Robotic elevator riding methods, elevator riding devices, robots and computer program products

Abstract

This application discloses a robot elevator riding method, device, robot, and computer program product. The robot is equipped with a robotic arm, on which sensors are mounted. When riding the elevator, the robot moves to a preset position and can divide the interaction process into detection and operation phases based on its own structure, improving operability. In the detection phase, the robot's robotic arm moves from a safety point to a detection point, and acquires first state information, including valid button information for boarding the elevator, in real time through sensors, accurately calculating the operation point for pressing the target button. In the operation phase, the robotic arm moves from the detection point to the operation point and accurately presses the target button to activate it. After the button is activated, the robot rides the elevator based on the second state information, improving the success rate of the robot entering and exiting the elevator. The two-stage, three-point setup of this method makes the interaction between the robot and the elevator more precise and smooth, effectively improving elevator riding efficiency; and since the robot does not need to communicate with the elevator, there is no need to modify the elevator, ensuring the robot's applicability to various scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of robotics technology, and in particular relates to a robot elevator riding method, a robot elevator riding device, a robot, and a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, when robots perform tasks across floors, they typically communicate with the elevator through the elevator control system to ride the elevator. When the robot arrives at the elevator door, it communicates with the elevator control system, which then sends control commands to the elevator to move to the robot's floor. The elevator control system then opens the elevator door via robot communication and keeps the door open. After the robot enters the elevator, the door closes, and the robot proceeds to the target floor. Upon reaching the target floor, based on the robot's communication commands, the elevator control system opens the elevator door to allow the robot to exit before closing the door, thus assisting the robot in completing its task.

[0003] Clearly, this solution relies on communication between the elevator and its control system, requiring the establishment of communication protocols between the elevator and the robot. However, many elevators lack the capability to interface with the robot, necessitating system modifications. These modifications are costly, and different elevators require different adaptations, leading to high robot deployment costs. Furthermore, not all elevator manufacturers and users are willing to open up elevator communication to third parties, potentially preventing the robot from using the elevator and reducing its applicability to various scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a robot elevator riding method, a robot elevator riding device, a robot, and a computer program product, which enables more precise and smooth interaction between the robot and the elevator, improving elevator riding efficiency. In addition, the robot does not need to communicate with the elevator during the entire process, so there is no need to modify the elevator, which can improve the robot's applicability to different scenarios.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a robot elevator riding method, wherein the robot is equipped with a robotic arm for interacting with elevator buttons, and the robotic arm is equipped with sensors for detecting elevator information; the robot elevator riding method includes:

[0006] During the execution of cross-floor tasks, when the robot moves to the preset position, the control arm moves from the safe point to the first detection point;

[0007] At the first detection point, the elevator's first state information is detected based on the sensor, and the first state information includes button information;

[0008] The first operation point corresponding to pressing the target button is calculated based on the first state information and the first detection point; the target button is matched with the task information of the cross-floor task;

[0009] Control the robotic arm to move to the first operating point to press the target button;

[0010] After the target button is successfully activated, the user takes the elevator based on the elevator's second state information; this second state information is detected by sensors installed on the robot.

[0011] Secondly, this application provides a robot elevator-riding device, wherein the robot is equipped with a robotic arm for interacting with elevator buttons, and the robotic arm is equipped with sensors for detecting elevator information; the elevator-riding device includes:

[0012] The first control module is used to control the robotic arm to move from the safety point to the first detection point when the robot moves to the preset position during the execution of cross-floor tasks; the detection module is used to detect the first state information of the elevator based on sensors at the first detection point, the first state information including button information;

[0013] The calculation module is used to calculate the first operation point corresponding to the pressed target button based on the first state information and the first detection point; the target button is matched with the task information of the cross-floor task;

[0014] The interaction module is used to control the robotic arm to move to the first operation point to press the target button;

[0015] The second control module is used to take the elevator based on the elevator's second state information after the target button is successfully activated; the second state information is detected by sensors installed on the robot.

[0016] Thirdly, this application provides a robot including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0017] Fourthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method described in the first aspect above.

[0018] Fifthly, this application provides a computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, implements the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0019] The advantages of this application compared to existing technologies are as follows: To effectively simulate human-elevator interaction, the robot is equipped with a robotic arm, and sensors are mounted on the robotic arm. During the robot's movement to a preset position, the robotic arm being at a safe point enhances the robot's operational safety. When riding the elevator, the robot, having moved to the preset position, can divide the interaction process into detection and operation phases, improving the operability of the robot-elevator interaction. In the detection phase, the robot's robotic arm moves from the safe point to the first detection point, efficiently acquiring first state information, including valid button information for boarding the elevator, through sensors in real time. This allows for precise calculation of the operation point for pressing the target button, improving the reliability of the operation point. In the operation phase, the robotic arm moves from the first detection point to the operation point, accurately pressing the target button, increasing the probability of the robot successfully calling / riding the elevator. After the target button is activated, riding the elevator based on the second state information further improves the robot's success rate in entering / exiting the elevator. This method, with its two phases and three points, avoids redundant actions during the robot-elevator interaction process, making the interaction more precise and smooth, thereby effectively improving elevator riding efficiency. Furthermore, the robot does not need to communicate with the elevator via signals throughout the process, thus eliminating the need to modify the elevator and effectively ensuring the robot's applicability to different scenarios.

