Robot chassis control method and robot system

Abstract

The invention discloses a robot chassis control method and a robot system.The method comprises the steps that portable computing equipment is assembled to a chassis body, communication connection and power connection are established between the chassis body and the portable computing equipment, and the portable computing equipment is at least provided with a processor, a sensor and a displayer; the processor is used for processing sensing data from the sensor, and a control instruction is generated; and executing control feedback based on the control instruction, wherein the control feedback comprises one or more of controlling the motion state of the chassis body, adjusting the spatial attitude of the portable computing device and controlling the display to perform man-machine interaction display. According to the scheme, mature hardware resources and software ecology of portable computing equipment can be fully utilized, repeated development of special modules is avoided, and the development cost and complexity of a robot system are remarkably reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of robot control technology, and in particular to a robot chassis control method and a robot system. Background Art

[0002] A mobile robot is an intelligent device capable of autonomous mobility, performing perception, decision-making, and manipulation tasks within its environment. The robot chassis, as the foundational platform for mobile robots, primarily provides mobility and supports upper-level functional modules. The chassis, through a motion control system, enables the robot's positional transformation and posture adjustment in space, serving as a crucial vehicle for the robot's various application functions.

[0003] Existing mobile robot systems typically adopt an integrated design approach, integrating computing, perception, interaction, and control modules onto a unified hardware platform. This design approach requires the customized development of dedicated processor systems, sensor arrays, and human-machine interfaces tailored to specific application requirements. It also requires the development of corresponding underlying driver software, middleware, and application software to coordinate the various modules. Due to the complex interface dependencies between functional modules, the system integration process requires extensive adaptation and development work, which not only prolongs the product development cycle but also significantly increases hardware and software development costs. Furthermore, this tightly coupled system architecture makes functional upgrades and expansions difficult. The introduction of new sensor types or interaction methods often requires a complete redesign of the hardware platform and software architecture. Therefore, reducing the development complexity and cost of mobile robot systems while improving their functional scalability and ease of maintenance has become a core issue that needs to be addressed in this technical field.

[0004] How to reduce the development complexity and cost of mobile robot systems while improving the system's functional scalability and maintenance convenience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main purpose of this invention is to reduce the development complexity and cost of mobile robot systems, while improving the functional scalability and maintenance convenience of the system.

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a method for controlling a robot chassis, the method comprising: Assembling a portable computing device onto a chassis body and establishing a communication connection and a power supply connection between the chassis body and the portable computing device, wherein the portable computing device has at least a processor, a sensor, and a display; Processing the sensor data from the sensor using the processor to generate control instructions; Control feedback is executed based on the control instruction, and the control feedback includes one or more of controlling the motion state of the chassis body, adjusting the spatial posture of the portable computing device, and controlling the display to perform human-computer interaction display.

[0007] Preferably, assembling the portable computing device onto the chassis body comprises: installing the portable computing device in a protective case; The protective cover is assembled and fixed to the connecting assembly on the chassis body. At least two driving assemblies are provided in the connecting assembly. Each of the driving assemblies is used to drive the protective cover to move relative to the chassis body, so that the portable computing device has the ability to move with at least two degrees of freedom.

[0008] Preferably, the processing of the sensor data from the sensor by the processor to generate a control instruction; and executing control feedback based on the control instruction include: Processing the current posture parameters from the sensor using the processor and determining target posture parameters according to application requirements; Comparing the current posture parameters with the target posture parameters to generate an adaptive posture instruction; The driving component is controlled based on the adaptive posture instruction to adjust the spatial position of the protective cover so that the portable computing device reaches the target posture parameter.

[0009] Preferably, the processing of the sensor data from the sensor by the processor to generate a control instruction; and executing control feedback based on the control instruction include: Identify emotional state information based on the human-computer interaction context; Acquire corresponding display content and action parameters from a preset emotion database according to the emotional state information; Generate emotion display instructions and emotion action instructions; Based on the emotion display instruction, the display is controlled to display corresponding emotion expression; based on the emotion action instruction, the driving component is controlled to adjust the spatial posture of the portable computing device.

[0010] Preferably, the processing of the sensor data from the sensor by the processor to generate a control instruction; and executing control feedback based on the control instruction include: When it is detected that the system power is lower than a preset threshold, the sensor is used to obtain environmental information and perform path planning; Generate navigation control instructions; The chassis body is controlled to move to a charging position based on the navigation control instruction.

[0011] Preferably, in the process of controlling the chassis body to move to the charging position, the process further includes: Generate navigation optimization instructions based on navigation stage requirements; Based on the navigation optimization instruction, the driving component is controlled to adjust the spatial posture of the portable computing device to optimize the perception field of the sensor to adapt to different navigation task requirements.

[0012] Preferably, after the chassis body establishes a power connection with the portable computing device, the method further includes: Powering the portable computing device via the battery system of the chassis body; monitoring a power status of the portable computing device; generating a charging control instruction when detecting that the power level of the portable computing device is lower than a preset threshold; The chassis body is controlled to move to a charging pile position based on the charging control instruction, and a charging connection is established between the chassis body and the charging pile.

