Intelligent parking robot and automatic parking method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of automatic parking, and discloses an intelligent parking robot which comprises a parking platform, a movable base is arranged at the bottom of the parking platform, the parking platform and the movable base are fixedly connected through a lifter, side supports are further symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the parking platform, and a top plate is fixedly connected to the top ends of the side supports. A control unit is arranged on the upper portion of the top plate, a linear electric sliding rail is arranged in the parking platform, the linear electric sliding rail is provided with two symmetrical moving ends, the two moving ends synchronously move in different directions, the top walls of the moving ends are fixedly connected with pull rods in a penetrating mode, and the ends of the pull rods are rotationally connected with limiting plates. The two sides of the limiting plate are slidably connected to the lower portions of the side supports correspondingly. The intelligent parking robot is used for carrying and parking the vehicles accurately, tight parking of the vehicles can be achieved, and it means that more vehicles can be contained in the limited city space for parking, and the problem that city parking is difficult is effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automatic parking, and in particular to a smart parking robot and an automatic parking method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Traditional parking lots have many limitations in terms of layout and operation mode. For example, flat parking lots have extremely low efficiency in utilizing land resources, and a large amount of valuable urban space is inefficiently occupied. Although multi-story parking lots have improved space utilization to a certain extent, they often have the problem of cumbersome and time-consuming vehicle access procedures. When looking for parking spaces, car owners need to shuttle back and forth in the parking lot, which not only wastes time and energy, but also increases energy consumption and exhaust emissions.

[0003] Existing automatic parking technology mainly relies on the sensors and intelligent systems carried by the vehicle itself. However, this approach has obvious shortcomings. On the one hand, not all vehicles are equipped with advanced automatic parking functions. For those old models or vehicles with low-end and mid-range configurations, they cannot enjoy the convenience brought by automatic parking. On the other hand, even if the vehicle has an automatic parking function, it is difficult to reliably guarantee the efficiency and accuracy of its parking in the complex environment of the parking lot, such as narrow passages, irregular parking space layouts, and interference from other vehicles and pedestrians. For example, during peak hours when multiple vehicles enter and exit the parking lot at the same time, the vehicle's own automatic parking system may misjudge or operate incorrectly due to signal interference, difficulty in environmental recognition, and other reasons. In addition, the existing parking equipment is also limited in its ability to deal with emergencies. When obstacles block the path in the parking lot, vehicle failures cause traffic jams, and other situations, parking equipment often lacks effective response strategies, further exacerbating the chaos in the parking lot. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a smart parking robot and an automatic parking method thereof, which solve the problems.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solutions: a smart parking robot, including a parking platform, a mobile base is arranged at the bottom of the parking platform, the two are fixedly connected by a lifter, side brackets are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the parking platform, a top plate is fixedly connected to the top of the side bracket, a control unit is arranged on the upper part of the top plate, a linear electric slide is arranged in the parking platform, the linear electric slide is provided with two symmetrical moving ends, and the two moving ends move synchronously in opposite directions, and the top wall of the moving end is fixedly connected to the top wall of the moving end. A pull rod is connected, and the end of the pull rod is rotatably connected to a limit plate. The two sides of the limit plate are respectively slidably connected to the lower part of the side bracket. When the linear electric slide rail drives the two pull rods to move away from each other, the pull rod pushes the limit plate to slide out of the parking platform, and the limit plate rotates downward under the action of gravity and finally contacts the ground to form a slope structure. When the linear electric slide rail drives the two pull rods to move closer to each other, the pull rod pulls the limit plate to slide into the parking platform, the limit plate is in a horizontal placement state, and the lower wall is in contact with the parking platform. At this time, the two limit plates synchronously clamp and resist the front and rear wheels.

[0006] Preferably, the control unit includes a sensor assembly, which is composed of a laser radar, a visual camera and an ultrasonic sensor, wherein the laser radar is used to scan the surrounding environment in real time, build a three-dimensional map, and detect the position and distance of obstacles; the visual camera is used to perform further image recognition of the surrounding environment and generate image data to complement the scanning data of the laser radar; the ultrasonic sensor is used to detect close-range data with the ground and surrounding obstacles to prevent collisions.

[0007] Preferably, the control unit also includes a control system, which is respectively communicated with the sensor assembly, the mobile base and the linear electric slide rail, receives data uploaded by the sensor assembly, and plans the optimal parking path according to the database data of the parking lot, and controls the movement of the mobile base and the linear electric slide rail.

[0008] Preferably, four independently controlled universal wheels are symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the mobile base, and each universal wheel is equipped with a DC motor and an encoder.

