Self-adaptive control system and path planning method of intelligent bus sweeper

Abstract

The invention discloses a self-adaptive control system and path planning method of an intelligent bus sweeper, and belongs to the technical field of automatic control of sweepers, the self-adaptive control system comprises an equipment cabinet, a control cabinet is arranged in the equipment cabinet, a control circuit is arranged in the control cabinet, a control handle is arranged on the equipment cabinet, and a control switch is arranged on the control cabinet. The control switch is connected with the control circuit, a driving mechanism is arranged on the bottom face of the equipment cabinet, the control circuit and the control handle are both connected with the driving mechanism, a frame and a second sensor support are arranged on the equipment cabinet, and sensor arrays are distributed on the second sensor support, the frame, the equipment cabinet and the control handle and connected with the control circuit. The adaptive control system of the intelligent bus sweeper and the path planning method are used for solving the problem that high-efficiency cleaning cannot be achieved under the condition that the number of workers is limited, and the cleaning burden of the workers is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated control technology for sweepers, and in particular to an adaptive control system and path planning method for an intelligent bus sweeper. Background Technology

[0002] In urban road traffic, buses are a crucial component, and their cleanliness directly impacts the city's image. A clean appearance also enhances passenger satisfaction and the overall riding experience of public transportation; therefore, maintaining bus cleanliness is paramount. Current bus cleaning methods primarily involve mopping, high-pressure water guns, and manual sweepers. These methods require significant manpower, are inefficient when staff are limited, and are exacerbated by inclement weather. Intelligent sweepers equipped with adaptive control systems and efficient path planning can largely solve these problems, enabling unmanned cleaning operations, significantly improving convenience and efficiency, and providing standardization and safety for enhanced bus cleaning. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an adaptive control system and path planning method for a smart bus sweeper, which addresses the problem of insufficient cleaning efficiency when staff are limited, thus reducing the cleaning workload for staff. The system allows the smart sweeper to quickly approach the bus and begin cleaning, with relatively relaxed requirements on the initial relative position of the sweeper and bus, thereby improving cleaning efficiency. It is compatible with both automatic and manual cleaning modes. Manual cleaning is performed by manually operating the control handle. In complex situations where the smart sweeper becomes uncontrollable, the sensor array, in conjunction with the PLC controller's algorithm, can automatically stop the sweeper before a collision with the bus. An alarm is then issued, and the sweeper can be manually operated to continue the automatic washing process or the cleaning process can be completed manually.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an adaptive control system for a smart bus sweeper, comprising an equipment cabinet, inside which is a control cabinet, inside which is a control circuit, a control handle on the equipment cabinet, a control switch on the control cabinet, the control switch being connected to the control circuit, a drive mechanism on the bottom of the equipment cabinet, the control circuit and the control handle being connected to the drive mechanism, a frame and a second sensor bracket on the equipment cabinet, and a sensor array distributed on the second sensor bracket, the frame, the equipment cabinet and the control handle, the sensor array being connected to the control circuit.

[0005] Preferably, the sensor array includes ultrasonic sensors, two of which are connected to a second sensor bracket, one ultrasonic sensor is connected to the vehicle frame, one ultrasonic sensor is connected to the equipment cabinet, and one ultrasonic sensor is connected to the control handle. All ultrasonic sensors are connected to the control circuit.

[0006] Preferably, the control circuit includes a PLC controller, a drive wheel controller, and a steering motor controller. The PLC controller, drive wheel controller, and steering motor controller are all located inside the control cabinet. The control switch is connected to the PLC controller. The PLC controller is connected to the ultrasonic sensor, the drive wheel controller, and the steering motor controller, respectively. The drive wheel controller and the steering sensor are both connected to the drive mechanism.

[0007] Preferably, the drive mechanism includes a steering motor and a drive wheel. A motor bracket is provided on the bottom surface of the equipment cabinet. The steering motor is mounted on the motor bracket. The output shaft of the steering motor passes through the motor bracket and is connected to a second pinion. The drive wheel is mounted on the motor bracket. The top of the drive wheel passes through the motor bracket and is connected to a first large gear. The first large gear meshes with the second pinion. The drive wheel controller is connected to the drive wheel. The control handle is connected to the drive wheel. The steering sensor is connected to the steering motor.