[0013] Preferably, the method further comprises: When the portable computing device is separated from the chassis body, the communication connection between the portable computing device and the chassis body is disconnected, and the portable computing device resumes independent device function.

[0014] Preferably, the communication connection is established via at least one of a serial communication protocol or a Bluetooth communication protocol.

[0015] A second aspect of the present invention provides a robot system, which adopts the control method of the robot chassis of any of the above embodiments.

[0016] The present invention constructs a new robot control architecture by establishing a physical connection, communication connection, and power supply connection between a portable computing device with computing, sensing, and display capabilities and a robot chassis. In this architecture, the portable computing device assumes the functions of multiple dedicated modules in a traditional robot system: its built-in processor replaces the dedicated computing module, its integrated camera, gyroscope, microphone, and other sensors replace the dedicated perception module, and its display and speaker replace the dedicated interaction module. When the portable computing device is connected to the robot chassis, the device's processor begins to process the perception data from its sensors. After analysis and processing, these data generate control instructions for the robot chassis, which are then transmitted to the chassis via a communication connection to execute the corresponding motion control. This design allows multiple dedicated hardware modules that originally needed to be developed and integrated separately to be replaced by a unified portable device, thereby avoiding the customized development work for different functional modules.

[0017] This alternative solution can significantly reduce development complexity and costs. The fundamental reason is that portable computing devices, as mature consumer electronic products, already have high-performance computing and processing capabilities, rich sensor configurations, and complete human-computer interaction interfaces. These hardware resources can be directly called by the robot system without redesign. At the same time, portable devices have mature operating systems and rich software ecosystems. Developers can use existing development tools and program frameworks to quickly build robot control applications without having to develop dedicated software systems from the bottom up. In addition, when the system needs functional upgrades or expansions, this can be achieved through software updates or the installation of new applications, without replacing hardware modules or redesigning the system architecture. This flexibility greatly improves the maintainability and scalability of the system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a method for controlling a robot chassis according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the robot chassis in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the robot chassis from another perspective; Figure 4 for Figure 2 The schematic diagram of the robot chassis with some structures omitted; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A partial enlarged view of point A in the middle; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the robot chassis in use; Figure 7 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the state after the middle protective cover is rotated 180 degrees; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another usage state after omitting some structures of the robot chassis; Figure 9 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the protective cover after pitch rotation.

[0020] Description of Figure Numbers: 1. Protective cover; 2. Chassis body; 3. Connecting assembly; 31. First drive assembly; 32. Second drive assembly.

[0021] The purpose, features and advantages of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0024] In addition, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. in the present invention are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, "and / or" in the full text includes three solutions. Taking A and / or B as an example, it includes technical solution A, technical solution B, and technical solution that satisfies both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, and must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0025] Specifically, Figures 2 to 9The following are some schematic diagrams of the robot chassis. In some embodiments, the robot chassis includes a protective cover 1, a connecting component 3, and a chassis body 2. The protective cover 1 is a shell structure adapted for portable computing devices, and can accommodate and protect different types of portable computing devices such as tablets, smart phones, and laptops. A connection area is provided on the back of the protective cover 1. In one embodiment, the connection area is a circular magnetic area with multiple magnetic sheets embedded therein for magnetic docking with the connecting component 3. In another embodiment, the connection area can also be fixed to the connecting component 3 by means of a snap-on connection, a threaded connection, or a quick-release mechanical locking. The protective cover 1 is also provided with an interface module, which in some embodiments is a power supply and data socket, and is connected to the charging interface of the portable computing device through a charging data cable to realize power transmission and data communication. In other embodiments, a combination of a wireless charging module and a Bluetooth communication module can also be used.

[0026] The connecting component 3 is arranged above the chassis body 2, and serves as a mechanical connection and motion control bridge between the protective cover 1 and the chassis body 2. A plurality of drive components are arranged inside the connecting component 3. In the basic embodiment, there are two drive components, namely a first drive component 31 and a second drive component 32, which are used to realize the rotation control of the protective cover 1 in two different directions. In an extended embodiment, the number of drive components can also be three or more to realize more complex spatial posture adjustment, such as adding a third drive component to control the lifting and lowering movement of the protective cover 1, or adding a fourth drive component to realize finer angle adjustment. The first drive component 31 is mainly responsible for the rotation control of the protective cover 1 around an axis perpendicular to its back (such as the attached Figure 6 To the attached Figure 7 are schematic diagrams of the protective cover 1 before and after rotation). Figures 4 and 5 The first drive assembly 31 includes a drive motor, a transmission gear, and an arc-shaped guide rail. The transmission gear meshes with the tooth surface on the inner side of the arc-shaped guide rail. When the output shaft of the drive motor rotates, the transmission gear rotates, and the transmission gear rolls along the arc-shaped guide rail, thereby driving the support frame connected to the guide rail to rotate in the vertical plane, thereby achieving spatial orientation adjustment of the protective cover 1 and the portable computing device inside. The second drive assembly 32 is similar, and also uses a drive motor and a transmission mechanism (such as gear transmission, belt transmission, or worm gear transmission, etc.) to drive the protective cover 1 to pitch (such as the attached Figure 8 and 9 (The two state diagrams are before and after pitch rotation, respectively.) In some embodiments, the drive motor can be a different type of actuator, such as a steering gear, a stepper motor, or a servo motor. The components involved in the above embodiments are relatively common electromechanical components, and the specific structure and working principle of each component will not be elaborated in detail here.

