the energy storage device mainly fall into three motion scenarios: movement without steering, steering and movement, and stopping. This discussion primarily focuses on the scenario where the energy storage device is steered.

[0098] In one implementation, the energy storage device can synthesize the magnitude and direction of the forces collected by various force sensors to obtain the resultant force exerted by the user on the energy storage device, and then determine the user's intention based on the information of this resultant force. This resultant force information includes the magnitude of the resultant force synthesized from the magnitudes of the individual forces and the direction of the resultant force synthesized from the corresponding directions of the forces.

[0099] Step S420: Based on the force information, determine whether the energy storage device needs to be turned, and identify the turning direction of the energy storage device when it needs to be turned.

[0100] Considering that the force applied by the user on the left and right sides or both ends of the lever often deviates significantly when steering is required, the force sensors will collect different force magnitudes. Therefore, this principle can be used as the basis for steering determination. In one embodiment, if the difference between the force magnitudes corresponding to the force sensors located on both sides or both ends of the lever exceeds a preset deviation range, it is determined that the energy storage device needs to steering, and the direction of the force corresponding to the force sensor with the larger force magnitude is taken as the steering direction of the energy storage device. Further optionally, if the difference between the force magnitudes corresponding to the aforementioned force sensors is within the preset deviation range, that is, when the force on both sides or both ends is relatively balanced, it is determined that the energy storage device does not need to steering and continues to follow the user's movement.

[0101] For example, if the difference between the force applied to the left side of the lever or the left end of the lever handle and the force applied to the right side of the lever or the right end of the lever handle is large, and the force on the right side is greater, then it can be determined that a right turn is required; conversely, if the difference is large, and the force on the left side is greater, then it can be determined that a left turn is required. This preset deviation range can be experimentally determined in advance through multiple turning tests and by collecting the magnitude of the corresponding forces applied by the user; it is not limited here.

[0102] Step S430: According to the steering direction, control the speed of the wheel motor at the corresponding position of the energy storage device so that the energy storage device can perform steering and following motion.

[0103] In this embodiment, the steering direction is detected, and the rotational speed of the wheel motors is controlled accordingly to drive the energy storage device to follow the steering direction. For example, in one implementation, when the steering direction is left front, the controller of the energy storage device can control the rotational speed of the right wheel motor to be greater than that of the left wheel motor; conversely, when the steering direction is right front, the controller controls the rotational speed of the left wheel motor to be greater than that of the right wheel motor. It can be understood that after determining the steering direction, further controlling the rotational speed of the corresponding wheel motors increases the device's own driving force, thereby reducing the steering force applied by the user.

[0104] Furthermore, considering that the wheels on both sides of the energy storage device may require different wheel speeds during steering to achieve better steering, and to achieve more precise steering following control, the energy storage device steering following method further includes: using the force magnitude collected by the force sensor corresponding to the steering direction as the steering pressure, and determining the motor speeds of the left and right wheels of the energy storage device based on the steering pressure. In one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, it specifically includes:

[0105] In step S510, if the steering pressure meets the first preset model, the motor of the wheel closer to the steering direction is controlled to rotate at a first rotation speed, and the motor of the wheel farther from the steering direction is controlled to rotate at a second rotation speed; wherein the second rotation speed is greater than the first rotation speed.

[0106] In step S520, if the steering pressure meets the second preset model, the motor speed of the wheel closer to the steering direction is controlled to be zero, and the motor speed of the wheel farther from the steering direction is controlled to be a third rotation speed; wherein, the third rotation speed is greater than zero.

[0107] The first and second preset models mentioned above are mainly used to determine whether the current energy storage device is simply turning (left or right) or making a U-turn, thereby determining the corresponding control mode. Specifically, these include a turning model and a U-turn model. The first preset model is mainly used to determine whether the turning pressure of the energy storage device in the turning direction is greater than a first preset threshold and the turning pressure in the non-turning direction is less than a second preset threshold. The non-turning direction refers to the direction opposite to the turning direction. For example, when turning left, the turning pressure on the left will be greater than preset threshold 'a', while the turning pressure on the right will be less than preset threshold 'b', and so on. The values ​​of these two preset thresholds can be set according to actual needs.

