Robot battery swapping power supply control methods, devices, equipment, media and chips

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a robot battery swapping power supply control method, apparatus, device, medium, and chip. The robot battery swapping power supply control method includes: acquiring the backup power of a backup battery; charging the backup battery via a photovoltaic panel to maintain the backup power within its range; and, in response to a battery swapping command for the robot, controlling the robot's power supply to switch from the main battery to the backup battery, so as to supply power to the robot via the backup battery. In this invention, photovoltaic panels are used to continuously or preferentially replenish the backup battery, preventing it from becoming unusable due to long-term idle self-discharge, low-temperature degradation, or daily standby consumption, thereby improving the robot's self-sustaining capability in long-term outdoor operation scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and more specifically, to a method, apparatus, device, medium, and chip for controlling the power supply of a robot during battery swapping. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, robots have relatively weak battery life. When the power is low, users usually need to replace the internal power supply battery themselves. During the replacement process, the robot cannot be used. Although the battery replacement time is short, in some special scenarios, loss of control can lead to data loss and prevent the robot from continuing to perform the pre-set tasks. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to at least solve the technical problem in the prior art or related art that robots cannot continue to perform existing tasks during battery replacement.

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a robot battery swapping power supply control method.

[0005] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a robot battery swapping power supply control device.

[0006] Another embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic device.

[0007] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a readable storage medium.

[0008] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a chip.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, embodiments of the present invention provide a robot battery swapping power supply control method for a robot body. The robot body includes a main battery and a backup battery, and a photovoltaic panel is provided on the outer surface of the robot body. The photovoltaic panel is electrically connected to the backup battery. The robot battery swapping power supply control method includes: acquiring the backup power of the backup battery; charging the backup battery through the photovoltaic panel to maintain the backup power within the backup power range; and, in response to a battery swapping command for the robot body, controlling the power supply end of the robot body to switch from the main battery to the backup battery, so as to supply power to the robot body through the backup battery.

[0010] According to the robot battery swapping power supply control method proposed in this invention, when a battery swapping command is received, the power supply end is first switched to the backup battery power supply. This can maintain continuous power supply to the control system and key actuators in scenarios such as main battery disconnection, disassembly, poor contact, and BMS protection disconnection, thereby reducing battery swapping failure and safety risks caused by controller reset, attitude instability, and actuator failure.

[0011] It is important to emphasize that using photovoltaic panels to continuously or preferentially replenish backup batteries, and managing their power range, ensures that the backup battery's State of Charge (SOC) remains within a preset range over the long term. This prevents the backup battery from becoming unusable due to self-discharge from prolonged inactivity, low-temperature degradation, or daily standby consumption, thus improving the robot's self-sustaining capabilities in long-term outdoor operation scenarios. Photovoltaic output is susceptible to fluctuations caused by cloud cover, posture, and contamination. Backup batteries can buffer and filter the energy, preventing power switching and critical actions from being directly exposed to the risks of instantaneous photovoltaic fluctuations.

[0012] In some technical solutions, optionally, before controlling the power supply of the embodied robot to switch from the main battery to the backup battery in response to the battery swapping command for the embodied robot, the robot battery swapping power supply control method further includes: obtaining the main battery's main power level; and sending a battery swapping command to the embodied robot when the main power level is lower than the battery swapping power level threshold.

[0013] In this solution, battery swapping can be triggered in advance when the main battery's power is insufficient, and the backup battery provides transitional power during the swapping process, thus avoiding power interruption issues when a single-battery system is disconnected. Simultaneously, photovoltaic panels continuously maintain the backup battery's power, ensuring its long-term availability and thereby enhancing the robot's autonomous operation capabilities and battery swapping reliability in outdoor environments.

[0014] In some embodiments, after the backup battery takes over power supply, the power supply can be switched back to the main battery after the main battery is installed and reconnected to the system, thus restoring normal operation. This further measure forms a complete main and backup power cycle management mechanism, thereby further improving the stability and reliability of system operation.

[0015] In some technical solutions, optionally, in response to a battery swapping command for the embodied robot, the power supply of the embodied robot is switched from the main battery to the backup battery. Specifically, this includes: determining a battery swapping area corresponding to the embodied robot; in response to a battery swapping command for the embodied robot, controlling the embodied robot to move to the battery swapping area; and controlling the power supply of the embodied robot to switch from the main battery to the backup battery within the battery swapping area.