[0027] Existing mobile robot systems typically adopt an integrated design approach, integrating computing, perception, interaction, and control modules onto a unified hardware platform. This design approach requires the customized development of dedicated processor systems, sensor arrays, and human-machine interfaces tailored to specific application requirements. It also requires the development of corresponding underlying driver software, middleware, and application software to coordinate the various modules. Due to the complex interface dependencies between functional modules, the system integration process requires extensive adaptation and development work, which not only prolongs the product development cycle but also significantly increases hardware and software development costs. Furthermore, this tightly coupled system architecture makes functional upgrades and expansions difficult. The introduction of new sensor types or interaction methods often requires a complete redesign of the hardware platform and software architecture. Therefore, reducing the development complexity and cost of mobile robot systems while improving their functional scalability and ease of maintenance has become a core issue that needs to be addressed in this technical field.

[0028] To this end, an embodiment of the present application provides a control method for a robot chassis to solve the above-mentioned problem.

[0029] Specifically, Figure 1 A flow chart of a method for controlling a robot chassis according to an embodiment of the present application. In this embodiment, the method includes: Assembling a portable computing device onto a chassis body and establishing a communication connection and a power supply connection between the chassis body and the portable computing device, wherein the portable computing device has at least a processor, a sensor, and a display; Processing the sensor data from the sensor using the processor to generate control instructions; Control feedback is executed based on the control instruction, and the control feedback includes one or more of controlling the motion state of the chassis body, adjusting the spatial posture of the portable computing device, and controlling the display to perform human-computer interaction display.

[0030] It's easy to understand that the present invention constructs a completely new robot control architecture by establishing a physical, communication, and power connection between a portable computing device with computing, sensing, and display capabilities and a robot chassis. In this architecture, the portable computing device takes on the functions of multiple dedicated modules in a traditional robot system: its built-in processor replaces the dedicated computing module, its integrated sensors such as cameras, gyroscopes, and microphones replace the dedicated perception module, and its display and speakers replace the dedicated interaction module. Once the portable computing device is connected to the robot chassis, the device's processor begins processing the sensory data from its sensors. After analyzing and processing this data, it generates control instructions for the robot chassis, which are then transmitted to the chassis via a communication connection to execute the corresponding motion control. This design replaces multiple dedicated hardware modules that would otherwise need to be developed and integrated separately with a unified portable device, thereby avoiding the need for customized development work for different functional modules.

[0031] This alternative solution can significantly reduce development complexity and costs. The fundamental reason is that portable computing devices, as mature consumer electronic products, already have high-performance computing and processing capabilities, rich sensor configurations, and complete human-computer interaction interfaces. These hardware resources can be directly called by the robot system without redesign. At the same time, portable devices have mature operating systems and rich software ecosystems. Developers can use existing development tools and program frameworks to quickly build robot control applications without having to develop dedicated software systems from the bottom up. In addition, when the system needs functional upgrades or expansions, this can be achieved through software updates or the installation of new applications, without replacing hardware modules or redesigning the system architecture. This flexibility greatly improves the maintainability and scalability of the system.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, assembling a portable computing device onto a chassis body includes: installing the portable computing device in a protective case; The protective cover is assembled and fixed to the connecting assembly on the chassis body. At least two driving assemblies are provided in the connecting assembly. Each of the driving assemblies is used to drive the protective cover to move relative to the chassis body, so that the portable computing device has the ability to move with at least two degrees of freedom.

[0033] The following is a detailed description of the steps involved in the above embodiment: The operator places a portable computing device such as a tablet into the storage space of the protective case. The protective case adopts an open design, and the portable computing device is inserted from the open end and fully embedded in the inner cavity structure of the protective case. During the installation process, the charging port of the portable computing device and the preset charging data cable in the protective case are automatically aligned and plugged in to establish an electrical connection. The charging data cable is a special cable that connects the portable computing device to the external system, transmitting both power and data signals. Taking the iPad as an example, after sliding the iPad into the protective case, its Lightning interface or USB-C interface is connected to the corresponding plug of the charging data cable. At this time, the portable computing device is firmly fixed inside the protective case, and the electrical connection ensures subsequent power supply and communication needs. This installation method enables the portable computing device and the protective case to form an integrated structure, providing a stable mechanical foundation for subsequent assembly with the connection components. At the same time, the pre-established electrical connection avoids the complicated cable arrangement work.

[0034] The operator aligns the magnetic area on the back of the protective case containing the portable computing device with the corresponding magnetic surface on the top of the connecting assembly. The magnetic plates between the two generate an attractive force, automatically achieving precise positioning and secure fixation. The magnetic area is a circular connection area on the back of the protective case, embedded with multiple permanent magnets, which form a magnetic coupling with the magnetic material on the top of the connecting assembly. After assembly, the first and second drive assemblies within the connecting assembly begin to function. The first drive assembly uses a servo to drive a gear system, enabling the protective case to rotate in a vertical plane around an axis perpendicular to its back, achieving a Ferris wheel-like rotational motion. The second drive assembly also uses a servo and transmission mechanism to control the pitch motion of the protective case. The coordinated operation of the two drive assemblies enables the portable computing device to achieve two degrees of freedom of motion, allowing it to be adjusted to any desired spatial posture. This dual-degree-of-freedom design meets the requirements for precise control of the device's orientation and angle in different application scenarios, significantly expanding the flexibility of portable computing devices in robotic systems.