[0009] Preferably, the parking platform is also provided with a warning light and a loudspeaker for sending out warning signals to alert surrounding vehicles and pedestrians.

[0010] Preferably, when multiple parking robots perform tasks simultaneously, the multiple parking robots exchange information through the control unit and coordinate driving paths.

[0011] Preferably, according to the above-mentioned intelligent parking robot, an automatic parking method of the intelligent parking robot is also provided, comprising the following steps: Step 1: The car owner drives the car into the garage interaction area and drives the car into the nearest parking robot. The parking robot identifies the vehicle information through the sensor component. When the car owner confirms the automatic parking program, the control system controls the linear electric slide rail to drive the two pull rods to move closer. The pull rod pulls the limit plate to slide into the parking platform, so that the two limit plates simultaneously clamp the front and rear wheels to fix the vehicle, and the universal wheel of the mobile base is in contact with the ground through the lifter; Step 2: Based on the parking lot database data and the information interaction with other parking robots that are performing tasks, the optimal moving path from the current position to the designated parking space is planned and executed; Step 3: When encountering traffic congestion, the robot will interact with other parking robots that are performing tasks based on the parking lot database data to obtain the avoidance area or adjusted driving route. When an obstacle or other vehicle suddenly appears in front of the driving path, the robot will immediately activate the emergency braking system to stop moving and take countermeasures. Step 4. After the parking robot moves the vehicle to the vicinity of the parking space, it uses the laser radar and visual camera to accurately identify and locate the parking space, and fine-tunes its own position and posture again to ensure that it is accurately parked in the parking space. At this time, the lifter lowers the parking platform and keeps it in stable contact with the ground, while the universal wheels of the mobile base leave the ground. At the same time, it sends a parking completion signal to the parking lot database, uploads relevant data during the parking process, and the parking lot database updates the vehicle parking position information, marks the parking space as occupied, and sends a parking completion notification to the owner.

[0012] Preferably, the coping strategies include: Real-time path replanning: Based on the environmental information reacquired by the LiDAR and visual camera, the path planning algorithm is used to replan a new path to avoid obstacles, taking into account the location of new obstacles, other available channels in the parking lot, the real-time traffic conditions of the channels, and the location of parking spaces; Send out warning signals, using its own warning lights and speakers to send out obvious warning signals, reminding surrounding vehicles and pedestrians to pay attention and avoid; Wait for the obstacle to be removed. If the obstacle cannot be resolved by other means in a short time, wait for the obstacle to be removed at a safe distance. During this period, continuously monitor the obstacle status and changes in the surrounding environment. After the obstacle is removed, immediately re-plan the path and continue to perform the handling task. At the same time, feedback the waiting status and estimated waiting time to the parking lot database.

[0013] The present invention provides a smart parking robot and an automatic parking method thereof, which have the following beneficial effects: The present invention can realize close parking of vehicles by accurately carrying and parking vehicles through intelligent parking robots, which means that more vehicles can be parked in limited urban space, effectively alleviating the problem of difficult parking in cities. Through sensor components and intelligent control systems, parking robots can quickly and accurately complete a series of operations such as positioning, carrying and parking vehicles. At the same time, through efficient path planning and collaborative operation, mutual waiting and congestion between vehicles are avoided, greatly improving the overall operation efficiency of the parking lot. Multiple parking robots can work together through information exchange, and in a complex parking lot environment, they can coordinate driving paths with each other to avoid mutual interference, further improving the overall operation efficiency and intelligence level of the parking lot. And because of the use of automatic parking and the protection of side brackets, the accuracy of vehicle parking is ensured, and the problems of parking space waste and vehicle scratches caused by inadequate parking are reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a smart parking robot according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view of a smart parking robot of the present invention; Figure 3 is a system schematic diagram of a control unit in the present invention; Figure 4 A flow chart of an automatic parking method of an intelligent parking robot according to the present invention; Figure 5 Flow chart of the coping strategy in the present invention.

