Communication system of inspection robot, control method and related equipment

The inspection robot communication system, with its unified software architecture and standardized API, solves the problem of poor scalability of modular inspection robots, achieving plug-and-play functionality and high reliability, and improving system scalability and task execution reliability.

CN121644598APending Publication Date: 2026-03-10JIAXING MINSHUO INTELLIGENT TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-11-26
Publication Date
2026-03-10

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing modular inspection robots have poor internal communication system scalability, making it difficult to achieve true modularity and standardization, resulting in difficulties in collaborative control and insufficient real-time performance and reliability.

Method used

The inspection robot communication system adopts a unified software architecture and standardized API, including functional modules, controllers and network switching equipment. It adopts a layered design and a global transaction management mechanism, and supports plug-and-play and high scalability.

Benefits of technology

It enables plug-and-play functionality, improves system scalability and maintainability, ensures atomicity and reliability of task execution, and meets the requirements of modularity, intelligence and high reliability.

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Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a communication system of an inspection robot, a control method and related equipment, and belongs to the technical field of robots. The scheme comprises one or more functional modules, and each functional module comprises at least one of a sensor unit or an action unit of the inspection robot; a controller; the network switching equipment is used for establishing communication connection between the functional modules or establishing communication connection between the functional modules; the function module, the controller and the network switching equipment run in a unified software architecture, the software architecture supports a unified application programming interface and a service specification, plug and play of the function module is achieved through the unified API and the service specification, and the expansibility and maintainability of the system are remarkably improved.
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Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of robots, and in particular to a communication system of a robot for inspection, a control method and related equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the increasing demand for industrial automation and intelligent inspection, modular inspection robots have gradually become an important equipment in the fields of industrial inspection, security monitoring, warehouse logistics, etc. due to their flexibility, scalability and multi-functional integration capability. Such robots usually integrate mobile chassis, mechanical arms, laser radars, visual sensors and other functional modules to perform inspection, identification and operation tasks in complex environments.

[0003] In the prior art, the internal communication of modular robots usually adopts traditional master-slave bus architecture (such as CAN bus, RS485) or point-to-point direct connection. Although these methods have certain reliability and real-time performance in early robot systems, with the increase in the number of robot modules and the improvement in functional complexity, the poor scalability and inherent defects are increasingly prominent, making it difficult to achieve true modularization and standardization.

[0004] In summary, the technical problems in the related art need to be improved. SUMMARY

[0005] The main purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to propose a communication system of a robot for inspection, a control method and related equipment to solve the problem of poor scalability in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, one aspect of the embodiments of the present application proposes a communication system of a robot for inspection, comprising: One or more functional modules, the functional modules comprising at least one of a sensor unit or an action unit of the robot for inspection; a controller; a network switching device for establishing a communication connection between the functional modules, or establishing a communication connection between the functional modules; The functional modules, the controller and the network switching device run on a unified software architecture, and the software architecture supports a unified application programming interface and service specification.

[0007] In some embodiments, the service-oriented software architecture adopts a hierarchical design, at least comprising: a hardware driver layer connected with the functional modules for driving the functional modules; a communication protocol layer for establishing a communication connection based on a pre-stored communication protocol, and the protocol type of the pre-stored communication protocol includes HTTP / REST or WebSocket and other Web protocols; a service layer, connected with the communication protocol, for encapsulating data transmitted through the communication protocol layer; a service governance layer, connected with the service layer, containing an interface gateway, the interface gateway supporting a unified application programming interface; an application layer, connected with the service governance layer, for executing an application supported by the inspection robot.

[0008] In some embodiments, the interface gateway is configured to: in response to a service registration request from a new access function module, record a service interface of the new access function module, the service registration request adapting an application programming interface of the software architecture to a service specification.

[0009] In some embodiments, the interface gateway is further configured to: store module information corresponding to the service registration request.

[0010] In some embodiments, the service governance layer is configured to: acquire a transaction instruction from the application layer; determine a calling sequence of a plurality of the function modules corresponding to the transaction instruction; and in accordance with the calling sequence, sequentially call the function modules to execute the transaction instruction, and in the event of a failure in any one of the calls, trigger a rollback mechanism to undo successfully executed calling steps.