[0035] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processing of the sensor data from the sensor by the processor to generate a control instruction; and executing control feedback based on the control instruction include: Processing the current posture parameters from the sensor using the processor and determining target posture parameters according to application requirements; Comparing the current posture parameters with the target posture parameters to generate an adaptive posture instruction; The driving component is controlled based on the adaptive posture instruction to adjust the spatial position of the protective cover so that the portable computing device reaches the target posture parameter.

[0036] The following is a detailed description of the steps involved in the above embodiment: The portable computing device is pre-installed with a robot control application, which includes functional components such as a posture detection module, a scene recognition module, and a command generation module. When the device is physically connected to the chassis, the application automatically launches and enters robot control mode. The posture detection module uses the device's operating system's sensor API to read digital signals from the built-in gyroscope and accelerometer in real time, obtaining the device's tilt angle and rotation direction in three-dimensional space. This raw data is filtered and processed to form the current posture parameters. The current posture parameters are expressed as angle values, including the pitch angle relative to the horizontal plane and the rotation angle relative to the initial orientation. The scene recognition module matches the corresponding target posture parameters from a pre-set database of application scenarios based on the user's current application type or manual selection. For example, the target posture parameters for a video call scenario are a pitch angle of 0 degrees and a rotation angle of 0 degrees to keep the screen vertical; the target posture parameters for a charging navigation scenario are a pitch angle of 30 degrees forward to optimize the camera's field of view for path recognition. This intelligent, application-based posture parameter determination eliminates the burden of manual adjustment of the device's angle.

[0037] The command generation module within the application performs numerical calculations on the current and target posture parameters, calculating the angular difference between the two through simple subtraction. Based on the magnitude and positive / negative direction of the difference, it generates adaptive posture commands containing rotation instructions. Adaptive posture commands use a standardized data format and include four parameters: axis identifier, rotation direction, rotation angle, and rotation speed. Specifically, when the target pitch angle is set at 45 degrees and the sensor detects a current pitch angle of 20 degrees, the command generation module calculates the difference as 25 degrees and generates a control command containing the information "pitch axis, positive direction, 25 degrees, medium speed." The program also implements a speed adjustment algorithm: when the angle difference is greater than 20 degrees, it uses a fast rotation mode; when the difference is less than 5 degrees, it uses a slow, fine-tuning mode; and when the difference falls between the two, it uses a medium speed mode. This graded speed control algorithm avoids the impact of fast rotation and the response delay caused by slow rotation.

[0038] The application converts the adaptive attitude commands into a standard serial port or Bluetooth communication protocol format through the communication module and sends them to the drive component controller within the connected component. The drive component controller is a microprocessor embedded in the connected component, responsible for parsing the received commands and converting them into servo control signals. The first drive component drives the output shaft of the corresponding servo according to the rotation axis command, driving the gear transmission system to rotate the protective cover to a specified angle in the vertical plane. The second drive component drives another servo according to the pitch axis command, achieving fore-and-aft tilt adjustment of the protective cover through the transmission mechanism. Each drive component is equipped with an angle encoder that detects the actual rotation angle of the servo in real time and feeds it back to the controller. When the detected angle reaches the target angle specified by the command, the controller sends a stop signal to maintain the servo's current position. This closed-loop control mechanism ensures that the portable computing device can accurately achieve the target attitude parameters, achieving the optimal display and interaction angles for different application scenarios.

[0039] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processing of the sensor data from the sensor by the processor to generate a control instruction; and executing control feedback based on the control instruction include: Identify emotional state information based on the human-computer interaction context; Acquire corresponding display content and action parameters from a preset emotion database according to the emotional state information; Generate emotion display instructions and emotion action instructions; Based on the emotion display instruction, the display is controlled to display corresponding emotion expression; based on the emotion action instruction, the driving component is controlled to adjust the spatial posture of the portable computing device.

[0040] The following is a detailed description of the steps involved in the above embodiment: The robot control application uses a speech recognition module and a text analysis module to analyze user interactions in real time, identifying the emotional state information contained within. The human-computer interaction context refers to the language and behavioral environment generated when a user converses, operates, or interacts with a portable computing device. The speech recognition module uses the device's built-in microphone to capture user voice input, converts the voice signal into text, and then uses natural language processing (NLP) to analyze the emotional vocabulary and intonation characteristics contained in the text. The text analysis module uses keyword matching and semantic analysis algorithms to identify words that express positive emotions, such as "happy," "satisfied," and "like," as well as words that express negative emotions, such as "confused," "disappointed," and "angry." For example, when a user says, "This feature is great, I love it," the program recognizes positive words like "great" and "like," and determines the current emotional state as "happy." When a user says, "Why doesn't this work? That's so annoying," the program recognizes negative words like "doesn't work" and "annoying," and determines the emotional state as "confused." This NLP-based emotion recognition approach accurately captures the user's true emotional state, providing accurate data for subsequent emotional expression.

