Robot control method, device and equipment and readable storage medium

Abstract

The invention discloses a robot control method, device and equipment and a readable storage medium, when a robot enters a manual mode and a supporting surface is a plane, if a user applies a first acting force enabling the forward speed of the robot to be greater than a preset speed to the robot, that is, the user applies a pushing force to the robot; if yes, the robot outputs first power to maintain the forward speed within the preset interval. Afterwards, after the user inputs a second acting force larger than the preset threshold value, the robot adjusts the first power according to the second acting force, so that the robot accelerates or decelerates or turns around or the like. By the adoption of the scheme, in the manual mode, the robot dynamically outputs power and advances under the action of the dynamic power output by the robot and the acting force of a user, a stroke sensor and the like do not need to be additionally arranged, the purpose of relieving the burden of the user is achieved, and meanwhile the cost and the structural difficulty of the robot are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of artificial intelligence technology, and particularly to a control method, device, equipment and readable storage medium for a robot. Background Art

[0002] With the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), various intelligent devices are increasingly applied in various fields. Among them, the emergence of cleaning equipment has effectively reduced the burden of cleaning work for people in scenarios such as shopping malls, streets, and homes.

[0003] Commercial cleaning equipment has two working modes: automatic mode and manual mode. When the cleaning equipment works in the automatic mode, it travels by relying on the power provided by itself and cleans the surface to be cleaned without user intervention. When the cleaning equipment works in the manual mode, the cleaning equipment travels while being pushed manually and cleans the surface to be cleaned.

[0004] However, in the manual mode, the movement of the cleaning equipment completely depends on the pulling or pushing force of the user, resulting in too much burden on the user and easy fatigue, which in turn affects the cleaning effect. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a control method, device, equipment and readable storage medium for a robot. When in the manual mode, the robot dynamically outputs power and travels under the action of the dynamically output power by itself and the user's acting force, so as to achieve the purpose of reducing the user's burden and improving the cleaning quality at the same time.

[0006] In a first aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a control method for a robot, including:

[0007] When the robot enters the manual mode, determine whether the support surface is flat;

[0008] When the support surface is flat and a first acting force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, output a first power, where the first acting force is an acting force that makes the forward speed of the robot greater than a preset speed, and the first power is used to maintain the forward speed within a preset range;

[0009] When a second acting force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, adjust the first power according to the second acting force, so as to control the robot by using the adjusted first power, where the second acting force is greater than a preset threshold.

[0010] In a second aspect, the embodiments of the present application provide a control device for a robot, including:

[0011] A determination module, configured to determine whether the support surface is flat when the robot enters the manual mode;

[0012] An output module, configured to output a first power when the support surface is flat and a first force exerted by a user on the robot is recognized, where the first force is a force that makes the forward speed of the robot greater than a preset speed, and the first power is used to maintain the forward speed within a preset range;

[0013] A processing module, configured to adjust the first power according to the second force when the second force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, so as to control the robot by using the adjusted first power, where the second force is greater than a preset threshold.

[0014] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a robot, including a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored on the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, the robot implements the method as described in the first aspect or various possible implementation manners of the first aspect.

[0015] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which computer instructions are stored. When the computer instructions are executed by a processor, they are used to implement the method as described in the first aspect or various possible implementation manners of the first aspect above.

[0016] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product including a computing program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method as described in the first aspect or various possible implementation manners of the first aspect above.

[0017] An embodiment of the present application provides a control method, device, equipment, and readable storage medium for a robot. When the robot enters the manual mode and the support surface is flat, if the user exerts a first force on the robot that makes the forward speed of the robot greater than the preset speed, that is, the user exerts a thrust on the robot, the robot outputs a first power to maintain the forward speed within the preset range. Then, when the user inputs a second force greater than the preset threshold, the robot adjusts the first power according to the second force, so that the robot accelerates, decelerates, turns, etc. By adopting this solution, the robot dynamically outputs power in the manual mode and travels under the action of the dynamically output power by itself and the user's force, without the need to additionally set a travel sensor, etc., achieving the purpose of reducing the burden on the user while reducing the cost and structural complexity of the robot. Description of the Drawings

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0019] Figure 1A is the front view of the robot provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 1B is the top view of the robot provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 2 is the flowchart of the control method of the robot provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 3 is another flowchart of the control method of the robot provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a control device of a robot provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a robot provided by the embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0025] With the progress of technology and the continuous improvement of living standards, people's demand for cleaning equipment is increasing day by day, and intelligent cleaning equipment is becoming more and more common. For example, commercial robots for cleaning in commercial environments such as shopping malls and office buildings.

[0026] Common commercial cleaning robots have two working modes, one is the automatic mode, and the other is the manual mode. Usually, the robot works in the automatic mode. At this time, there is no need for the user to push the robot, but the robot relies on its own power to move forward, and the robot cleans the surface to be cleaned during the moving process.

[0027] When it is necessary for the robot to move forward and clean under the control of the user, the user presses the button on the robot to enter the manual mode. After that, the robot moves forward under the push of the user and cleans the surface to be cleaned.

[0028] Currently, after the robot enters the manual mode, according to the source of the driving force during movement, it can be divided into the following two categories. The first category: completely release the driving wheels, that is, it does not output any power by itself and is completely pushed freely by the user. The disadvantage of this way of controlling the robot is that there is no assistance effect at all, the user has to push hard, the user burden is large, and it is extremely easy to get tired, which will affect the cleaning effect.

