A shortest time planning method and system for robot handling

Abstract

The present invention proposes a method and system for the shortest time planning of robot handling. The method for the shortest time planning of robot handling comprises: retrieving a plan view of a storage room corresponding to the task performed by the robot, wherein the surface area of ​​the storage room is a rectangular structure, and an infrared sensor is arranged in the storage room; setting a grid in the plan view according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid map; performing the shortest time planning according to the location of the goods in the storage room to obtain the shortest time planning result; and controlling the robot to run to the location of the goods according to the shortest time path. The system comprises modules corresponding to the steps of the method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention proposes a shortest time planning method and system for robot handling, belonging to the technical field of path planning. Background Art

[0002] The circular robot needs to have autonomous navigation capabilities in order to move in a rectangular warehouse, avoid obstacles, locate the goods, and move them to the target location. This usually involves the use of sensors such as lidar, cameras, and ultrasonic sensors to perceive the environment and develop navigation strategies. In path planning, complex trajectory planning algorithms are often used, which results in a long trajectory acquisition response time and low trajectory planning efficiency in ordinary handling scenarios. In addition, excessive consumption of computing capacity resources leads to resource waste. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention provides a method and system for the shortest time planning of robot handling, which is used to solve the problem that the use of complex trajectory planning algorithms in the prior art leads to a long trajectory acquisition response time and low trajectory planning efficiency in ordinary handling scenarios, and excessive consumption of computing capacity resources, resulting in resource waste. The technical solutions adopted are as follows:

[0004] A method for planning the shortest time for robot handling, wherein the robot is a round robot, and the method for planning the shortest time for robot handling comprises:

[0005] Retrieving a plan view of a storage room corresponding to a task performed by the robot, wherein the surface area of ​​the storage room is a rectangular structure, and an infrared sensor is disposed in the storage room;

[0006] Grids are set in the plane diagram according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid diagram;

[0007] Perform shortest time planning according to the location of the goods in the storage room to obtain the shortest time planning result;

[0008] The robot is controlled to run to the location of the goods according to the shortest time path.

[0009] Further, a grid is set in the plane diagram according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid diagram, including:

[0010] extracting the circular radius of the robot;

[0011] Extracting two side lengths of the rectangular area of ​​the storage room shown in the plan view;

[0012] According to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the ground surface and the radius of the circle, a grid is set in the plane map to obtain a grid map corresponding to the plane map;

[0013] Initialize and configure a radio frequency signal generator at a grid vertex of the grid graph;

[0014] Initialize and configure a radio frequency signal receiver at the circular center point of the robot.

[0015] Further, the grid is set in the plane diagram according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle, including:

[0016] The grid side length of the plane diagram is obtained according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle; wherein the grid side length is obtained by the following formula:

[0017] L=[1+(L c -L d ) / L c -(T×V max -R) / max(R,T×V max )]×L0

[0018] L0=L c ×T×V min / L x

[0019] Where L represents the grid side length; L c and L d Respectively represent the length of the long side and the width side of the rectangular area on the surface; L0 represents the length of the reference grid side; T represents the shortest allowed time for the preset single grid side length to run; V min and V max Indicates the lower and upper speed limits allowed within the operating speed range during the normal operation of the robot; L x represents the length of the diagonal of the rectangular area on the surface; R represents the length of the circular radius of the robot;

[0020] Grids are arranged in the plane diagram according to the side lengths of the grids to form a grid diagram corresponding to the plane diagram.

[0021] Further, the shortest time planning is performed according to the location of the goods in the storage room to obtain the shortest time planning result, including:

[0022] Monitoring the position of the goods in the storage room in real time by using an infrared sensor, and marking the position of the goods in the storage room on the grid map as the end position;

[0023] The infrared sensor detects the robot's current position as the starting position;

[0024] Retrieving the position of the cargo obstacle between the starting position and the ending position;

[0025] The motion principle of the robot is retrieved, and according to the motion principle, the trajectory of the robot is simulated on the grid map through the grid structure according to the starting position and the ending position and with the purpose of avoiding the position of the cargo obstacle, and the simulated running time corresponding to the trajectory is obtained; wherein the motion principle is:

[0026] The center position of the circular robot always corresponds to the edge length and vertex of the grid graph during operation;

[0027] The circular robot runs one grid side length at a time, and the prescribed time for the robot to run one grid side length is 1s;

[0028] Comparing the simulated running time with the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location to obtain a comparison result;

[0029] When the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time exceeds the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location, 0 is output and the first category count is performed once;

[0030] When the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time does not exceed the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location, 1 is output and the second type of counting is performed once;

[0031] A path with the shortest simulation running time among all the second type of counts is extracted and output as the shortest time path.

[0032] Further, controlling the robot to run to the location of the cargo according to the shortest time path includes:

[0033] Retrieve the shortest time path;

[0034] According to the shortest time path, start the radio frequency signal generator set at the grid vertex on the grid graph corresponding to the shortest time path as the target radio frequency signal generator;

[0035] Turn off all radio frequency signal generators except the target radio frequency signal generator;

[0036] Activate the robot's radio frequency signal receiver;

[0037] The robot is controlled by the radio frequency signal between the radio frequency signal receiver and the radio frequency signal generator to perform path recognition and run to the location of the goods.