[0020] It is understood that the beneficial effects of the second to fifth aspects mentioned above can be found in the relevant descriptions in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of the robot provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the robot elevator riding method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robot elevator device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the robot provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0026] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods have been omitted so as not to obscure the description of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0027] In related technologies, robot elevator operation relies on communication between the elevator and its control system, requiring compatibility between elevator protocols and robot communication. However, many existing elevators lack the capability to interface and communicate with robots, necessitating system modifications. This not only increases modification and deployment costs but also raises questions about the willingness of elevator manufacturers and users to open their communication interfaces to third parties. In such cases, the robot may be unable to use the elevator, thus reducing its applicability and application scope.

[0028] To address this issue, this application proposes a robot elevator-riding method that enables the robot to actively interact with the elevator, with precise and smooth interaction movements, effectively improving elevator riding efficiency. Furthermore, the entire process does not require communication between the robot and the elevator, thus eliminating the need to modify the elevator and enhancing the robot's applicability to various scenarios. The control method proposed in this application will be described below through specific embodiments.

[0029] The robot elevator-riding method provided in this application can be applied to robots equipped with robotic arms for interacting with elevator buttons, and sensors on the robotic arms for detecting elevator information. This elevator-riding method can also be applied to electronic devices that can establish a communication connection with the robot and control the robot based on that communication connection, or cloud servers, etc. Examples include mobile phones, tablets, in-vehicle devices, augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) devices, laptops, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), netbooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other electronic devices. This application does not limit the specific type of electronic device.

[0030] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 , Figure 1A schematic diagram of a robot 100 is shown. For ease of explanation, only the parts relevant to this application are shown in the figure. The robot 100 includes a body 110, on which a first sensor 111 is disposed. A robotic arm 120 is disposed on each side of the body 110. Each robotic arm 120 includes a robotic arm end cap 121 and a second sensor 122 disposed on the robotic arm.

[0031] The first sensor 111 is mainly used to detect surrounding environmental information, enabling the robot 100 to move without collision based on this information. The second sensor 122 is mainly used to detect elevator information, allowing the robot 100 to interact with the elevator by controlling the robotic arm 120 to ride the elevator. The first sensor 111 can also assist the second sensor 122 in detecting elevator information. For example, both the first sensor 111 and the second sensor 122 can be image sensors. The second sensor 122 can be a stereo vision image sensor. The robotic arm has a large range of motion. By setting up two robotic arms 120, regardless of which side of the robot 100 the elevator button is on, the robot can move the robotic arm 120 on the side closest to the elevator button within a certain distance with minimal movement, so as to detect the button information based on the corresponding second sensor 122, and then control the end effector 121 of the robotic arm to press the target button based on the button information.

[0032] To illustrate the technical solution proposed in this application, the following description will use a robot with the above-described structure as the execution subject to illustrate various embodiments.

[0033] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart of the robot elevator riding method provided in this application is shown. The robot elevator riding method includes:

[0034] Step 210: During the execution of the cross-floor task, when the robot moves to the preset position, the robot controls the robotic arm to move from the safe point to the first detection point.

[0035] Step 220: At the first detection point, the robot detects the first state information of the elevator based on the sensor.

[0036] When robots perform cross-floor tasks, such as cleaning or delivery, they typically need to take an elevator from the starting floor to the destination floor to complete the task. When a robot receives task information, such as delivering an item to room 306, it can determine its current location. If the robot is currently on the 1st floor, it can identify that the task is cross-floor and requires taking an elevator to the 3rd floor. Based on the task information, the robot determines the appropriate elevator information and can then successfully complete the cross-floor task. For example, when a robot on the 1st floor needs to complete a delivery task to the 3rd floor, it needs to call the elevator from the 1st floor and press the elevator button twice to travel to the 3rd floor.

[0037] During elevator rides, the robot can first move to a preset position to allow its robotic arm to interact with the elevator. While moving to the preset position, the robotic arm is positioned at a safe location, minimizing the risk of collision with other objects and effectively ensuring the robot's safety during movement.

[0038] For example, the safety points can be the default settings when the robot leaves the factory, or they can be set according to customer needs. (See reference...) Figure 1 As shown, a safe position can be when the mechanical arm is placed vertically on both sides of the robot. In this case, the robot's safety radius is small, and it is not easy to collide during movement. That is, the mechanical arm is close to the robot body, similar to a human arm. In this state, the mechanical arm is not easy to interfere with the outside world, which can effectively ensure the safety of the robot during movement.

[0039] Specifically, riding an elevator can be divided into two processes: calling the elevator and riding the elevator. During these processes, the robot can interact with different buttons on the elevator at different preset locations to call or ride the elevator. The preset locations can be locations near the elevator before the robot enters, such as the calling point, or locations where the robot stops during the riding process after entering the elevator, such as the riding point. These preset locations can be determined during the robot's mapping process.

