Electric roller operation configuration system and method based on NFC technology

Abstract

The application provides an electric roller operation configuration system and method based on NFC technology, and relates to the fields of industrial automation and logistics storage. The application provides a solution for realizing one-to-one accurate configuration of operation parameters, having high reliability and convenience, and being applicable to closed equipment without external interfaces. The electric roller operation configuration system based on NFC technology comprises a passive NFC tag chip, a main controller MCU and a non-volatile memory arranged in the electric roller, and an NFC reader / writer module arranged in an external handheld reader / writer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the fields of industrial automation and logistics warehousing, and specifically proposes an operation configuration system and method based on near field communication (NFC) technology to realize the parameter configuration and status monitoring of electric rollers without any exposed electrical interfaces. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, various transmission and transfer devices, such as electric roller conveyors, are commonly used in industrial automated production and sorting operations in e-commerce and express delivery industries. Electric roller conveyors are the core driving component of conveyor systems, and their operating parameters, such as bus ID, communication protocol, and speed curve, need to be precisely configured according to the process requirements of the operating station to ensure the coordinated operation of the overall equipment control system.

[0003] The existing configuration methods of electric rollers mainly rely on wired interfaces such as RS-485 and USB, and wireless interfaces such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared or low-frequency radio frequency. Therefore, there are many obvious deficiencies and defects in the daily parameter configuration and monitoring process.

[0004] For example, the problem of physical interface exposure: exposed interfaces are easily corroded and damaged in harsh industrial environments such as dust, humidity, and oil, which leads to a reduction in the overall protection level (IP level) of the equipment and becomes a high-risk point for failure; Bus addressing conflict issue: When configuring multiple rollers using buses such as RS-485, a unique address needs to be set for each device, which is cumbersome and prone to address conflicts, resulting in unclear configuration targets and a high risk of misconfiguration; Convenience and cost issues: Dedicated configuration cables are easy to lose, and dedicated debugging tools are expensive; Wireless Wi-Fi / Bluetooth modules significantly increase hardware costs and power consumption, require complex network pairing processes, and may pose signal interference or security risks. Infrared configuration requires straight-line alignment, which is easily obstructed and requires repeated operation; in addition, low-frequency radio frequency has a short transmission distance and low configuration efficiency. Limitations of enclosed equipment applications: For enclosed equipment that requires high protection levels or a compact structure, opening physical interfaces will compromise its airtightness, while interface-free designs cannot be used for later parameter adjustments and maintenance.

[0005] In view of the above, this patent application is hereby filed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The electric roller operation configuration system and method based on NFC technology described in this application aim to solve the problems existing in the prior art by proposing a solution that achieves one-to-one accurate configuration of operating parameters, has high reliability and convenience, and is applicable to closed devices without external interfaces.

[0007] Therefore, the NFC-based electric roller operation configuration system described in this application includes a passive NFC tag chip, a main controller MCU, and a non-volatile memory disposed inside the electric roller, and an NFC reader module disposed in an external handheld reader; wherein, The passive NFC tag chip is used to obtain energy and data through radio frequency field coupling. The passive NFC tag chip transmits data and stores it in the FLASH memory built into the main controller MCU. The main controller MCU is used to connect to the passive NFC tag chip via I2C or SPI bus to respond to instructions received via the passive NFC tag chip, decrypt and verify encrypted configuration data, and write valid parameters into non-volatile memory; and to respond to the read request from the NFC reader module and send out status data via the passive NFC tag chip. Non-volatile memory is used to store configured operating parameters; The NFC reader module, based on the STM32 communication protocol, is used to read or write parameter data in a non-contact manner when the device is close to the electric roller.

[0008] Furthermore, the passive NFC tag chip is embedded inside the metal casing of the electric roller or inside a non-metallic end cap.