[0038] A shortest time planning system for robot handling, wherein the robot is a round robot, and the shortest time planning system for robot handling comprises:

[0039] A plan view retrieving module, used to retrieve a plan view of a storage room corresponding to the task performed by the robot, wherein the surface area of ​​the storage room is a rectangular structure, and an infrared sensor is provided in the storage room;

[0040] A grid map acquisition module, used for setting a grid in the plane map according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid map;

[0041] A path planning module, used to perform shortest time planning according to the location of the goods in the storage room to obtain the shortest time planning result;

[0042] The robot control module is used to control the robot to run to the location of the goods according to the shortest time path.

[0043] Furthermore, the grid map acquisition module includes:

[0044] A radius extraction module, used to extract the circular radius of the robot;

[0045] An area side length extraction module, used to extract two side lengths of the rectangular area on the surface of the storage room shown in the plan view;

[0046] A grid setting module, used for setting a grid in the plane map according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle, to obtain a grid map corresponding to the plane map;

[0047] A first initialization configuration module, used for initializing and configuring a radio frequency signal generator at a grid vertex of the grid graph;

[0048] The second initialization configuration module is used to initialize and configure a radio frequency signal receiver at the circular center point of the robot.

[0049] Furthermore, the grid setting module includes:

[0050] The grid side length setting module is used to set the grid side length of the plan view according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle; wherein the grid side length is obtained by the following formula:

[0051] L=[1+(L c -L d ) / L c -(T×V max -R) / max(R,T×V max )]×L0

[0052] L0=L c ×T×V min / L x

[0053] Where L represents the grid side length; L c and L d Respectively represent the length of the long side and the width side of the rectangular area on the surface; L0 represents the length of the reference grid side; T represents the shortest allowed time for the preset single grid side length to run; V min and V max Indicates the lower and upper speed limits allowed within the operating speed range during the normal operation of the robot; L x represents the length of the diagonal of the rectangular area on the surface; R represents the length of the circular radius of the robot;

[0054] The grid map forming module is used to arrange grids in the plane map according to the side lengths of the grids to form a grid map corresponding to the plane map.

[0055] Furthermore, the path planning module includes:

[0056] The end position acquisition module is used to monitor the position of the goods in the storage room in real time through an infrared sensor, and mark the position of the goods in the storage room on the grid map as the end position;

[0057] The starting position acquisition module is used to detect the current position of the robot through an infrared sensor as the starting position;

[0058] An obstacle position acquisition module, used to retrieve the position of the cargo obstacle between the starting position and the ending position;

[0059] The simulation operation module is used to call the robot's motion principle, and according to the motion principle, simulate the robot's running trajectory on the grid map through the grid structure according to the starting position and the ending position and with the purpose of avoiding the position of the cargo obstacle, and obtain the simulated running time corresponding to the trajectory; wherein the motion principle is:

[0060] The center position of the circular robot always corresponds to the edge length and vertex of the grid graph during operation;

[0061] The circular robot runs one grid side length at a time, and the prescribed time for the robot to run one grid side length is 1s;

[0062] A duration comparison module, used to compare the simulated operation duration with the required duration for the robot to reach the cargo location to obtain a comparison result;

[0063] A first type counting control module, configured to output 0 and perform a first type counting once when the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time exceeds the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location;

[0064] A second type counting control module, configured to output 1 and perform a second type counting once when the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time does not exceed the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location;

[0065] The shortest path output module is used to extract the path with the shortest simulation running time from all the second type of counts and output it as the shortest time path.

[0066] Furthermore, the robot control module comprises:

[0067] Path retrieval module, used to retrieve the shortest time path;

[0068] A radio frequency generator determination module, used to start the radio frequency signal generator set at the grid vertex on the grid graph corresponding to the shortest time path according to the shortest time path as the target radio frequency signal generator;

[0069] A generator shut down module, used to shut down all radio frequency signal generators except the target radio frequency signal generator;

[0070] A receiver start module, used to start the robot's radio frequency signal receiver;

[0071] The path identification module is used to control the robot to perform path identification through the radio frequency signal between the radio frequency signal receiver and the target radio frequency signal generator, and run to the location of the goods.

[0072] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0073] The shortest time planning method and system for robot handling proposed in the present invention helps the robot to carry goods more efficiently by calculating the shortest time path, thereby improving the efficiency of the handling task. Through the shortest path planning, the running time of the robot can be saved, thereby reducing energy consumption and reducing operating costs. The method can ensure that the robot goes to the target in the most direct way, reducing possible errors and time waste. This method enables the robot to perform tasks autonomously, reduces the need for manual intervention, and improves the degree of automation. The shortest time planning method for robot handling proposed in this embodiment is suitable for a circular robot in a storage room, which can enable it to efficiently perform cargo handling tasks, improving the efficiency and automation level of warehouse operations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0074] Figure 1 is a flow chart of the method of the present invention;

[0075] Figure 2 The figure is a schematic diagram of the system structure of the system of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present invention, and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0077] The embodiment of the present invention proposes a method for planning the shortest time for robot handling, such as Figure 1 As shown, the robot is a round robot, and the shortest time planning method for robot handling includes:

[0078] S1. Retrieve a plan view of a storage room corresponding to a task performed by the robot, wherein the surface area of ​​the storage room is a rectangular structure, and an infrared sensor is provided in the storage room;

[0079] S2. Setting a grid in the plane diagram according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid diagram;

[0080] S3, performing the shortest time planning according to the location of the goods in the storage room to obtain the shortest time planning result;

[0081] S4. Control the robot to run to the location of the goods according to the shortest time path.