[0016] This technical solution enhances the existing battery swapping power control method with spatial constraints and position guidance capabilities. On one hand, by defining and controlling the battery swapping area, the robot can move to a suitable swapping location while the main battery still has sufficient energy to support movement. On the other hand, by confining the main / backup power switching action to the swapping area, the backup battery's power supply responsibility is concentrated on the critical swapping phase, preventing premature consumption of backup power resources during movement. Therefore, it simultaneously improves backup battery utilization efficiency, power switching stability, and the success rate of subsequent battery swapping actions.

[0017] At the same time, it can not only solve the problem of uninterrupted power replacement when the main battery is low, but also solve the problems of spatial mismatch, unstable posture, difficulty in alignment and unreasonable energy distribution when the robot directly replaces the battery at any location, thereby further improving the overall autonomy and operational safety of the robot in outdoor, autonomous operation and unattended scenarios.

[0018] In some technical solutions, optionally, a power supply device is provided in the battery swapping area, and a backup battery is located in the power supply device. The robot battery swapping power supply control method includes: when the robot moves to the battery swapping area, an electrical connection is established between the robot and the power supply device, and the backup battery supplies power to the robot.

[0019] This solution allows backup power resources to be deployed in the battery swapping area, enabling the robot to rely on its internal power supply instead of solely on the battery swapping process, thus increasing power redundancy. It also allows the robot to gradually establish external power support as it moves to the swapping area, preemptively transferring and sharing the risks associated with low battery levels in the main battery, reducing the pressure on the main battery to operate independently until it eventually disconnects. The battery swapping area is not only a spatial location for swapping batteries but also a power supply guarantee area, unifying location, power supply, and swapping conditions to improve the stability, continuity, and safety of the swapping process. Furthermore, it reduces the space occupation, weight increase, and maintenance complexity associated with integrating backup batteries into the robot, making the system more suitable for lightweight, miniaturized, or high-reliability operation and maintenance scenarios.

[0020] In some technical solutions, the robot battery swapping power supply control method may optionally include: determining the operating power consumption of multiple operating parts of the embodied robot; identifying high-power parts among the multiple operating parts whose operating power consumption is greater than the power saving threshold; reducing the operating power of the high-power parts; and supplying power to the high-power parts through a backup battery based on the reduced operating power, until the embodied robot completes the battery swapping and restores the operating power of the high-power parts.

[0021] This technical solution can further enhance the existing battery swapping power supply control scheme with tiered energy-saving power supply capabilities during battery swapping. It can reduce the crowding-out effect of high-power components on backup batteries when backup battery power supply capacity is limited, and ensure that the energy storage of backup batteries prioritizes critical operations and critical safety functions during battery swapping.

[0022] By limiting power to high-power components instead of simply cutting off power, energy-saving goals and functional continuity can be balanced, reducing the risks of attitude changes, operational interruptions, or control problems caused by directly cutting off high-power loads. This can reduce the peak output and continuous load of backup batteries during battery swapping, minimizing the risks of voltage drops, overcurrent protection failures, or insufficient power supply time, thereby improving the stability and success rate of the battery swapping process.

[0023] In addition, the system automatically restores the normal operating power of high-power components after the battery swap is completed, so that energy-saving control only takes effect during specific phases, thus balancing the safety of battery swapping with the normal operating performance after the swap.

[0024] Overall, the battery swapping power supply control method not only has the ability to switch between main and backup power, but also has the ability to manage power consumption in a refined manner for different operating parts, thereby further improving the energy utilization efficiency, power supply reliability and overall operational safety of the robot in the battery swapping scenario.

[0025] In some technical solutions, the robot battery swapping power supply control method may optionally include: charging the main battery through photovoltaic panels when the backup power is greater than the upper limit of the backup power range.

[0026] This technical solution improves the utilization rate of photovoltaic energy. If, after the backup battery has reached a high charge level, the photovoltaic panels are only allowed to charge the corresponding backup battery, the available photovoltaic energy may not be further absorbed. By redirecting the photovoltaic panels to charge the main battery, the photovoltaic output can be further utilized, reducing energy wastage. The main battery is then replenished only after ensuring the backup battery meets the needs for battery swapping and emergency power supply. Thus, the overall main power supply capacity can be improved without compromising backup power security. When the main battery receives additional energy from the photovoltaic panels, its charge rate decreases more slowly, thereby extending the robot's uptime, reducing the probability of the main battery prematurely triggering the battery swapping process, and improving task execution continuity.