[0108] If the first condition mentioned above is met, indicating that steering is required, the controller of the energy storage device selects the steering mode, which means that the rotation speed of the motor of the wheel closer to the steering direction is slower than the rotation speed of the motor of the wheel farther away from the steering direction, and the rotation speed of the motor of the wheel closer to the steering direction is not zero, so as to achieve better steering follow-up.

[0109] The second preset model is mainly used to determine whether the steering pressure of the energy storage device in the steering direction is greater than the third preset threshold and the steering pressure in the non-steering direction is less than the fourth preset threshold. The fourth preset threshold is less than the second preset threshold. It can be understood that the third and fourth preset thresholds can be obtained by pre-testing or by machine learning, etc., and are not limited here.

[0110] If the second condition described above is met, indicating that a U-turn is required, the energy storage device's controller selects the U-turn mode. This means that the motor speed of the wheel closest to the turning direction is set to zero, while the motor speed of the wheel furthest from the turning direction is set to a third rotational speed. This third rotational speed only needs to be non-zero and can be adjusted according to the specific force conditions.

[0111] It is understandable that by setting the above-mentioned preset model for judgment, the judgment is only made when the steering pressure in both directions meets the corresponding threshold range, which can reduce the error rate, etc.

[0112] As an alternative solution, such as Figure 8 As shown, the energy storage device is also equipped with an attitude sensor. Considering the possibility of encountering obstacles during steering and to ensure safety in steering control, in order to avoid rollover, the energy storage device's steering following method also includes, demonstratively, the following:

[0113] In step S610, if resistance is detected to the energy storage device, the environmental image information of the energy storage device when it is subjected to resistance is collected using an image capture device, and the motion attitude of the energy storage device when it is subjected to resistance is obtained using an attitude sensor.

[0114] Step S620: If the tilt angle of the energy storage device detected by the motion posture is less than the preset angle, and the resistance is determined to be a ground obstacle based on the environmental image information, then the location and type of the ground obstacle are determined based on the motion posture, wherein the type includes concave or convex surfaces.

[0115] This section primarily utilizes attitude sensors to detect the tilt angle of energy storage devices, thereby determining the specific location and type of ground fault. Typically, when a wheel encounters an obstacle, if the obstacle is concave, one wheel on the corresponding side will sink, causing the entire device to tilt. In this case, the attitude angles of the left and right sides of the device can be compared to determine which side encountered the obstacle. Similarly, for convex obstacles, one wheel on the corresponding side will be lifted up, and thus, the attitude angles of both sides can also be compared to determine which side encountered the obstacle.

[0116] Alternatively, if the tilt angle of the energy storage device is detected to exceed a preset angle, it indicates that the energy storage device is very likely to overturn, and therefore the drive to the wheel motor will be stopped and an alarm will be issued.

[0117] Step S630: Adjust the motor output power of the corresponding wheel of the energy storage device according to the location and type of the ground obstacle, so that the energy storage device can safely cross the ground obstacle.

[0118] Furthermore, provided that it is safe to traverse the obstacles, once the location and type of the specific ground obstacles are known, the output power of the wheel motors at the corresponding locations can be controlled. For example, when an obstacle is encountered on the left, the driving force of the left wheel is increased; conversely, when an obstacle is encountered on the right, the driving force of the right wheel is increased, thus enabling the energy storage device to successfully overcome the obstacles.

[0119] The energy storage device steering following method in this embodiment acquires force information on the energy storage device in real time when it is subjected to user action by a force sensor during the user's movement. Based on the force information, it determines whether the energy storage device needs to turn, and identifies the turning direction when turning is required. Based on the turning direction, it controls the speed of the wheel motor at the corresponding position of the energy storage device to enable the energy storage device to perform steering following motion. In other words, by combining force sensors to determine the user's steering intention and performing steering following when turning is required, the user no longer needs a large steering force, but only a steering traction force to achieve easy turning of the device, greatly improving the user experience.

[0120] Please refer to Figure 9 Based on the energy storage device follow-up control method of the above embodiments, this embodiment proposes an energy storage device follow-up control device, which, exemplary, includes:

[0121] The force information acquisition module 110 is used to acquire information about the external forces acting on the energy storage device, including the direction of the force.

[0122] The rotational speed calculation module 120 is used to calculate the rotational speed of the motor used to control the energy storage device based on the gravity and the direction of the force acting on the energy storage device.