[0029] Category 2: At least one travel sensor is provided on the robot, and the power output by the robot itself is controlled through the travel sensor. The robot travels under the power output by itself and the user's force. For example, a knob-style travel sensor is provided on the robot. When the user expects the robot to provide greater assistance, the user turns the knob clockwise. The greater the turning amplitude, the greater the power provided by the robot itself, and the easier it is for the user. Another example is that when the user expects the robot to provide less assistance, the user turns the knob counterclockwise. The closer the position of the knob is to the initial position, the smaller the power provided by the robot itself. Among them, when the knob is in the initial position, the power provided by the robot itself is the smallest. In this way, the robot senses the assistance intensity required by the user through the travel sensor and provides power according to the assistance intensity to achieve the effect of saving effort. However, in this way of controlling the robot in the manual mode, at least one travel sensor needs to be installed on the robot, resulting in high costs. Moreover, the magnitude of the assistance provided by the robot needs to be adjusted by the user himself, with low accuracy.

[0030] Based on this, the embodiments of the present application provide a control method, device, equipment and readable storage medium for a robot. In the manual mode, the robot dynamically outputs power and travels under the action of the dynamically output power by itself and the user's force, achieving the purpose of reducing the user's burden.

[0031] The robot provided by the embodiments of the present application has an assistance function. The assistance function means that when the robot enters the manual mode, the robot itself provides power, so that the robot travels under the action of the power provided by itself and the user's force. Moreover, the robot can dynamically adjust the power according to changes in the user's force, changes in the external environment, etc. That is, the power output by the robot itself is dynamic and not fixed. Among them, the external environment means that the support surface is a slope of 1 degree, 3 degrees, etc. In this way, the robot can dynamically adjust the power according to changes in the user's force or the external environment, so that the power output by itself can meet the user's needs in real time, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing the user's burden.

[0032] The robot with the assistance function provided by the embodiments of the present application is, for example, a large commercial cleaning robot, etc., working in places such as shopping malls and hospitals that require large-area cleaning; another example is that the robot with the assistance function is a freight robot, etc. Below, taking the robot as a cleaning robot as an example, the robot described in the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail.

[0033] The robot provided by the embodiment of the present application has multiple functions such as vacuuming, floor sweeping, and dust pushing, and is mainly used for cleaning various hard floors. A power assist handle is configured on the robot, enabling the user to flexibly select the automatic mode or the manual mode according to needs. By default, when the robot works in the automatic mode, the robot travels relying on the power provided by itself and cleans the surface to be cleaned. When the user holds the power assist handle to enter the manual mode, the robot travels under the manual push and cleans the surface to be cleaned. After the robot enters the manual mode, it adjusts the output power according to the change of the user's force to reduce the user's burden.

[0034] Figure 1A is the front view of the robot provided by the embodiment of the present application, Figure 1B is the top view of the robot provided by the embodiment of the present application. Please refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1B , a power assist handle 11 is configured on the robot. After the user holds the power assist handle 11, the robot enters the manual mode; when the user releases the power assist handle 11, the robot resumes the automatic mode. When the user holds the power assist handle 11 and pushes the robot, when the forward speed of the robot is greater than the preset speed, the robot generates a first power, which is used to maintain the forward speed of the robot within a preset range, so that the user does not need to use much force during the forward movement of the robot, and the robot travels forward relying on the first power and the user's thrust.

[0035] During the forward movement of the robot, when the user holds the power assist handle 11 and pulls it back, the robot outputs a pulling force opposite to the forward direction, and decelerates under the action of the user's pulling force and the pulling force output by the robot itself. Or, the robot does not output any power and decelerates relying on the user's pulling force.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1B , a switch button 12, a selection button 13, an emergency stop button 14, a recharge button 15, a water suction squeegee assembly 16, etc. are also provided on the robot. The switch button 12 is used to control the robot to turn on or off. The selection button 13 is, for example, a rotary button. By rotating the selection button 13, the user can control the robot to enter the normal floor washing mode, the deep floor washing mode, the water suction mode, etc. When an emergency occurs, when the user presses the emergency stop button 14, the robot can be quickly stopped. After the user presses the recharge button 15, the robot returns to the charging dock and charges after docking with the charging dock. The water suction squeegee assembly 16 can automatically lift, automatically pressurize, etc. In the floor washing mode, the water suction squeegee assembly 16 descends to wipe the working surface, etc., to avoid residual water stains. When pushing dust, the water suction squeegee assembly 16 automatically lifts to reduce friction and wear on the water suction squeegee assembly 16.

[0037] At the same time, the robot also includes drive wheels, hub motors for driving the drive wheels, roller brushes, etc.

[0038] In addition, a variety of sensors are also installed on the robot, such as lidar, depth camera, area array time of flight (TOF) sensor, ultrasonic sensor, geomagnetic sensor, etc. The robot realizes precise obstacle avoidance, etc. by fusing the data collected by these sensors.

[0039] Next, based on Figure 1A and Figure 1B the robot shown, the control method of the robot described in the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail.

[0040] Figure 2 FIG. is a flowchart of the control method of the robot provided by the embodiments of the present application. The execution subject of this embodiment is the robot, and this embodiment includes:

[0041] 201. When the robot enters the manual mode, determine whether the support surface is flat ground. When the support surface is flat ground, execute step 202; when the support surface is a ramp, execute step 205.

