Robot control method, robot and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a robot control method, a robot and an electronic device, the types of multiple charging modules and multiple charging postures matched with the types of the multiple charging modules are preset, when the robot needs to be charged, the type of a target charging module in environment information is determined according to the environment information, and the type of the target charging module is determined from the charging postures. And determining a target attitude matched with the target charging module, and controlling the robot to be charged autonomously through the target attitude. Thus, the robot can select the charging posture matched with the target charging module according to the type of the target charging module in the environment information, the situation that the robot cannot be charged autonomously when the type of the target charging module is not matched with a single charging mode is avoided, smooth autonomous charging of the robot is guaranteed, and the charging efficiency of the robot is improved. And meanwhile, the safety of the robot in the autonomous charging process is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics technology, specifically to a robot control method, a robot, and electronic equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology and intelligence, robots are increasingly used in people's lives. Robots are typically powered by electricity, and as their functions expand, their energy requirements also increase. Therefore, how to control a robot to recharge autonomously when its battery is low has become one of the technical problems that needs to be solved.

[0003] Current autonomous charging solutions for robots mostly rely on fixed charging modes. Taking the fixed charging station mode as an example, when the robot's battery is low, it can move to the charging station and charge through the pre-installed charging interface. However, in real-world applications, the robot's environment is often complex. In such cases, if the environment is incompatible with the robot's fixed charging module, the robot will be unable to charge autonomously, posing a safety hazard. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide a robot control method, a robot, and a robot electronic device, which can realize the autonomous charging process of the robot.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a robot control method, comprising: determining the type of a target charging module based on environmental information; determining a target posture matching the target charging module from multiple charging postures based on the execution conditions corresponding to multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module, wherein different types of target charging modules correspond to different charging postures, different charging postures consume different amounts of energy, and controlling the robot to perform autonomous charging based on the target posture.

[0006] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a robot control device, which includes: a determining module for determining the type of a target charging module based on environmental information; a matching module for determining a target posture that matches the target charging module from multiple charging postures based on the execution conditions corresponding to multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module, wherein different types of target charging modules correspond to different charging postures, and different charging postures have different energy consumption; and a control module for controlling the robot to perform autonomous charging based on the target posture.

[0007] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a robot, including a control module, which is used to execute the robot control method of the first aspect of the claim.

[0008] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including: a processor; and a memory for storing processor-executable instructions, wherein the processor is used to execute the robot control method described in the first aspect.

[0009] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for executing the robot control method of the first aspect described above.

[0010] Sixthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor of a computer device, enables the computer device to perform the robot control method described in the first aspect.

[0011] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a chip, including: a processor; and a memory for storing processor-executable instructions, wherein the processor is used to execute the robot control method of the first aspect described above.

[0012] This application provides a robot control method, a robot, and an electronic device. It presets multiple types of charging modules and multiple charging postures that match the types of charging modules. When the robot needs to be charged, it determines the type of the target charging module in the environmental information based on the environmental information. Based on the execution conditions corresponding to the multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module, it determines the target posture that matches the target charging module from the multiple charging postures and controls the robot to charge autonomously through the target posture.

[0013] In this way, the robot can select a charging posture that matches the type of the target charging module based on the environmental information, thus avoiding the situation where the robot cannot charge autonomously when the type of the target charging module does not match a single charging mode. This ensures the smooth progress of the robot's autonomous charging and also guarantees the safety of the robot during the autonomous charging process. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the system architecture of a robot control system provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0015] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating a robot control method provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0016] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating a robot control method provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0017] Figure 4The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the structure of a robot control device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 5 The diagram shown is a block diagram of an electronic device for performing a robot control method according to an exemplary embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] Application Overview With the continuous development of computer technology, robots are being used more and more widely in people's lives. Examples include cleaning robots in homes, shopping guide robots in malls, material handling robots in logistics warehouses, and collaborative robots in factories, with increasingly diverse functions. The stable operation of these robots almost all relies on electricity as their core energy source. Therefore, how to efficiently, safely, and autonomously recharge when a robot's battery is low has become a key issue in ensuring the robot's continuous service capability.

[0021] Current autonomous charging solutions for robots typically only have one charging mode. Taking the commonly used fixed charging station charging mode as an example, its single charging mode usually includes: pre-storing the location information of the charging station in the robot control system; when the robot's battery level is lower than the battery threshold, controlling the robot to plan a path to the charging station based on the pre-stored location information, and controlling the robot to move along the planned path to the charging station, and completing the docking and charging through the interface reserved by the charging station.

[0022] However, since the robot only supports charging at fixed charging stations, if the location of the charging station changes (for example, in a home setting, the user moves the charging station to tidy up the room, or in a public place such as a shopping mall, the location of the charging station is changed due to renovations), that is, if the robot's surrounding environment does not match its preset charging mode, the robot will not be able to find the charging station and will therefore be unable to charge autonomously. The robot may even wander around the original location of the charging station until it runs out of power and stops, posing a safety hazard.

[0023] At the same time, even if there are other charging modules around the robot besides the fixed charging station, the robot is not able to charge autonomously through other charging modules because it was only designed to support the charging mode of the fixed charging station and did not take into account the charging modes of other charging modules.

[0024] In summary, this addresses the technical issue of robots being unable to charge autonomously when the location of a fixed charging station changes, posing a safety hazard.