[0015] Among them, 1. parking platform; 2. mobile base; 3. side bracket; 4. top plate; 5. control unit; 6. pull rod; 7. limit plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] Please see attached Figure 1 -Attached Figure 3The embodiment of the present invention provides a smart parking robot, including a parking platform 1, a mobile base 2 is arranged at the bottom of the parking platform 1, and the two are fixedly connected by a lifter, and side brackets 3 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the parking platform 1, and a top plate 4 is fixedly connected to the top of the side bracket 3, and a control unit 5 is arranged on the top of the top plate 4, and a linear electric slide is arranged in the parking platform 1, and the linear electric slide is provided with two symmetrical moving ends, and the two moving ends move synchronously in opposite directions, and a pull rod 6 is fixedly connected to the top wall of the moving end, and the end of the pull rod 6 is rotatably connected There is a limit plate 7, and both sides of the limit plate 7 are slidably connected to the lower part of the side bracket 3. When the linear electric slide drives the two pull rods 6 to move away from each other, the pull rods 6 push the limit plate 7 to slide out of the parking platform 1, and the limit plate 7 rotates downward under the action of gravity, and finally contacts the ground to form a slope structure. When the linear electric slide drives the two pull rods 6 to move closer to each other, the pull rods 6 pull the limit plate 7 to slide into the parking platform 1, the limit plate 7 is in a horizontal placement state, and the lower wall is in contact with the parking platform 1. At this time, the two limit plates 7 synchronously clamp and resist the front and rear wheels.

[0018] Through the mutual cooperation of the linear electric slide rail, the pull rod 6 and the limit plate 7, on the one hand, when the linear electric slide rail drives the two pull rods 6 to move away from each other, the pull rod 6 pushes the limit plate 7 to slide out of the parking platform 1, and the limit plate 7 rotates downward under the action of gravity, and finally contacts the ground to form a slope structure. This form is convenient for the vehicle to drive in and out of the parking platform 1; on the other hand, when the linear electric slide rail drives the two pull rods 6 to move closer to each other, the pull rod 6 pulls the limit plate 7 to slide into the parking platform 1, and the limit plate 7 is in a horizontal placement state, and the lower wall is in contact with the parking platform 1. At this time, the two limit plates 7 simultaneously clamp and resist the front and rear wheels, thereby forming a clamping and fixing of the vehicle, ensuring the stability of the vehicle during the movement of the parking robot.

[0019] Through the precise handling and parking of vehicles by intelligent parking robots, vehicles can be parked tightly, which means that more vehicles can be parked in limited urban space, effectively alleviating the problem of difficult urban parking. Through sensor components and intelligent control systems, parking robots can quickly and accurately complete a series of operations such as positioning, handling and parking of vehicles. At the same time, through efficient path planning and collaborative operations, mutual waiting and congestion between vehicles are avoided, greatly improving the overall operation efficiency of the parking lot. Multiple parking robots can work together through information exchange. In complex parking lot environments, they can coordinate driving paths with each other to avoid mutual interference, further improving the overall operation efficiency and intelligence level of the parking lot. And because the automatic parking pair uses three pairs of protection with the side brackets, it ensures the accuracy of vehicle parking and reduces problems such as parking space waste and vehicle scratches caused by inadequate parking. The control unit 5 includes a sensor component, which is composed of a laser radar, a visual camera and an ultrasonic sensor. The laser radar is used to scan the surrounding environment in real time, build a three-dimensional map, and detect the position and distance of obstacles. The visual camera is used to perform further image recognition on the surrounding environment and generate image data to complement the scanning data of the laser radar. The ultrasonic sensor is used to detect close-range data with the ground and surrounding obstacles to prevent collisions.

[0020] LiDAR can scan the surrounding environment in real time at high frequency, quickly build an accurate three-dimensional map, and accurately detect the location and distance of obstacles. Its 360-degree all-round scanning range ensures that the parking robot has a complete perception of the surrounding environment.

[0021] The visual camera further recognizes the surrounding environment from different angles. Through advanced image recognition algorithms, the visual camera can generate detailed image data, which complements and verifies the scanning data of the lidar, greatly improving the recognition accuracy of environmental information and vehicle information. For example, the visual camera can accurately identify the vehicle's license plate number, model, vehicle posture, and the location and movement of surrounding pedestrians.

[0022] Ultrasonic sensors are installed at key locations such as the bottom and sides of the parking platform 1 and the mobile base 2, and are mainly used to detect close-range data from the ground and surrounding obstacles. When the parking robot is operating at close range or moving in a narrow space, the ultrasonic sensor can issue a warning in time to effectively prevent collision accidents.

[0023] The control unit 5 also includes a control system, which is respectively connected to the sensor assembly, the mobile base 2 and the linear electric slide rail for communication. The control system receives data uploaded by the sensor assembly, plans the optimal parking route based on the database data of the parking lot, and controls the movement of the mobile base 2 and the linear electric slide rail.