[0042] In the embodiments of the present application, a power assist handle is provided on the robot. When the robot senses that the user holds the power assist handle, it enters the manual mode; when the robot senses that the user releases the power assist handle, it enters the automatic mode. Alternatively, a power assist button is provided on the robot. When the user presses the power assist button, the robot enters the manual mode; when the robot releases the power assist button, the robot enters the automatic mode.

[0043] After the robot enters the manual mode, it uses sensors such as an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to collect data to determine whether the support surface is flat ground. When the support surface is flat ground, execute step 202 to enter the flat ground power assist mode; when the support surface is a ramp, execute step 205 to enter the ramp power assist mode. The support surface is also referred to as the working surface, the surface to be cleaned, etc.

[0044] 202. When a first acting force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, output a first power.

[0045] Wherein, the first acting force is an acting force that makes the forward speed of the robot greater than the preset speed, and the first power is used to maintain the forward speed of the robot within a preset range.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present application, after the robot enters the manual mode, once the current speed, such as the forward speed or the backward speed, is greater than the preset speed; or the absolute value of the wheel speed difference is greater than the preset difference, the robot enters the power assist mode. Therefore, the user can make the robot enter the power assist mode in any one of the ways.

[0047] In one way, the user applies a first force to the robot. The first force is a thrust, and this first force can make the forward speed of the robot greater than a preset speed. The preset speed is, for example, 200 millimeters per second, which is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0048] When the forward speed of the robot, that is, the wheels rotate forward and the wheel speed is greater than 200 millimeters per second, the robot confirms to enter the forward assistance mode. After that, the robot outputs a first power to maintain the forward speed within a preset range. The preset range is, for example, [450 millimeters per second, 550 millimeters per second]. That is to say, after the robot enters the assistance mode, it automatically raises the forward speed and moves forward at a low speed, such as moving forward at a low speed of about 500 millimeters per second.

[0049] The first power is not a fixed value but changes dynamically. For example, during the low-speed forward movement of the robot, the user continues to apply a relatively large thrust, but this thrust is less than the preset threshold. At this time, the first power is slightly smaller, and the robot moves forward at a low speed under the action of the large thrust and the first power.

[0050] Another example is that the robot moves forward at a low speed under the action of the user's thrust and the first power. It encounters a downhill slope with a slope of 3 degrees and does not enter the ramp mode. At this time, the direction of the first power is opposite to the forward direction to prevent the robot's speed from exceeding the preset range. It should be noted that the prerequisite for the robot to enter the ramp assistance mode is that the support surface is a slope with a slope greater than the preset slope. The preset slope is, for example, 5 degrees, etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0051] In another way, the robot enters the manual mode and the support surface is flat. The user applies a third force to the robot. The third force is a pulling force, which can make the backward speed of the robot greater than the preset speed. The preset speed is, for example, 200 millimeters per second, which is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0052] When the robot moves backward, that is, the driving wheels rotate in the reverse direction and the wheel speed is greater than 200 millimeters per second, the robot confirms to enter the backward assistance mode. After that, the robot outputs a second power and keeps the second power unchanged. The robot moves backward under the action of the second power.

[0053] Adopting this solution, when the robot enters the manual mode and the support surface is flat, if the third force is recognized, a second power for controlling the robot to move backward is output, and the robot moves backward by using this second power to achieve the purpose of reducing the user's burden.

[0054] In another way, the robot enters the manual mode and the support surface is flat ground. The user applies a fourth force to the robot, and this fourth force is used to make the robot turn, that is, the fourth force makes the wheel speed difference of the robot greater than or equal to a preset difference. The preset difference is, for example, 200 mm / s.

[0055] When the wheel speed difference of the robot is greater than 200 mm / s, the robot enters the turning assist mode. At this time, the robot outputs a third power, and this third power is, for example, a power whose direction changes continuously, and is used to make the robot turn at a limited speed, that is, the speed of any driving wheel during the turning process cannot be higher than 600 mm per second. In this way, the robot turns relying on the third power provided by itself, which reduces the burden on the user to a certain extent.

[0056] Adopting this solution, when the robot enters the manual mode and the support surface is flat ground, if the fourth force is recognized, a third power for controlling the robot to turn is output, and the third power is used to turn at a limited speed to achieve the purpose of reducing the user's burden.

[0057] 203. When the second force applied by the user to the robot is recognized, the first power is adjusted according to the second force, so as to control the robot by using the adjusted first power, and the second force is greater than a preset threshold.

[0058] In the embodiment of the present application, the first force is a thrust and can make the robot enter the assist mode, that is, can make the forward speed of the robot greater than a preset speed. The second force is the force applied by the user again and greater than the preset threshold after the robot enters the assist mode under the action of the first force.

[0059] After the robot maintains the forward speed within a preset range through the first power, for example, when the robot moves forward at a low speed of about 500 mm / s, the user may have the following requirements: require the robot to accelerate, require the robot to decelerate or even stop, and require the robot to turn. Therefore, the user applies a second force to the robot to prompt the robot to accelerate, decelerate or turn. The robot makes a comprehensive judgment based on the encoder disk, current and real-time effective torque, etc., so as to recognize that the user expects the robot to accelerate, decelerate or turn, and then dynamically compensates the assist automatically, that is, automatically adjusts the first power to reduce the burden on the user. Obviously, the assist intensity of the robot is dynamically compensated according to the magnitude of the user's pushing force.