[0008] Preferably, a first sensor bracket is provided on the motor bracket, and a steering sensor is provided on the first sensor bracket. The steering sensor is located above the first large gear and is connected to the steering motor controller.

[0009] A path planning method for a smart bus sweeper includes the following steps: S1: Place the sweeper on the first working surface of the bus near the front of the bus, keeping the sweeper parallel to the bus body and maintaining a lateral distance of 1 meter. Turn on the automatic sweeping mode through the control switch. S2: The PLC controller uses a time-sharing polling mechanism to collect signals from the sensor array. The communication sampling period is set to 1 second, and each ultrasonic sensor is allocated a 200-millisecond independent communication time slot to obtain distance data between the sweeper and the bus and obstacle data. S3: The PLC controller calculates and outputs control commands to the drive wheel controller and steering motor controller in real time based on the multi-dimensional distance signals obtained by the sensor array. By dynamically adjusting the speed of the drive wheels and the steering angle of the steering motor, the sweeper maintains the sweeper's movement along the bus body within a preset distance range. S4: When the sensor array detects that the current work area has ended, the system switches to turning mode. If the sensor array detects an obstacle within a safe distance, the system automatically stops and resumes operation after the obstacle is cleared. S5: When the sweeper turns from the current work area to the next work area, the PLC controller executes the logic instruction of "forward-stop-reverse-forward again" to cover the right-angle intersection area and eliminate cleaning dead corners; S6: The system sequentially traverses the three working surfaces of the bus and automatically determines the completion of the cleaning task based on the signals from the sensor array, thus achieving automatic shutdown at the end of the operation.

[0010] Preferably, in S4, the corner recognition determination condition is that when the ultrasonic sensor on the second sensor bracket and the ultrasonic sensor on the frame near the second sensor bracket move out of the edge of the bus and can no longer detect the reflected signal, the PLC controller determines that the sweeper is about to reach the corner and controls the drive wheel to slow down through the drive wheel controller. When the other ultrasonic sensor on the frame can no longer detect the reflected signal, the PLC controller determines that the sweeper has completely left the current working surface and starts the steering program.

[0011] Preferably, in S5, the determination condition for corner cleaning is as follows: after the sweeper enters the next working area, when the ultrasonic sensor on the frame detects the bus edge signal again, the reversing program is started; when another ultrasonic sensor on the frame moves out of the edge of the working area and can no longer detect the signal, it is determined that the blind corner area is covered, the reversing stops and forward movement resumes.

[0012] Preferably, in S6, the determination condition for the end point of the operation is that when the sweeper traverses the last working surface, and the ultrasonic sensor on the second sensor bracket moves away from the edge of the working surface and can no longer detect the reflected signal, the PLC controller issues a stop command.

[0013] Preferably, the method also includes a mode switching mechanism. When the sweeper loses control in a complex environment, the sensor array, in conjunction with the PLC controller algorithm, automatically stops the vehicle and issues an alarm before a collision. The system can then switch to manual mode, where the sweeper can be manually operated by the control handle to complete the sweeping.

[0014] Therefore, the present invention employs the aforementioned adaptive control system for a smart bus sweeper to address the problem of insufficient cleaning efficiency when staff are limited, thereby reducing the cleaning burden on staff. It allows the smart sweeper to quickly approach the bus and begin cleaning, with relatively relaxed requirements on the initial relative position of the sweeper and the bus, thus improving cleaning efficiency. Simultaneously, it is compatible with both automatic and manual cleaning modes. Manual cleaning is performed by manually operating the control handle. In complex situations where the smart sweeper becomes uncontrollable, the sensor array, in conjunction with the PLC controller's algorithm, can automatically stop the sweeper before a collision with the bus. An alarm is then issued, and the sweeper can be manually operated to continue the automatic washing process or the cleaning process can be completed manually.

[0015] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the adaptive control system of the intelligent bus sweeper in this invention; Figure 2 This is a side view of the adaptive control system of the intelligent bus sweeper in this invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the drive mechanism in this invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the specific structure of the control circuit in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structural relationship of the adaptive control system of the intelligent bus sweeper in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the adaptive control system and path planning method of the intelligent bus sweeper in this invention.