[0082] The working principle of the above technical solution is as follows: First, a floor plan of the storage room is called, which shows the surface area of ​​the storage room, which is usually a rectangular structure. In addition, the storage room is also equipped with infrared sensors, which may be used to sense the environment or detect obstacles.

[0083] The grid map is made up of grids created within the floor plan based on the radius of the robot's circle. This helps break up the map into manageable chunks so the robot can plan its path.

[0084] Using the provided cargo location information, calculate a shortest time planning result. This may involve searching an algorithm to find the shortest path from the robot's current location to the cargo location, taking into account obstacles or constraints in the grid graph.

[0085] Once the shortest time path is calculated, the circular robot will be controlled to move in the storage room according to the path until it reaches the location of the goods.

[0086] The effect of the above technical solution is: the shortest time planning method for robot transportation proposed in this embodiment helps the robot to transport goods more efficiently by calculating the shortest time path, thereby improving the efficiency of the transportation task. Through the shortest path planning, the running time of the robot can be saved, thereby reducing energy consumption and reducing operating costs. This method ensures that the robot goes to the target in the most direct way, reducing possible errors and time waste. This method enables the robot to perform tasks autonomously, reduces the need for human intervention, and improves the degree of automation. The shortest time planning method for robot transportation proposed in this embodiment is suitable for round robots in storage rooms, which can enable them to efficiently perform cargo handling tasks and improve the efficiency and automation level of warehouse operations.

[0087] In one embodiment of the present invention, a grid is set in the plane diagram according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid diagram, comprising:

[0088] S201, extracting the circular radius of the robot;

[0089] S202, extracting two side lengths of the rectangular area on the surface of the storage room shown in the plan view;

[0090] S203, setting a grid in the plane map according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the ground surface and the radius of the circle, to obtain a grid map corresponding to the plane map;

[0091] S204, initializing and configuring a radio frequency signal generator at a grid vertex of the grid graph;

[0092] S205: Initialize and configure a radio frequency signal receiver at the circular center point of the robot.

[0093] The working principle of the above technical solution is: Extracting the circular radius: It is necessary to obtain the circular radius of the circular robot, which is a key size parameter of the circular robot.

[0094] Extracting the floor plan information of the storage room: The floor plan provides information about the surface area of ​​the storage room, including two side lengths, usually a rectangular structure. This information is used to determine the available working area.

[0095] Grid setup: Based on the two side lengths of the storage room surface area and the circular radius of the robot, the system calculates the size and layout of the grid. The grid is usually rectangular and can be divided into multiple small units, and the size of each unit can be determined based on the diameter of the circular robot and the robot's movement mode. These grids are used for discrete representation of the map.

[0096] RF signal setup: At the grid vertices of the grid graph, the system may initialize and configure RF signal generators and receivers. These devices can be used for communication or positioning to help the robot navigate and plan paths in the storage room.

[0097] The effects of the above technical solution are: Accurate grid representation: By setting the grid according to the size of the circular robot and the surface area of ​​the storage room, an accurate map representation can be created, which is helpful for path planning and navigation.

[0098] Robot Navigation: Initializing RF signal devices helps robots locate and navigate within the storage room, allowing them to perform tasks more efficiently.

[0099] Flexibility: This approach can accommodate storage rooms and circular robots of different sizes and shapes, increasing the flexibility and versatility of the system.

[0100] In summary, the goal of the technical solution of this embodiment is to create an appropriate grid map for the circular robot in the storage room to help the robot plan its path and perform tasks. This improves the efficiency and accuracy of the robot's operation in the storage room.

[0101] In one embodiment of the present invention, a grid is set in the plane diagram according to the length relationship between two sides of the rectangular area on the ground surface and the radius of the circle, including:

[0102] S2031. Calculate the grid side length of the plan view according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the ground surface and the radius of the circle; wherein the grid side length is obtained by the following formula:

[0103] L=[1+(L c -L d ) / L c -(T×V max -R) / max(R,T×V max )]×L0

[0104] L0=L c ×T×V min / L x

[0105] Where L represents the grid side length; L c and L d Respectively represent the length of the long side and the width side of the rectangular area on the surface; L0 represents the length of the reference grid side; T represents the shortest allowed time for the preset single grid side length to run; V min and V max Indicates the lower and upper speed limits allowed within the operating speed range during the normal operation of the robot; L xrepresents the length of the diagonal of the rectangular area on the surface; R represents the length of the circular radius of the robot;

[0106] S2032. Arrange grids in the plan view according to the side lengths of the grids to form a grid map corresponding to the plan view.

[0107] The working principle of the above technical solution is as follows: Calculate the grid side length (S2031): Calculate the grid side length (L) by considering the long side length (Lc), the wide side length (Ld), the circular radius (R) of the robot and other parameters of the surface rectangular area. This formula includes multiple factors, such as the size of the surface rectangular area, the size of the robot, the speed limit of the robot, etc.

[0108] Grid layout (S2032): Using the calculated grid side length, the plane map is divided into multiple small grid units to form a grid map. These grid units can be used for discrete representation of the map for path planning and navigation.