[0011] In some embodiments, the system comprises a layered communication model, connected with the service governance layer, the layered communication model comprising, in accordance with a communication priority and a communication rate: a standard communication path and an emergency communication path.

[0012] An aspect of an embodiment of the present application proposes a method for cooperative control of a communication system of an inspection robot, the method comprising: receiving a service registration request of a new access function module, recording a service interface of the new access function module, the service registration request adapting an application programming interface of the software architecture to a service specification; receiving a service calling request from the application layer, and calling the new access function module in accordance with the service calling request.

[0013] In some embodiments, the receiving a service calling request from the application layer and calling the new access function module in accordance with the service calling request comprises: receiving a transaction instruction of an application; determining a calling sequence of a plurality of the function module services corresponding to the transaction instruction; if all the function module services are called successfully, determining that the transaction instruction is completed and feeding back a calling success result.

[0014] In some embodiments, after determining the calling sequence of the plurality of function module services corresponding to the transaction instruction, the method further comprises: If any of the function module service calls is successful, the transaction instruction is rolled back, and a call failure result is fed back.

[0015] To achieve the above object, another aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a communication system cooperative control device of an inspection robot, the device comprising: A recording module receives a service registration request of a newly accessed function module, and records a service interface of the newly accessed function module, the service registration request being adapted to an application programming interface and a service specification of the software architecture; A calling module is configured to receive a service calling request from the application layer, and call the newly accessed function module according to the service calling request.

[0016] To achieve the above object, another aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides an electronic device, comprising a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor implementing the method described above when executing the computer program.

[0017] To achieve the above object, another aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a computer readable storage medium, the computer readable storage medium storing a computer program, and the computer program implementing the method described above when executed by a processor.

[0018] To achieve the above object, another aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a computer program product, comprising a computer program, and the computer program implementing the method described above when executed by a processor.

[0019] The embodiments of the present application at least have the following beneficial effects: the present application provides a communication system of an inspection robot, a control method and related equipment, the scheme comprising one or more function modules, the function module comprising at least one of a sensor unit or a motion unit of the inspection robot; a controller; a network switching device, configured to establish a communication connection between the function modules, or establish a communication connection between the function modules; the function module, the controller and the network switching device running on a unified software architecture, the software architecture supporting a unified application programming interface and service specification, and through the unified API and service specification, realizing plug and play of the function module, and significantly improving system expansibility and maintainability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a communication system structure diagram of an inspection robot provided by the embodiments of the present application; Figure 2is a flowchart of a communication system cooperative control method of a patrol robot provided by an embodiment of the present application; Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a communication system cooperative control device of a patrol robot provided by an embodiment of the present application; Figure 4 is a hardware structural schematic diagram of an electronic device provided by an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and do not limit the present application. When the following description refers to the drawings, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The implementation described in the following exemplary embodiments does not represent all the implementations consistent with the embodiments of the present application, but is only an example of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the embodiments of the present application as described in the appended claims.

[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present application belongs. The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing the embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application.

[0023] In the related art, the internal communication system of a modular patrol robot faces many challenges such as poor scalability, difficult cooperative control, insufficient reliability guarantee, and difficult real-time guarantee. The traditional master-slave bus or point-to-point architecture is difficult to adapt to the requirements of modern robots for modularity, intelligence, and high reliability.

[0024] Therefore, the embodiments of the present application provide a patrol robot communication system and method based on a unified software architecture and standardized API. The scheme effectively solves the above problems through a modular design concept, a layered software architecture, and a global transaction management mechanism.

[0025] The communication system and method provided by the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various patrol robots, such as industrial patrol robots, security patrol robots, warehouse logistics robots, etc. The execution subject of the system can be a master controller (such as a high-performance embedded computer, an industrial computer, etc.) inside the robot, or a special processing chip integrated inside the robot or a software system running thereon.

[0026] The application is operable with numerous general purpose or special purpose computer system environments or configurations. Examples include: personal computers, server computers, hand held or laptop devices, tablet devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. The application can be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like, that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The application can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.