[0040] During the elevator call process, the robot can move to a first preset position to interact with the elevator's call button (i.e., the up or down button). It can be understood that if the robotic arm's range of motion and the sensor's detection range are large enough—for example, if the robot can detect elevator information through sensors at the target elevator's waiting point and directly drive the robotic arm to interact with the call button—then this first preset position can be the waiting point. If the robotic arm's range of motion is small—for example, if the robot cannot directly drive the robotic arm to interact with the elevator button at the waiting point—then this first preset position can be the call point. Compared to the waiting point, the call point is closer to the elevator button, separating the call point and the waiting point to achieve accurate elevator call and safe waiting.

[0041] During the elevator ride, the robot can move to a second preset position to interact with the elevator floor buttons. The second preset position is the point where the robot rides the elevator inside the elevator car.

[0042] Throughout the process, the interaction between the robot and the elevator is largely the same. Specifically, considering the robot's robotic arm structure, the interaction can be divided into a detection phase and an operation phase, thus improving the operability of the robot-elevator interaction. During the detection phase, the robot controls its robotic arm to move from a safe position to the first detection point. At this time, the robot issues a command to have the sensors detect the elevator buttons. The robot can efficiently and accurately obtain the elevator's first state information in real time through the sensors installed on the robotic arm. This first state information includes the button information required to take the elevator.

[0043] For example, the first detection point is a point where the sensors set on the robotic arm can acquire the elevator's first state information. For instance, it could be a point where the robotic arm moves from a vertical position beside the robot to a raised, extended position. Compared to directly controlling the robotic arm to move and press the call button according to set parameters when the robot reaches a preset position, this embodiment detects and acquires the first state information in real time at the first detection point. This allows for a more accurate assessment of the elevator's state, such as whether the call button is lit, and enables more accurate calculations of subsequent operation points, thus improving the success rate of calling the elevator.

[0044] Step 230: The robot calculates the first operation point corresponding to the pressed target button based on the first state information and the first detection point.

[0045] The robot can determine which target button to interact with based on the current elevator ride process and the task information for cross-floor missions. For example, during an elevator call, the robot can determine whether to press the up or down button based on the task information; during an elevator ride, the robot can determine the button for the floor being reached based on the task information. After determining the target button, the robot can calculate the first operation point corresponding to pressing the target button in real time based on the first state information and the first detection point. This can improve the reliability of the operation point, thereby increasing the probability that the robot can successfully call / ride the elevator by pressing the button.

[0046] Step 240: The robot controls the robotic arm to move to the first operating point to press the target button.

[0047] After calculating the precise first operation point, during the operation phase, the robot can control the robotic arm located at the first detection point to move to the first operation point to press the target button.

[0048] By setting three points in two phases, the interaction between the robot and the elevator can be made more reliable, thereby effectively improving elevator travel efficiency. For example, the robot controls its robotic arm to move to the first operating point, and the robotic hand / claw at the end of the arm moves a predetermined distance d1 in a preset direction to press the target button. The first operating point can be set to a position d2 directly in front of the target button, where d2 is less than d1.

[0049] Step 250: After the target button is successfully activated, the robot takes the elevator based on the elevator's second state information.

[0050] If the target button is successfully activated, it means that the robot has completed the interaction with the target button through the aforementioned steps. At this time, the robot can detect the elevator's second state information through its own installed sensors, such as the sensors set on the robotic arm or other sensors configured on the robot. By using the second state information to take the elevator, the success rate of the robot entering / exiting the elevator can be improved.

[0051] In this embodiment, the robot, through structural modification, is equipped with a robotic arm fitted with sensors, effectively simulating human-elevator interaction and achieving autonomous elevator riding. During any elevator ride, the robot first moves to a preset position and drives the robotic arm from a safety point to a first detection point to efficiently and accurately detect the elevator's first state information, which includes the button information necessary for elevator use. Based on this button information and the task information for cross-floor missions, the robot can determine the corresponding target button. Thus, the robot can determine the corresponding first operation point based on the first detection point and the first state information. By controlling the robotic arm to move from the first detection point to the first operation point, the robot can accurately press the target button. After the target button is activated, the robot rides the elevator based on the real-time detected second state information, improving the robot's success rate in entering / exiting the elevator. Throughout the entire elevator ride, no signal communication between the robot and the elevator is required, thus eliminating the need to modify the elevator and effectively ensuring the robot's applicability to various scenarios.

[0052] In some embodiments, in order to accurately calculate the first operating point, the aforementioned step 230 specifically includes:

[0053] Step A1: The robot calculates the first pose transformation matrix between the target button and the sensor based on the relative position information.

[0054] The first state information includes the relative position information between the target button and the sensor. Therefore, the robot can establish a reference frame based on the sensor, and combine this relative position information to calculate the first pose transformation matrix from the position of the target button to the position of the sensor, which can be denoted as... .

[0055] Step A2: The robot obtains the second pose transformation matrix between the end effector of the robotic arm and the robot's calibrated position when the robotic arm is at the first detection point.