[0027] Furthermore, the photovoltaic output can be dynamically allocated based on the different charge states of the backup and main batteries, rather than being fixedly distributed to a single object. This makes the overall power supply strategy more flexible, adaptable to different ambient light levels, varying power consumption, and different task stages. In scenarios without external fixed charging facilities or with limited recharging conditions, the photovoltaic panels can be used to maintain the availability of the backup batteries and also to recharge the main battery when conditions permit, giving the robot stronger self-recharging capabilities and thus improving its autonomy in long-term outdoor operation scenarios.

[0028] It is understandable that the output of photovoltaic panels no longer only serves the backup battery, but continues to serve the main battery after the backup battery has met the power requirements. This can improve the safety of battery swapping and emergency phases, as well as enhance the robot's endurance during normal operation, thereby strengthening the robot's continuous working ability, energy utilization efficiency, and system autonomy in complex outdoor application scenarios.

[0029] Another embodiment of this application provides a robot battery swapping power supply control device, including an acquisition unit for acquiring the backup power of a backup battery; a power supply unit for charging the backup battery through a photovoltaic panel to maintain the backup power within the backup power range; and a battery swapping unit for controlling the power supply end of the robot to switch from the main battery to the backup battery in response to a battery swapping command for the robot, so as to supply power to the robot through the backup battery.

[0030] Another embodiment of this application provides an electronic device, including a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the program or instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the above-described robot battery swapping power supply control method.

[0031] Another embodiment of this application provides a readable storage medium on which a program or instruction is stored. When the program or instruction is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the above-described robot battery swapping power supply control method.

[0032] Another embodiment of this application provides a chip, which includes a processor and a communication interface. The communication interface and the processor are coupled together. The processor is used to run programs or instructions to implement the steps of the above-described robot battery swapping power supply control method.

[0033] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a robot battery swapping power supply control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0035] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a robot battery swapping power supply control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0036] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a robot battery swapping power supply control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0037] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating a robot battery swapping power supply control method according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0038] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a robot battery swapping power supply control device according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0039] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0040] Figure 7A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0041] in, Figures 5 to 7 The correspondence between the reference numerals and component names in the attached drawings is as follows:

[0042] 100: Electronic device; 101: Radio frequency unit; 102: Network module; 103: Audio output unit; 104: Input unit; 1041: Graphics processor; 1042: Microphone; 105: Sensor; 106: Display unit; 1061: Display panel; 107: User input unit; 1071: Touch panel; 1072: Other input devices; 108: Interface unit; 1109: Memory; 1110: Processor; 900: Robot battery swapping power supply control device; 901: Acquisition unit; 902: Power supply unit; 903: Switching unit. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0044] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0045] During outdoor operation / charging, photovoltaic-powered robots may experience a continuous power outage due to the main battery running out of power or requiring maintenance or replacement. This can cause the robot to stop, interrupt its mission, and fail to complete the self-battery swapping process. Relying solely on a single battery poses a risk of power loss during the swapping process. Loss of power to the control system and critical actuators can lead to instability, swapping failure, and even safety hazards. Furthermore, photovoltaic power is highly susceptible to fluctuations in sunlight, making it difficult to guarantee sufficient energy to support the swapping process at all times. Therefore, an independent and reliable backup and maintenance mechanism is necessary.

[0046] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1 to 7The present application provides a detailed description of the robot battery swapping power supply control method and device, electronic device, readable storage medium and chip provided in the embodiments of this application through specific implementation methods and application scenarios.

[0047] This embodiment provides a robot battery swapping power supply control method for a unibody robot. The unibody robot includes a main battery and a backup battery, and a photovoltaic panel is provided on the outer surface of the unibody robot. The photovoltaic panel is electrically connected to the backup battery. Figure 1 As shown, the robot battery swapping power supply control method includes: S1: obtaining the backup power of the backup battery; S2: charging the backup battery through the photovoltaic panel to keep the backup power within the backup power range; S3: responding to the battery swapping command for the robot, controlling the power supply end of the robot to switch from the main battery to the backup battery, so as to supply power to the robot through the backup battery.

[0048] A robot battery swapping power supply control method is used for a body-bound robot. The body-bound robot includes at least: a main battery, a backup battery, a controller, and a power management / switching circuit. A photovoltaic panel is installed on the outer surface of the body-bound robot, and the photovoltaic panel is electrically connected to the backup battery to charge or maintain the charge of the backup battery.

