Single connection communication local intelligent rail robot terminal

Abstract

The application provides a single-connection communication local intelligent track robot terminal, comprising a master control module, a communication module, a sensing module, a local intelligent processing module, a driving module, a motor, a power module and a watchdog module. The master control module performs unified coordinated control on each functional module, and generates a running control instruction based on control information received by the communication module, running state information collected by the sensing module and intelligent analysis results output by the local intelligent processing module. The communication module is configured to only allow a single valid communication connection to be established and maintained during system operation, so as to avoid communication conflicts caused by multiple connections. The local intelligent processing module is used for intelligent analysis and processing of collected data locally, and the analysis results participate in terminal running decision. The master control module performs protection, reporting and reset processing when an abnormality is detected, so as to realize safe and stable operation of the track robot terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of track robot technology, and more specifically to a local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication. Background Technology

[0002] Tracked robots, as automated devices that run along fixed tracks, have been widely used in substations, industrial plants, warehouse corridors, and other enclosed or semi-enclosed environments to replace manual labor in inspection, monitoring, and simple tasks. These devices typically use a drive mechanism to reciprocate along a track, combined with sensors to collect environmental information, and then upload their operating status and collected data to a host computer or monitoring system via a communication network, thereby achieving remote inspection and management of the target area. With the increasing complexity of application scenarios and higher safety requirements, tracked robots are gradually incorporating image acquisition, behavior recognition, and remote control functions, placing higher demands on their real-time control performance, communication stability, and operational safety.

[0003] In practical applications, existing track robot systems often employ local low-computing-power control units in conjunction with remote servers for data analysis and decision processing. The terminal side primarily handles data acquisition and simple control functions, while complex image analysis and behavior judgment rely on network transmission to the remote end. Furthermore, some systems use concurrent multiple communication connections for data interaction to achieve multi-terminal access or redundant control. In complex industrial environments or with unstable networks, these technical solutions are susceptible to communication delays, connection conflicts, or network interruptions, leading to delayed control command responses, untimely identification of abnormal states, and even equipment malfunctions or safety hazards. Simultaneously, the fault detection and handling logic of existing track robots under abnormal operating conditions is relatively fragmented, lacking a unified hierarchical processing and reset mechanism, making it difficult to ensure operational safety while maintaining system continuity and maintenance efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, the following problem still exists in the existing technology: how to realize timely judgment of the running status and inspection behavior at the terminal side during the operation of the track robot, maintain the reliability and consistency of control under communication-limited or complex working conditions, avoid the risk of conflict caused by multiple connection communication, and improve the controllability and safety of the equipment under abnormal conditions is a key technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems of existing technologies, embodiments of the present invention provide a local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication. The technical solution is as follows: On the one hand, a local intelligent rail robot terminal with single-connection communication is provided, characterized in that it includes a main control module, a communication module, a sensing module, a local intelligent processing module, a drive module, a motor, a power supply module, and a watchdog module; The main control module is used to coordinate and control the operation of the track robot terminal in a unified manner, and to generate corresponding control commands based on the control information received by the communication module, the operation status information collected by the sensor module, and the intelligent analysis results output by the local intelligent processing module. The drive module is connected to the main control module and is used to drive the motor to perform motion actions according to the control instructions, so as to realize the movement or stopping of the track robot along the track; The communication module is used to realize data communication between the track robot terminal and the host computer, and is configured to allow only a single valid communication connection to be established and maintained during system operation. The sensing module is used to collect the operating status information and environmental status information of the track robot terminal, and send the collected data to the main control module; The local intelligent processing module is used to perform intelligent analysis and processing on the collected data locally on the terminal, and output the analysis results to the main control module to participate in the terminal operation control; The power module is used to provide operating power to each functional module; The watchdog module is used to monitor the operating status of the main control module and trigger corresponding protection or reset processes when an anomaly is detected.