[0024] The control system in the control unit 5 is the control center of the entire parking robot. It uses a high-performance processor and advanced control algorithms to establish stable communication connections with the sensor components, the mobile base 2 and the linear electric slide rails. The control system can receive a large amount of data uploaded by the sensor components in real time, and combine the database data pre-stored in the parking lot, and use a complex and efficient path planning algorithm to quickly plan the optimal parking path. At the same time, the control system can accurately control the speed and steering of the universal wheels of the mobile base 2 and the telescopic action of the linear electric slide rails to ensure that the parking robot can accurately and efficiently complete the vehicle handling and parking tasks according to the predetermined path and action requirements. In addition, the control system also has powerful fault diagnosis and alarm functions, which can monitor the operating status of each component of the parking robot in real time. Once an abnormal situation is found, an alarm will be immediately issued and corresponding emergency measures will be taken.

[0025] Four independently controlled universal wheels are symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the mobile base 2, and each universal wheel is equipped with a DC motor and an encoder.

[0026] It gives the parking robot excellent mobility, enabling it to move freely in a small and complex space, easily realize various flexible movements such as forward, backward, lateral movement and rotation on the spot, greatly improving the traffic efficiency in the parking lot. The parking platform 1 is also equipped with a warning light and a speaker to send out warning signals to alert surrounding vehicles and pedestrians. When the parking robot encounters an emergency during the execution of the task, such as an obstacle in front, traffic congestion, or a malfunction of the robot, the warning light will flash at high brightness and high frequency, and the speaker will send out a clear and loud warning signal to remind surrounding vehicles and pedestrians to avoid it and ensure the safety of the operation area. When multiple parking robots perform tasks at the same time, the multiple parking robots exchange information and coordinate driving paths through the control unit 5. Through this interactive mechanism, the parking robots can share location information, task progress, and surrounding environment conditions in real time, thereby coordinating each other's driving paths, avoiding mutual interference, and improving the operating efficiency of the entire parking lot.

[0027] Please see attached Figure 4 -Attached Figure 5 This embodiment also provides an automatic parking method for a smart parking robot, comprising the following steps: Step 1: The car owner drives the car into the garage interaction area and drives the car into the nearest parking robot. The parking robot recognizes the vehicle information through the sensor component. When the car owner confirms the automatic parking program, the control system controls the linear electric slide rail to drive the two pull rods 6 to move closer. The pull rods 6 pull the limit plates 7 to slide into the parking platform 1, so that the two limit plates 7 synchronously clamp the front and rear wheels to fix the vehicle, and the universal wheels of the mobile base 2 are in contact with the ground through the lifter; Step 2: Based on the parking lot database data and the information interaction with other parking robots that are performing tasks, the optimal moving path from the current position to the designated parking space is planned and executed; Step 3: When encountering traffic congestion, the robot will interact with other parking robots that are performing tasks based on the parking lot database data to obtain the avoidance area or adjusted driving route. When an obstacle or other vehicle suddenly appears in front of the driving path, the robot will immediately activate the emergency braking system to stop moving and take countermeasures. Step 4. After the parking robot moves the vehicle to the vicinity of the parking space, it uses the laser radar and visual camera to accurately identify and locate the parking space, and fine-tunes its own position and posture again to ensure that it is accurately parked in the parking space. At this time, the lifter lowers the parking platform 1 and keeps it in stable contact with the ground, while the universal wheels of the mobile base 2 leave the ground. At the same time, a parking completion signal is sent to the parking lot database, and relevant data of the parking process is uploaded. The parking lot database updates the vehicle parking position information, marks the parking space as occupied, and sends a parking completion notification message to the owner.

[0028] According to the automatic parking method of the intelligent parking robot of this embodiment of claim 7, the response strategy includes: Real-time path replanning: Based on the environmental information reacquired by the LiDAR and visual camera, the path planning algorithm is used to replan a new path to avoid obstacles, taking into account the location of new obstacles, other available channels in the parking lot, the real-time traffic conditions of the channels, and the location of parking spaces; Send out warning signals, using its own warning lights and speakers to send out obvious warning signals, reminding surrounding vehicles and pedestrians to pay attention and avoid; Wait for the obstacle to be removed. If the obstacle cannot be resolved by other means in a short time, wait for the obstacle to be removed at a safe distance. During this period, continuously monitor the obstacle status and changes in the surrounding environment. After the obstacle is removed, immediately re-plan the path and continue to perform the handling task. At the same time, feedback the waiting status and estimated waiting time to the parking lot database.