[0056] Given that the robot is at the first detection point, the robot can obtain the second pose transformation matrix from the position of the robotic arm's end effector to the robot's calibrated position at that point, which can be denoted as: Typically, the robot's calibrated position is a relatively unchanging location, such as the center of the robot's base or the center of the robot body. Using these positions as reference points, the robot can more accurately control the movement of its robotic arm. It can be pre-calibrated.

[0057] Step A3: The robot calculates the first operation point based on the first pose transformation matrix, the second pose transformation matrix, and the third pose transformation matrix between the end effector and the sensor.

[0058] At the first detection point, the position between the robotic arm's end effector and the sensor is relatively fixed. Therefore, the robot can also obtain the third pose transformation matrix from the sensor's position to the position of the robotic arm's end effector, which can be denoted as... . It can be pre-calibrated.

[0059] For example, assuming the sensor mounted on the robotic arm is a stereo vision sensor, specifically positioned near the flange at the end of the robotic arm, with the relative position between the two being relatively fixed, the distance from the sensor's detection center to the robotic arm's end cap can be pre-determined through calibration. ; The calibration is similar and will not be repeated here.

[0060] In the calculation, directly use and Used as a parameter, it can efficiently calculate the pose transformation matrix corresponding to the first operation point.

[0061] To facilitate the robot's end effector pressing the target button, the location of the target button can be transformed into a coordinate system established based on the robot's calibrated position using three pose transformation matrices. Specifically, the pose transformation matrix corresponding to the first operation point... The calculation formula is as follows:

[0062]

[0063] The first pose transformation matrix defines the position of the target button relative to the sensor, but this is still different from the reference frame of the robotic arm. The second pose transformation matrix transforms the reference frame of the robotic arm's end effector to the reference frame of the robot's calibrated position. The third pose transformation matrix then aligns the sensor and the robotic arm's end effector to ensure consistency in the final operation.

[0064] For example, to prevent the robotic arm / gripper from pressing the target button off-center, it is ensured that the direction of the robotic arm / gripper is always perpendicular to the plane where the target button is located. For instance, the pose transformation matrix of the first operating point not only includes the position information of the target button but also takes into account the relative posture of the target button and the robotic arm / gripper. The "perpendicular" rotation ensures that the contact surface of the robotic arm / gripper is parallel to the button surface, guaranteeing accurate button response when pressed and avoiding operational errors caused by angular deviations.

[0065] For example, the pose transformation matrix of the first operating point can be divided into two parts: the first part makes the direction of the robotic arm / claw perpendicular to the plane where the target button is located; based on this, the second part can make the robotic arm / claw accurately align with the target button through a single-dimensional linear motion, so as to achieve precise pressing.

[0066] In this embodiment, combining multiple pose transformations effectively ensures the accuracy of robot operations. Each pose transformation matrix provides precise descriptions of position and orientation; combining them multiple times eliminates measurement errors from a single data source and accumulates compensation for multiple small-range errors. Furthermore, different pose matrices can integrate the coordinate systems of the sensors, the robotic arm's end effector, and the calibration point, ensuring coordination among various parts during operation and preventing error accumulation. Multiple transformations also adapt to complex scenarios and dynamic changes, enabling the robot to update and correct the first operating point in real time, achieving higher accuracy and stability in the pressing operation.

[0067] In some embodiments, if the first detection point is set improperly or the robot's positioning is off, the robot may be unable to obtain all button information and operating information of the elevator through the sensor at the first detection point. To address this situation, the robot can repeatedly execute the following steps until complete first state information is obtained:

[0068] Step B1: The robot determines whether the sensor has detected complete first state information.

[0069] In certain special cases, such as when the first detection point is close to the elevator button, or when the elevator has many floors and the button occupies a large space, the robot may find it difficult to obtain complete initial state information with a single detection. To reduce the impact of this situation on the robot's elevator-riding efficiency, the robot can determine whether the obtained initial state information is complete.

[0070] Optionally, given that not all button information and operational information are useful during elevator rides, in order to improve elevator ride efficiency, the robot can determine whether the first state information is complete based on whether the currently acquired first state information contains the button information and operational information necessary for the current elevator ride.

[0071] Step B2: If complete first state information is not detected, the robot updates the first detection point based on partial first state information and elevator information.

[0072] If, after assessment, incomplete first-state information is not obtained, the robot can determine a new first detection point corresponding to the missing first-state information based on elevator information, such as the arrangement of elevator buttons and operating information on the elevator, and update the first detection point accordingly. For example, if the robot needs to obtain the position of the up button, and only the down button and part of the up button can be captured at the first detection point, the robot can determine from the image recognition results that the up button is not fully captured, and based on the position of the partially captured up button, move the robotic arm to a new first detection point to obtain the complete information of the up button.

[0073] Step B3: The robot controls the robotic arm to move to the updated first detection point to complete the first state information.

[0074] After updating the detection points, the robot can control its robotic arm to move to the updated first detection point to detect partially or completely missing first state information. After re-detection, the detection results from each detection can be integrated to obtain the corresponding first state information. Based on the integrated first state information, the robot can return to step B1 until complete first state information is obtained.