[0017] Figure Labels 1. Control handle; 2. Control cabinet; 3. Equipment cabinet; 4. Steering motor; 5. Drive wheel; 6. Frame; 7. First large gear; 8. Second small gear; 9. Motor bracket; 10. First sensor bracket; 11. Ultrasonic sensor; 12. Second sensor bracket; 13. Control switch; 14. PLC controller; 15. Drive wheel controller; 16. Steering motor controller; 17. Steering sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0019] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0020] like Figures 1-5As shown, an adaptive control system for a smart bus sweeper includes an equipment cabinet 3, a control cabinet 2 installed inside the equipment cabinet 3, a control circuit installed inside the control cabinet 2, a control handle 1 installed on the equipment cabinet 3, a control switch 13 installed on the control cabinet 2, the control switch 13 being electrically connected to the control circuit via electrical wiring, a drive mechanism installed on the bottom surface of the equipment cabinet 3, the control circuit being electrically connected to the drive mechanism via electrical wiring, the control handle 1 being connected to the drive mechanism, a frame 6 installed on the front and rear sides of the equipment cabinet 3, and a second sensor bracket 12 installed on the side of the equipment cabinet 3 near the control handle 1, a sensor array being arranged on the second sensor bracket 12, the frame 6, the equipment cabinet 3, and the control handle 1, the sensor array being electrically connected to the control circuit via electrical wiring.

[0021] The sensor array includes five ultrasonic sensors 11, numbered one to five. Ultrasonic sensors 1 and 2 are mounted on the second sensor bracket 12, ultrasonic sensor 3 is mounted on the frame 6, and the mounting position of ultrasonic sensor 3 is away from ultrasonic sensor 1 on the frame 6. Ultrasonic sensor 4 is mounted on the control handle 1, and ultrasonic sensor 5 is mounted on the equipment cabinet 3. All five ultrasonic sensors 11 are electrically connected to the control circuit through electrical wiring. Ultrasonic sensors 1 to 3 acquire real-time distance data between the working surface of the sweeper and the working surface of the bus, while ultrasonic sensors 4 and 5 acquire obstacle data in the direction of the front and rear of the sweeper, respectively.

[0022] The control circuit includes a PLC controller 14, a drive wheel controller 15, and a steering motor controller 16. All three controllers are installed inside the control cabinet 2. The control switch 13 is electrically connected to the PLC controller 14 via electrical wiring. The PLC controller 14 is electrically connected to five ultrasonic sensors 11 via electrical wiring. The PLC controller 14 transmits data bidirectionally to the sensor array via the RS485 communication protocol. The PLC controller 14 uses a time-division multiplexing mechanism to collect signals from the five ultrasonic sensors 11, setting the communication sampling period to 1 second. Within this period, each ultrasonic sensor 11 is allocated a 200-millisecond independent communication time slot. The PLC controller 14 is electrically connected to the drive wheel controller 15 and the steering motor controller 16. Based on the acquired multi-dimensional distance signals, the PLC controller 14 calculates and outputs control commands to the drive wheel controller 15 and the steering motor controller 16 in real time. Both the drive wheel controller 15 and the steering motor controller 16 are electrically connected to the drive mechanism via electrical wiring.

[0023] The drive mechanism includes a steering motor 4 and a drive wheel 5. A motor bracket 9 is mounted on the bottom surface of the equipment cabinet 3. The steering motor 4 is mounted on the motor bracket 9. The output shaft of the steering motor 4 passes through the motor bracket 9 and is equipped with a second pinion 8. The drive wheel 5 is mounted on the motor bracket 9. The top of the drive wheel 5 passes through the motor bracket 9 and is connected to a first large gear 7. The first large gear 7 and the second pinion 8 mesh with each other. The drive wheel controller 15 is electrically connected to the drive wheel 5 through electrical wiring. The control handle 1 is connected to the drive wheel 5. The steering sensor 17 is electrically connected to the steering motor 4 through electrical wiring.

[0024] A first sensor bracket 10 is mounted on the motor bracket 9, and a steering sensor 17 is mounted on the first sensor bracket 10. The steering sensor 17 is located above the first large gear 7, and the steering sensor 17 is electrically connected to the steering motor controller 16 through electrical wiring.