[0041] Based on the recognized emotional state, the application searches and retrieves the corresponding display content and action parameters from a preset emotion database. The preset emotion database is a structured data set stored in the portable computing device's memory, containing various emotion types and their corresponding expressions. Each emotional state corresponds to a specific set of display content and action parameters. Display content includes expression images, color schemes, and animation effects, while action parameters include pitch angle, rotation angle, and motion speed. For example, the display content corresponding to the emotion "happy" is a smiling face image on a bright yellow background, with action parameters including a 3-degree upward pitch, a 5-degree left-right rotation, and a fast motion speed. The display content corresponding to the emotion "confused" is a frowning face image on a dim blue background, with action parameters including a 10-degree left pitch, a constant rotation angle, and a slow motion speed. The database uses a key-value storage format, using the emotion name as a search keyword to quickly locate the corresponding display and action data. This preset database design ensures consistent and predictable emotional expression, avoiding the delays and uncertainties associated with real-time computation.

[0042] The application's command generation module converts the display content and motion parameters obtained from the emotion database into two standardized control commands: emotion display commands and emotion motion commands. Emotion display commands are digital commands that control the display to display specific emotional content and include image file paths, color parameters, and animation playback parameters. Emotion motion commands are digital commands that control the driver component to perform specific movements and include rotation axis identifiers, angle values, and motion duration parameters. For example, when the emotional state is "happy," the command generation module creates an emotion display command containing "display the smile.png image file, background color RGB values 255,255,0, and playback time of 3 seconds" (or "play the happy_bounce.fbx 3D animation, background color RGB values 255,255,0, and playback time of 3 seconds"). It also creates an emotion motion command containing "pitch axis upward rotation 3 degrees, duration 1 second, rotation axis left and right swing 5 degrees, and loop 3 times." The commands are encoded in JSON format to ensure a clear data structure and easy parsing. This dual command generation mechanism enables precise synchronization of visual expression and physical movement.

[0043] Upon receiving an emotional display command, the portable computing device's display control module immediately invokes the graphics processing unit to render the corresponding emotional expression on the display. Simultaneously, the communication module sends the emotional action command to the connected component's driver controller. The display displays the specified emotional image and sets the corresponding background color as instructed, creating a visual atmosphere that matches the current emotional state. The driver controller interprets the received emotional action command and controls the servos of the first and second driver components to rotate according to specified parameters, causing the portable computing device to perform the corresponding physical gesture. For example, in the "happy" emotional scenario, the display displays a smiling face and a bright background. Simultaneously, the second driver component controls the protective cover to tilt upward 3 degrees to express a positive attitude, while the first driver component controls the protective cover to swing left and right to simulate a nod of approval. This coordinated expression of visual display and physical action significantly enhances the emotional experience of human-robot interaction, giving the robot system human-like emotional expression capabilities and increasing the user's sense of familiarity and naturalness when interacting with the robot.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, the processing of the sensor data from the sensor by the processor to generate a control instruction; and executing control feedback based on the control instruction include: When it is detected that the system power is lower than a preset threshold, the sensor is used to obtain environmental information and perform path planning; Generate navigation control instructions; The chassis body is controlled to move to a charging position based on the navigation control instruction.

[0045] The following is a detailed description of the steps involved in the above embodiment: The robot control application continuously monitors the battery charge level of the portable computing device. When it detects that the battery level drops below a preset threshold (e.g., 20%), it automatically triggers charging navigation mode. The application uses the portable computing device's built-in camera to capture images of the surroundings ahead and the gyroscope to obtain the device's orientation and angle information. This data constitutes environmental information. The camera captures environmental images at a rate of 10 frames per second. The image processing module performs edge detection and object recognition on each frame, identifying key environmental objects such as walls, furniture, and charging stations, and their relative positions. If the portable computing device is equipped with a lidar sensor, the system also incorporates lidar data to improve mapping and navigation accuracy. The gyroscope provides angular data on the device's current orientation to help determine its direction of travel. Based on this acquired environmental information, the path planning algorithm calculates the optimal path from the current location to the known charging station locations. Using the A-star pathfinding algorithm, the algorithm divides the environment into a grid map, marks obstacle locations, and calculates the shortest path to avoid them. This visual perception-based approach to acquiring environmental information fully utilizes the portable computing device's existing hardware resources, avoiding the cost of installing additional dedicated sensors.

[0046] Based on the path planning results, the application generates navigation control instructions that include the movement direction, distance, and speed. These instructions use a standardized data format and include four basic movement instructions: forward, backward, left turn, and right turn, along with their corresponding parameter values. For example, if the path planning algorithm calculates a path that requires moving forward 2 meters and then turning 90 degrees left, the application generates two navigation control instructions: "Forward 2000 mm, speed 100 mm / s" and "Turn left 90 degrees, angular velocity 30 degrees / s." The distance parameter in these instructions is specified in millimeters to ensure movement accuracy, while the speed parameter is dynamically adjusted based on the complexity of the environment, using a slower speed in areas with dense obstacles for increased safety. The instruction generation module also calculates the precise steering angle based on the relative position of the charging station to ensure that the chassis accurately approaches the docking position. This structured instruction generation method provides clear execution standards for precise chassis movement control.