[0123] The walking speed calculation module 130 is used to acquire the user's stepping distance in real time through the image capture device on the energy storage device, and calculate the user's walking speed based on the stepping distance.

[0124] The motion control module 140 is used to control the motor output power of the energy storage device to perform following motion based on the travel speed and the motor rotation speed.

[0125] It is understood that the device in this embodiment corresponds to the energy storage device following control method in the above embodiments, and the options in the above embodiments are also applicable to this embodiment, so they will not be described again here.

[0126] Please refer to Figure 10 Based on the energy storage device steering following method of the above embodiments, this embodiment proposes an energy storage device steering following device, which, exemplary, includes:

[0127] The force information acquisition module 210 is used to acquire the force information of the energy storage device when it is subjected to the user's action by various force sensors during the process of the energy storage device following the user's movement.

[0128] The steering determination module 220 is used to determine whether the energy storage device needs to be steered based on the force information, and to identify the steering direction of the energy storage device when steering is required.

[0129] The steering control module 230 is used to control the speed of the wheel motor at the corresponding position of the energy storage device according to the steering direction, so that the energy storage device can perform steering and following motion.

[0130] It is understood that the device in this embodiment corresponds to the energy storage device steering following method in the above embodiments, and the options in the above embodiments are also applicable to this embodiment, so they will not be described again here.

[0131] Furthermore, embodiments of this application also propose an energy storage device, such as... Figure 2 As shown, exemplarily, the energy storage device may include a memory, a processor, and sensing components disposed on the device body. For example, the sensing components may include, but are not limited to, a force sensor disposed on the pull rod of the energy storage device, and a camera device, depth camera device, etc., disposed on the housing of the energy storage device. The specific configuration can be determined according to actual needs and is not limited here. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the energy storage device following control method of the embodiments of this application.

[0132] Furthermore, this application also provides a readable storage medium for storing the computer program used in the aforementioned energy storage device. When executed on a processor, the computer program implements the functions of various modules in the energy storage device follow-control method or energy storage device follow-control apparatus of the above embodiments. For example, the readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, various media capable of storing program code, such as a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0133] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can also be implemented in other ways. The apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatus, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that, in alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than those marked in the drawings. For example, two consecutive blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagram and / or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in the block diagram and / or flowchart, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0134] In addition, the functional modules or units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module can exist independently, or two or more modules can be integrated to form an independent part.

[0135] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional modules and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, essentially, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a smartphone, personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0136] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for steering and following the direction of an energy storage device, characterized in that, The energy storage device is equipped with at least two force sensors, and the method includes: During the process of the energy storage device following the user's movement, the force sensors are used to acquire the force information of the energy storage device when it is subjected to the user's action in real time. Based on the force information, determine whether the energy storage device needs to be turned, and identify the turning direction of the energy storage device when it needs to be turned; According to the steering direction, the speed of the wheel motor at the corresponding position of the energy storage device is controlled so that the energy storage device can perform steering and following motion; The force information includes the magnitude of the force collected by each force sensor; the magnitude of the force corresponding to each force sensor is used as the steering pressure; If the steering pressure meets the first preset model, the controller of the energy storage device selects the steering mode, that is, controls the motor of the wheel on the side closer to the steering direction to rotate at a first rotation speed, and the motor of the wheel on the side farther from the steering direction to rotate at a second rotation speed; wherein, the second rotation speed is greater than the first rotation speed. If the steering pressure conforms to the second preset model, the controller of the energy storage device selects the U-turn mode, that is, controls the motor speed of the wheel on the side closer to the steering direction to zero, and the motor speed of the wheel on the side farther from the steering direction to a third rotation speed; the third rotation speed is greater than zero. The first preset model is used to determine whether the steering pressure of the energy storage device in the steering direction is greater than a first preset threshold and whether the steering pressure in the non-steering direction is less than a second preset threshold, wherein the non-steering direction refers to the direction opposite to the steering direction; The second preset model is used to determine whether the steering pressure of the energy storage device in the steering direction is greater than the third preset threshold and whether the steering pressure in the non-steering direction is less than the fourth preset threshold, wherein the fourth preset threshold is less than the second preset threshold.