[0009] Based on the above-mentioned NFC-based electric roller operation configuration system, this application also proposes the following electric roller operation configuration method: The passive NFC tag chip is built into the motorized roller, and the NFC reader module is built into an external handheld reader. The external handheld reader communicates with the motorized roller via an NFC antenna, and the read / written data is stored in the passive NFC tag chip in a preset format. Parameter data writing process: First, the user brings the external handheld reader close to the NFC area of ​​the motorized roller and writes new parameters through the input terminal of the external handheld reader; then, the external handheld reader activates the passive NFC tag chip and writes data; subsequently, the MCU reads the new parameters and updates the non-volatile memory; finally, the MCU sends a success signal back to the external handheld reader. Parameter data reading process: First, bring the external handheld reader close to the NFC area of ​​the motorized roller; the user sends a read command through the input terminal of the external handheld reader; then, the passive NFC tag chip is activated; subsequently, the MCU retrieves the parameter data from the non-volatile memory; finally, the MCU feeds back the parameter data to the external handheld reader, and the read current parameters are displayed on the output terminal of the external handheld reader, such as the screen, for user verification.

[0010] Furthermore, the external handheld reader / writer is a smartphone or a tablet.

[0011] Furthermore, the following execution steps are included: Step (1), Preparation stage; Step (1.1), App installation and launch; Operators download and install a dedicated app for configuring the operation of the electric roller on their smartphones; Step (1.2): The electric roller is powered on and started. Its built-in MCU reads the storage area of ​​the passive NFC tag chip and checks the data. If the data verification passes and the configuration flag is set, the system will run according to the current configuration parameters and store the running parameters in the FLASH memory built into the main controller MCU. If the data verification fails and the configuration flag is invalid, the electric roller will be controlled to run in the default state, such as low speed operation or standby state. Step (2), parameter setting and data packaging; Step (2.1), connect to the virtual machine; The operator selects the roller model to be configured on the smartphone app interface; Step (2.2), Input parameters; Specific parameters can be set through the app's input boxes, drop-down menus, etc. Step (2.3), data encoding and packaging; The app converts the various parameters input by the user into a binary data stream according to a preset protocol format, then converts these binary data into a plaintext HEX string based on Hexadecimal encoding, and finally sets the configuration flag area. According to the protocol order, the App concatenates the HEX codes of all parameters into a complete data block and calculates the CRC32 checksum. Assemble the final data packet by combining the [parameter data block] and [CRC32 checksum] in sequence, ready to write it to the passive NFC tag chip; Finally, the app interface prompted "Please bring your phone close to the NFC sensing area of ​​the roller"; Step (3), Near-field writing; Step (3.1), get physically close; The operator brings a smartphone with the app activated close to the area marked with the "NFC" symbol on the electric roller housing; Step (3.2), wireless communication and writing; The NFC radio frequency field of a smartphone activates the passive NFC tag chip inside the electric roller; The App sends a write command to the passive NFC tag chip, writing the assembled HEX data packet into the predefined, uniquely designated storage area of ​​the passive NFC tag chip; After successful writing, the App will display "Parameters written successfully"; Step (4), Reading and Verification; The main controller MCU of the electric roller automatically reads and verifies the operating parameters; Step (5), parameter application and execution; Step (5.1), parse the parameters; Based on the correct CRC check result, the main controller MCU parses each field in the HEX data string according to the preset protocol format and restores it to the specific parameter value; Step (5.2): Write to runtime memory; The parsed parameter values ​​are stored in the memory area of ​​the main controller MCU; Step (5.2): Effective immediately; The main controller (MCU) immediately adjusts its control behavior based on the new configuration parameters and resets the configuration flag area by writing zero.