[0109] The effect of the above technical solution is: the above technical solution of this embodiment can calculate the grid side length suitable for a specific situation by considering factors such as the size of the surface rectangular area, the size of the robot and the speed limit, thereby achieving accurate grid setting. A discrete grid map is created to facilitate path planning and navigation, allowing the circular robot to move and perform tasks safely and efficiently in the storage room. This method can adapt to surface rectangular areas of different sizes and shapes and circular robots of different sizes, improving the versatility and applicability of the system.

[0110] At the same time, the grid side length is obtained through the calculation formula, so that the grid map size is more accurate and can better reflect the actual situation of the rectangular area on the surface. The preset minimum time allowed for the operation of a single grid side length (T) can be adjusted according to actual needs, so that the grid map size is more in line with the robot's operating speed, improve the robot's operating efficiency and the matching between the grid size design and the robot's operating conditions, thereby improving the rationality of the grid size setting, and preventing the unreasonable grid size setting and the robot's speed operating conditions from causing poor rationality of path planning, thereby causing the robot's navigation and path setting to be inaccurate. By adjusting the robot's circular radius length (R), it can adapt to different terrains and environments, making the grid map size more flexible and matching the robot's body shape, preventing the robot from physically blocking the unreached grid points during operation, resulting in navigation errors, and can better adapt to various situations. By laying out grids in the plane map to form a grid map, the plane map can be made more stable, less susceptible to external interference, and its reliability and stability can be improved. Therefore, using the above elements to obtain the grid map size of the plane map can improve accuracy, efficiency, adaptability and stability, and provide better technical support for robot operation.

[0111] In summary, the goal of the technical solution of this embodiment is to calculate and set the appropriate grid side length according to the characteristics of the rectangular area on the surface and the parameters of the robot to achieve path planning and navigation, thereby improving the operating efficiency and accuracy of the robot in the storage room.

[0112] In one embodiment of the present invention, the shortest time planning is performed according to the location of the goods in the storage room to obtain the shortest time planning result, including:

[0113] S301, monitoring the position of the goods in the storage room in real time by using an infrared sensor, and marking the position of the goods in the storage room on the grid map as the end position;

[0114] S302, detecting the current position of the robot through an infrared sensor as the starting position;

[0115] S303, retrieving the position of the cargo obstacle between the starting position and the ending position;

[0116] S304, retrieve the motion principle of the robot, and simulate the trajectory of the robot's operation on the grid map according to the grid structure according to the starting position and the ending position and avoiding the position of the cargo obstacle according to the motion principle, and obtain the simulated running time corresponding to the trajectory; wherein the motion principle is:

[0117] S305, the center position of the circular robot corresponds to the side length and vertex of the grid graph at all times during operation;

[0118] S306, the circular robot runs one grid side length at a time, and the prescribed time length corresponding to the robot running one grid side length is 1 second;

[0119] S307, comparing the simulated running time with the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location to obtain a comparison result;

[0120] S308. When the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time exceeds the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location, 0 is output and the first category count is performed once;

[0121] S309: When the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time does not exceed the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location, output 1 and perform the second category counting once;

[0122] S3010: Extract a path with the shortest simulation running time from all the second-type counts and output it as the shortest time path.

[0123] The working principle of the above technical solution is: use infrared sensors to monitor the position of goods in the storage room in real time, mark these positions on the grid map, and use one position as the end position. Also use infrared sensors to detect the current position of the robot and use it as the starting position. Retrieve the position information of the goods obstacles between the starting position and the end position, which includes other objects or shelves in the storage room.

[0124] According to the robot's motion principle, the robot's motion trajectory from the starting position to the end position is simulated on the grid map, taking into account the position of avoiding cargo obstacles. The motion principle includes: the center position of the circular robot always corresponds to the side length and vertex of the grid map during operation. The robot runs one grid side length each time, and the time corresponding to each grid side length is specified to be 1 second.

[0125] The duration of the simulation run is compared with the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location. According to the comparison result, if the simulation run time does not exceed the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location, then output 1 to indicate that the path is feasible, and record the count. If the simulation run time exceeds the required time, then output 0. Finally, extract all the paths with the shortest simulation run time in the second category count as the shortest time path.

[0126] The effect of the above technical solution is: The above technical solution of this embodiment is to find the shortest time path for the robot to reach the cargo position from the starting position to minimize the task completion time. By real-time monitoring of the cargo position and avoiding cargo obstacles, it is possible to cope with the changes in the cargo position in the storage room and the dynamics of the robot's surrounding environment. By comparing the simulated running time and the required time, it is ensured that the generated path is feasible in actual operation.

[0127] In summary, the goal of the above technical solution of this embodiment is to use infrared sensors to monitor the location of goods, simulate the shortest time path planning of the robot, and output the shortest time path to optimize the time efficiency of the robot in handling goods in the storage room.

[0128] In one embodiment of the present invention, controlling the robot to move to the location of the cargo according to the shortest time path includes:

[0129] S401, retrieve the shortest time path;

[0130] S402, starting the radio frequency signal generator set at the grid vertex on the grid graph corresponding to the shortest time path according to the shortest time path as the target radio frequency signal generator;

[0131] S403, turning off all radio frequency signal generators except the target radio frequency signal generator;

[0132] S404, starting the radio frequency signal receiver of the robot;

[0133] S405: Control the robot to perform path recognition through the radio frequency signal between the radio frequency signal receiver and the radio frequency signal generator, and run to the location of the goods.