2. The energy storage device steering and following method according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one force sensor is provided at different positions of the pull rod of the energy storage device, and the force information also includes the force direction collected by each force sensor; The step of determining whether the energy storage device needs to be turned based on the force information, and identifying the turning direction of the energy storage device when turning is required, includes: If the difference between the magnitudes of the forces corresponding to each of the force sensors exceeds a preset deviation range, it is determined that the energy storage device needs to be turned, and the direction of the force corresponding to the force sensor with the larger force magnitude is taken as the turning direction of the energy storage device.

3. The energy storage device steering and following method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: If the difference between the magnitudes of the forces corresponding to each of the force sensors is within the preset deviation range, then it is determined that the energy storage device does not need to turn and continues to follow the user's movement.

4. The energy storage device steering and following method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the wheel motor speed at the corresponding position of the energy storage device according to the steering direction includes: When the steering direction is left front, the motor speed of the right wheel of the energy storage device is greater than the motor speed of the left wheel; When the steering direction is to the right front, the motor speed of the left wheel of the energy storage device is controlled to be greater than the motor speed of the right wheel.

5. The energy storage device steering and following method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The force information is obtained by synthesizing the magnitude and direction of the force collected by each force sensor, and the force information includes the direction of force synthesis; The energy storage device follows the user's movement, including: Based on the gravity acting on the energy storage device and the direction of the resultant force, the rotational speed of the motor used to control the energy storage device is calculated. The user's stepping distance is acquired in real time using the image capture device on the energy storage device, and the user's walking speed is calculated based on the stepping distance; The energy storage device controls the motor output power based on the travel speed and the motor rotation speed to follow the user's movement.

6. The energy storage device steering and following method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The energy storage device is also equipped with an attitude sensor and an image capture device, and the method further includes: If resistance is detected to the energy storage device, the image capture device is used to collect environmental image information when the energy storage device is subjected to resistance, and the attitude sensor is used to obtain the motion attitude of the energy storage device when it is subjected to resistance. If the motion posture detects that the tilt angle of the energy storage device is less than a preset angle, and the resistance is determined to be a ground obstacle based on the environmental image information, then the position and type of the ground obstacle are determined based on the motion posture, wherein the type includes concave surface and convex surface; Based on the location and type of the ground obstacle, adjust the motor output power of the corresponding wheel of the energy storage device to enable the energy storage device to safely cross the ground obstacle.

7. A steering and following device for an energy storage device, characterized in that, The energy storage device is equipped with at least two force sensors, and the device includes: The information acquisition module is used to acquire the force information of the energy storage device when it is subjected to the user's action by each of the force sensors in real time during the process of the energy storage device following the user's movement. The steering determination module is used to determine whether the energy storage device needs to turn based on the force information, and to identify the turning direction of the energy storage device when turning is required; The steering control module is used to control the speed of the wheel motor at the corresponding position of the energy storage device according to the steering direction, so that the energy storage device can perform steering and following motion; The force information includes the force magnitude collected by each of the force sensors; the steering control module is also used to use the force magnitude corresponding to each of the force sensors as steering pressure; If the steering pressure meets the first preset model, the controller of the energy storage device selects the steering mode, that is, controls the motor of the wheel on the side closer to the steering direction to rotate at a first rotation speed, and the motor of the wheel on the side farther from the steering direction to rotate at a second rotation speed; wherein, the second rotation speed is greater than the first rotation speed. If the steering pressure conforms to the second preset model, the controller of the energy storage device selects the U-turn mode, that is, controls the motor speed of the wheel on the side closer to the steering direction to zero, and the motor speed of the wheel on the side farther from the steering direction to a third rotation speed; the third rotation speed is greater than zero. The first preset model is used to determine whether the steering pressure of the energy storage device in the steering direction is greater than a first preset threshold and whether the steering pressure in the non-steering direction is less than a second preset threshold, wherein the non-steering direction refers to the direction opposite to the steering direction; The second preset model is used to determine whether the steering pressure of the energy storage device in the steering direction is greater than the third preset threshold and whether the steering pressure in the non-steering direction is less than the fourth preset threshold, wherein the fourth preset threshold is less than the second preset threshold.

8. An energy storage device, characterized in that, The energy storage device includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the energy storage device steering and following method according to any one of claims 1-6.

9. A readable storage medium, characterized in that, It stores a computer program that, when executed on a processor, implements the energy storage device steering and following method according to any one of claims 1-6.

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