[0075] In this embodiment, after obtaining the first state information, the robot can determine whether the first state information is complete. If the first state information is incomplete, to avoid failures due to a lack of valid information required for elevator access and to reduce the occurrence of elevator pressing failures, the robot can combine the first state information and elevator information to determine a new first detection point. By updating the first detection point and detecting again, complete first state information can be obtained. Based on this method, the elevator access method of this application can be applied to elevators with different structures, and the impact of robot positioning deviation on elevator access can be reduced, thereby improving the practicality and reliability of the elevator access method of this application.

[0076] In some embodiments, to further ensure the reliability and safety of elevator use, after controlling the robotic arm to move to the first operating point and pressing the corresponding target button, the method further includes:

[0077] Step C1: The robot controls the robotic arm to move to the first detection point and detects the button information again.

[0078] After pressing the target button once via the robotic arm's end effector, to prevent activation failure due to inaccurate operation or a malfunctioning button, the robot can control the robotic arm to move from the first operation point to the first detection point to re-detect the button information. Based on this button information, especially the target button's information, the robot can determine whether the target button has been successfully activated, such as whether it has been successfully illuminated.

[0079] Step C2: If the target button is determined to be activated based on the button information, the robot controls the robotic arm to reset to a safe position.

[0080] If the robot determines that the target button is activated based on the button information, it can confirm that the interaction between the robotic arm's end effector and the target button is successful and proceed with the subsequent elevator riding steps. To ensure safety during the elevator ride, the robot can control the robotic arm to reset from the first detection point to a safe point.

[0081] It is understandable that if the target button is determined to be inactive based on the button information, the robot can return to execute the aforementioned steps 230 and 240, and then execute the steps of this embodiment again until it is determined that the target elevator button is activated.

[0082] In this embodiment, after the robot presses the target button at the end of its robotic arm, to ensure the target button is activated, the robot can control the robotic arm to move to a first detection point, acquire button information, and determine whether the target button is activated based on the button information. This determines whether to repeatedly execute the step of interacting with the target button or subsequent steps, ensuring the robot can smoothly ride the elevator. Furthermore, if the target button is determined to be activated, to avoid collisions during elevator entry / exit, the robot can control the robotic arm to reset to a safe position.

[0083] In some embodiments, the target button that the robot wants to activate may have already been activated before the robot interacts with the target button. In order to reduce useless operations, the robot can first determine whether the target button has been activated before executing step 230. If it has been activated, step 250 can be executed directly; if it has not been activated, step 230 and subsequent steps can be executed.

[0084] In some embodiments, when the robot is currently on the departure floor, it can proceed to the elevator call point corresponding to that floor. The target button is the elevator call button that matches the direction of travel from the departure floor to the arrival floor. For example, if the departure floor is the 5th floor and the arrival floor is the 7th floor, then the target elevator call button would be the up button. After the robot successfully activates the target elevator call button through the detection and operation phases, it can perform the following steps:

[0085] Step D1: Control the robot to move towards the waiting area.

[0086] Step D2: When the robot moves to the waiting point, it obtains the second state information.

[0087] After successfully activating the target elevator call button at the designated call point, the robot can move towards the waiting area to facilitate efficient elevator entry. For example, the waiting area could be a predetermined distance directly in front of the target elevator. Upon reaching the waiting area, the robot can acquire the elevator's second state information to ensure timely entry once the elevator reaches the current floor and opens its doors. This second state information primarily determines whether the elevator has reached the current floor, such as elevator door status information. The first detection point can also be used to determine whether the elevator's direction of travel aligns with the direction corresponding to the target call button; this can include elevator door status information and changes in the first backlight state of the target call button.

[0088] For example, a robot at the elevator waiting point can drive its robotic arm to a second detection point to obtain second state information through sensors on the robotic arm. It can be understood that by obtaining this second state information, the robot can, before entering the elevator, control the robotic arm to reset to a safe position to avoid a collision with the elevator before entering.

[0089] For example, the robot can also obtain second state information through sensors installed on the robot body, or by communicating with other robots to obtain second state information.

[0090] Step D3: When the elevator door status information indicates that the elevator door is open and the status change of the first backlight panel is from bright to dark, the robot moves from the waiting point to the boarding point inside the elevator car.

[0091] When the elevator reaches the current floor, the elevator doors will open. Therefore, whether the elevator has reached the current floor can be determined by whether the elevator doors are open. Simultaneously, if the elevator's direction of travel matches the target call button, the first backlight panel will change from bright to dim. For example, if the target call button is the up button and the elevator is traveling up, the first backlight panel for the up button will change from bright to dim after the elevator reaches the current floor. Based on this, if the elevator doors open and the first backlight panel changes from bright to dim, the robot can move to the boarding point inside the elevator car to take the elevator to the desired floor.

[0092] In this embodiment, the robot that moves to the elevator waiting point can determine whether the elevator has reached the current floor and whether the current direction of the elevator is consistent with the direction corresponding to the target call button by obtaining the second state information of the elevator. If the robot determines that both conditions are met based on the elevator door state and the change in the state of the first backlight panel, the robot can enter the elevator to take the elevator to the destination floor.