[0027] Figure 1 The communication system of the inspection robot provided by the embodiment of the application has a star-type local area network constructed with a network switching device (in the preferred embodiment, an Ethernet switch supporting PoE) as the core. The system comprises: Controller 11: The controller in the system serves as the operation and control center of the system and is connected to the uplink port of the PoE switch.

[0028] Functional module 13: A plurality of functional modules, including but not limited to a drive board (action unit), a laser radar sensor (sensor unit), a visual sensor (sensor unit), a mechanical arm controller (action unit), and the like, serve as independent network nodes and are connected to the downlink ports of the PoE switch through network cables. The PoE technology provides power for these modules, realizes the integration of network and power, greatly simplifies the internal cables of the robot, and provides a physical basis for the plug-and-play of the modules.

[0029] The network switching device 12 is responsible for establishing a high-speed and stable communication connection between all functional modules and the controller.

[0030] The above hardware components run on a unified software architecture. The architecture is service-oriented and has a clear layered design, including from top to bottom: Application layer: This layer runs various application programs required by the inspection robot, such as navigation planning programs, task scheduling programs, human-computer interaction interfaces, and the like. These applications realize complex functions by calling standardized services provided by the lower layer without needing to care about the specific details of the underlying hardware.

[0031] Service Governance Layer: This is the "brain" and "dispatch center" of the system, which contains the core component: Interface Gateway (API Gateway). This gateway acts as a service registry, maintaining a global service registry. It can receive all service call requests from the application layer and route and forward them according to the service registry. More importantly, it embeds a global transaction manager responsible for coordinating complex operations across multiple functional modules.

[0032] Service Layer: This layer is an abstract collection of system functions. Each functional module encapsulates its capabilities into one or more standard microservices and exposes them through APIs. For example: Provides functions such as robot chassis movement and speed control.

[0033] Provides real-time laser point cloud data acquisition and preprocessing functions.

[0034] Provides vision-based image recognition and target positioning functions.

[0035] Provides motion trajectory planning and execution functions for the robotic arm.

[0036] Provides functions such as robot power monitoring and charging strategy management.

[0037] Communication Protocol Layer: This layer defines the rules for communication between services. The system preferably uses widely used Web standard protocols, such as HTTP / RESTful API for request-response interaction, and WebSocket protocol for scenarios requiring bidirectional, continuous data flow (such as real-time push of laser radar data). This choice ensures the generality and ease of integration of the protocol.

[0038] Hardware Driver Layer: This layer is the bridge between software and hardware. Each functional module contains its dedicated driver, responsible for directly operating hardware (such as controlling motor rotation, reading sensor data), and encapsulating hardware functions into interfaces that can be called by upper-layer protocols.

[0039] When a new functional module is connected to the system, as shown in Figure 2 , the embodiment can achieve: Step S201, receiving a service registration request of a newly connected functional module, recording the service interface of the newly connected functional module, and the service registration request adapting the application programming interface and service specification of the software architecture.

[0040] After the newly connected functional module is powered on, its built-in software agent will automatically send a service registration request to the interface gateway in the service governance layer. This request strictly follows the system-defined uniform application programming interface and service specification. The service registration request at least includes: service name, service access address, service capability description and module unique identifier.

[0041] Step S202, receiving a service call request from the application layer, calling the new access function module according to the service call request.

[0042] After receiving the request, first, identity authentication and request format checking are performed. After the checking is passed, the gateway records the service interface information (including API address, service name, capability list, etc.) of the module into the internal service registry. At the same time, it also stores the module information (such as module ID, IP address, health status, etc.) corresponding to the request, forming a complete service directory. After successful registration, the interface gateway returns a registration success response to the new module.

[0043] After completing the registration, the new access function module can provide services to the entire system. For example, when the new access function module is a temperature and humidity sensor, when the application layer (such as an environmental monitoring application) needs to read temperature and humidity data, the application layer only needs to request the interface gateway to call the service named "temperature and humidity", without knowing which IP address module provides the service. The interface gateway will automatically route the request to the newly registered module according to the service registry. This mechanism realizes the decoupling and dynamic discovery of functions, and is the key to the high scalability of the system.