[0025] like Figure 6 As shown, a path planning method for a smart bus sweeper includes the following steps: S1: Initialization and alignment stage: Before operation, place the sweeper on the A side of the bus near the front of the bus, so that the sweeper is parallel to the bus body and the lateral distance is maintained within 1 meter. Turn on the automatic sweeping mode through control switch 13. S2: PLC controller 14 starts time-sharing sampling under RS485 protocol, sets the communication sampling period to 1 second, allocates 200 milliseconds of independent communication time slot to each ultrasonic sensor 11, and ultrasonic sensors 11 No. 1, 2 and 3 start to feed back distance data to surface A to PLC. S3: A-side walking and turning pre-judgment stage: The sweeper moves along A-side, and ultrasonic sensors 11 1, 2 and 3 provide real-time data feedback. The PLC controls the drive wheel 5 to correct the path according to the distance deviation. When the sweeper moves to the rear area of ​​A-side, ultrasonic sensors 1 and 2 move out of the edge of the bus and can no longer detect the reflected signal. At this time, the PLC determines that the vehicle is about to reach the corner, and the drive wheel 5 controller receives the deceleration command to reduce the speed to improve steering stability. S4: Steering and B-side entry stage: When the third ultrasonic sensor 11 also loses its ability to detect the reflected signal due to its separation from the A-side, the PLC determines that the sweeper has completely left the A-side. The steering motor 4 then controls the drive wheel 5 to rotate, guiding the sweeper to rotate around the corner. During the steering process, when the first and second ultrasonic sensors 11 re-detect the B-side of the bus and the distance value enters the preset working range, the steering motor 4 performs reverse rotation, adjusting the drive wheel 5 to restore the straight-line mode. S5: Corner and Dead Angle Cleaning Implementation Stage: When the sweeper is traveling straight on side B and the third ultrasonic sensor 11 detects the bus edge signal again, it indicates that the roller brush has passed the corner. At this time, the PLC starts the corner and dead angle cleaning stage, that is, it instructs the drive wheel 5 to rotate in the opposite direction and the sweeper starts to reverse. During the reversing process, the status of the second ultrasonic sensor 11 is monitored in real time. When the second ultrasonic sensor 11 can no longer detect the signal because it has moved out of the edge of side B, it is determined that the cleaning has covered the dead angle area. Then the PLC controller 14 instructs the drive wheel 5 to stop reversing and resume forward movement, completing the thorough cleaning of the corner where side A and side B meet. Similarly, the sweeper completes the cleaning of the area where side B and side C meet in sequence according to the above process. S6: Automatic determination of the end point of the operation: The sweeper continues to move along surface C to the front of the bus. When the ultrasonic sensor 11 can no longer detect the reflected signal due to moving away from the edge of surface C, the PLC controller 14 recognizes the end point signal of the sweeping task and the system immediately issues a stop command. At this point, the sweeper has completed the automatic cyclic sweeping of the three sides of the bus and stops safely. S7: Safety obstacle avoidance operation mechanism: In any of the above steps S1-S6, the PLC monitors dynamic or static obstacles on the travel trajectory in real time through ultrasonic sensors No. 4 and No. 5 11. Once the distance of the sensed obstacle is lower than the preset alarm threshold, the system immediately forces a stop and, after the obstacle is removed, restores the automatic cleaning logic or enables manual cleaning based on the current sensor status register value.

[0026] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adaptive control system for a smart bus sweeper, characterized in that: The device includes an equipment cabinet, inside which is a control cabinet. The control cabinet contains a control circuit. A control handle and a control switch are mounted on the equipment cabinet and connected to the control circuit. A drive mechanism is located on the bottom of the equipment cabinet. Both the control circuit and the control handle are connected to the drive mechanism. A frame and a second sensor bracket are mounted on the equipment cabinet. Sensor arrays are distributed on the second sensor bracket, the frame, the equipment cabinet, and the control handle. The sensor arrays are connected to the control circuit.

2. The adaptive control system for a smart bus sweeper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor array includes ultrasonic sensors. Two of the ultrasonic sensors are connected to the second sensor bracket, one ultrasonic sensor is connected to the vehicle frame, one ultrasonic sensor is connected to the equipment cabinet, and one ultrasonic sensor is connected to the control handle. All of the ultrasonic sensors are connected to the control circuit.