[0025] This application provides a robot control method that presets multiple types of charging modules and multiple charging postures matching these types. When the robot needs to charge, it determines the type of the target charging module based on environmental information. Then, based on the execution conditions corresponding to the multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module, it determines the target posture that matches the target charging module from among the multiple charging postures, and controls the robot to charge autonomously using the target posture. In this way, the robot can select a charging posture matching the type of the target charging module in the environmental information, avoiding the situation where the robot cannot charge autonomously when the type of the target charging module does not match a single charging mode, ensuring the smooth progress of autonomous charging and guaranteeing safety during the autonomous charging process.

[0026] Exemplary System Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the system architecture of a robot control system provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the robot control system 100 may include a robot 110 and a charging module 120. The robot 110 may be one of a home service robot, an industrial handling robot, or a humanoid robot.

[0027] When robot 110 needs to be charged, it can acquire its own environmental information. This environmental information can be image data or point cloud data, and can be collected by sensors installed on robot 110 or by sensors installed in the robot's surrounding environment.

[0028] After acquiring its own environmental information, the robot 110 can determine the type of the target charging module 120 in the environmental information. The target charging module 120 is the charging module 120 in the environmental information.

[0029] In one example, the target charging module 120 may be of one type: including only a power supply component, or including both a power supply component and a support component.

[0030] Therefore, the robot 110 can determine the execution conditions that match the type of the target charging module 120 from the multiple charging postures according to the execution conditions corresponding to the multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module, and take the charging posture corresponding to the execution conditions that match the type of the target charging module 120 as the target posture.

[0031] Finally, the robot 110 autonomously charges itself according to the target posture. Different charging modes correspond to different charging postures, and different charging postures consume different amounts of energy.

[0032] It should be understood that the above application scenario examples are only shown to facilitate understanding of the spirit and principles of this application, and the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. Rather, the embodiments of this application can be applied to any applicable scenario.

[0033] Exemplary methods Figure 2 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating a robot control method provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 2 The method can be derived from Figure 1 The operation can be performed by robot 110, or by other electronic devices that can communicate with robot 110. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the robot control method may include the following:

[0034] 210: Determine the type of the target charging module based on the environmental information.

[0035] In one example, the robot may be equipped with sensors, allowing it to determine its environmental information. This environmental information can be image data or point cloud data, and the sensors can be either image sensors or point cloud sensors. The specific data type of the environmental information and the specific type of the sensor can be set as needed, and this application does not impose any restrictions on them.

[0036] In one example, sensors can be placed in the area surrounding the robot, allowing the robot to determine environmental information. This area can be either a region where the robot frequently moves or an area used to enable the robot's movement.

[0037] In one example, the robot can identify or detect objects in the environmental information to determine the type of the target charging module in the environmental information. The target charging module is the charging module in the environmental information.

[0038] In one example, the type of the charging module may include either "containing only the power supply component" or "containing both the power supply component and the support component".

[0039] In one example, the step of determining the type of the target charging module based on environmental information can also be performed by other electronic devices that can communicate with the robot. These other electronic devices can acquire the robot's environmental information, perform target detection or identification on that information, identify the target charging module within the environmental information, and send the type of the detected target charging module back to the environmental information system.

[0040] In one example, the aforementioned method of determining the type of target charging module in environmental information through target detection or target identification is merely an example of how to determine the type of target charging module. The specific method for determining the type of target charging module in environmental information can be set as needed, and this application does not impose any restrictions on it.

[0041] 220: Based on the execution conditions corresponding to multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module, determine the target posture that matches the target charging module from the multiple charging postures. Different types of target charging modules correspond to different charging postures, and different charging postures have different energy consumption.

[0042] In one example, multiple charging postures for the robot can be preset in the robot or other electronic devices that can communicate with the robot. The charging posture characterizes the robot's physical state during the charging process, and different types of target charging modules correspond to different charging postures.

[0043] In one example, the execution condition characterizes the preconditions that must be met when triggering, switching, or executing the charging posture corresponding to that execution condition, and is used to determine which charging posture the robot should adopt in which scenario. Specifically, if the execution condition is met, the robot can subsequently adjust to the charging posture corresponding to the execution condition to complete autonomous charging. Different charging postures correspond to different execution conditions.

[0044] In one example, the preset charging postures may include standing charging posture, sitting charging posture, squatting charging posture, etc.

[0045] In one example, execution conditions may include triggering conditions that characterize the type of the target charging module, such as: the target charging module contains only a power supply component, the target charging module includes both a power supply component and a support component, or the target charging module does not contain a power supply component. Different types of target charging modules are matched with different execution conditions.

[0046] In one example, the execution conditions may further include triggering conditions that characterize the robot's battery level, such as the robot's battery level being lower than a first battery threshold but higher than a second battery threshold, or the robot's battery level being lower than the second battery threshold. The first battery threshold is higher than the second battery threshold.

[0047] In one example, the execution condition could also be: the robot's battery level is below a second battery threshold, and the target charging module does not contain a power supply component; the robot's battery level is below a first battery threshold but above a second battery threshold, and the target charging module does not contain a power supply component, etc., combining the type of the target charging module and the robot's battery level as triggering conditions. The specific content and settings of the triggering conditions can be configured as needed, and this application does not impose any limitations on them.

[0048] In one example, after determining the type of the target charging module, the robot can match each execution condition with the type of the target charging module based on the type of the target charging module and the execution conditions corresponding to multiple pre-stored charging postures, and take the charging posture corresponding to the execution condition that matches the type of the target charging module as the target posture.