[0134] The working principle of the above technical solution is: Retrieve the shortest time path (S401): Retrieve the shortest time path calculated previously, which is the path that the robot should follow.

[0135] Target RF signal generator (S402): According to the shortest time path, a RF signal generator is set on the corresponding grid vertex on the grid graph as the target RF signal generator. This signal generator will emit a RF signal to identify the target position that the robot should go to.

[0136] Turn off other RF signal generators (S403): To avoid confusion, turn off all RF signal generators except the target RF signal generator. This ensures that the robot is only affected by the RF signal associated with the shortest time path.

[0137] Start the radio frequency signal receiver of the robot (S404): The robot is equipped with a radio frequency signal receiver for receiving radio frequency signals.

[0138] Path identification and operation (S405): The robot receives the target RF signal through the RF signal receiver and identifies the path according to the signal. It will follow the target signal on the shortest time path, move along this path, and finally reach the location of the goods.

[0139] The effect of the above technical solution is: by using radio frequency signals to control the robot, the robot is ensured to move along the predetermined shortest time path, thereby improving the efficiency of cargo handling. The robot can accurately identify the path by receiving the target radio frequency signal, thereby avoiding deviation from the optimal path. Turning off other signal generators except the target radio frequency signal generator helps to avoid signal confusion and ensure that the robot runs along the correct path.

[0140] In summary, the goal of the above technical solution of the present invention is to control the robot through radio frequency signals so that it moves from the starting position to the location of the goods along the shortest time path to improve the handling efficiency and accuracy.

[0141] The embodiment of the present invention proposes a shortest time planning system for robot handling, such as Figure 2 As shown, the robot is a round robot, and the shortest time planning system for robot handling includes:

[0142] A plan view retrieving module, used to retrieve a plan view of a storage room corresponding to the task performed by the robot, wherein the surface area of ​​the storage room is a rectangular structure, and an infrared sensor is provided in the storage room;

[0143] A grid map acquisition module, used for setting a grid in the plane map according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid map;

[0144] A path planning module, used to perform shortest time planning according to the location of the goods in the storage room to obtain the shortest time planning result;

[0145] The robot control module is used to control the robot to run to the location of the goods according to the shortest time path.

[0146] The working principle of the above technical solution is as follows: First, a floor plan of the storage room is called, which shows the surface area of ​​the storage room, which is usually a rectangular structure. In addition, the storage room is also equipped with infrared sensors, which may be used to sense the environment or detect obstacles.

[0147] The grid map is made up of grids created within the floor plan based on the radius of the robot's circle. This helps break up the map into manageable chunks so the robot can plan its path.

[0148] Using the provided cargo location information, calculate a shortest time planning result. This may involve searching an algorithm to find the shortest path from the robot's current location to the cargo location, taking into account obstacles or constraints in the grid graph.

[0149] Once the shortest time path is calculated, the circular robot will be controlled to move in the storage room according to the path until it reaches the location of the goods.

[0150] The effect of the above technical solution is: the shortest time planning method for robot transportation proposed in this embodiment helps the robot to transport goods more efficiently by calculating the shortest time path, thereby improving the efficiency of the transportation task. Through the shortest path planning, the running time of the robot can be saved, thereby reducing energy consumption and reducing operating costs. This method ensures that the robot goes to the target in the most direct way, reducing possible errors and time waste. This method enables the robot to perform tasks autonomously, reduces the need for human intervention, and improves the degree of automation. The shortest time planning method for robot transportation proposed in this embodiment is suitable for round robots in storage rooms, which can enable them to efficiently perform cargo handling tasks and improve the efficiency and automation level of warehouse operations.

[0151] In one embodiment of the present invention, the grid map acquisition module includes:

[0152] A radius extraction module, used to extract the circular radius of the robot;

[0153] An area side length extraction module, used to extract two side lengths of the rectangular area on the surface of the storage room shown in the plan view;

[0154] A grid setting module, used for setting a grid in the plane map according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle, to obtain a grid map corresponding to the plane map;

[0155] A first initialization configuration module, used for initializing and configuring a radio frequency signal generator at a grid vertex of the grid graph;

[0156] The second initialization configuration module is used to initialize and configure a radio frequency signal receiver at the circular center point of the robot.

[0157] The working principle of the above technical solution is: Extracting the circular radius: It is necessary to obtain the circular radius of the circular robot, which is a key size parameter of the circular robot.

[0158] Extracting the floor plan information of the storage room: The floor plan provides information about the surface area of ​​the storage room, including two side lengths, usually a rectangular structure. This information is used to determine the available working area.

[0159] Grid setup: Based on the two side lengths of the storage room surface area and the circular radius of the robot, the system calculates the size and layout of the grid. The grid is usually rectangular and can be divided into multiple small units, and the size of each unit can be determined based on the diameter of the circular robot and the robot's movement mode. These grids are used for discrete representation of the map.

[0160] RF signal setup: At the grid vertices of the grid graph, the system may initialize and configure RF signal generators and receivers. These devices can be used for communication or positioning to help the robot navigate and plan paths in the storage room.

[0161] The effects of the above technical solution are: Accurate grid representation: By setting the grid according to the size of the circular robot and the surface area of ​​the storage room, an accurate map representation can be created, which is helpful for path planning and navigation.