[0044] This embodiment exemplifies a specific inspection task scenario. The service performed by the inspection robot is "move to point A and take a photo of the device". It is assumed that the task needs to call the services of the "drive module", "mechanical arm module", and "vision module" in sequence.

[0045] In this process: (1) The task scheduling application (application layer) submits a transaction instruction to the service governance layer.

[0046] (2) The transaction instruction is parsed, and the calling sequence of the multiple function module services corresponding to the transaction instruction is determined. In this example, the sequence is: 1. Drive module (move) 2. Mechanical arm module (adjust the holder) 3. Vision module (take a photo).

[0047] (3) According to the calling sequence, the function modules are called in sequence to execute the transaction instruction.

[0048] First, the drive module is called. It is assumed that the call is successful, and the robot starts moving to point A and returns success after reaching the point.

[0049] Second, the mechanical arm module is called. It is assumed that the call is also successful, and the mechanical arm holder is adjusted in place.

[0050] Finally, the vision module is called.

[0051] (4) If all functional module services are successfully called, the transaction instruction is confirmed to be completed and the successful call result is reported to the application layer.

[0052] (5) If the call fails at any of the above stages (e.g., failure to call the vision module due to insufficient light), the rollback mechanism is immediately triggered. The rollback mechanism executes predefined compensation operations in the reverse order of the call: The robotic arm module is invoked to reset the gimbal; the drive module is invoked to roll back or remain in a safe position. By undoing the successfully executed calls, the system state is restored to a safe and consistent state before the transaction began.

[0053] Finally, the transaction manager reports the call failure result and the specific reason for the error to the application layer.

[0054] The global transaction management mechanism implemented in this embodiment ensures that the composite operation of "moving-adjusting-taking a picture" in the example is atomic. If any step fails, the system automatically rolls back to the initial safe state, effectively avoiding the risk of the robot stopping halfway or being in an unknown state, and greatly improving the reliability of the system and the determinism of task execution.

[0055] Above the communication protocol layer, the system constructs a layered communication model. This model divides communication paths into two categories based on communication priority and required communication rate: (1) Standard communication path: Applications: Used for transmitting routine data, such as periodic sensor data reporting, non-urgent control commands, module status heartbeats, etc.

[0056] Implementation: It is entirely based on a software protocol stack, such as HTTP / REST and WebSocket mentioned above. Its latency is typically in the tens to hundreds of milliseconds, which can meet the needs of most applications.

[0057] Example: The application layer calls POST / api / motor / set_velocity to set the robot's normal movement speed.

[0058] (2) Emergency communication route: Application: Specifically designed for transmitting safety-critical commands, such as emergency braking (E-stop) and immediate stop upon collision.

[0059] Implementation: To achieve ultra-low latency down to the millisecond level, this approach typically employs a hardware-level solution, bypassing complex software protocol stacks. Specific implementation methods could include: A dedicated hardware signal line (such as GPIO) connects the controller and the driver board. When emergency braking is triggered, the controller directly pulls this signal line low, and the driver board's hardware circuitry detects this and immediately cuts off the motor power. Alternatively, a high-priority binary instruction code that can be quickly parsed by hardware can be defined in the Ethernet frame. Network switching equipment supports priority queues to ensure that such packets are forwarded preferentially. Dedicated processing units on the driver board (such as FPGAs) can directly parse and execute these packets without going through the upper-layer operating system and software drivers.

[0060] Performance: With this hardware-level response, the end-to-end latency of emergency commands can be kept to within 20 milliseconds, which is much faster than the software path via standard API calls (about 200 milliseconds).

[0061] The layered communication model combining hardware and software enables the system to handle complex business processes by leveraging the flexibility and versatility of standard Web protocols, while ensuring the absolute real-time performance and reliability of the highest priority commands through dedicated hardware channels, thus fully meeting the stringent safety requirements of inspection robots.

[0062] This embodiment uses power management as an example to illustrate how the system implements system-level coordination and graceful degradation logic through an event-driven mechanism.