[0029] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A smart parking robot, comprising a parking platform (1), characterized in that: A movable base (2) is provided at the bottom of the parking platform (1), and the two are fixedly connected via a lifter. Side brackets (3) are symmetrically provided on both sides of the parking platform (1), and a top plate (4) is fixedly connected to the top of the side bracket (3). A control unit (5) is provided on the top of the top plate (4). A linear electric slide is provided inside the parking platform (1), and the linear electric slide is provided with two symmetrical movable ends, and the two movable ends move synchronously in opposite directions. A pull rod (6) is fixedly connected to the top wall of the movable end, and the end of the pull rod (6) is rotatably connected to a limit plate (7). The two sides of the limit plate (7) are respectively slidably connected to the lower part of the side bracket (3). When the linear electric slide rail drives the two pull rods (6) to move away from each other, the pull rods (6) push the limit plate (7) to slide out of the parking platform (1), and the limit plate (7) rotates downward under the action of gravity and finally contacts the ground to form a slope structure. When the linear electric slide rail drives the two pull rods (6) to move closer to each other, the pull rods (6) pull the limit plate (7) to slide into the parking platform (1), then the limit plate (7) is in a horizontal placement state, and the lower wall is in contact with the parking platform (1). At this time, the two limit plates (7) synchronously clamp and resist the front and rear wheels.

2. The intelligent parking robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit (5) comprises a sensor component, which is composed of a laser radar, a visual camera and an ultrasonic sensor, wherein the laser radar is used to scan the surrounding environment in real time, build a three-dimensional map, and detect the position and distance of obstacles; the visual camera is used to further perform image recognition on the surrounding environment and generate image data to complement the scanning data of the laser radar; and the ultrasonic sensor is used to detect close-range data with the ground and surrounding obstacles to prevent collisions.

3. The intelligent parking robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control unit (5) also includes a control system, which is respectively connected to the sensor assembly, the mobile base (2) and the linear electric slide rail for communication, receives data uploaded by the sensor assembly, and plans an optimal parking path based on the database data of the parking lot, thereby controlling the movement of the mobile base (2) and the linear electric slide rail.

4. The intelligent parking robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the mobile base (2) is symmetrically provided with four independently controlled universal wheels, each of which is equipped with a DC motor and an encoder.

5. The intelligent parking robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The parking platform (1) is also provided with a warning light and a loudspeaker for sending out warning signals to alert surrounding vehicles and pedestrians.

6. The intelligent parking robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: When multiple parking robots perform tasks simultaneously, the multiple parking robots exchange information through the control unit (5) and coordinate driving paths.

7. An automatic parking method for a smart parking robot, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step 1: The car owner drives the vehicle into the garage interaction area and drives the vehicle into the nearest parking robot. The parking robot identifies the vehicle information through the sensor component. When the car owner confirms the automatic parking program, the control system controls the linear electric slide rail to drive the two pull rods (6) to move closer together. The pull rods (6) pull the limit plates (7) to slide into the parking platform (1), so that the two limit plates (7) synchronously clamp and resist the front and rear wheels to fix the vehicle, and the universal wheels of the mobile base (2) are in contact with the ground through the lifter; Step 2: Based on the parking lot database data and the information interaction with other parking robots that are performing tasks, the optimal moving path from the current position to the designated parking space is planned and executed; Step 3: When encountering traffic congestion, the robot will interact with other parking robots that are performing tasks based on the parking lot database data to obtain the avoidance area or adjusted driving route. When an obstacle or other vehicle suddenly appears in front of the driving path, the robot will immediately activate the emergency braking system to stop moving and take countermeasures. Step 4: After the parking robot moves the vehicle to the vicinity of the parking space, it uses the laser radar and visual camera to accurately identify and locate the parking space, and fine-tunes its own position and posture again to ensure that it is accurately parked in the parking space. At this time, the lifter causes the parking platform (1) to descend and stably contact the ground, while the universal wheels of the mobile base (2) leave the ground. At the same time, a parking completion signal is sent to the parking lot database, and relevant data of the parking process is uploaded. The parking lot database updates the vehicle parking position information, marks the parking space as occupied, and sends a parking completion notification message to the owner.

8. The automatic parking method of a smart parking robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The coping strategies include: Real-time path replanning: Based on the environmental information reacquired by the LiDAR and visual camera, the path planning algorithm is used to replan a new path to avoid obstacles, taking into account the location of new obstacles, other available channels in the parking lot, the real-time traffic conditions of the channels, and the location of parking spaces; Send out warning signals, using its own warning lights and speakers to send out obvious warning signals, reminding surrounding vehicles and pedestrians to pay attention and avoid; Wait for the obstacle to be removed. If the obstacle cannot be resolved by other means in a short time, wait for the obstacle to be removed at a safe distance. During this period, continuously monitor the obstacle status and changes in the surrounding environment. After the obstacle is removed, immediately re-plan the path and continue to perform the handling task. At the same time, feedback the waiting status and estimated waiting time to the parking lot database.

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