[0049] In one example, the robot can determine its current battery level, and based on the current battery level, the type of the target charging module, and the execution conditions corresponding to multiple charging postures, match each execution condition with the current battery level and the type of the target charging module to determine the execution condition that matches both the current battery level and the type of the target charging module, and take the charging posture corresponding to the execution condition as the target posture.

[0050] 230: Control the robot to recharge autonomously based on the target posture.

[0051] In one example, after determining the target posture, the robot can adjust its own posture to the target posture to complete the autonomous charging process.

[0052] In one example, the target charging module includes a power supply interface, and the robot is equipped with a charging interface. After adjusting its own posture to the target posture, the robot can align and connect the power supply interface and the charging interface to allow the target charging module to supply power to the robot, thereby achieving autonomous charging.

[0053] In one example, multiple charging modes can be preset, binding charging postures to charging modes. Different charging modes correspond to different charging postures. Thus, the robot can determine the charging mode that matches the target posture from among the multiple charging modes, using it as the target mode, and control the robot to perform autonomous charging according to the target mode. Here, the charging mode is used to characterize the specific operation scheme preset to achieve autonomous charging of the robot and adapted to different types of target charging modules.

[0054] In one example, the charging mode may include: controlling the robot to move to the target charging module, adjusting its posture to a sitting position, and charging autonomously; controlling the robot to move to the target charging module and charge autonomously; controlling the robot to find other charging modules for autonomous charging, etc.

[0055] This application provides a robot control method that presets multiple types of charging modules and multiple charging postures that match the types of charging modules. When the robot needs to charge, it determines the type of the target charging module in the environmental information based on the environmental information, and determines the target posture that matches the type of the target charging module from the multiple charging postures based on the execution conditions corresponding to the multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module. Then, it controls the robot to charge autonomously through the target posture.

[0056] In this application, the robot can select a charging posture that matches the type of the target charging module based on the environmental information, thus avoiding the situation where the robot cannot charge autonomously when the type of the target charging module does not match a single charging mode. This ensures the smooth progress of the robot's autonomous charging and also guarantees the safety of the robot during the autonomous charging process.

[0057] According to one embodiment of this application, the robot is a humanoid robot, and step 220 includes: if the environmental information only contains a power supply component, determining that the type of the target charging module in the environmental information is a first type; if the environmental information includes a power supply component and a support component, determining that the type of the target charging module in the environmental information is a second type; the support component is used to support the robot in a sitting posture for charging.

[0058] In one example, the robot could be a humanoid robot or similar robot that can charge by supporting its body with its legs, or it can change its posture to be placed on a support component in a sitting or other posture, with the support component supporting the robot's body for charging.

[0059] In one example, the power supply component refers to the core components used to provide electrical energy to the robot, such as a charging plug, wired charger, wireless charger, DC charging interface, AC charging interface, etc.

[0060] In one example, a support component refers to a structural component used to support the robot during the robot charging process, such as a seat, tray, or platform. The support component is used to support the robot in a seated posture during charging.

[0061] In one example, the supporting component and the power supply component are two separate components.

[0062] In one example, the first type is used to characterize a charging module consisting only of a power supply component, and the second type is used to characterize a charging module consisting of both a power supply component and a support component.

[0063] In one example, after determining the environmental information, the robot can identify the environmental information. If the identification result indicates that the environmental information only contains power supply components, the type of the target charging module in the environmental information can be determined to be the first type. If the identification result indicates that the environmental information contains both power supply components and support components, the type of the target charging module in the environmental information can be determined to be the second type.

[0064] In one example, if the identification result indicates that the environmental information contains a power supply component and a support component, and the distance between the power supply component and the support component is less than or equal to a preset first distance threshold, then the type of the target charging module in the environmental information can be determined to be the second type. Conversely, if the identification result indicates that the environmental information contains a power supply component and a support component, but the distance between the power supply component and the support component is greater than the preset first distance threshold, then the type of the target charging module in the environmental information can be determined to be the first type.

[0065] In one example, the power supply component may be equipped with a power supply interface, and the robot may be equipped with a charging interface. Thus, according to the target posture, controlling the robot to charge autonomously can be achieved by: the robot adjusting its own posture to the target posture, connecting the power supply interface and the charging interface, and charging the robot through the power supply component after the power supply interface and the charging interface are connected, thereby realizing the robot's autonomous charging.

[0066] In this embodiment, the type of the target charging module is determined by whether the environmental information contains power supply components and support components. This provides a precise basis for selecting a matching charging posture, enabling the robot to flexibly adapt to the type of components contained in the charging module.

[0067] According to an embodiment of this application, step 220 includes: if the type of the target charging module is a first type, then the standing charging posture among the multiple charging postures is taken as the target posture; if the type of the target charging module is a second type, then the sitting charging posture among the multiple charging postures is taken as the target posture.

[0068] In one example, the robot can be a humanoid robot or other robot capable of changing its charging posture, which characterizes the robot's posture during the charging process. This charging process refers to the process from the alignment and connection of the robot's charging port and the power supply component's power supply port, to the power supply component providing power to the robot, until the robot finishes charging.

[0069] In one example, the preset charging postures include at least a standing charging posture and a sitting charging posture. The standing charging posture indicates that the robot maintains a standing posture throughout the charging process. When controlling the robot to charge autonomously based on the standing charging posture, the robot can complete the charging operation without changing its standing posture.