[0006] Furthermore, the communication module is configured during system operation to allow only one valid communication connection between the track robot terminal and the host computer, and to reject the connection request based on the current communication status when a new connection request is detected.

[0007] Furthermore, the communication module, as an implementation of a single-connection communication mechanism, is configured to establish a communication connection with the host computer based on the TCP / IP protocol.

[0008] Furthermore, the communication module is implemented using Ethernet communication and interacts with the host computer via a network interface.

[0009] Furthermore, the local intelligent processing module is communicatively connected to the main control module, and is used to receive data sent by the main control module, perform intelligent analysis processing on the data locally on the terminal, and feed back the resulting analysis results to the main control module.

[0010] Furthermore, after receiving the analysis results, the main control module comprehensively judges the analysis results and the operating status information collected by the sensing module, and adjusts the operating status of the track robot terminal or triggers the abnormal handling process according to the judgment results.

[0011] Furthermore, the main control module is configured to continuously monitor the communication status, operating status, and motion control-related status information of the track robot terminal, and to perform a graded judgment based on the type or severity of the abnormality when an anomaly is detected.

[0012] Furthermore, the main control module generates fault information after performing the corresponding level of protection processing, and reports the fault information to the host computer through the communication module when the communication connection is normal, and maintains the current protection state when the communication connection is abnormal.

[0013] Furthermore, the track robot terminal supports an inspection mode. In the inspection mode, the main control module controls the sensing module to collect data from the inspection area and sends the collected data to the local intelligent processing module for intelligent analysis and processing.

[0014] Furthermore, when the analysis results output by the local intelligent processing module indicate that there is an anomaly, the main control module triggers the anomaly handling process, and decides whether to report the anomaly information to the host computer based on the communication connection status. When the preset reset conditions are met, a reset process is performed to restore the track robot terminal to a runnable state.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present invention are as follows: This invention provides a local intelligent rail robot terminal with single-connection communication. By setting a single communication connection control mechanism on the terminal side and managing the communication process in a unified manner, it effectively avoids the problems of command conflicts and control chaos caused by multiple concurrent communication, and improves the communication stability and operational reliability of the rail robot in complex network environments.

[0016] This invention introduces a local intelligent processing module into the terminal of a track robot, enabling the data collected during inspection to be analyzed and judged at the terminal side. This reduces reliance on remote servers, shortens the path for anomaly identification and response, and improves the timeliness of the track robot's response to abnormal behavior and abnormal state, thus helping to ensure operational safety during inspection operations.

[0017] This invention constructs a multi-level fault detection, graded protection, and reset mechanism, enabling the track robot to perform corresponding protection processing and reset control when different types or degrees of anomalies occur. This enhances the system's controllability and recovery capability under abnormal operating conditions, and helps improve the equipment's continuous operation capability and maintenance efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a module of a local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a circuit diagram of a communication module according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the communication connection between a local intelligent processing module and a main control module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the software workflow of a main control module according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a multi-level fault detection and graded protection processing logic according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the intelligent analysis and operation interaction process under an inspection mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] like Figure 1 As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides a local intelligent rail robot terminal with single-connection communication, including a main control module, a communication module, a sensing module, a local intelligent processing module, a drive module, a motor, a power supply module, and a watchdog module. Each functional module is connected to the main control module through a hardware interface, and the main control module coordinates and controls the overall operation of the terminal.

[0022] The main control module, serving as the system's control core, receives control commands from the communication module and, in conjunction with operational status information collected by the sensor module and intelligent analysis results output by the local intelligent processing module, generates corresponding motion control commands. The drive module, connected to the main control module, drives the motors to perform corresponding motion actions according to the motion control commands, thereby enabling the tracked robot to run, stop, or adjust its posture along the track.

[0023] The sensing module is used to collect the operating status and environmental status of the track robot terminal. The collected status information includes at least operating parameters and environmental parameters, and the collected data is sent to the main control module for operation monitoring and anomaly detection.