[0162] Robot Navigation: Initializing RF signal devices helps robots locate and navigate within the storage room, allowing them to perform tasks more efficiently.

[0163] Flexibility: This approach can accommodate storage rooms and circular robots of different sizes and shapes, increasing the flexibility and versatility of the system.

[0164] In summary, the goal of the technical solution of this embodiment is to create an appropriate grid map for the circular robot in the storage room to help the robot plan its path and perform tasks. This improves the efficiency and accuracy of the robot's operation in the storage room.

[0165] In one embodiment of the present invention, the grid setting module includes:

[0166] The grid side length setting module is used to set the grid side length of the plan view according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle; wherein the grid side length is obtained by the following formula:

[0167] L=[1+(L c -L d ) / L c -(T×V max -R) / max(R,T×V max )]×L0

[0168] L0=L c ×T×V min / L x

[0169] Where L represents the grid side length; L c and L d Respectively represent the length of the long side and the width side of the rectangular area on the surface; L0 represents the length of the reference grid side; T represents the shortest allowed time for the preset single grid side length to run; V min and V max Indicates the lower and upper speed limits allowed within the operating speed range during the normal operation of the robot; L x represents the length of the diagonal of the rectangular area on the surface; R represents the length of the circular radius of the robot;

[0170] The grid map forming module is used to arrange grids in the plane map according to the side lengths of the grids to form a grid map corresponding to the plane map.

[0171] The working principle of the above technical solution is as follows: Calculate the grid side length: The grid side length (L) is calculated by considering the long side length (Lc), wide side length (Ld), circular radius (R) of the robot and other parameters of the rectangular area on the ground. This formula includes multiple factors, such as the size of the rectangular area on the ground, the size of the robot, the speed limit of the robot, etc.

[0172] Grid layout: Use the calculated grid edge length to divide the plane map into multiple small grid cells to form a grid map. These grid cells can be used for discrete representation of the map for path planning and navigation.

[0173] The effect of the above technical solution is: the above technical solution of this embodiment can calculate the grid side length suitable for a specific situation by considering factors such as the size of the surface rectangular area, the size of the robot and the speed limit, thereby achieving accurate grid setting. A discrete grid map is created to facilitate path planning and navigation, allowing the circular robot to move and perform tasks safely and efficiently in the storage room. This method can adapt to surface rectangular areas of different sizes and shapes and circular robots of different sizes, improving the versatility and applicability of the system.

[0174] At the same time, the grid side length is obtained through the calculation formula, so that the grid map size is more accurate and can better reflect the actual situation of the rectangular area on the surface. The preset minimum time allowed for the operation of a single grid side length (T) can be adjusted according to actual needs, so that the grid map size is more in line with the robot's operating speed, improve the robot's operating efficiency and the matching between the grid size design and the robot's operating conditions, thereby improving the rationality of the grid size setting, and preventing the unreasonable grid size setting and the robot's speed operating conditions from causing poor rationality of path planning, thereby causing the robot's navigation and path setting to be inaccurate. By adjusting the robot's circular radius length (R), it can adapt to different terrains and environments, making the grid map size more flexible and matching the robot's body shape, preventing the robot from physically blocking the unreached grid points during operation, resulting in navigation errors, and can better adapt to various situations. By laying out grids in the plane map to form a grid map, the plane map can be made more stable, less susceptible to external interference, and its reliability and stability can be improved. Therefore, using the above elements to obtain the grid map size of the plane map can improve accuracy, efficiency, adaptability and stability, and provide better technical support for robot operation.

[0175] In summary, the goal of the technical solution of this embodiment is to calculate and set the appropriate grid side length according to the characteristics of the rectangular area on the surface and the parameters of the robot to achieve path planning and navigation, thereby improving the operating efficiency and accuracy of the robot in the storage room.

[0176] In one embodiment of the present invention, the path planning module includes:

[0177] The end position acquisition module is used to monitor the position of the goods in the storage room in real time through an infrared sensor, and mark the position of the goods in the storage room on the grid map as the end position;

[0178] The starting position acquisition module is used to detect the current position of the robot through an infrared sensor as the starting position;

[0179] An obstacle position acquisition module, used to retrieve the position of the cargo obstacle between the starting position and the ending position;

[0180] The simulation operation module is used to call the robot's motion principle, and according to the motion principle, simulate the robot's running trajectory on the grid map through the grid structure according to the starting position and the ending position and with the purpose of avoiding the position of the cargo obstacle, and obtain the simulated running time corresponding to the trajectory; wherein the motion principle is:

[0181] The center position of the circular robot always corresponds to the edge length and vertex of the grid graph during operation;

[0182] The circular robot runs one grid side length at a time, and the prescribed time for the robot to run one grid side length is 1s;

[0183] A duration comparison module, used to compare the simulated operation duration with the required duration for the robot to reach the cargo location to obtain a comparison result;

[0184] A first type counting control module, configured to output 0 and perform a first type counting once when the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time exceeds the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location;

[0185] A second type counting control module, configured to output 1 and perform a second type counting once when the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time does not exceed the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location;

[0186] The shortest path output module is used to extract the path with the shortest simulation running time from all the second type of counts and output it as the shortest time path.

[0187] The working principle of the above technical solution is: use infrared sensors to monitor the position of goods in the storage room in real time, mark these positions on the grid map, and use one position as the end position. Also use infrared sensors to detect the current position of the robot and use it as the starting position. Retrieve the position information of the goods obstacles between the starting position and the end position, which includes other objects or shelves in the storage room.