[0070] In one example, the seated charging posture is used to characterize the robot maintaining a seated posture during charging. When controlling the robot to perform autonomous charging based on the seated charging posture, the robot needs to change its posture, adjust itself from a standing posture to a seated posture, and control itself to sit on the support component to complete the charging operation.

[0071] In one example, when the robot identifies the target charging module as type 1, it can select a standing charging posture as the target posture; when it identifies the target charging module as type 2, it can select a sitting charging posture as the target posture.

[0072] In this embodiment, different charging postures are matched according to the type of the target charging module, which realizes the adaptation to the "seat presence / absence" scenario, solves the problem that the robot can only charge in a fixed posture and fixed charging mode, and improves the robot's adaptability to the surrounding environment.

[0073] According to one embodiment of this application, the multiple charging postures include at least a sitting charging posture. Step 230 includes: when the target posture is a sitting charging posture, controlling the robot to move to the position of the target charging module, and controlling the robot to sit on the support component of the target charging module in a sitting posture to perform autonomous charging.

[0074] In one example, the standing posture is used to characterize the robot's posture in which its legs support its body, while the sitting posture is used to characterize the robot's posture in which its body rests on and is supported by a support component.

[0075] In one example, when the target posture is a standing charging posture, the robot can control itself to move near the power supply component, maintain the standing posture, and connect the power supply interface of the power supply component to the robot's charging interface so that the power supply component can supply power to the robot.

[0076] In one example, the power supply component can be a wireless charger fixed to the wall, and the robot's charging port can be a magnetic interface set on the robot's chest. Thus, the robot can adjust the position of its chest to align and connect the charging port and the power supply interface of the power supply component.

[0077] In one example, the power supply component can be a charger placed on the ground or in another location. The robot can then use its robotic arm to grasp the charger and align and connect the power supply interface of the power supply component with its own charging interface, so that the power supply component can provide power to the robot.

[0078] In one example, the power supply component can be located in a position that the robot's hand cannot directly reach (e.g., the power supply component is placed on the ground and the robot's hand cannot directly grasp it). Therefore, the robot can also adjust its posture (e.g., adjust the angle of the robot's lower limb joints to make the robot squat down) so that the robot's hand can reach the power supply component. Then, the robot can grasp the power supply component with its hand and align the power supply interface of the power supply component with its own charging interface.

[0079] In one example, the power consumption of the robot in a standing posture is lower than or equal to the power consumption of the robot in a crouching posture. After the robot's hand grasps the power supply component, it can control the robot to adjust its posture and readjust itself to a standing posture.

[0080] In one example, the power supply component is fixed to the support component (e.g., the support component is a seat with a reserved charging port). The robot can then move to the support component, adjust its position to align its own charging port with the corresponding power supply port of the power supply component fixed to the support component, and adjust its posture so that the robot's buttocks contact the support component, thereby aligning and connecting the power supply port and the charging port.

[0081] In one example, the power supply component is placed near the support component, but not fixed to it. The robot can then move to the support component, adjust its posture so that its buttocks contact and are secured to the support component. Subsequently, the robot's robotic arm grasps the power supply component and aligns and connects its power supply interface to the robot's charging interface.

[0082] In one example, the power supply component can supply power to the robot after the power supply interface and the robot's charging interface are aligned.

[0083] In one example, the connection between the power supply interface and the charging interface can be either a plug-in connection or a magnetic connection. Taking the plug-in connection as an example, the robot can use its robotic arm (or hand) to precisely insert the plug (power supply interface) of the power supply component into its own socket (charging interface) to complete the physical connection and enable charging. Taking the magnetic connection as an example, the robot can use its robotic arm (or hand) to precisely align and attract the magnetic interface (power supply interface) of the charger with the magnetic interface (charging interface) on the robot, using magnetic force to achieve a stable connection, and then begin charging.

[0084] In this application embodiment, the specific action flow under different charging postures is clarified, making the robot's charging operation more targeted. The differentiated execution of standing charging posture and sitting charging posture ensures charging stability in different scenarios and improves the reliability of autonomous charging.

[0085] According to one embodiment of this application, step 230 includes: when the supporting component is a seat with a backrest, controlling the robot to adjust to a first sitting posture for charging; when the supporting component is a seat without a backrest, controlling the robot to adjust to a second sitting posture for charging, wherein the energy consumption of the first sitting posture is lower than or equal to the energy consumption of the second sitting posture.

[0086] In one example, after aligning the robot's charging port and the power supply port of the power supply component, at least some joints in the robot can be powered down. Here, "at least some joints" refers to joints that, when powered down, do not affect the robot's stability on the support component, and "powering down the joints" refers to powering down the motors corresponding to those joints.

[0087] In one example, when the support component is a backless seat, the robot's torso needs to remain upright to maintain its balance while seated on the support component. When the support component is a seat with a backrest, the robot's torso can rest on the backrest. Therefore, when the support component is a backless seat, at least some of the electrically powered joints can be the robot's leg joints and some torso joints; when the support component is a seat with a backrest, at least some of the electrically powered joints can be all of the robot's joints.

[0088] In one example, the energy consumption of the charging posture corresponding to the seated charging posture is lower than that of the charging posture corresponding to the standing charging posture.

[0089] In one example, when the supporting component is a seat with a backrest, the robot can energize all its joints after aligning the charging port and the power supply port of the power supply component, thereby adjusting the robot to a first sitting posture, and then charge the robot while it is in the first sitting posture.