[0093] In some embodiments, after the robot enters the elevator, it can move to the boarding point, and the target button is the arrival floor button corresponding to the desired floor. For example, if the robot wants to go from the 8th floor to the 3rd floor, then the 3rd floor is the arrival floor button. After the robot successfully activates the arrival floor button through the detection phase and the operation phase, the robot can perform the following steps:

[0094] Step E1: When the elevator door status information indicates that the elevator door is open and the status change of the second backlight panel is from bright to dark, the robot moves out of the elevator.

[0095] If the elevator has reached the arrival floor, the second backlight of the arrival floor button will change from bright to dim, and the elevator door will open. Based on this, if the elevator door status information and the second backlight status change simultaneously satisfy both conditions, it means that the elevator has reached the arrival floor, and the robot can move from the boarding point inside the elevator car to the ground of the arrival floor, which also symbolizes that the robot has completed one elevator ride.

[0096] It is understandable that the departure floor and arrival floor mentioned above are corresponding.

[0097] For example, suppose the task is to deliver an item from the 5th floor to the 9th floor. If the robot is on the 3rd floor when it receives the delivery task, it needs to take the elevator twice to complete the delivery. The first time, it departs from the 3rd floor and arrives at the 5th floor; the second time, it departs from the 5th floor and arrives at the 9th floor. However, if the robot is on the 5th floor when it receives the delivery task, it only needs to take one elevator to complete the delivery, departing from the 5th floor and arriving at the 9th floor.

[0098] In some instances, under certain special circumstances, such as when the elevator is too crowded, the robot may be unable to move for a period of time, or the elevator doors may begin to close during the robot's movement. In these situations, the robot will be unable to exit the elevator smoothly. To shorten the time required for the robot to ride the elevator, the robot can exit using the following steps:

[0099] Step F1: When the floor information matches the arrival floor, and the state of the first backlight panel changes from bright to dark, and the robot has not completed exiting the elevator within the first preset time period, the robot calculates the second operation point of the door opening button based on the door opening button information and the first detection point.

[0100] If the robot determines that the conditions for exiting the elevator are met based on the second state information, but fails to exit successfully within a first preset time period, the robot can extend the elevator's opening time by activating the door opening button to facilitate smooth and efficient exit. The first preset time period is less than or equal to the elevator's single-instruction door opening time.

[0101] Specifically, the interaction between the robot and the door opening button can also include a detection phase and an operation phase. Considering that the robot may have already obtained the door opening button information when it presses the floor arrival button, in this case, the detection phase can be skipped, and the second operation point of pressing the door opening button can be directly calculated based on the door opening button information and the first detection point.

[0102] Step F2: The robot controls the robotic arm to move to the second operating point and presses and holds the door open button.

[0103] Step F3: When the sensor detects that the elevator door is likely to open within the second preset time period, the robot controls the robotic arm to move to a safe position and then exits the elevator.

[0104] After calculating the second operating point, the robot can drive the robotic arm to move to the second operating point and press and hold the door open button. During the pressing process, if the robot detects a tendency for the elevator to open through the sensor within a second preset time period, in order to ensure the safety of exiting the elevator, the robot can first control the robotic arm to reset to the safe position before leaving the elevator.

[0105] In this embodiment, if the robot cannot leave the elevator within the first preset time period, the elevator door may close. In order to shorten the time required to ride the elevator, the robot can interact with the door opening button. After the door opening button successfully reopens the elevator door, the robot first controls the robotic arm to reset to a safe position to ensure its own safety before leaving the elevator.

[0106] In some embodiments, if the robot still fails to leave the elevator and reach the safe floor based on the embodiments of steps F1 to F3, the robot can drive the robotic arm to interact with the arrival floor button again, reactivate the arrival floor button, and leave the elevator after the elevator arrives at the arrival floor again and the door opens.

[0107] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the above embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0108] Corresponding to the robot elevator method in the above embodiment, Figure 3 The diagram shows a structural block diagram of the robot elevator device 3 provided in the embodiments of this application. For ease of explanation, only the parts related to the embodiments of this application are shown.

[0109] Reference Figure 3 The robot elevator device 3 includes:

[0110] The first control module 31 is used to control the robotic arm to move from the safety point to the first detection point when the robot moves to the preset position during the execution of cross-floor tasks.

[0111] The detection module 32 is used to detect the first state information of the elevator based on the sensor at the first detection point. The first state information includes button information.

[0112] Calculation module 33 is used to calculate the first operation point corresponding to the pressed target button based on the first state information and the first detection point; the target button is matched with the task information of the cross-floor task;

[0113] Interaction module 34 is used to control the robotic arm to move to the first operation point to press the target button;

[0114] The second control module 35 is used to take the elevator based on the elevator's second state information after the target button is successfully activated; the second state information is detected by sensors installed on the robot.