[0047] The application sends navigation control instructions to the chassis' motion control system via a communication connection. After receiving the instructions, the chassis drives the built-in motor and wheel assembly to perform the corresponding movement. The motion control system controls the rotation speed and time of the drive wheels based on the forward instructions, and controls the differential rotation of the left and right wheels to achieve direction changes based on the steering instructions. While the chassis is moving, the portable computing device continuously acquires environmental information and adjusts the movement path in real time, immediately generating obstacle avoidance instructions when an unexpected obstacle is detected. When the chassis moves near the charging station, the application switches to precise docking mode, uses the camera to identify the location of the charging port of the charging station, and generates fine-tuning movement instructions to precisely align the charging port of the chassis with the charging station and establish an electrical connection. This navigation control method based on real-time feedback enables autonomous movement and precise positioning of the chassis, solving the technical problem of traditional robots requiring complex navigation sensors.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, the process of controlling the chassis body to move to the charging position further includes: Generate navigation optimization instructions based on navigation stage requirements; Based on the navigation optimization instruction, the driving component is controlled to adjust the spatial posture of the portable computing device to optimize the perception field of the sensor to adapt to different navigation task requirements.

[0049] The following is a detailed description of the steps involved in the above embodiment: The robot control application automatically determines the optimal sensor configuration requirements based on the current navigation mission phase and generates corresponding navigation optimization commands. Navigation phase requirements refer to specific requirements for the sensor's field of view and angle at different times during autonomous movement. The application has a built-in navigation phase identification module that automatically divides the navigation phase into three phases based on the chassis's movement state and distance from the charging station: long-range search, medium-range obstacle avoidance, and close-range docking. During the long-range search phase, the camera needs to obtain a wide field of view to identify the charging station. The program generates navigation optimization commands such as "tilt the pitch angle downward by 15 degrees and expand the field of view." During the medium-range obstacle avoidance phase, the camera needs to focus on the path ahead to identify obstacles. The program generates commands such as "adjust the pitch angle to 0 degrees horizontally and focus the field of view forward." During the close-range docking phase, the camera needs to look downward to accurately identify the charging port. The program generates commands such as "tilt the pitch angle downward by 30 degrees and focus the field of view downward." This dynamic command generation based on mission phases enables intelligent adaptation of sensor configuration, significantly improving perception accuracy and navigation efficiency across different navigation phases.

[0050] The portable computing device sends navigation optimization instructions to the drive assembly controller within the connection assembly. After receiving the instructions, the first and second drive assemblies coordinate to adjust the spatial posture of the protective cover, thereby changing the orientation of the portable computing device and its built-in sensors. The field of view refers to the spatial range and angular area within which a sensor can effectively acquire environmental information. When executing navigation optimization instructions for the long-range search phase, the second drive assembly controls the servo to tilt the protective cover downward 15 degrees, allowing the camera's field of view to cover a larger ground area for searching for charging stations. When executing instructions for the close-range docking phase, the second drive assembly tilts the protective cover downward 30 degrees, precisely aligning the camera's field of view with the charging station's interface area, facilitating identification of the interface's exact location and docking status. The first drive assembly also performs horizontal rotation adjustments as needed to ensure the camera remains focused in the target direction. For example, during the obstacle avoidance phase, if an obstacle is detected on the left, the first drive assembly controls the protective cover to rotate 10 degrees to the right, eliminating the obstacle and focusing the camera's field of view on the accessible path to the right. This multi-degree-of-freedom dynamic attitude adjustment mechanism enables the same set of sensor hardware to exert the precise perception effect of dedicated sensors in different navigation tasks, avoiding the hardware cost and system complexity of installing multiple fixed-angle sensors.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present invention, after the chassis body establishes a power connection with the portable computing device, the method further includes: Powering the portable computing device via the battery system of the chassis body; monitoring a power status of the portable computing device; generating a charging control instruction when detecting that the power level of the portable computing device is lower than a preset threshold; The chassis body is controlled to move to a charging pile position based on the charging control instruction, and a charging connection is established between the chassis body and the charging pile.

[0052] The following is a detailed description of the steps involved in the above embodiment: The chassis itself houses a built-in lithium battery pack, which provides DC power to the portable computing device via the power and data connector and charging cable within the case. The battery system utilizes a standard lithium-ion battery pack with an output voltage of 12V or 24V. A DC-DC converter regulates the voltage to the portable computing device's required 5V operating voltage or the voltage required for fast charging protocols. The power and data connector is a multifunctional interface module located on the back of the case, integrating power output and data transmission terminals. When the portable computing device is installed in the case, the charging cable automatically connects to the device's charging port, establishing an electrical connection. For example, when an iPad is installed in the case, its Lightning connector connects to the charging cable. The chassis' battery system, through the voltage converter, outputs 5V / 2A DC power, which continuously powers the iPad via the connector and charging cable. The power management circuitry also features overcurrent and short-circuit protection to ensure power supply safety. This unified power supply eliminates the portable computing device's reliance on external chargers, enabling integrated power management for the robot system and extending the device's continuous operating time.