[0060] However, during the low-speed forward movement of the robot, the user's applied force is surely not fixed. When the user gently pushes the robot, it doesn't necessarily mean that the user expects the robot to accelerate. Therefore, in the embodiments of the present application, the second applied force must be greater than a preset threshold. When the second applied force is greater than the preset threshold and the direction is the same as the forward direction, it indicates that the user expects the robot to accelerate; when the second applied force is greater than the preset threshold and the direction is opposite to the forward direction, it indicates that the user expects the robot to decelerate; when the second applied force causes the wheel speed difference to be greater than a preset difference, it indicates that the user expects the robot to turn.

[0061] After the user applies the second applied force to the robot, after the robot identifies that the user expects the robot to accelerate, decelerate or turn based on the encoder disk, real-time effective torque, etc., it adjusts the first power according to the identified user expectation. For example, if the robot identifies that the user expects to accelerate, it enters the high-speed operation mode, and the adjusted first power is used to keep the robot in a high-speed traveling state. During the high-speed traveling of the robot, regardless of whether the user continues to apply the second applied force, the robot maintains the high-speed traveling state. It should be noted that when the robot is traveling at high speed, if the robot continues to apply the second applied force, then for a robot traveling at high speed, the second applied force is not a relatively large force. Therefore, the robot maintains the high-speed traveling state and does not accelerate again.

[0062] Again, for example, if the robot identifies that the user expects to decelerate, it adjusts the direction of the first power to the opposite direction of the robot's forward direction to decelerate the robot. During the deceleration of the robot, regardless of whether the user continues to apply the second applied force, the robot decelerates evenly.

[0063] Another example is that if the robot identifies that the user expects to turn, it reduces the first power and makes the direction of the first power change dynamically to make the robot turn at a limited speed.

[0064] In this way, in a loaded environment of the robot, the user can easily accelerate, decelerate or turn the robot by applying a very small force. The loaded environment of the robot means that the robot is working, such as cleaning the floor, etc.

[0065] In addition, even if the robot is not currently working and is just moving from one place to another, the solution of the present application is still applicable.

[0066] 204. The robot enters the ramp assistance mode.

[0067] When the support surface is a ramp, the robot outputs different powers according to the ramp type. For example, when the ramp is an uphill ramp, the robot outputs a fourth power with a constant magnitude; when the ramp is a downhill ramp, the robot outputs a dynamic fifth power to ensure that the robot goes downhill at a constant speed.

[0068] In the control method of the robot provided by the embodiment of the present application, when the robot enters the manual mode and the support surface is a plane, if the user applies a first force to the robot such that the forward speed of the robot is greater than the preset speed, that is, the user applies a thrust to the robot, the robot outputs a first power to maintain the forward speed within a preset range. After that, when the user inputs a second force greater than the preset threshold, the robot adjusts the first power according to the second force so that the robot accelerates, decelerates, turns, etc. By adopting this solution, the robot dynamically outputs power in the manual mode and travels under the action of the dynamically output power by itself and the user's force, without the need to additionally set a travel sensor, etc., achieving the purpose of reducing the user's burden while reducing the cost and structural complexity of the robot.

[0069] In the embodiment of the present application, the robot dynamically provides output according to the drive wheel current, speed, and the magnitude and direction of the user's force, etc. to achieve a boosting effect. Among them, dynamically providing output means that the power output by the robot itself is not constant but dynamically changes.

[0070] Optionally, in the above embodiment, after the robot maintains the forward speed within a preset range by the first power, when a second force is recognized and the second force is a thrust, the robot increases the first power, so that the forward speed of the robot is increased.

[0071] Exemplarily, during the process of the robot moving forward at a low speed in the boosting mode, when the user needs the robot to speed up, a second force is applied to the robot, and the second force is a thrust. The robot determines that the user expects the robot to speed up according to the encoder disk, current, and real-time effective torque, etc., then increases the first power and enters the high-speed mode. The high-speed traveling speed is, for example, 1000 millimeters per second, etc. After that, whether the user continues to apply the second force to the robot or not, as long as the user holds the boosting handle, the robot travels at a higher speed.

[0072] By adopting this solution, when a thrust is applied to the robot during the process of the robot moving forward at a low speed in the boosting mode, the robot increases the first power after sensing the thrust and uses the first power to generate a higher speed. The operation method is simple, highly reliable, and can reduce the user's burden.

[0073] Optionally, in the above embodiment, after the robot maintains the forward speed within a preset range by the first power, when a second force is recognized and the second force is a force that causes the robot to turn, the robot reduces the first power and makes the direction of the first power change dynamically, so that the robot turns at a low speed.

[0074] Exemplarily, during the process of the robot moving forward at a low speed in the assisting mode, when it is required to turn, a second force is applied to the robot. This second force has a certain angle with the forward direction of the robot, making the speeds of the two driving wheels of the robot different. For example, when turning left, the speed of the right driving wheel is greater than that of the left driving wheel; when turning right, the speed of the left driving wheel is greater than that of the right driving wheel. The robot dynamically adjusts the first power according to the difference in the speeds of the two driving wheels, making the direction of the first power constantly change, and then making the robot turn at a low speed, so as to achieve the purpose of speed limit for turning.