[0012] Step (4) includes: Step (4.1), trigger the read; The main controller MCU periodically reads the configuration flag bit in the storage area of ​​the passive NFC tag chip and checks whether the flag bit is set. If the configuration flag bit is set, it means that new configuration parameters have been written, and the following data extraction steps are executed. Step (4.2), data extraction; The main controller MCU reads the complete HEX data string from the designated memory area; Step (4.3), CRC32 code verification; The main controller MCU recalculates the CRC32 value of the "parameter data block" part in the read data string according to the same algorithm as the App, and compares the calculated CRC32 value with the "CRC32 check code" attached to the data string. If the comparison result is correct, it means that the data is intact during transmission and storage, and proceeds to the next step (5). If the comparison result is incorrect, it means that the data may have been tampered with or damaged due to NFC communication interference, storage errors, etc. The main controller MCU will discard this batch of configuration data, maintain the original configuration unchanged, and alarm by reporting a bus error code.

[0013] In summary, this application has the following advantages and beneficial effects compared with the prior art: 1. This application is based on NFC technology for configuring the operating parameters and monitoring the operating status of the electric roller, realizing a one-to-one near-field configuration mode, which can be conveniently and efficiently operated, monitored and maintained by the monitoring personnel through their smartphones.

[0014] 2. This application adopts an interface-free design, which completely eliminates the exposed interfaces of the equipment, avoids wear and damage to physical interfaces, and significantly improves the service life and reliability of the equipment.

[0015] 3. This application enables rapid configuration, NFC communication is plug-and-play, no pairing is required, configuration time is short, and there is no crosstalk problem between multiple devices, making it suitable for high-density installation scenarios.

[0016] 4. This application features low power consumption; the NFC tag can operate passively without power supply, significantly reducing system energy consumption.

[0017] 5. This application features high security, enabling short-range communication to reduce the risk of signal interception, and allows for optional parameter encryption transmission. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present application will now be further described in conjunction with the following figures; Figure 1 A structural block diagram of an NFC-based electric roller operation configuration system; Detailed Implementation

[0019] Example 1, as Figure 1 As shown, this application proposes an electric roller operation configuration system based on NFC technology. The system includes a passive NFC tag chip, a main controller MCU and non-volatile memory disposed inside the electric roller, and an NFC reader module disposed in an external handheld reader.

[0020] In this embodiment, the passive NFC tag chip is preferably embedded inside the metal shell of the electric roller or inside the end cap made of non-metallic material, so that the electric roller has no exposed electrical interface. The passive NFC tag chip is used to obtain energy and data through radio frequency field coupling. Its built-in storage area can be divided into a configuration area for storing operating parameters and a status area for storing status data such as cumulative running time and fault codes. The passive NFC tag chip transmits data and stores it in the FLASH memory built into the main controller MCU. The main controller MCU, integrated on the drive board of the electric roller, is used to connect with the passive NFC tag chip via I2C or SPI bus to respond to instructions received via the passive NFC tag chip (including instructions to read or write parameter data issued by the NFC reader module), decrypt and verify encrypted configuration data, and write valid parameters into non-volatile memory; at the same time, it can respond to the read request of the NFC reader module and send out status data via the passive NFC tag chip. Non-volatile memory is used to store the configured operating parameters to ensure that the configured operating parameters are not lost when the electric roller loses power; The NFC reader module, based on the STM32 communication protocol, can read or write parameter data (such as bus ID) in a non-contact manner when it is close to the electric roller (passive NFC tag chip). Based on the above-mentioned system configuration settings, the configuration process of the electric roller's operating parameters does not require a physical interface. By utilizing the short-range communication characteristics of NFC, the safety and convenience of setting, monitoring, and maintaining the electric roller's operating parameters can be effectively ensured.