[0188] According to the robot's motion principle, the robot's motion trajectory from the starting position to the end position is simulated on the grid map, taking into account the position of avoiding cargo obstacles. The motion principle includes: the center position of the circular robot always corresponds to the side length and vertex of the grid map during operation. The robot runs one grid side length each time, and the time corresponding to each grid side length is specified to be 1 second.

[0189] The duration of the simulation run is compared with the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location. According to the comparison result, if the simulation run time does not exceed the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location, then output 1 to indicate that the path is feasible, and record the count. If the simulation run time exceeds the required time, then output 0. Finally, extract all the paths with the shortest simulation run time in the second category count as the shortest time path.

[0190] The effect of the above technical solution is: The above technical solution of this embodiment is to find the shortest time path for the robot to reach the cargo position from the starting position to minimize the task completion time. By real-time monitoring of the cargo position and avoiding cargo obstacles, it is possible to cope with the changes in the cargo position in the storage room and the dynamics of the robot's surrounding environment. By comparing the simulated running time and the required time, it is ensured that the generated path is feasible in actual operation.

[0191] In summary, the goal of the above technical solution of this embodiment is to use infrared sensors to monitor the location of goods, simulate the shortest time path planning of the robot, and output the shortest time path to optimize the time efficiency of the robot in handling goods in the storage room.

[0192] In one embodiment of the present invention, the robot control module comprises:

[0193] Path retrieval module, used to retrieve the shortest time path;

[0194] A radio frequency generator determination module, used to start the radio frequency signal generator set at the grid vertex on the grid graph corresponding to the shortest time path according to the shortest time path as the target radio frequency signal generator;

[0195] A generator shut down module, used to shut down all radio frequency signal generators except the target radio frequency signal generator;

[0196] A receiver start module, used to start the robot's radio frequency signal receiver;

[0197] The path identification module is used to control the robot to perform path identification through the radio frequency signal between the radio frequency signal receiver and the target radio frequency signal generator, and run to the location of the goods.

[0198] The working principle of the above technical solution is: Retrieve the shortest time path: Retrieve the shortest time path calculated previously, which is the path that the robot should follow.

[0199] Target RF signal generator: According to the shortest time path, set the RF signal generator on the corresponding grid vertex on the grid graph as the target RF signal generator. This signal generator will emit a RF signal to identify the target position where the robot should go.

[0200] Turn off other RF signal generators: To avoid confusion, turn off all RF signal generators except the target RF signal generator. This ensures that the robot is only affected by the RF signal associated with the shortest time path.

[0201] Start the robot's RF signal receiver: The robot is equipped with a RF signal receiver for receiving RF signals.

[0202] Path identification and operation: The robot receives the target RF signal through the RF signal receiver and identifies the path based on the signal. It will follow the target signal on the shortest time path, move along this path, and finally reach the location of the goods.

[0203] The effect of the above technical solution is: by using radio frequency signals to control the robot, the robot is ensured to move along the predetermined shortest time path, thereby improving the efficiency of cargo handling. The robot can accurately identify the path by receiving the target radio frequency signal, thereby avoiding deviation from the optimal path. Turning off other signal generators except the target radio frequency signal generator helps to avoid signal confusion and ensure that the robot runs along the correct path.

[0204] In summary, the goal of the above technical solution of the present invention is to control the robot through radio frequency signals so that it moves from the starting position to the location of the goods along the shortest time path to improve the handling efficiency and accuracy.

[0205] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A method for planning the shortest time for robot handling, characterized in that: The robot is a round robot, and the shortest time planning method for robot handling includes: Retrieving a plan view of a storage room corresponding to a task performed by the robot, wherein the surface area of ​​the storage room is a rectangular structure, and an infrared sensor is disposed in the storage room; Grids are set in the plane diagram according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid diagram; Perform shortest time planning according to the location of the goods in the storage room to obtain the shortest time planning result; Control the robot to move to the location of the goods according to the shortest time path; Wherein, a grid is set in the plane diagram according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid diagram, including: extracting the circular radius of the robot; Extracting two side lengths of the rectangular area of ​​the storage room shown in the plan view; According to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the ground surface and the radius of the circle, a grid is set in the plane map to obtain a grid map corresponding to the plane map; Initialize and configure a radio frequency signal generator at a grid vertex of the grid graph; Initializing and configuring a radio frequency signal receiver at a circular center point of the robot; At the same time, a grid is set in the plane diagram according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle, including: The grid side length of the plane diagram is obtained according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle; wherein the grid side length is obtained by the following formula: L=[1+(L c -L d ) / L c -(T×V max -R) / max(R,T×V max )]×L0 L0=L c ×T×V min / L x Where L represents the grid side length; L c and L d Respectively represent the length of the long side and the width of the rectangular area on the surface; L0 represents the length of the reference grid side; T represents the shortest allowed time for the preset single grid side length to run; V min and V max Indicates the lower and upper speed limits allowed within the operating speed range during the normal operation of the robot; L x represents the length of the diagonal of the rectangular area on the surface; R represents the length of the circular radius of the robot; Grids are arranged in the plane diagram according to the side lengths of the grids to form a grid diagram corresponding to the plane diagram.