[0075] After the robot senses the second force from the user, it turns at a low speed. After that, whether the user continues to apply the second force to the robot or not, as long as the user holds the assisting handle, the robot turns at a low speed.

[0076] Adopting this solution, during the process of the robot moving forward at a low speed in the assisting mode, a second force with a certain angle to the forward direction is applied to the robot. After the robot senses the second force, it reduces the first power and uses the first power to turn at a low speed. The operation method is simple, highly reliable, and can reduce the burden on the user.

[0077] Optionally, in the above embodiment, after the robot maintains the forward speed within a preset range through the first power, when it recognizes the second force and the second force is a pulling force, the robot adjusts the direction of the first power to the opposite direction of the forward direction of the robot, so that the robot decelerates under the control of the second force.

[0078] Exemplarily, during the process of the robot moving forward at a low speed in the assisting mode, when it is required to decelerate, a second force is applied to the robot, and this second force is a pulling force. After the robot senses the second force from the user, it decelerates or even stops under the control of the second force.

[0079] For example, during the process of the robot moving forward at a low speed in the assisting mode, it is found that the robot is about to collide with an obstacle in front. At this time, the user applies a second force to the robot, and this second force is a pulling force. After the robot recognizes the second force, the robot adjusts the direction of the first power to the opposite direction of the forward direction, so that the robot decelerates under the action of the adjusted first power and the pulling force of the user.

[0080] Adopting this solution, during the process of the robot moving forward at a low speed in the assisting mode, a second force opposite to the forward direction is applied to the robot. After the robot senses the second force, it reduces the first power and uses the first power to decelerate. The operation method is simple, highly reliable, and can reduce the burden on the user.

[0081] After the robot enters the manual mode, it is very likely to be on a ramp. Below, the control process when the robot is on a ramp will be described in detail.

[0082] Optionally, in the above embodiment, after the robot enters the manual mode, if the support surface is a ramp, it is determined whether the ramp is an uphill ramp or a downhill ramp. When the ramp is an uphill ramp, the robot outputs a fourth power and keeps the magnitude of the fourth power unchanged, so that the robot goes uphill under the action of the fourth power.

[0083] Exemplarily, after entering the manual mode, the robot determines the type of the support surface according to the data collected by the IMU and the like. When the support surface is a ramp, it enters the ramp assist mode. Specifically, when the robot identifies that the ramp is an uphill ramp, it outputs a fourth power with a fixed magnitude, and the direction of the fourth power is the same as the forward direction of the robot. At this time, if the user only holds the assist handle without providing any force, the robot goes uphill relying on the fourth power, and the uphill speed is related to the magnitude of the fourth power, the weight of the robot, the angle of the ramp, etc. If the user holds the assist handle and provides a thrust, the uphill speed is related to the user's thrust, and the greater the user's thrust, the faster the uphill speed.

[0084] Adopting this solution, when the robot goes uphill in the manual mode, the robot provides a fourth power with a fixed magnitude, and uses this fourth power and the user's thrust to push the robot uphill. The uphill speed of the robot is mainly related to the user's thrust. The operation method is simple, the reliability is high, and the burden on the user can be reduced.

[0085] Optionally, in the above embodiment, when the ramp is a downhill ramp, the robot outputs a dynamic fifth power, so that the robot goes downhill at a constant speed under the action of the fifth power.

[0086] Exemplarily, to ensure safety, it is required that the robot goes downhill at a constant speed when going downhill. To achieve this goal, when going downhill, the robot outputs a dynamically changing fifth power, the magnitude of which is not fixed, and the direction is opposite to the forward direction of the robot. The robot adjusts the magnitude of the fifth power in real time, so that the robot goes downhill at a constant speed under the action of the fifth power. At this time, as long as the user holds the handle, the robot goes downhill at a constant speed. Even if the user holds the handle and pushes the robot at the same time, the robot still keeps the downhill speed unchanged, that is, the speed of the robot is unchanged and is not affected by the user's thrust, thus ensuring safety.

[0087] Adopting this solution, when the robot goes downhill in the manual mode, the robot keeps the downhill speed unchanged through the dynamic fifth power, with high safety, simple operation method, and can reduce the burden on the user.

[0088] Optionally, in the above embodiments, when the ramp is an uphill ramp or a downhill ramp, the robot determines whether to exit the manual mode. When the robot exits the manual mode, the robot is controlled to brake. When the robot does not exit the manual mode, it continues to output power according to the type of the support surface, the direction of the user's acting force, etc., such as the first power, the second power, the third power, the fourth power or the fifth power as described above.

[0089] In the embodiments of the present application, when the user holds the assist handle, the robot enters the manual mode; when the user releases the assist handle, the robot enters the automatic mode. To ensure safety, after the robot enters the manual mode, when the support surface is a ramp, whether it is an uphill ramp or a downhill ramp, once the user releases the assist handle, it means that the robot exits the manual mode. At this time, the robot brakes to ensure safety.

[0090] Adopting this solution, the robot brakes after exiting the manual mode on the ramp, achieving the purpose of ensuring the safety of the robot.