[0053] The robot control application calls the portable computing device's operating system's battery API to read the device's battery percentage in real time and stores this data in memory for continuous monitoring. The battery status includes three parameters: current battery percentage, charging status, and estimated battery life. The application queries the battery API once a minute to obtain real-time battery information and logs the data to a battery monitoring log. For example, when the iPad's battery drops from 30% to 25%, the application immediately detects this change and updates the battery status record in memory. The monitoring module also calculates the device's power consumption trend based on the rate of battery decline to predict when the battery will run out. When the battery drops below 30%, the application begins displaying a low-battery notification to the user. When the battery drops below 20%, the system enters energy-saving mode, reducing screen brightness and processor frequency to extend battery life. This real-time battery monitoring mechanism ensures that the system can promptly detect changes in battery level, providing accurate data support for autonomous charging decisions.

[0054] When the monitoring module detects that the battery level of the portable computing device drops below a preset threshold (e.g., 15%), the application's charging management module immediately activates and generates a charging control command containing the target location and movement strategy. The preset threshold of 15% is based on the minimum battery reserve required for the device to complete the charging navigation process, ensuring that the device does not stop functioning due to battery depletion while moving to the charging station. The charging control command contains three pieces of information: the coordinate location of the charging station, the movement path, and docking parameters. The application obtains the precise coordinate location of the charging station from the built-in environmental map database, for example, 3 meters northeast of the current location. It then uses a path planning algorithm to calculate the optimal movement path that avoids obstacles. Finally, it generates a charging control command that includes "move to coordinates (300, 250), the path is to go straight for 2 meters, turn right 90 degrees, and then go straight for 1 meter, with a docking accuracy of ±2 cm." This automatic charging triggering mechanism based on the battery level threshold eliminates the need for manual intervention and enables autonomous energy management of the robotic system.

[0055] The portable computing device sends charging control commands to the chassis' motion control system, driving the motor and steering mechanism to move to the charging station according to the commands and physically docking with the station through precise positioning. The chassis controls the drive wheels according to the movement path commands, enabling straight-line and steering movements. When approaching the charging station, the motion control system switches to precise positioning mode, using the portable computing device's camera to identify the location of the charging port on the charging station and generate fine-tuning movement commands to precisely align the chassis' charging plug with the charging station's receptacle. Once docked, the chassis' charging plug is inserted into the charging station's receptacle, establishing an electrical connection and beginning the charging process. A charging connection refers to the electrical connection between the chassis and the charging station, which transmits current through the physical contact of metal contacts. For example, when the chassis moves 10 centimeters in front of the charging station, the precise positioning system controls the chassis to slowly advance until the charging plug is fully inserted into the receptacle. This activates the charging circuit, and the charging station begins charging the chassis' battery system. This autonomous charging and docking method enables the robot system to operate unmanned for long periods of time, significantly improving its practicality and autonomy.

[0056] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises: When the portable computing device is separated from the chassis body, the communication connection between the portable computing device and the chassis body is disconnected, and the portable computing device resumes independent device function.

[0057] The communication connection is established via at least one of a serial communication protocol or a Bluetooth communication protocol.

[0058] Specifically, when a user removes a portable computing device from its protective case, the magnetic connection between the case and the connecting component automatically disconnects, triggering a disconnection process. The robot control application has a built-in connection status monitoring module that detects physical disconnection in various ways. For wired connections, when the charging cable is unplugged from the portable computing device's charging port, the electrical connection is lost. The application detects the sudden loss of charging current and immediately identifies the disconnection state. For Bluetooth connections, the connection status monitoring module sends a heartbeat detection signal to the chassis once per second. If no response signal is received from the chassis for three consecutive seconds, the Bluetooth connection is considered disconnected. For example, when a user removes an iPad from its protective case, the Lightning connector (or Type-C connector) disconnects from the charging cable. The application detects the loss of the USB power input signal, and the Bluetooth module detects the loss of the communication link with the chassis. The connection status monitoring module immediately marks the system status as "device disconnected." The response time for disconnection detection is controlled within three seconds, ensuring that the system can quickly identify the status change and execute the appropriate processing flow. This separate identification mechanism based on dual detection of physical status and communication status avoids misjudgment and ensures the accuracy and timeliness of mode switching.

[0059] Once the application detects the detachment state, the communication management module immediately executes a disconnect sequence, closing all data transmission channels with the chassis. For serial communication protocol connections, the communication management module sends a serial port close command to the operating system, releasing occupied serial port resources and clearing unprocessed data in the send and receive buffers. For Bluetooth communication protocol connections, the Bluetooth management module calls the system Bluetooth API to disconnect the device and stops background Bluetooth scanning and connection monitoring services. The serial communication protocol is a standard protocol for inter-device communication via serial data transmission, using the RS-232 or USB-Serial standards with a data transmission rate set to 9600 baud to ensure communication stability. The Bluetooth communication protocol uses Bluetooth 4.0 or higher, operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz and with an effective communication range of 10 meters. For example, when the iPad is detached from the protective case, the application closes the occupied USB serial port connection, simultaneously disconnects the Bluetooth connection to the chassis' MAC address "00:1B:44:11:3A:B7," clears the connection cache, and stops related background communication processes. Complete disconnection of the communication connection ensures that the portable computing device no longer sends control instructions to the chassis body, thereby avoiding erroneous operations and waste of resources in the separated state.