[0021] This application also proposes an electric roller operation configuration method for the electric roller operation configuration system based on the above-mentioned NFC technology. The method embeds a passive NFC tag chip into the electric roller and embeds an NFC reader module into an external handheld reader. The external handheld reader communicates with the electric roller through an NFC antenna, and its operating frequency can be 13.56MHz. The data read and written (including the verification code) is stored in the passive NFC tag chip in a preset format such as JSON or binary. Parameter data writing process: First, bring the external handheld reader close to the NFC area (tag sensing area) of the motorized roller, and the user writes new parameters through the input terminal of the external handheld reader; then, the external handheld reader activates the passive NFC tag chip and writes data; subsequently, the MCU reads the new parameters and updates the non-volatile memory; finally, the MCU sends a success signal back to the external handheld reader. Parameter data reading process: First, bring the external handheld reader close to the NFC area of ​​the motorized roller; the user sends a read command through the input of the external handheld reader; then, the passive NFC tag chip is activated; subsequently, the MCU retrieves the parameter data from the non-volatile memory; finally, the MCU feeds back the parameter data to the external handheld reader, and the read current parameters are displayed on the output of the external handheld reader, such as on the screen, for user verification; during this process, if an error message or communication failure occurs, the MCU retains the original parameter data, and the external handheld reader outputs a message prompting for retry. Example scenario: On a logistics sorting line, operators can use an external handheld reader to continuously and quickly configure the operating parameters of multiple electric rollers, i.e., batch configuration is supported.

[0022] Taking a smartphone as an example, the electric roller operation configuration method includes the following execution steps: Step (1), Preparation stage; Step (1.1), App installation and launch; Operators download and install a dedicated app for configuring the operation of the electric roller on their smartphones; Step (1.2): The electric roller is powered on and started. Its built-in MCU reads the storage area of ​​the passive NFC tag chip and checks the data. If the data verification passes and the configuration flag is set, the system will run according to the current configuration parameters and store the running parameters in the FLASH memory built into the main controller MCU. If the data verification fails and the configuration flag is invalid, the electric roller will be controlled to run in the default state, such as low speed operation or standby state. Step (2), parameter setting and data packaging; Step (2.1), connect to the virtual machine; The operator selects the roller model to be configured on the smartphone app interface; Step (2.2), Input parameters; Specific parameters can be set through the app's input boxes, drop-down menus, etc. For example, bus ID (address): used to uniquely identify the roller in bus networks such as CAN and Modbus; Speed ​​parameters: maximum operating speed, acceleration, preset speed level, etc.; Torque / current limiting: protects the motor and transmission mechanism; Direction of operation: forward / reverse; Other advanced parameters: such as network timeout, fault recovery strategy, etc.; Step (2.3), data encoding and packaging; The app converts the various parameters input by the user into a binary data stream according to a preset protocol format, then converts these binary data into a plaintext HEX string based on Hexadecimal encoding, and finally sets the configuration flags; for example, bus ID (address): 10 may be encoded as 0A; According to the protocol order, the App concatenates the HEX codes of all parameters into a complete data block and calculates the CRC32 checksum. For example, the App performs the CRC32 cyclic redundancy check algorithm on this complete data block (or only on the data part, according to the protocol definition) to generate a 4-byte (8 HEX characters) checksum. Assemble the final data packet by combining the [parameter data block] and [CRC32 checksum] in sequence, ready to be written to the passive NFC tag chip; for example, combine to generate 010A0F0064**A1B2C3D4 (this 8-bit number is an example CRC code)**. Finally, the app interface prompted "Please bring your phone close to the NFC sensing area of ​​the roller"; Step (3), Near-field writing; Step (3.1), get physically close; The operator brings a smartphone with the app activated close to the area marked with the "NFC" symbol on the electric roller housing; Step (3.2), wireless communication and writing; The NFC radio frequency field of a smartphone activates the passive NFC tag chip inside the electric roller; The App sends a write command to the passive NFC tag chip, writing the assembled HEX data packet (including CRC) into the predefined, uniquely designated storage area of ​​the passive NFC tag chip; After successful writing, the App will display "Parameters written successfully"; Step (4), Reading and Verification; The main controller MCU of the electric roller automatically reads and verifies the operating parameters; this step is fully automatic and requires no manual intervention; it includes... Step (4.1), trigger the read; The main controller MCU periodically (e.g., once per second) reads the configuration flag bit in the storage area of ​​the passive NFC tag chip and checks whether the flag bit is set. If the configuration flag bit is set, it means that new configuration parameters have been written, and the following data extraction steps are executed. Step (4.2), data extraction; The main controller MCU reads the complete HEX data string from the designated memory area; Step (4.3), CRC32 code verification; The main controller MCU recalculates the CRC32 value of the "parameter data block" part in the read data string using the same algorithm as the App. The calculated CRC32 value is then compared with the "CRC32 checksum" attached to the data string. If the comparison result is correct, it means that the data is intact during transmission and storage, and proceeds to the next step (5). If the comparison result is incorrect, it means that the data may have been tampered with or damaged due to NFC communication interference, storage errors, etc. The main controller MCU will discard this batch of configuration data, maintain the original configuration, and issue an alarm by reporting a bus error code. Step (5), parameter application and execution; include, Step (5.1), parse the parameters; Based on the correct CRC check result, the main controller MCU parses each field in the HEX data string according to the preset protocol format and restores it to the specific parameter value; for example, 0A is restored to the number 10 as the bus ID. Step (5.2): Write to runtime memory; The parsed parameter values ​​are stored in the main controller MCU's memory area (including volatile or non-volatile runtime configuration memory area). Step (5.2): Effective immediately; The main controller MCU immediately adjusts its control behavior according to the new configuration parameters, resetting the configuration flag area by writing zero; for example, changing its own address on the bus to the newly set ID, updating the speed loop setpoint to the new speed, and applying the new torque limit, etc. Step (5.3), Feedback; This step is optional. For example, if the electric roller can indicate successful configuration, the following methods can be used to confirm the configuration: Run the motor briefly at the new speed, send a status message containing the new ID via the bus, and change the indicator light color / blinking mode, etc. Step (6), Verification and Confirmation; The operator holds up their smartphone and approaches the electric roller again, using the app's read function once more. The app reads the operating parameter data from the configuration storage area, parses it, and displays it on the interface. After the operator checks the parameters displayed on the App and confirms that they are completely consistent with the previous settings, the entire configuration closed-loop control process is completed.