[0091] Optionally, in the above embodiments, after the robot enters the manual mode, it continuously detects whether it is subjected to a fifth acting force, and the fifth acting force is an instantaneous pulling force. If the robot is subjected to the fifth acting force, it stops outputting power, such as the first power, the second power, the third power, the fourth power and the fifth power as described above.

[0092] In the embodiments of the present application, the instantaneous pulling force is a pulling force with a duration less than a preset duration and a large value. For example, the user gives a sudden pull. When the robot recognizes the instantaneous pulling force, it stops outputting any power, so that the robot quickly stops moving forward.

[0093] Adopting this solution, the robot stops outputting power after recognizing the instantaneous pulling force to stop moving forward as soon as possible, achieving the purpose of ensuring the safety of the robot.

[0094] Figure 3 It is another flowchart of the control method of the robot provided by the embodiments of the present application. This embodiment includes:

[0095] 301. The robot enters the manual mode.

[0096] 302. Determine whether the support surface of the robot is flat or a ramp. When the support surface is flat, execute step 303; when the support surface is a ramp, execute step 314.

[0097] 303. Enter the flat ground assist mode and release the drive wheels.

[0098] After releasing the drive wheels, the robot no longer provides any power.

[0099] 304. Detect whether the first force or the third force is applied. When the robot recognizes the first force, execute step 305; when the robot recognizes the third force, execute step 313; when the robot recognizes the fourth force, output the third power so that the robot makes a speed-limited turn under the action of the third power.

[0100] Among them, the first force is the force that makes the forward speed of the robot greater than the preset speed; the third force is the force that makes the backward speed of the robot greater than the preset speed, and the fourth force is the force that makes the wheel speed difference of the robot greater than or equal to the preset difference.

[0101] Since the robot releases the drive wheels in step 303, when the robot recognizes the first force, the drive wheels will rotate forward to make the robot move forward; when the robot recognizes the third force, the drive wheels will rotate backward to make the robot move backward. The forward rotation of the drive wheels is also called speed "+"; the backward rotation of the drive wheels is also called speed "-".

[0102] 305. The robot outputs the first power to maintain the forward speed within the preset range.

[0103] 306. The robot recognizes the second force greater than the preset threshold. When the second force is a thrust, execute step 307; when the second force is a pull, execute step 309; when the second force makes the robot turn, execute step 311.

[0104] Exemplarily, during the low-speed forward movement of the robot, it continuously detects whether the second force with an absolute value greater than the preset threshold is applied.

[0105] 307. When the second force is a thrust, increase the first power to make the robot move faster. Then, execute steps 308 and 312. Step 312 is not shown in the figure after step 307.

[0106] When the second force is a thrust, the robot believes that the user expects a faster traveling speed, so it increases the first power to make the robot move faster, that is, enters the high-speed mode. Since the robot's speed increases because the first power increases and there is no need for the user to apply a greater thrust, the burden on the user can be reduced, that is, the user can easily push the robot.

[0107] This scenario is simply referred to as "accelerated push".

[0108] 308. Whether the pull is recognized. If the pull is recognized, execute step 305; if the fifth force is not recognized, maintain the high-speed mode.

[0109] Exemplarily, after the robot enters the high-speed mode, as long as the user holds the assist handle, the robot will travel at high speed regardless of whether the user continues to apply a second force. During the travel, if the user applies a pulling force to the robot, the robot returns to step 305; when the user applies a greater pushing force, the robot continues to increase its travel speed until the speed reaches the upper limit. Of course, the speed of the robot can also be gradually increased by applying the pushing force multiple times. If the user does not apply any force, the robot returns to step 307, that is, it continues to maintain the current high-speed travel state.

[0110] 309. Adjust the direction of the first power to the opposite direction of the robot's forward direction to decelerate the robot. Then perform steps 310 and 312. The execution of step 312 after step 309 is not shown in the figure.

[0111] This scenario is simply referred to as "deceleration pull".

[0112] In another way, when the second force is a pulling force, the robot can also not adjust the direction of the first power, but completely release the drive wheels, that is, not provide any power, so that the robot decelerates under the action of the user's second force.

[0113] 310. The robot determines whether the wheel speed is lower than a preset threshold. When the wheel speed is lower than the preset threshold, it returns to step 304; when the wheel speed is higher than the preset threshold, it executes step 305.

[0114] 311. Reduce the first power and make the direction of the first power change dynamically to make the robot turn at a low speed. Then, execute step 312.

[0115] 312. Brake after recognizing that the robot exits the manual mode.

[0116] Exemplarily, the robot detects whether the user releases the assist handle. If the user releases the assist handle, it exits the manual mode and the robot brakes. If the user does not release the assist handle, the robot continues to maintain the current state, such as the state of step 307, step 309 or step 311.

[0117] 313. Output a fixed second power to make the robot retreat under the control of the second power. Then, execute step 312.

[0118] 314. Enter the ramp assist mode.

[0119] 315. Determine whether the ramp is an uphill ramp or a downhill ramp. When the ramp is an uphill ramp, execute step 316; when the ramp is a downhill ramp, execute step 317.

[0120] 316. Output a fourth power and keep the magnitude of the fourth power unchanged to make the robot go uphill under the action of the fourth power.

[0121] 317. Output dynamic fifth power so that the robot can travel downhill at a constant speed under the action of the fifth power.

[0122] The following combines specific application scenarios to elaborate in detail on the above control method for the robot.