[0060] After the portable computing device completes the communication disconnection, the robot control application automatically exits robot control mode and restores the device's standalone functionality. Standalone functionality refers to the portable computing device's ability to resume its original consumer electronic functionality, such as entertainment, office work, and communication, after being disconnected from the robot system. The application's mode management module executes a functional recovery sequence: shutting down the posture control module, stopping the use of the gyroscope and accelerometer for posture detection; shutting down the navigation control module, stopping the camera's environmental scanning and path planning functions; shutting down the emotional interaction module, stopping emotion recognition and expression display functions; and reactivating standard system applications, such as video players, web browsers, and games. Simultaneously, the power management system returns to standalone power mode, with the device starting to use its internal battery, and the operating system resuming its normal power management and energy-saving strategies. For example, when an iPad resumes standalone functionality, users can browse the web using Safari, watch videos on Netflix, and work with Office applications, all with the same user experience as a standard iPad. Basic functions, such as screen rotation, volume control, and Wi-Fi connectivity, all return to normal, and the user interface displays the standard iOS interface instead of the robot control interface. This seamless switching mechanism enables the device to flexibly transition between robotic applications and everyday use, maximizing the value of portable computing devices while avoiding the limitations of single-function dedicated robotic devices. Through this dual-mode design, users gain the intelligent service capabilities of a robot while maintaining the full functionality of a portable computing device, significantly enhancing the device's practicality and economic value.

[0061] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made by using the contents of the present invention description and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a robot chassis, characterized in that: include: Assembling a portable computing device onto a chassis body and establishing a communication connection and a power supply connection between the chassis body and the portable computing device, wherein the portable computing device has at least a processor, a sensor, and a display; Processing the sensor data from the sensor using the processor to generate control instructions; Control feedback is executed based on the control instruction, and the control feedback includes one or more of controlling the motion state of the chassis body, adjusting the spatial posture of the portable computing device, and controlling the display to perform human-computer interaction display.

2. The control method of the robot chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that: Assembling the portable computing device onto the chassis body includes: installing the portable computing device in a protective case; The protective cover is assembled and fixed to the connecting assembly on the chassis body. At least two driving assemblies are provided in the connecting assembly. Each of the driving assemblies is used to drive the protective cover to move relative to the chassis body, so that the portable computing device has the ability to move with at least two degrees of freedom.

3. The control method of the robot chassis according to claim 2, characterized in that: said utilizing said processor to process the sensing data from said sensor to generate a control instruction; Executing control feedback based on the control instruction includes: Processing the current posture parameters from the sensor using the processor and determining target posture parameters according to application requirements; Comparing the current posture parameters with the target posture parameters to generate an adaptive posture instruction; The driving component is controlled based on the adaptive posture instruction to adjust the spatial position of the protective cover so that the portable computing device reaches the target posture parameter.

4. The control method of the robot chassis according to claim 2, characterized in that: said utilizing said processor to process the sensing data from said sensor to generate a control instruction; Executing control feedback based on the control instruction includes: Identify emotional state information based on the human-computer interaction context; Acquire corresponding display content and action parameters from a preset emotion database according to the emotional state information; Generate emotion display instructions and emotion action instructions; Based on the emotion display instruction, the display is controlled to display corresponding emotion expression; based on the emotion action instruction, the driving component is controlled to adjust the spatial posture of the portable computing device.

5. The control method of the robot chassis according to claim 2, characterized in that: said utilizing said processor to process the sensing data from said sensor to generate a control instruction; Executing control feedback based on the control instruction includes: When it is detected that the system power is lower than a preset threshold, the sensor is used to obtain environmental information and perform path planning; Generate navigation control instructions; The chassis body is controlled to move to a charging position based on the navigation control instruction.

6. The control method of the robot chassis according to claim 5, characterized in that: In the process of controlling the chassis body to move to the charging position, the method further includes: Generate navigation optimization instructions based on navigation stage requirements; Based on the navigation optimization instruction, the driving component is controlled to adjust the spatial posture of the portable computing device to optimize the perception field of the sensor to adapt to different navigation task requirements.

7. The control method of the robot chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the chassis body establishes a power connection with the portable computing device, the method further includes: Powering the portable computing device via the battery system of the chassis body; monitoring a power status of the portable computing device; generating a charging control instruction when detecting that the power level of the portable computing device is lower than a preset threshold; The chassis body is controlled to move to a charging pile position based on the charging control instruction, and a charging connection is established between the chassis body and the charging pile.

8. The control method of the robot chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further comprises: When the portable computing device is separated from the chassis body, the communication connection between the portable computing device and the chassis body is disconnected, and the portable computing device resumes independent device function.

9. The control method of the robot chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The communication connection is established via at least one of a serial communication protocol or a Bluetooth communication protocol.

10. A robot system, characterized in that: The system adopts the control method of the robot chassis according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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