[0024] The local intelligent processing module communicates with the main control module to perform intelligent analysis and processing on the acquired image data locally on the terminal, and outputs behavior recognition results or anomaly recognition results to the main control module to participate in the terminal's operation decision-making.

[0025] The communication module is used to realize data communication between the track robot terminal and the host computer; the power supply module is used to provide working power for each functional module; the watchdog module is used to monitor the operating status of the main control module and perform reset or protection processing on the main control module when an abnormality is detected, so as to improve the reliability of system operation.

[0026] Communication module and single-connection communication mechanism like Figure 2 As shown, the communication module uses Ethernet communication. Its hardware structure includes an Ethernet control chip, a clock circuit, a power supply regulator and decoupling circuit, and a network interface circuit. The communication module connects to the main control module through a serial peripheral interface, and the main control module performs initialization configuration and operation management of the communication module.

[0027] In this embodiment, the communication module, as an implementation of a single-connection communication mechanism, is configured to establish a communication connection with the host computer based on the TCP / IP protocol. The communication protocol used is ModbusTCP, and the default port number is 502. During system operation, only one valid communication connection is allowed to be established and maintained between the track robot terminal and the host computer.

[0028] When the communication module detects a new connection request, the main control module rejects the connection request based on the current communication status and returns error code E001, thereby avoiding instruction conflicts and communication anomalies caused by concurrent communication of multiple terminals or multiple connections.

[0029] After a single communication connection is established, the communication module receives operation control commands from the host computer and feeds back the operating status, abnormal status, or fault information of the track robot terminal to the host computer according to a preset data format. The communication data adopts a CRC32 check mechanism and is sent in the priority order of fault information, intelligent analysis results, and routine status information.

[0030] Collaborative working mechanism between the local intelligent processing module and the main control module like Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, the local intelligent processing module establishes a communication connection with the main control module through a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI). The SPI interface includes at least a chip select signal line, a clock signal line, a master output / slave input signal line, a master input / slave output signal line, and power and ground lines, which are used to realize data interaction between the main control module and the local intelligent processing module.

[0031] During system operation, the main control module sends image data or data requests to the local intelligent processing module through the SPI interface. The local intelligent processing module performs image preprocessing, feature extraction, and behavior analysis on the data locally on the terminal to form behavior recognition results or anomaly recognition results, and feeds back the recognition results to the main control module through the SPI interface.

[0032] After receiving the identification result, the main control module combines it with the operating status information collected by the sensing module to make a comprehensive judgment. When the identification result indicates that the current state is normal, the main control module maintains the predetermined operating state of the track robot terminal; when the identification result indicates that there is abnormal behavior or abnormal state, the main control module adjusts the terminal's operating state according to a preset control strategy, or triggers subsequent abnormal handling procedures.

[0033] In this way, the local intelligent processing module completes intelligent analysis and processing without relying on a remote server. Its output results directly participate in the main control module's operation decision-making through the hardware bus, realizing a tight coupling between local intelligent analysis and motion control.

[0034] Software workflow of the main control module like Figure 4 As shown, the software workflow of the main control module in this embodiment includes steps such as terminal power-on initialization, single connection verification, instruction parsing, action and mode control, status reporting, and fault latching and reset.

[0035] Specifically, after the terminal is powered on, the main control module sequentially initializes the main control unit, local intelligent processing module, driver module, sensing module, communication module, and watchdog module. After initialization, the main control module sends a connection ready status to the host computer.

[0036] When a connection request is received from the host computer, the main control module executes a single connection verification process to verify the terminal ID and key. If verification fails, the main control module returns an error code and enters a waiting connection state; if verification succeeds, a unique TCP / IP communication connection is established, and the "terminal ready" status is reported to the host computer.