[0090] In one example, when the support component is a backless seat, the robot can energize at least some of its joints after aligning the charging port and the power supply port of the power supply component, thereby adjusting the robot into a second sitting posture, and then charge the robot while it is in the second sitting posture.

[0091] In one example, the energy consumption corresponding to the first sitting posture is lower than or equal to the energy consumption corresponding to the second sitting posture.

[0092] In this embodiment, the electric joint can be selectively grounded depending on whether the supporting component is a seat with a backrest, thereby controlling the robot to adjust to different energy consumption states. While ensuring the stability of the robot during charging, energy consumption is optimized and energy utilization efficiency is improved.

[0093] According to one embodiment of this application, step 230 includes: adjusting the position of the robot to align the robot with the support component, adjusting the robot's posture to a sitting posture, and making the robot sit on the support component in a sitting posture.

[0094] In one example, alignment refers to setting the positional deviation between the robot's body center and the center of the support component within a deviation threshold. Seated posture refers to the robot's body position when fixed to the support component. Grip refers to the robot's hand grasping the power supply component.

[0095] In one example, when the support component is a backless seat, the robot's sitting posture can be one where the robot's thighs and buttocks are placed on the support component, and the torso remains upright, stably fixed to the support component. When the support component is a seat with a backrest, the robot's sitting posture can be one where the robot's thighs and buttocks are placed on the support component, and the torso leans back against the back of the support component, so that the robot is stably fixed to the support component.

[0096] In one example, the robot can determine its current environmental information using sensors fixed to itself. This environmental information can be a panoramic image or point cloud data obtained from a 360-degree scan, covering a 360-degree area around the robot and capturing environmental information from all angles. This current environmental information differs from the environmental information in step 210. It is determined after the robot decides to assume a seated charging posture and moves to the vicinity of the target charging module, allowing the robot to align itself with the supporting component.

[0097] In one example, the robot can determine the position of the support component from the current environmental information, and adjust its own position according to the position of the support component in the environmental information, aligning its body center with the center of the support component, and after alignment, adjusting its posture to a sitting posture so that it can sit on the support component.

[0098] In one example, before adjusting the robot to a seated position, the robot can also determine the position of the support component based on the environmental information in step 210, control itself to move to the support component, and then perform the step of aligning itself with the support component.

[0099] In this embodiment, by first aligning the robot with the support component and then adjusting the robot's posture, the robot can sit stably on the support component, thereby achieving precise operation of the seated charging posture. This improves the coordination accuracy between the robot, the support component, and the power supply component, avoids the risk of falling during posture adjustment, and ensures the stability of the charging process.

[0100] According to one embodiment of this application, the robot control method further includes: determining the current position of the robot; determining the position of the target charging module; and controlling the robot to move to the position of the target charging module based on the position of the target charging module and the current position.

[0101] In one example, when the robot needs to be charged, it can control itself to move to the location of the target charging module and then perform steps 210-230 to achieve autonomous charging.

[0102] In one example, the trigger condition for the robot to need charging could be that the robot's battery level is below a first battery threshold, such as 20%, or that a charging command is received. This charging command could be issued by the user or by the user based on a first prompt message sent by the robot indicating that the battery level is too low.

[0103] In one example, when the robot determines that it needs to be charged based on its own power level or a received charging instruction, it can determine its current position and locate the target charging module from its stored data.

[0104] In one example, when only one charging module exists in the robot's environment, that module is the target charging module. When multiple charging modules exist, the robot can randomly select one as the target module, or select the highest-priority charging module from among the multiple modules based on their priorities. The priority of a charging module is negatively correlated with the distance between the charging module and the robot. The specific method for determining the target charging module can be configured as needed, and this application does not impose any restrictions on it.

[0105] In one example, after identifying the target charging module, the robot can perform path planning based on its current position and the position of the target charging module, and control the robot to move to the position of the target charging module according to the planned path.

[0106] In one example, when the distance between the robot's position and the target charging module is less than a second distance threshold, it can be determined that the robot has moved to the position of the target charging module.

[0107] In one example, as the robot moves along the planned path, it can collect environmental information around itself at preset time intervals, identify objects in the environment, identify obstacles in the environment, and adjust the planned path according to the position of the obstacles in the environment to avoid collisions between the robot and obstacles during movement.

[0108] In one example, the robot can also directly control itself to move in the direction that reduces the deviation between its current position and the position of the target charging module, thereby achieving the goal of controlling the robot to move to the position of the target charging module.

[0109] In this embodiment, when the robot needs to be charged, the robot autonomously navigates to the charging module by following the steps of "determining the current position → determining the target position → path planning → moving", thereby improving the robot's autonomy and work efficiency.

[0110] According to an embodiment of this application, step 210 includes: if the environmental information does not contain a power supply component, determining that the type of the target charging module in the environmental information is a third type; step 220 includes: if the type of the target charging module is a third type, then executing a first exception handling strategy.

[0111] In one example, the third type is used to characterize a charging module that does not contain a power supply component, or in other words, the third type is used to characterize a situation where the charging module is not present in the environmental information. That is, the target charging module can be one of the following: containing only a power supply component, containing both a power supply component and a support component, or not containing a power supply component.

[0112] In one example, a first anomaly handling strategy may be preset. The first anomaly handling strategy is used to characterize the strategy when the robot has no available charging module in the environmental information. The first anomaly handling strategy may be to search for a charging module again or to send a warning message to the user.