[0063] The PowerManagementService continuously monitors the robot's battery level. When the battery level falls below a preset threshold (e.g., 15%), the PowerManagementService broadcasts a low-power event to the entire system. Various application-layer modules subscribe to these system events and respond accordingly.

[0064] For example, upon receiving an event, the navigation planning module might pause its current non-critical path planning task or switch to a more energy-efficient navigation algorithm, report its own status, and implement power-saving strategies. The SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) module might reduce the data processing frequency of the LiDAR. The task scheduling module might suspend a long-running inspection task and plan the shortest path back to the charging dock.

[0065] Through this event-driven response mechanism, when faced with insufficient resources (power), the system can coordinate various parts to automatically and orderly adjust their behavior, achieving graceful degradation at the system level, rather than causing task failure or system crash due to a sudden power outage. This demonstrates the system's high level of intelligence and robustness.

[0066] Please see Figure 3 This application also provides a communication system collaborative control device for an inspection robot, which can implement the above-mentioned method. The device includes: Recording module 31 receives a service registration request from a newly accessed functional module, records the service interface of the newly accessed functional module, and the service registration request is adapted to the application programming interface and service specifications of the software architecture. The calling module 32 is used to receive service call requests from the application layer and call the new access function module according to the service call requests.

[0067] In some embodiments, module 32 is invoked for: Receive transaction instructions from the application; Determine the invocation order of the multiple functional module services corresponding to the transaction instruction; If all the aforementioned functional module services are successfully invoked, the transaction instruction is confirmed to be completed and a successful invocation result is reported.

[0068] In some embodiments, module 32 is invoked for: If any of the aforementioned functional module services is successfully invoked, the transaction instruction is rolled back, and a failure result is reported.

[0069] It is understood that the content of the above method embodiments is applicable to the present device embodiments. The specific functions implemented by the present device embodiments are the same as those of the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved by the above method embodiments.

[0070] This application also provides an electronic device, which includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the above-described method. This electronic device can be any smart terminal, including tablet computers, in-vehicle computers, etc.

[0071] It is understood that the content of the above method embodiments is applicable to this device embodiment. The specific functions implemented by this device embodiment are the same as those of the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved by the above method embodiments.

[0072] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 The hardware structure of an electronic device according to another embodiment is illustrated. The electronic device includes: The processor 401 can be implemented using a general-purpose CPU (Central Processing Unit), microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits, and is used to execute relevant programs to implement the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. The memory 402 can be implemented as a read-only memory (ROM), a static storage device, a dynamic storage device, or a random access memory (RAM). The memory 402 can store the operating system and other applications. When the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this specification are implemented through software or firmware, the relevant program code is stored in the memory 402 and is called and executed by the processor 401 using the methods described in the embodiments of this application. Input / output interface 403 is used to implement information input and output; The communication interface 404 is used to enable communication and interaction between this device and other devices. Communication can be achieved through wired means (such as USB, Ethernet cable, etc.) or wireless means (such as mobile network, WIFI, Bluetooth, etc.). Bus 405 transmits information between various components of the device (e.g., processor 401, memory 402, input / output interface 403, and communication interface 404); The processor 401, memory 402, input / output interface 403 and communication interface 404 are connected to each other within the device via bus 405.

[0073] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method.

[0074] It is understood that the content of the above method embodiments is applicable to this storage medium embodiment. The specific functions implemented in this storage medium embodiment are the same as those in the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved in the above method embodiments.

[0075] This application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the above-described method.

[0076] It is understood that the content of the above method embodiments is applicable to the embodiments of this program product. The specific functions implemented by the embodiments of this program product are the same as those of the above method embodiments, and the beneficial effects achieved are also the same as those achieved by the above method embodiments.

[0077] Memory, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs and non-transitory computer-executable programs. Furthermore, memory may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-transitory memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other non-transitory solid-state storage device. In some embodiments, memory may optionally include memory remotely located relative to the processor, and these remote memories can be connected to the processor via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0078] This application provides a communication system, control method, and related equipment for an inspection robot. The solution includes one or more functional modules, each including at least one of the robot's sensor unit or motion unit; a controller; and a network switching device for establishing communication connections between or between functional modules. The functional modules, controller, and network switching device operate on a unified software architecture that supports a unified application programming interface and service specifications. Through the unified API and service specifications, the functional modules are plug-and-play, significantly improving system scalability and maintainability.