[0123] Application scenario:

[0124] There is a cleaning robot with a boosting function in the mall, which is used for cleaning the public areas of the mall. After the robot enters the manual mode, it can dynamically provide boost automatically to reduce the burden on the cleaning staff.

[0125] A child accidentally spilled some snacks in the mall, and the mall cleaning staff temporarily used the robot to clean. The cleaning staff walked towards the robot working in the automatic mode and held the boost handle to make the cleaning robot enter the manual mode.

[0126] After the cleaning robot enters the manual mode, it recognizes that the current support surface is flat. Then the cleaning staff gently pushes the robot forward to apply a first force to the robot, making the forward speed of the robot greater than 200 millimeters per second. After the robot recognizes this first force and finds that the first force is a thrust, the robot provides itself with a first power to maintain the forward speed at about 500 mm / s. After that, as long as the cleaning staff holds the boost handle, whether or not they continue to push the robot, the robot moves forward at a low speed.

[0127] During the low-speed forward movement of the robot, the cleaning staff believes that the traveling speed of the robot is too slow. Therefore, a second force, which is a thrust, is applied to the robot. After the robot recognizes that the user expects to accelerate based on the encoder, current, and real-time torque, it increases the first power and thus enters the high-speed mode. During the high-speed mode movement, as long as the cleaning staff holds the boost handle, whether or not they continue to push the robot, the robot moves forward at a high speed.

[0128] During the high-speed movement of the robot, the mall train is running. If it does not avoid, the robot will hit the train. The cleaning staff suddenly pulls the robot, generating an instantaneous pulling force. After the robot recognizes the instantaneous pulling force, it stops outputting the first power, making the robot decelerate under the action of the instantaneous pulling force.

[0129] After the robot decelerates, the cleaning staff still thinks it is not safe, so they continue to pull the robot backward, and the robot moves backward. At this time, the robot outputs a second power opposite to the forward direction of the robot to make the robot decelerate or even move backward under the control of the second power.

[0130] After the small train passes by, the cleaning staff holds the assist handle and pushes the robot forward. After the robot travels at a high speed for a period of time, it enters an uphill ramp. After entering the uphill ramp, the robot outputs a fourth driving force, and the magnitude of the fourth driving force remains unchanged and is used to push the robot uphill. At this time, the force for the robot to go uphill includes the fourth driving force and the pushing force of the cleaning staff. When the cleaning staff only holds the assist handle but does not provide a pushing force, the force for the robot to go uphill completely depends on the fourth driving force, making it very easy for the cleaning staff to push the robot uphill. If the cleaning staff believes that the uphill speed of the robot is too slow, they push the robot hard. No matter how large the pushing force of the cleaning staff is, the magnitude of the fourth driving force provided by the robot remains unchanged. The greater the pushing force of the cleaning staff, the faster the uphill speed of the robot.

[0131] After going uphill and reaching the area to be cleaned, the cleaning staff pushes the robot to clean up snack crumbs. While cleaning, the robot also uses a mopping component to mop the ground, and at the same time, uses a water suction squeegee component to wipe the ground to avoid residual water stains.

[0132] After cleaning, the cleaning staff wants to push the robot back to its original position. So the cleaning staff pushes the robot downhill. When the robot recognizes that the supporting surface is a downhill ramp, it dynamically adjusts the fifth driving force, that is, the magnitude of the fifth driving force changes, so that the robot moves downhill at a constant speed under the action of the fifth driving force. That is to say, no matter how the user pushes the robot, the speed of the robot remains unchanged, avoiding the robot running too fast due to excessive pushing force or inertia, resulting in the robot breaking free from the cleaning staff and hitting people or objects in the mall.

[0133] The following is an apparatus embodiment of the present application, which can be used to execute the method embodiment of the present application. For details not disclosed in the apparatus embodiment of the present application, please refer to the method embodiment of the present application.

[0134] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of a control device of a robot provided for an embodiment of the present application. The control device 400 of the robot includes: a determination module 41, an identification module 42, an output module 43, and a processing module 44.

[0135] The determination module 41 is configured to determine whether the supporting surface is flat when the robot enters the manual mode;

[0136] The output module 42 is configured to output a first driving force when the supporting surface is flat and a first acting force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, where the first acting force is an acting force that makes the forward speed of the robot greater than a preset speed, and the first driving force is used to maintain the forward speed within a preset range;

[0137] The processing module 43 is configured to, when a second force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, adjust the first power according to the second force so as to control the robot by using the adjusted first power, where the second force is greater than a preset threshold.

[0138] In a feasible implementation manner, the processing module 43 is configured to, when the second force is a thrust force, increase the first power so that the traveling speed of the robot is increased.

[0139] In a feasible implementation manner, the processing module 43 is configured to, when the second force causes the robot to turn, reduce the first power and make the direction of the first power change dynamically so that the robot turns at a limited speed.

[0140] In a feasible implementation manner, the processing module 43 is configured to, when the second force is a pulling force, adjust the direction of the first power to the opposite direction of the forward direction of the robot so that the robot decelerates.

[0141] In a feasible implementation manner, the output module 42 is further configured to, when the support surface is flat ground and a third force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, output a fixed second power, where the third force is a force that makes the backward speed of the robot greater than a preset speed, and the second power is used to control the robot to move backward.