[0113] In one example, after the robot moves to the location of the target charging module based on its location, it can determine the environmental information. If the environmental information does not contain a power supply component, the target charging module can be determined to be of the third type. In this case, the robot can select the first exception handling strategy to handle the situation where there is no available charging module in the environmental information.

[0114] In this embodiment, by identifying the third type (no power supply component) and matching the anomaly handling strategy, the "missing charging module" scenario is handled, which solves the current problem that "the robot cannot charge itself when there is no charging module, which poses a safety hazard" and improves the reliability of the robot.

[0115] According to one embodiment of this application, step 230 includes: determining whether there is a candidate charging module; if there is a candidate charging module, re-determining the target charging module based on the candidate charging module, and controlling the robot to move to the position of the re-determined target charging module to achieve autonomous charging.

[0116] Among them, the candidate charging module refers to the backup charging module in the data pre-stored by the robot. The backup charging module can be any other charging module other than the target charging module in the case of multiple charging modules.

[0117] Re-determining the target charging module refers to re-determining the target charging module from the candidate charging modules. The determination method can be random selection, determination based on the priority of each candidate charging module, etc. The method of re-determining the target charging module can be set as needed, and this application does not limit it.

[0118] In one example, the candidate charging module can be any of the other charging modules that have not been identified as the target charging module when there are multiple charging modules.

[0119] In one example, after activating the first exception handling strategy, the robot can determine whether a candidate charging module exists based on its stored data. If a candidate charging module exists, the robot can re-determine the target charging module based on the candidate modules, and then control the robot to move to the location of the re-determined target charging module according to the position of the re-determined target charging module and the robot's own position, and then execute steps 210-230. If no candidate charging module exists, the robot can send a second prompt message.

[0120] In one example, the second prompt message is sent by the robot to the user's terminal, and this second prompt message is used to indicate that there is an anomaly in the robot's autonomous charging process.

[0121] In this embodiment, when the target charging module is missing, the robot can automatically find a backup charging module to continue charging, which improves the charging success rate of the robot and reduces the need for manual intervention.

[0122] According to one embodiment of this application, a robot control method includes: adjusting the robot's posture to a specified energy-consuming state when a warning condition is met, and sending a warning message, wherein the energy consumption of the specified energy-consuming state is lower than the energy consumption of the robot when it is in a standing posture, and the warning message is used to indicate that the robot cannot recharge itself.

[0123] In one example, before the robot aligns its charging port with the power supply port of the target charging module to enable the target charging module to supply power to the robot, the robot can determine whether it meets the warning conditions. If it does, it will not perform the autonomous charging step, but will directly perform the warning step.

[0124] In one example, the warning condition could be at least one of the following: no candidate charging module is available, or the robot's battery level is below a second battery threshold (e.g., 10%).

[0125] In one example, when it is determined that there are no candidate charging modules, the robot can adjust its posture to adjust its energy consumption to a specified energy consumption state, wherein the energy consumption of the specified energy consumption state is lower than the energy consumption of the robot when it is in a standing posture.

[0126] In one example, the posture corresponding to the specified energy consumption state can be the posture of the robot sitting on the ground, the posture of the robot lying on the ground, or the posture of the robot sitting on a support component in the surrounding environment that can support the robot. The specific posture corresponding to the specified energy consumption state can be set as needed, and this application does not limit it.

[0127] In one example, when the robot's battery level falls below a second battery threshold, the robot is considered to be in a dangerous state. This means that even if candidate charging modules exist, the robot's battery may not be sufficient to sustain its movement to the newly identified target charging module. Therefore, when the robot's battery level falls below the second threshold, the robot can stop moving, adjust its posture to the posture corresponding to the specified energy consumption state, and send a warning message.

[0128] In one example, the warning message is sent by the robot to the user's terminal, indicating an anomaly in the robot's autonomous charging process. The content of the warning message and the content of the second notification message can be the same or different. The content of both the warning message and the second notification message can be set as needed, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0129] In this embodiment, when the robot meets the warning conditions (such as not finding a backup charging module or having a battery level below 10%), it will automatically switch to a more power-efficient posture (such as sitting on the ground, lying on the ground, or sitting on something nearby that can support it). This avoids the robot falling to the ground and causing bumps or other dangerous situations when it runs out of power and shuts down. Simultaneously, a warning message is sent to the user to inform them that the robot cannot recharge itself. This approach reduces power consumption, extends battery life, and allows the user to be informed of the situation promptly, facilitating timely intervention and preventing safety hazards caused by the robot running out of power and shutting down while standing.

[0130] According to one embodiment of this application, step 230 includes: after the robot's posture is adjusted to the target posture, connecting the power supply interface of the power supply component in the target charging module to the robot's charging interface; and if it is determined that the power supply component cannot supply power to the robot, executing a second exception handling strategy to achieve autonomous charging.

[0131] "Unable to power the robot" means that the robot detects a charging current ≤0.1A (lasting more than 5 seconds) through the battery management system (BMS). The "second anomaly handling strategy" can be to re-determine the target charging module from the candidate charging modules or send a second prompt message.

[0132] In one example, after the robot completes the physical connection between the power supply interface and the charging interface, it can detect whether there is current input through a voltage sensor. If there is no current continuously (e.g., due to interface damage), it is determined that power supply is unavailable, and a second abnormality handling strategy (e.g., searching for other modules) is immediately triggered.