3. The adaptive control system for a smart bus sweeper according to claim 2, characterized in that: The control circuit includes a PLC controller, a drive wheel controller, and a steering motor controller. The PLC controller, drive wheel controller, and steering motor controller are all located inside the control cabinet. The control switch is connected to the PLC controller. The PLC controller is connected to the ultrasonic sensor, drive wheel controller, and steering motor controller, respectively. The drive wheel controller and steering sensor are both connected to the drive mechanism.

4. The adaptive control system for a smart bus sweeper according to claim 3, characterized in that: The drive mechanism includes a steering motor and a drive wheel. A motor bracket is provided on the bottom surface of the equipment cabinet. The steering motor is mounted on the motor bracket. The output shaft of the steering motor passes through the motor bracket and is connected to a second pinion. The drive wheel is mounted on the motor bracket. The top of the drive wheel passes through the motor bracket and is connected to a first large gear. The first large gear meshes with the second pinion. The drive wheel controller is connected to the drive wheel. The control handle is connected to the drive wheel. The steering sensor is connected to the steering motor.

5. The adaptive control system for a smart bus sweeper according to claim 4, characterized in that: A first sensor bracket is provided on the motor bracket, and a steering sensor is provided on the first sensor bracket. The steering sensor is located above the first large gear and is connected to the steering motor controller.

6. A path planning method for a smart bus sweeper, based on the system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Place the sweeper on the first working surface of the bus near the front of the bus, keeping the sweeper parallel to the bus body and maintaining a lateral distance of 1 meter. Turn on the automatic sweeping mode through the control switch. S2: The PLC controller uses a time-sharing polling mechanism to collect signals from the sensor array. The communication sampling period is set to 1 second, and each ultrasonic sensor is allocated a 200-millisecond independent communication time slot to obtain distance data between the sweeper and the bus and obstacle data. S3: The PLC controller calculates and outputs control commands to the drive wheel controller and steering motor controller in real time based on the multi-dimensional distance signals obtained by the sensor array. By dynamically adjusting the speed of the drive wheels and the steering angle of the steering motor, the sweeper maintains the sweeper's movement along the bus body within a preset distance range. S4: When the sensor array detects that the current work area has ended, the system switches to turning mode. If the sensor array detects an obstacle within a safe distance, the system automatically stops and resumes operation after the obstacle is cleared. S5: When the sweeper turns from the current work area to the next work area, the PLC controller executes the logic instruction of "forward-stop-reverse-forward again" to cover the right-angle intersection area and eliminate cleaning dead corners; S6: The system sequentially traverses the three working surfaces of the bus and automatically determines the completion of the cleaning task based on the signals from the sensor array, thus achieving automatic shutdown at the end of the operation.

7. The path planning method for a smart bus sweeper according to claim 6, characterized in that: The corner recognition criteria in S4 are as follows: when the ultrasonic sensor on the second sensor bracket and the ultrasonic sensor on the frame near the second sensor bracket move out of the edge of the bus and can no longer detect the reflected signal, the PLC controller determines that the sweeper is about to reach the corner and controls the drive wheel to slow down through the drive wheel controller. When the other ultrasonic sensor on the frame can no longer detect the reflected signal, the PLC controller determines that the sweeper has completely left the current working surface and starts the steering program.

8. The path planning method for a smart bus sweeper according to claim 6, characterized in that: The criteria for determining corner cleaning in S5 are as follows: after the sweeper enters the next working area, when the ultrasonic sensor on the frame detects the bus edge signal again, the reversing procedure is started. When another ultrasonic sensor on the frame moves out of the edge of the working area and can no longer detect the signal, it is determined that the blind corner area is covered, the reversing stops and forward movement resumes.

9. The path planning method for a smart bus sweeper according to claim 6, characterized in that: The determination condition for the end point of the operation in S6 is that when the sweeper traverses the last working surface, and the ultrasonic sensor on the second sensor bracket moves away from the edge of the working surface and can no longer detect the reflected signal, the PLC controller issues a stop command.

10. The path planning method for a smart bus sweeper according to claim 6, characterized in that: The method also includes a mode switching mechanism. When the sweeper loses control in a complex environment, the sensor array, in conjunction with the PLC controller algorithm, will automatically stop the vehicle and issue an alarm before a collision. The system can then switch to manual mode, where the sweeper can be manually operated by the control handle to complete the sweeping.

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