[0037] After the communication connection is established, the main control module enters the main loop, waiting for instructions from the host computer. These instructions include at least action instructions, operating mode switching instructions, and fault reset instructions. Upon receiving an instruction, the main control module parses the instruction type: when it is an action instruction, the drive module executes the corresponding action, and the sensor module synchronously collects operating parameters; when it is a mode switching instruction, the main control module loads the target mode parameters and synchronously adjusts the recognition threshold of the local intelligent processing module; when it is a fault reset instruction, the fault reset procedure is executed.

[0038] During operation, the main control module periodically encapsulates the progress of action execution, equipment operating parameters, and identification results output by the local intelligent processing module, and feeds them back to the host computer through the communication module.

[0039] Multi-level fault detection, graded protection and fault latching mechanism like Figure 5 As shown in this embodiment, the main control module continuously monitors the system parameters during the operation of the track robot terminal. The system parameters include at least the communication status, the operating status, and status information related to motion control.

[0040] If the motor does not receive a limit signal within 200 seconds, it is considered a timeout fault; if both left and right limit switches are effective simultaneously and last for at least 10ms, it is considered a switch conflict fault; if the power supply voltage fluctuates by more than ±10%, the motor current exceeds 120% of the rated value and lasts for 500ms, or the temperature of the local intelligent processing module reaches 85℃, it is considered an abnormal state; if no heartbeat signal is received from the host computer within 8 seconds, it is considered a communication fault.

[0041] The main control module classifies anomalies according to their type or severity. Timeout faults, communication faults, and faults in the local intelligent processing module trigger Level 1 protection and execute an emergency stop of the motor. Other anomalies trigger Level 2 or Level 3 protection.

[0042] After completing the protection process, the main control module generates the corresponding fault code and reports the fault information to the host computer through the communication module when the communication connection is normal; when the communication connection is abnormal, the main control module maintains the current protection state, enters the fault latching state, and only responds to the fault reset command.

[0043] When the abnormal state is detected to be resolved and the preset reset conditions are met, the main control module performs a reset process after receiving the "RESET, FAULT" command sent by the host computer, so that the track robot terminal is restored from the protected state to the runnable state; when the reset fails, the fault information is continuously reported.

[0044] Intelligent analysis and operational interaction in inspection mode like Figure 6As shown, in the inspection mode, the main control module controls the sensing module to collect data from the inspection area. The collected data includes at least video data or image data, and the data is sent to the local intelligent processing module for intelligent analysis and processing.

[0045] Upon receiving the data, the local intelligent processing module sequentially performs image preprocessing, feature extraction, and behavior analysis to generate behavior recognition results. The main control module then performs anomaly detection based on these results: if the detection indicates no anomaly, the track-mounted robot terminal continues operating according to the predetermined inspection path and strategy; if the detection indicates abnormal behavior or an abnormal state, the main control module triggers anomaly handling procedures.

[0046] In the anomaly handling process, the main control module generates anomaly alarm information and decides whether to report the anomaly information to the host computer based on the communication connection status. When the communication connection is abnormal, the main control module controls the terminal's operating status according to the preset security policy.

[0047] After the anomaly handling is completed, the main control module checks whether a reset signal has been received. If a reset signal is received and the reset conditions are met, an anomaly reset operation is performed, causing the track robot terminal to re-enter the inspection mode.

[0048] Application Examples In an engineering application example, the track robot terminal of this invention is installed on a fixed inspection track for automatic inspection in industrial or substation scenarios. The main control module uses an STM32F407VET6 with a main frequency of 168MHz; the communication module uses a W5500 Ethernet control chip; the drive module uses a TB6560; the sensing module includes an HDC2080 temperature and humidity sensor and D4V-3116 left and right limit switches; the power supply module takes in a 24V DC voltage and outputs a 3.3V / 5V operating voltage, and is equipped with a 10F / 24V supercapacitor; the watchdog module uses a combination of a built-in IWDG and an external reset circuit, with a timeout set to 8 seconds.