[0023] As described above, the embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings are merely preferred solutions for achieving the objectives of this invention. Those skilled in the art can draw inspiration from this and directly derive other alternative structures that conform to the design concept of this invention. Other structural features derived therefrom should also fall within the scope of the solutions described in this invention.

Claims

1. An electric roller operation configuration system based on NFC technology, characterized in that: It includes a passive NFC tag chip, a main controller MCU and non-volatile memory set inside the electric roller, and an NFC reader module set in an external handheld reader; The passive NFC tag chip is used to obtain energy and data through radio frequency field coupling. The passive NFC tag chip transmits the data and stores it in the FLASH memory built into the main controller MCU. The main controller MCU is used to connect to the passive NFC tag chip via I2C or SPI bus to respond to instructions received via the passive NFC tag chip, decrypt and verify the encrypted configuration data, and write the valid parameters into non-volatile memory. In response to the read request from the NFC reader module, the status data is sent out via the passive NFC tag chip; Non-volatile memory is used to store configured operating parameters; The NFC reader module, based on the STM32 communication protocol, is used to read or write parameter data in a non-contact manner when the device is close to the electric roller.

2. The electric roller operation configuration system based on NFC technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The passive NFC tag chip is embedded inside the metal shell of the electric roller or inside the end cap made of non-metallic material.

3. A method for configuring an electric roller operation using an NFC-based electric roller operation configuration system as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The passive NFC tag chip is built into the motorized roller, and the NFC reader module is built into the external handheld reader. The external handheld reader communicates with the motorized roller through the NFC antenna, and the read and written data is stored in the passive NFC tag chip in a preset format. include, Parameter data writing process: First, bring the external handheld reader close to the NFC area of ​​the electric roller, and the user writes new parameters through the input end of the external handheld reader; Then, the external handheld reader activates the passive NFC tag chip and writes data; subsequently, the MCU reads the new parameters and updates the non-volatile memory; finally, the MCU sends a success signal back to the external handheld reader. Parameter data reading process: First, bring the external handheld reader close to the NFC area of ​​the motorized roller; the user sends a read command through the input terminal of the external handheld reader; then, the passive NFC tag chip is activated; subsequently, the MCU retrieves the parameter data from the non-volatile memory; finally, the MCU feeds back the parameter data to the external handheld reader, and the read current parameters are displayed on the output terminal of the external handheld reader, such as the screen, for user verification.