[0133] In this embodiment, the steps of "connection → monitoring power supply status → anomaly handling" are used to handle anomalies during the charging process, solving the current problem of "inability to handle power supply anomalies" and improving the reliability of the charging process.

[0134] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating a robot control method provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 3 The example is Figure 2 Examples of the embodiments are provided below; to avoid repetition, the similarities can be referred to the descriptions in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the robot control method may include the following:

[0135] 301: Determine if the robot needs charging based on its battery level, and determine the robot's current position and the location of the target charging module.

[0136] 302: Control the robot to move to the location of the target charging module.

[0137] 303: Collect environmental information and determine whether a power supply component exists based on the environmental information. If yes, proceed to 304; otherwise, proceed to 309.

[0138] 304: Determine whether a supporting component exists based on the environmental information. If yes, proceed to 305; otherwise, proceed to 310.

[0139] 305: Align the robot with the support component and adjust the robot's posture so that the robot sits on the support component in a seated posture.

[0140] 306: By using environmental information, determine the location of the power supply component, control the robot to grasp the power supply component, align and connect the power supply interface of the power supply component with the robot's charging interface.

[0141] 307: Determine whether the power supply component can supply power to the robot. If yes, proceed to 308; otherwise, proceed to 309.

[0142] 308: Power the robot until it is fully charged.

[0143] 309: Determine if there is a candidate charging module. If yes, proceed to 310; otherwise, proceed to 312.

[0144] 310: Re-identify the target charging module.

[0145] 311: Control the robot to charge autonomously based on its standing charging posture.

[0146] 312: Send the second notification message.

[0147] 313: Manual auxiliary power supply.

[0148] In this embodiment, the contents of 301-313 can be referred to the description of steps 210-230 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0149] In this embodiment, multiple types of charging modules and various charging postures matching these modules are preset. When the robot needs charging, the type of charging module in the environmental information is determined. Based on the execution conditions corresponding to the various charging postures and the type of charging module, a target posture matching the charging module is determined from among the various charging postures. The robot is then controlled to charge autonomously using the target posture. In this way, the robot can identify the type of charging module and select the appropriate charging posture to control autonomous charging. Even when the location of the fixed charging station changes, the robot can flexibly choose different charging postures based on the charging modules in the environmental information, avoiding situations where the robot cannot find a charging station and therefore cannot charge, thus ensuring the safety of the charging process.

[0150] It should be understood that the execution order of the above steps can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0151] Exemplary device This application also provides a robot, which includes a control module for performing the above-described actions. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The robot control method provided in any of the embodiments.

[0152] The specific functions and effects of the robot provided in this application embodiment can be referred to the description in the above method embodiment. To avoid repetition, they will not be repeated here.

[0153] Figure 4 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a task orchestration apparatus provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 4 As shown, the robot control device 400 includes: a determination module 410, a matching module 420, and a control module 430.

[0154] The determination module 410 is used to determine the type of the target charging module based on environmental information.

[0155] The matching module 420 is used to determine the target posture that matches the target charging module from multiple charging postures based on the execution conditions corresponding to the multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module. Different types of target charging modules correspond to different charging postures, and different charging postures have different energy consumption.

[0156] The control module 430 is used to control the robot to perform autonomous charging based on the target posture.

[0157] Optionally, the robot is a humanoid robot; the determining module 410 is used to: determine the type of the target charging module in the environmental information as a first type when the environmental information only contains a power supply component, and determine the type of the target charging module in the environmental information as a second type when the environmental information contains a power supply component and a supporting component, wherein the supporting component is used to support the robot in a sitting posture for charging.

[0158] Optionally, the matching module 420 is used to: if the type of the target charging module is a first type, then take the standing charging posture among the multiple charging postures as the target posture; if the type of the target charging module is a second type, then take the sitting charging posture among the multiple charging postures as the target posture.

[0159] Optionally, the multiple charging postures include at least a sitting charging posture; the control module 430 is used to: control the robot to move to the position of the target charging module when the target posture is a sitting charging posture, and control the robot to sit on the support component of the target charging module in a sitting posture to perform autonomous charging.

[0160] Optionally, the control module 430 is used to: control the robot to sit on the support component of the target charging module in a seated posture, and align and connect the power supply interface of the power supply component and the charging interface of the robot; when the support component is a seat with a backrest, control the robot to adjust to a first seated posture for charging; when the support component is a seat without a backrest, control the robot to adjust to a second seated posture for charging, wherein the energy consumption of the first seated posture is lower than or equal to the energy consumption of the second seated posture.

[0161] Optionally, the control module 430 is used to: adjust the robot's posture to a specified energy consumption state when the warning conditions are met, and send a warning message, wherein the energy consumption of the specified energy consumption state is lower than the energy consumption of the robot when it is in a standing posture, and the warning message is used to indicate that the robot cannot charge itself.

[0162] Optionally, the determining module 410 is used to: determine that the type of the target charging module in the environmental information is a third type when the environmental information does not contain a power supply component; the control module 430 is used to: execute the first exception handling strategy if the type of the target charging module is a third type.

[0163] Optionally, the control module 430 is used to: determine whether there is a candidate charging module; if there is a candidate charging module, redetermine the target charging module based on the candidate charging module, and control the robot to move to the position of the redetermined target charging module to achieve autonomous charging.