[0049] The local intelligent processing module uses Horizon Journey 2 NPU with a computing power of 6 TOPS, is equipped with a 4K camera (3840×2160, 30fps), adopts the YOLOv8-Tiny model, has a model size of no more than 8MB, a recognition confidence threshold of no less than 0.8, an overall inference latency of no more than 150ms, and a recognition accuracy of no less than 98%.

[0050] In random inspection mode, the inspection area boundary is set to X: 0–100m, Y: 0–50m, the inspection point density is 1–5 points / ㎡, and the dwell time at a single point is 1–10 seconds; in regular inspection mode, there are no more than 100 inspection paths, each path contains no more than 50 inspection points, and the inspection cycle is 1–24 hours.

[0051] The above application examples verify that the present invention achieves coordinated operation of local intelligent analysis, linkage control and multi-level security protection while maintaining single-connection communication.

[0052] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A local intelligent rail robot terminal with single-connection communication, characterized in that, It includes a main control module, a communication module, a sensing module, a local intelligent processing module, a drive module, a motor, a power supply module, and a watchdog module; The main control module is used to coordinate and control the operation of the track robot terminal in a unified manner, and to generate corresponding control commands based on the control information received by the communication module, the operation status information collected by the sensor module, and the intelligent analysis results output by the local intelligent processing module. The drive module is connected to the main control module and is used to drive the motor to perform motion actions according to the control instructions, so as to realize the movement or stopping of the track robot along the track; The communication module is used to realize data communication between the track robot terminal and the host computer, and is configured to allow only a single valid communication connection to be established and maintained during system operation. The sensing module is used to collect the operating status information and environmental status information of the track robot terminal, and send the collected data to the main control module; The local intelligent processing module is used to perform intelligent analysis and processing on the collected data locally on the terminal, and output the analysis results to the main control module to participate in the terminal operation control; The power module is used to provide operating power to each functional module; The watchdog module is used to monitor the operating status of the main control module and trigger corresponding protection or reset processes when an anomaly is detected.

2. The local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to claim 1, characterized in that, During system operation, the communication module is configured to allow only one valid communication connection between the track robot terminal and the host computer, and to reject the connection request based on the current communication status when a new connection request is detected.

3. The local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to claim 2, characterized in that, The communication module, as an implementation of a single-connection communication mechanism, is configured to establish a communication connection with the host computer based on the TCP / IP protocol.

4. The local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to claim 3, characterized in that, The communication module is implemented using Ethernet communication and interacts with the host computer via a network interface.

5. The local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to claim 1, characterized in that, The local intelligent processing module is communicatively connected to the main control module, and is used to receive data sent by the main control module, perform intelligent analysis and processing on the data locally on the terminal, and feed back the resulting analysis results to the main control module.

6. The local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to claim 5, characterized in that, After receiving the analysis results, the main control module combines the analysis results with the operating status information collected by the sensing module to make a comprehensive judgment, and adjusts the operating status of the track robot terminal or triggers an abnormal handling process based on the judgment results.

7. The local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main control module is configured to continuously monitor the communication status, operating status, and motion control-related status information of the track robot terminal, and to perform a graded judgment based on the type or severity of the abnormality when an anomaly is detected.

8. The local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to claim 7, characterized in that, After performing the corresponding level of protection processing, the main control module generates fault information and reports the fault information to the host computer through the communication module when the communication connection is normal, and maintains the current protection state when the communication connection is abnormal.

9. The local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to claim 1, characterized in that, The track robot terminal supports an inspection mode. In the inspection mode, the main control module controls the sensing module to collect data from the inspection area and sends the collected data to the local intelligent processing module for intelligent analysis and processing.

10. The local intelligent track robot terminal with single-connection communication according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the analysis results output by the local intelligent processing module indicate that there is an anomaly, the main control module triggers the anomaly handling process and decides whether to report the anomaly information to the host computer based on the communication connection status. When the preset reset conditions are met, the module performs a reset process to restore the track robot terminal to a runnable state.

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