[0079] The embodiments described in this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of technology and the emergence of new application scenarios, the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0080] Those skilled in the art will understand that the technical solutions shown in the figures do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application, and may include more or fewer steps than shown, or combine certain steps, or different steps.

[0081] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0082] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or some of the steps in the methods disclosed above, as well as the functional modules / units in the systems and devices, can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, or suitable combinations thereof.

[0083] The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc. (if present) in the specification and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprising” and “having,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0084] It should be understood that in this application, "at least one (item)" means one or more, and "more than" means two or more. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent three cases: only A exists, only B exists, and both A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0085] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of the units described above is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0086] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0087] Furthermore, 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. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0088] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part 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 multiple 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 of the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing programs, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0089] The preferred embodiments of the present application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but this does not limit the scope of the claims of the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and substance of the embodiments of the present application shall be within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A communication system for a patrol robot, characterized by The system comprises: one or more functional modules, the functional modules comprising at least one of a sensor unit or an action unit of an inspection robot; a controller; a network switching device for establishing a communication connection between the functional modules, or between the functional modules; the functional modules, the controller and the network switching device run on a unified software architecture, which supports a unified application programming interface and service specification.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, The service-oriented software architecture adopts a layered design, at least comprising: a hardware driver layer connected with the functional modules, for driving the functional modules; a communication protocol layer for establishing a communication connection based on a pre-stored communication protocol, the protocol type of the pre-stored communication protocol including HTTP / REST or WebSocket and other Web protocols; a service layer connected with the communication protocol, for encapsulating data transmitted through the communication protocol layer; a service governance layer connected with the service layer, containing an interface gateway, the interface gateway supporting a unified application programming interface; an application layer connected with the service governance layer, for executing applications supported by the inspection robot.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein, The interface gateway is configured to: in response to a service registration request from a newly accessed functional module, record a service interface of the newly accessed functional module, the service registration request being adapted to the application programming interface and service specification of the software architecture.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein, The interface gateway is further configured to: store module information corresponding to the service registration request.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein, The service governance layer is configured to:

6. The system of claim 2, wherein, obtain a transaction instruction from the application layer; determine a calling sequence of a plurality of the functional modules corresponding to the transaction instruction; and in accordance with the calling sequence, sequentially call the functional modules to execute the transaction instruction, and in the event of a failure in any one of the calls, trigger a rollback mechanism to undo the successfully executed calling steps. The system comprises a layered communication model connected with the service governance layer, the layered communication model comprising, in accordance with a communication priority and a communication rate: 7.A method for cooperative control of a communication system of a patrol robot, applied to the communication system of the patrol robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, a standard communication path and an emergency communication path. The method comprises: receiving a service registration request of a newly accessed functional module, recording a service interface of the newly accessed functional module, the service registration request being adapted to the application programming interface and service specification of the software architecture; 8. The method of claim 7, wherein, receiving a service calling request from the application layer, and calling the newly accessed functional module in accordance with the service calling request. The receiving a service calling request from the application layer and calling the newly accessed functional module in accordance with the service calling request comprises: receiving a transaction instruction of an application; determining a calling sequence of a plurality of the functional module services corresponding to the transaction instruction; 9. The method of claim 8, wherein, if all the functional module services are successfully called, determining that the transaction instruction is completed and feeding back a calling success result. After the determining a calling sequence of a plurality of the functional module services corresponding to the transaction instruction, the method further comprises:

10. A communication system collaborative control device for an inspection robot, characterized in that, if any one of the functional module services is successfully called, the transaction instruction is rolled back, and a calling failure result is fed back. The apparatus comprises: A recording module receives a service registration request of a new access function module, records a service interface of the new access function module, and the service registration request adapts an application programming interface of the software architecture to a service specification; A calling module receives a service calling request from the application layer, and calls the new access function module according to the service calling request.