[0164] Optionally, the control module 430 is configured to: connect the power supply interface of the power supply component in the target charging module to the charging interface of the robot after the robot's posture is adjusted to the target posture; and execute a second exception handling strategy if it is determined that the power supply component cannot supply power to the robot.

[0165] It should be understood that the operation and function of the determining module 410, matching module 420, and control module 430 in the above embodiments can be referred to the above. Figure 2 The description of the robot control method provided in the embodiments will not be repeated here to avoid repetition.

[0166] Figure 5 The diagram shown is a block diagram of an electronic device 500 for performing a robot control method according to an exemplary embodiment of this application. Specifically, the electronic device 500 may be a robot, a server interacting with the robot, or other devices.

[0167] Reference Figure 5The electronic device 500 includes a processing component 510, which further includes one or more processors, and memory resources represented by memory 520 for storing instructions executable by the processing component 510, such as application programs. The application programs stored in memory 520 may include one or more modules, each corresponding to a set of instructions. Furthermore, the processing component 510 is configured to execute instructions to perform the aforementioned robot control method.

[0168] Electronic device 500 may also include a power supply component configured to perform power management of electronic device 500, a wired or wireless network interface configured to connect electronic device 500 to a network, and an input / output (I / O) interface. Electronic device 500 can be operated based on an operating system stored in memory 520, such as Windows Server. TM MacOSX TM Unix TM Linux TM FreeBSD TM Or similar.

[0169] A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein when instructions in the storage medium are executed by the processor of the aforementioned electronic device 500, the electronic device 500 is enabled to perform a robot control method.

[0170] A computer program product includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor of a computer device, enables the computer device to perform the robot control method provided in any of the above embodiments.

[0171] All of the above-mentioned optional technical solutions can be combined in any way to form optional embodiments of this application, and will not be described in detail here.

[0172] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0173] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0174] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0175] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0176] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0177] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program verification codes, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0178] It should be noted that in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0179] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, data stored, data displayed, etc.) involved in this application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties. Furthermore, the collection, use and processing of the relevant data must comply with the relevant laws, regulations and standards of the relevant countries and regions, and corresponding operation entry points are provided for users to choose to authorize or refuse.

[0180] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A robot control method, characterized in that, The robot control method includes: Based on environmental information, determine the type of the target charging module; Based on the execution conditions corresponding to multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module, a target posture matching the target charging module is determined from the multiple charging postures. Different types of target charging modules correspond to different charging postures, and different charging postures have different energy consumption. Based on the target posture, the robot is controlled to perform autonomous charging.

2. The robot control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot is a humanoid robot, and the process of determining the type of the target charging module based on environmental information includes: If the environmental information only contains power supply components, the type of the target charging module in the environmental information is determined to be a first type; If the environmental information includes a power supply component and a support component, the type of the target charging module in the environmental information is determined to be the second type, and the support component is used to support the robot in a sitting posture for charging.

3. The robot control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of determining the target posture matching the target charging module from the multiple charging postures based on the execution conditions corresponding to the multiple charging postures and the type of the target charging module includes: If the target charging module is of type 1, then the standing charging posture among the multiple charging postures is taken as the target posture. If the target charging module is of type two, then the sitting charging posture among the multiple charging postures is taken as the target posture.

4. The robot control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The plurality of charging postures includes at least a seated charging posture; The step of controlling the robot to perform autonomous charging based on the target posture includes: When the target posture is the sitting charging posture, the robot is controlled to move to the position of the target charging module, and the robot is controlled to sit on the support component of the target charging module in a sitting posture to perform autonomous charging.

5. The robot control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controlled robot sits in a seated posture on the support component of the target charging module and performs autonomous charging, including: Control the robot to sit on the support component of the target charging module in the sitting posture, and align and connect the power supply interface of the power supply component and the charging interface of the robot; When the support component is a seat with a backrest, the robot is controlled to adjust to a first sitting posture for charging. When the support component is a backless seat, the robot is controlled to adjust to a second sitting posture for charging, wherein the energy consumption of the first sitting posture is lower than or equal to the energy consumption of the second sitting posture.

6. The robot control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the type of the target charging module based on environmental information includes: If the environmental information does not include a power supply component, the type of the target charging module in the environmental information is determined to be a third type; The robot control method further includes: If the target charging module is of type three, then the first exception handling strategy is executed.

7. The robot control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The execution of the first exception handling strategy includes: Determine if a candidate charging module exists; If the candidate charging module exists, the target charging module is re-determined based on the candidate charging module, and the robot is controlled to move to the position of the re-determined target charging module to achieve autonomous charging.

8. The robot control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of controlling the robot to perform autonomous charging based on the target posture includes: After the robot's posture is adjusted to the target posture, the power supply interface of the power supply component in the target charging module is connected to the robot's charging interface. If it is determined that the power supply component is unable to supply power to the robot, a second exception handling strategy is executed.

9. The robot control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot control method further includes: If the warning conditions are met, the robot's posture is adjusted to put the robot in a specified energy consumption state, and a warning message is sent. The energy consumption of the specified energy consumption state is lower than the energy consumption of the robot when it is in a standing posture. The warning message is used to indicate that the robot cannot recharge itself.

10. A robot, characterized in that, It includes a control module, which is used to execute the robot control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes: a processor; and a memory for storing processor-executable instructions, wherein the processor is used to execute the robot control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program that, when executed by the processor of a computer device, enables the computer device to perform the robot control method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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