[0115] Optionally, the first state information includes the relative position information between the target button and the sensor; the calculation module 32 is specifically used for:

[0116] Calculate the first pose transformation matrix between the target button and the sensor based on the relative position information;

[0117] Obtain the second pose transformation matrix between the end effector of the robotic arm and the robot's calibrated position when the robotic arm is at the first detection point;

[0118] The first operation point is calculated based on the first pose transformation matrix, the second pose transformation matrix, and the third pose transformation matrix between the robotic arm end effector and the sensor.

[0119] Optionally, the first status information also includes the elevator's operating information; the detection module 32 is specifically used for:

[0120] Repeat the following steps until complete first-state information is obtained:

[0121] Determine whether the sensor has detected complete first-state information;

[0122] If complete first state information is not detected, the first detection point is updated based on partial first state information and elevator information;

[0123] Control the robotic arm to move to the updated first detection point to complete the first state information.

[0124] Optionally, the robot elevator device 3 may include:

[0125] Control the robotic arm to move to the first operation point, press the corresponding target button, and then control the robotic arm to move to the first detection point to detect the button information again.

[0126] If the button information indicates that the target button has been activated, the robotic arm is controlled to reset to a safe position.

[0127] Optionally, the preset location is the elevator call point corresponding to the departure floor, and the target button is the target elevator call button matching the direction of travel from the departure floor to the arrival floor; the second status information includes elevator door status information and the status change of the first backlight panel of the target elevator call button; the second control module 35 can be used for:

[0128] Control the robot to move towards the waiting area;

[0129] When the robot moves to the waiting area, it acquires the second state information;

[0130] When the elevator door status information indicates that the elevator door is open, and the status change of the first backlight panel is from bright to dark, the robot moves from the waiting point to the boarding point inside the elevator car.

[0131] Optionally, the preset location is the boarding point inside the elevator car, and the target button is the arrival floor button corresponding to the floor being reached; the second status information includes elevator door status information and the status change of the second backlight panel of the arrival floor button; the second control module 35 can be used for:

[0132] When the elevator door status information indicates that the elevator door is open, and the status change of the second backlight panel is from bright to dark, the robot moves out of the elevator.

[0133] Optionally, the first status information includes information on all elevator buttons corresponding to the preset location; the second status information also includes the current floor information of the elevator; the second control module 35 can be used for:

[0134] When the floor information matches the floor to be reached, and the state of the first backlight panel changes from bright to dark, and the robot does not complete exiting the elevator within the first preset time period, the second operation point of the door opening button is calculated based on the door opening button information and the first detection point.

[0135] Control the robotic arm to move to the second operating point, and press and hold the door open button;

[0136] When the sensor detects that the elevator door is likely to open within the second preset time period, the robot controls the robotic arm to move to a safe position and then completes the exit.

[0137] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the above-mentioned devices / units are based on the same concept as the method embodiments of this application. For details on their specific functions and technical effects, please refer to the method embodiments section, and they will not be repeated here.

[0138] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of a robot provided in one embodiment of this application. Figure 4As shown, the robot 4 in this embodiment includes: at least one processor 40 ( Figure 4 The diagram shows only one processor, memory 41, and a computer program 42 stored in memory 41 that can run on at least one processor 40. When processor 40 executes computer program 42, it implements the steps in any of the above embodiments of the robot elevator riding method, for example... Figure 2 Steps 210-250 are shown.

[0139] The processor 40 can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or it can be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0140] In some embodiments, memory 41 may be an internal storage unit of robot 4, such as a hard disk or memory of robot 4. In other embodiments, memory 41 may also be an external storage device of robot 4, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc. equipped on robot 4.

[0141] Furthermore, the memory 41 may include both internal storage units and external storage devices of the robot 4. The memory 41 is used to store operating devices, application programs, bootloaders, data, and other programs, such as program code for computer programs. The memory 41 can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0142] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the above device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0143] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps described in the various method embodiments above.

[0144] This application provides a computer program product that, when run on a robot, enables the robot to perform the steps described in the above-described method embodiments.

[0145] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable medium can include at least: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code to a photographic device / electronic device, a recording medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium, such as a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0146] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0147] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0148] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus / network devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus / network device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units described above is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0149] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0150] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for a robot to ride an elevator, characterized in that, The robot is equipped with a robotic arm for interacting with elevator buttons, and the robotic arm is equipped with sensors for detecting elevator information; the robot's elevator riding method includes: During the execution of cross-floor tasks, when the robot moves to the preset position, the robotic arm is controlled to move from the safe point to the first detection point; At the first detection point, the first state information of the elevator is detected based on the sensor, and the first state information includes button information; The first operation point corresponding to pressing the target button is calculated based on the first status information and the first detection point; the target button is matched with the task information of the cross-floor task; Control the robotic arm to move to the first operating point and press the target button; After the target button is successfully activated, the user takes the elevator based on the elevator's second state information; the second state information is detected by sensors installed on the robot. The preset location is the boarding point inside the elevator car, and the target button is the arrival floor button corresponding to the floor being reached; the second state information includes elevator door state information and the state change of the second backlight panel of the arrival floor button; taking the elevator based on the elevator's second state information includes: When the elevator door status information indicates that the elevator door is open, and the second backlight panel status changes from bright to dark, the robot moves out of the elevator. The first status information includes all elevator button information corresponding to the preset location; the second status information also includes the current floor information of the elevator; taking the elevator based on the second status information of the elevator further includes: If the floor information matches the floor to be reached, and the state of the second backlight changes from bright to dark, and the robot does not exit the elevator within a first preset time period, the second operation point of the door opening button is calculated based on the door opening button information and the first detection point. Control the robotic arm to move to the second operating point and press and hold the door opening button; When the sensor detects that the elevator door is likely to open within a second preset time period, the robot controls the robotic arm to move to the safe position and then exits the elevator.