2. The shortest time planning method for robot handling according to claim 1 is characterized in that: Perform the shortest time planning according to the location of the goods in the storage room, and obtain the shortest time planning result, including: The position of the goods in the storage room is monitored in real time by an infrared sensor, and the position of the goods in the storage room is marked on the grid map as the end position; The infrared sensor detects the robot's current position as the starting position; Retrieving the position of the cargo obstacle between the starting position and the ending position; Retrieving the motion principle of the robot, simulating the trajectory of the robot's operation on the grid map according to the motion principle through the grid structure according to the starting position and the ending position and with the purpose of avoiding the position of the cargo obstacle, and obtaining the simulated operation time corresponding to the trajectory; Comparing the simulated running time with the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location to obtain a comparison result; When the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time exceeds the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location, 0 is output and the first category count is performed once; When the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time does not exceed the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location, 1 is output and the second type of counting is performed once; A path with the shortest simulation running time among all the second type of counts is extracted and output as the shortest time path.

3. The shortest time planning method for robot handling according to claim 1 is characterized in that: Controlling the robot to move to the location of the cargo according to the shortest time path includes: Retrieve the shortest time path; According to the shortest time path, start the radio frequency signal generator set at the grid vertex on the grid graph corresponding to the shortest time path as the target radio frequency signal generator; Turn off all radio frequency signal generators except the target radio frequency signal generator; Activate the robot's radio frequency signal receiver; The robot is controlled by the radio frequency signal between the radio frequency signal receiver and the radio frequency signal generator to perform path recognition and run to the location of the goods.

4. A shortest time planning system for robot handling, characterized in that: The robot is a round robot, and the shortest time planning system for robot handling includes: A plan view retrieving module, used to retrieve a plan view of a storage room corresponding to the task performed by the robot, wherein the surface area of ​​the storage room is a rectangular structure, and an infrared sensor is provided in the storage room; A grid map acquisition module, used for setting a grid in the plane map according to the circular radius of the robot to form a grid map; A path planning module, used to perform shortest time planning according to the location of the goods in the storage room to obtain the shortest time planning result; A robot control module, used to control the robot to move to the location of the goods according to the shortest time path; Wherein, the grid map acquisition module includes: A radius extraction module, used to extract the circular radius of the robot; An area side length extraction module, used to extract two side lengths of the rectangular area on the surface of the storage room shown in the plan view; A grid setting module, used for setting a grid in the plane map according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle, to obtain a grid map corresponding to the plane map; A first initialization configuration module, used for initializing and configuring a radio frequency signal generator at a grid vertex of the grid graph; A second initialization configuration module, used for initializing and configuring a radio frequency signal receiver at a circular center point of the robot; Wherein, the grid setting module includes: The grid side length setting module is used to set the grid side length of the plan view according to the length relationship between the two sides of the rectangular area on the surface and the radius of the circle; wherein the grid side length is obtained by the following formula: L=[1+(L c -L d ) / L c -(T×V max -R) / max(R,T×V max )]×L0 L0=L c ×T×V min / L x Where L represents the grid side length; L c and L d Respectively represent the length of the long side and the width of the rectangular area on the surface; L0 represents the length of the reference grid side; T represents the shortest allowed time for the preset single grid side length to run; V min and V max Indicates the lower and upper speed limits allowed within the operating speed range during the normal operation of the robot; L x represents the length of the diagonal of the rectangular area on the surface; R represents the length of the circular radius of the robot; The grid map forming module is used to arrange grids in the plane map according to the side lengths of the grids to form a grid map corresponding to the plane map.

5. The shortest time planning system for robot handling according to claim 4, characterized in that: The path planning module includes: The end position acquisition module is used to monitor the position of the goods in the storage room in real time through an infrared sensor, and mark the position of the goods in the storage room on the grid map as the end position; The starting position acquisition module is used to detect the current position of the robot through an infrared sensor as the starting position; An obstacle position acquisition module, used to retrieve the position of the cargo obstacle between the starting position and the ending position; A simulation operation module is used to retrieve the motion principle of the robot, and according to the motion principle, simulate the trajectory of the robot's operation on the grid map through a grid structure according to the starting position and the ending position and with the purpose of avoiding the position of the cargo obstacle, and obtain the simulated operation time corresponding to the trajectory; A duration comparison module, used to compare the simulated operation duration with the required duration for the robot to reach the cargo location to obtain a comparison result; A first type counting control module, configured to output 0 and perform a first type counting once when the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time exceeds the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location; A second type counting control module, configured to output 1 and perform a second type counting once when the comparison result indicates that the simulated operation time does not exceed the required time for the robot to reach the cargo location; The shortest path output module is used to extract the path with the shortest simulation running time from all the second type of counts and output it as the shortest time path.

6. The shortest time planning system for robot handling according to claim 4, characterized in that: The robot control module comprises: Path retrieval module, used to retrieve the shortest time path; A radio frequency generator determination module, used to start the radio frequency signal generator set at the grid vertex on the grid graph corresponding to the shortest time path according to the shortest time path as the target radio frequency signal generator; A generator shut down module, used to shut down all radio frequency signal generators except the target radio frequency signal generator; A receiver start module, used to start the robot's radio frequency signal receiver; The path identification module is used to control the robot to perform path identification through the radio frequency signal between the radio frequency signal receiver and the target radio frequency signal generator, and run to the location of the goods.

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