4. The electric drum operation configuration method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The external handheld reader / writer is a smartphone or tablet.

5. The electric drum operation configuration method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The following execution steps are included. Step (1), Preparation stage; Step (1.1), App installation and launch; Operators download and install a dedicated app for configuring the operation of the electric roller on their smartphones; Step (1.2): The electric roller is powered on and started. Its built-in MCU reads the storage area of ​​the passive NFC tag chip and checks the data. If the data verification passes and the configuration flag is set, the system will run according to the current configuration parameters and store the running parameters in the FLASH memory built into the main controller MCU. If the data verification fails and the configuration flag is invalid, the electric roller will be controlled to run in the default state, such as low speed operation or standby state. Step (2), parameter setting and data packaging; Step (2.1), connect to the virtual machine; The operator selects the roller model to be configured on the smartphone app interface; Step (2.2), Input parameters; Specific parameters can be set through the app's input boxes, drop-down menus, etc. Step (2.3), data encoding and packaging; The app converts the various parameters input by the user into a binary data stream according to a preset protocol format, then converts these binary data into a plaintext HEX string based on Hexadecimal encoding, and finally sets the configuration flag area. According to the protocol order, the App concatenates the HEX codes of all parameters into a complete data block and calculates the CRC32 checksum. Assemble the final data packet by combining the [parameter data block] and [CRC32 checksum] in sequence, ready to write it to the passive NFC tag chip; Finally, the app interface prompted "Please bring your phone close to the roller's NFC sensing area"; Step (3), Near-field writing; Step (3.1), get physically close; The operator brings a smartphone with the app activated close to the area marked with the "NFC" symbol on the electric roller housing; Step (3.2), wireless communication and writing; The NFC radio frequency field of a smartphone activates the passive NFC tag chip inside the electric roller; The App sends a write command to the passive NFC tag chip, writing the assembled HEX data packet into the predefined, uniquely designated storage area of ​​the passive NFC tag chip; After successful writing, the App will display "Parameters written successfully"; Step (4), Reading and Verification; The main controller MCU of the electric roller automatically reads and verifies the operating parameters; Step (5), parameter application and execution; Step (5.1), parse the parameters; Based on the correct CRC check result, the main controller MCU parses each field in the HEX data string according to the preset protocol format and restores it to the specific parameter value; Step (5.2): Write to runtime memory; The parsed parameter values ​​are stored in the memory area of ​​the main controller MCU; Step (5.2): Effective immediately; The main controller (MCU) immediately adjusts its control behavior based on the new configuration parameters and resets the configuration flag area by writing zero.

6. The electric drum operation configuration method according to claim 5, characterized in that: Step (4) includes, Step (4.1), trigger the read; The main controller MCU periodically reads the configuration flag bits in the storage area of ​​the passive NFC tag chip and checks whether the flag bits are set. If the configuration flag is detected to be set, it indicates that new configuration parameters have been written, and the following data extraction steps will be executed. Step (4.2), Data Extraction; The main controller MCU reads the complete HEX data string from the designated memory area; Step (4.3), CRC32 code verification; The main controller MCU recalculates the CRC32 value of the "parameter data block" part of the read data string using the same algorithm as the App. The calculated CRC32 value is then compared with the "CRC32 checksum" attached to the data string. If the comparison result is correct, it means that the data is intact during transmission and storage, and proceeds to the next step (5). If the comparison result is incorrect, it means that the data may have been tampered with or damaged due to NFC communication interference, storage errors, etc. The main controller MCU will discard this batch of configuration data, maintain the original configuration, and issue an alarm by reporting a bus error code.

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