[0142] In a feasible implementation manner, the output module 42 is further configured to, when the support surface is flat ground and a fourth force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, output a third power, where the fourth force is a force that makes the wheel speed difference of the robot greater than or equal to a preset difference, and the third power is used to make the robot turn at a limited speed.

[0143] In a feasible implementation manner, the processing module 43 is further configured to, when the support surface is a ramp, determine whether the ramp is an uphill ramp or a downhill ramp;

[0144] The output module 42 is further configured to, when the ramp is an uphill ramp, output a fourth power; keep the magnitude of the fourth power unchanged so that the robot moves uphill under the action of the fourth power.

[0145] In a feasible implementation manner, the output module 42 is further configured to, when the ramp is a downhill ramp, output a dynamic fifth power so that the robot moves downhill at a uniform speed under the action of the fifth power.

[0146] In a feasible implementation manner, the processing module 43 is further configured to determine whether the robot exits the manual mode, and when the robot exits the manual mode, control the robot to brake.

[0147] In a feasible implementation manner, the processing module 43 is further configured to identify whether the robot is subjected to a fifth force, where the fifth force is an instantaneous tensile force; when the robot is subjected to the fifth force, stop outputting power.

[0148] The control device of the robot provided in the embodiments of the present application can execute the actions of the robot in the above embodiments, and its implementation principle and technical effects are similar, which will not be elaborated here.

[0149] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a robot provided in the embodiments of the present application. As Figure 5 shown, the robot 500 includes:

[0150] a processor 51 and a memory 52;

[0151] The memory 52 stores computer instructions;

[0152] The processor 51 executes the computer instructions stored in the memory 52, so that the processor 51 executes the control method of the robot as described above.

[0153] The specific implementation process of the processor 51 can be referred to in the above method embodiments, and its implementation principle and technical effects are similar, which will not be elaborated here in this embodiment.

[0154] Optionally, the robot 500 further includes a communication component 53. Among them, the processor 51, the memory 52, and the communication component 53 can be connected through a bus 54.

[0155] The embodiments of the present application further provide a computer-readable storage medium, in which computer instructions are stored, and the computer instructions are executed by a processor to execute the control method of the robot as described above.

[0156] The embodiments of the present application further provide a computer program product, which includes a computer program, and the computer program is executed by a processor to execute the control method of the robot as described above.

[0157] Other embodiments of the present application will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present application, which follow the general principles of the present application and include known common knowledge or conventional technical means in the technical field not disclosed in the present application. The specification and examples are only illustrative, and the true scope and spirit of the present application are pointed out by the following claims.

[0158] It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the exact structures described above and shown in the drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of the present application is only limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a robot, characterized in that, it includes: When the robot enters the manual mode, determine whether the support surface is flat; When the support surface is flat and a first force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, output a first power, where the first force is a force that makes the forward speed of the robot greater than the preset speed, and the first power is used to maintain the forward speed within a preset range; When a second force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, adjust the first power according to the second force to control the robot with the adjusted first power, where the second force is greater than a preset threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of when a second force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, adjusting the first power according to the second force to control the robot with the adjusted first power includes: When the second force is a pushing force, increase the first power to make the traveling speed of the robot faster.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of when a second force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, adjusting the first power according to the second force to control the robot with the adjusted first power includes: When the second force causes the robot to turn, reduce the first power and make the direction of the first power change dynamically to make the robot turn at a limited speed.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of when a second force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, adjusting the first power according to the second force to control the robot with the adjusted first power includes: When the second force is a pulling force, adjust the direction of the first power to the opposite direction of the forward direction of the robot to make the robot decelerate.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, it further includes: When the support surface is flat and a third force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, output a fixed second power, where the third force is a force that makes the backward speed of the robot greater than the preset speed, and the second power is used to control the robot to move backward.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, it further includes: When the support surface is flat and a fourth force exerted by the user on the robot is recognized, output a third power, where the fourth force is a force that makes the wheel speed difference of the robot greater than or equal to a preset difference, and the third power is used to make the robot turn at a limited speed.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, it further includes: When the support surface is a ramp, determine whether the ramp is an uphill ramp or a downhill ramp; When the ramp is an uphill ramp, output a fourth power; Keep the magnitude of the fourth power unchanged to make the robot go uphill under the action of the fourth power.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, it further includes: When the ramp is a downhill ramp, output dynamic fifth power so that the robot travels downhill at a constant speed under the action of the fifth power.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, further comprising: determining whether the robot exits the manual mode; when the robot exits the manual mode, controlling the robot to brake.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 - 4, characterized in that, further comprising: identifying whether the robot is subjected to a fifth acting force, the fifth acting force being an instantaneous pulling force; when the robot is subjected to the fifth acting force, stopping outputting power.

11. A control device for a robot, characterized in that, comprising: a determination module, configured to determine whether the support surface is flat when the robot enters the manual mode; an output module, configured to output first power when the support surface is flat and a first acting force exerted by a user on the robot is recognized, the first acting force being an acting force that makes the forward speed of the robot greater than a preset speed, and the first power being used to maintain the forward speed within a preset range; a processing module, configured to adjust the first power according to the second acting force when the second acting force exerted by a user on the robot is recognized, so as to control the robot by using the adjusted first power, the second acting force being greater than a preset threshold.

12. A robot, comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored on the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, when the processor executes the computer program, the robot implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, characterized in that, when the computer program is executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 is implemented.

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