2. The robot elevator riding method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first status information includes the relative position information between the target button and the sensor; The calculation of the first operation point corresponding to the pressed target button based on the first state information and the first detection point includes: Calculate the first pose transformation matrix between the target button and the sensor based on the relative position information; Obtain the second pose transformation matrix between the end effector of the robotic arm and the calibrated position of the robot when the robotic arm is at the first detection point; The first operation point is calculated based on the first pose transformation matrix, the second pose transformation matrix, and the third pose transformation matrix between the end effector of the robotic arm and the sensor.

3. The robot elevator riding method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first state information also includes the elevator's operating information; detecting the elevator's first state information based on the sensor at the first detection point includes: Repeat the following steps until the complete first state information is obtained: Determine whether the sensor has detected complete first state information; If the complete first state information is not detected, the first detection point is updated based on the partial first state information and elevator information; The robotic arm is controlled to move to the updated first detection point to complete the first state information.

4. The robot elevator riding method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, After controlling the robotic arm to move to the first operating point and pressing the corresponding target button, the method further includes: Control the robotic arm to move to the first detection point and detect the button information again; If it is determined based on the button information that the target button has been activated, then the robotic arm is controlled to reset to the safe position.

5. The robot elevator riding method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The preset location is the elevator call point corresponding to the departure floor when calling the elevator, and the target button is the target elevator call button that matches the direction of travel from the departure floor to the arrival floor; the second state information includes elevator door state information and the state change of the first backlight panel of the target elevator call button; taking the elevator based on the elevator's second state information includes: Control the robot to move towards the waiting area; When the robot moves to the waiting area, it acquires the second status information; When the elevator door status information indicates that the elevator door is open and the status change of the first backlight panel is from bright to dark, the robot moves from the waiting point to the boarding point inside the elevator car.

6. The robot elevator riding method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The pose transformation matrix of the first operation point is also calculated based on the relative pose of the target button and the robotic hand / claw at the end of the robotic arm, so that the contact surface of the robotic hand / claw is kept parallel to the surface of the target button; the pose transformation matrix includes two parts: the first part of the pose transformation matrix is ​​used to make the direction of the robotic hand / claw perpendicular to the plane where the target button is located, and the second part of the pose transformation matrix is ​​used to control the robotic hand / claw to move along a single-dimensional straight line, align with and press the target button.

7. The robot elevator riding method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The robot includes a body, a first sensor mounted on the body, and two robotic arms symmetrically arranged on both sides of the body, each robotic arm having a second sensor mounted on it; the method further includes: The first sensor detects information about the surrounding environment to assist the second sensor in detecting elevator information. The target robotic arm on the side adjacent to the elevator button is controlled to move from the safety point to the first detection point, so as to obtain button information through the target robotic arm and control the end of the target robotic arm to press the target button.

8. A robot elevator device, characterized in that, The robot is equipped with a robotic arm for interacting with elevator buttons, and the robotic arm is equipped with sensors for detecting elevator information; the elevator riding device includes: The first control module is used to control the robotic arm to move from the safety point to the first detection point when the robot moves to the preset position during the execution of cross-floor tasks; The detection module is used to detect the first state information of the elevator at the first detection point based on the sensor, the first state information including button information; The calculation module is used to calculate the first operation point corresponding to the pressed target button based on the first state information and the first detection point; the target button is matched with the task information of the cross-floor task; An interaction module is used to control the robotic arm to move to the first operation point to press the target button; The second control module is used to take the elevator based on the elevator's second state information after the target button is successfully activated; the second state information is detected by sensors installed on the robot. The preset location is the boarding point inside the elevator car, and the target button is the arrival floor button corresponding to the floor being reached; the second status information includes elevator door status information and the status change of the second backlight panel of the arrival floor button; the second control module is specifically used for: When the elevator door status information indicates that the elevator door is open, and the second backlight panel status changes from bright to dark, the robot moves out of the elevator. The first status information includes all elevator button information corresponding to the preset position; the second status information also includes the current floor information of the elevator; the second control module is further specifically used for: If the floor information matches the floor to be reached, and the state of the second backlight changes from bright to dark, and the robot does not exit the elevator within a first preset time period, the second operation point of the door opening button is calculated based on the door opening button information and the first detection point. Control the robotic arm to move to the second operating point and press and hold the door opening button; When the sensor detects that the elevator door is likely to open within a second preset time period, the robot controls the robotic arm to move to the safe position and then exits the elevator.

9. A robot comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the robot elevator method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by one or more processors, it implements the robot elevator method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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