[0049] When a battery swapping instruction is received, the power supply is switched to the backup battery. This can maintain continuous power supply to the control system and key actuators in scenarios such as main battery disconnection, disassembly, poor contact, and BMS protection disconnection, thereby reducing battery swapping failure and safety risks caused by controller reset, attitude instability, and actuator failure.

[0050] It is important to emphasize that using photovoltaic panels to continuously or preferentially replenish backup batteries, and managing their power range, ensures that the backup battery's State of Charge (SOC) remains within a preset range over the long term. This prevents the backup battery from becoming unusable due to self-discharge from prolonged inactivity, low-temperature degradation, or daily standby consumption, thus improving the robot's self-sustaining capabilities in long-term outdoor operation scenarios. Photovoltaic output is susceptible to fluctuations caused by cloud cover, posture, and contamination. Backup batteries can buffer and filter the energy, preventing power switching and critical actions from being directly exposed to the risks of instantaneous photovoltaic fluctuations.

[0051] Specifically, the controller acquires the backup battery's power information and can refresh it periodically or perform encrypted sampling during critical events such as battery swapping commands or low main battery power. The backup power can come from the backup battery BMS, coulomb metering chip, analog-to-digital sampling circuit, or a combination thereof.

[0052] Only by acquiring power can the controller determine whether charging is needed and when to stop charging, thereby maintaining the backup power level within the backup range. Based on the backup power level, the controller can determine whether the backup battery has the capability to take over power supply, reducing the risk of control system restarts due to power loss or voltage drop after switching. Through quantifiable power status, the controller can further estimate the duration the backup battery can sustain, providing energy budgets for strategies such as battery swapping, return to base, and standby.

[0053] The backup power includes, but is not limited to: SOC (State of Charge); SOE (State of Energy); voltage / open circuit voltage; remaining capacity in mAh or Wh; or a corrected power that combines temperature, current and internal resistance.

[0054] The methods for obtaining backup power include, but are not limited to: reading through the communication interface of the backup battery BMS (such as CAN, SMBus, I²C, UART); estimating SOC by voltage sampling and coulomb integration; and filtering the sampled values ​​(such as moving average, Kalman filtering) to reduce jitter misjudgment.

[0055] The photovoltaic panels charge the backup battery via a charging management circuit. The controller, based on previously acquired backup power and a preset backup power range, controls the charging process to start, stop, or limit the current, ensuring the backup power remains within the specified range. This prevents the backup battery from being permanently depleted or unusable, improving the success rate of emergency repairs and battery swapping. Range control reduces prolonged full charging or over-discharging; it also limits charging under high / low temperature conditions, reducing the risk of lithium battery plating, expansion, or overheating. The photovoltaic panels provide supplemental energy during periods of sunlight, while the battery sustains power during periods of darkness, making the backup battery more like a stable power source rather than directly driving critical loads through fluctuating photovoltaic power.

[0056] The range of backup power is mainly limited by the lower threshold SOC_L and the upper threshold SOC_H. When SOC≤SOC_L, charging starts; when SOC≥SOC_H, charging stops or switches to trickle charging. Hysteresis is used to avoid frequent start-stop. For example, SOC_L=40% and SOC_H=80% (the values ​​are just examples and can be adjusted according to the battery system and life strategy).

[0057] It is understandable that a dedicated photovoltaic circuit can be set up to serve only the backup battery, or a shared photovoltaic system can be set up to prioritize the backup battery, for example, charging the backup battery first when the backup power is below the lower limit.

[0058] The types of backup batteries include, but are not limited to, lithium-ion batteries, lithium iron phosphate batteries, lithium polymer batteries, and in some embodiments, supercapacitor modules to improve transient power supply capabilities.

[0059] Upon receiving a battery swap command, the controller activates the power management / switching circuit, switching the robot's power supply from the main battery to the backup battery. After the switch, the backup battery supplies power to the main battery to maintain the control system and critical actuators, thus supporting subsequent battery swapping operations or system operation during main battery disconnection. Pre-emptively taking over the backup battery while the main battery is still connected prevents busbar drops caused by main battery removal / plugging, thus preventing controller restarts or actuator malfunctions.

[0060] A battery swapping command often signifies an impending disconnection of the main battery. Early switching ensures an uninterrupted battery swapping process, thereby improving the success rate. In embodied robots, especially legged, arm-type, or brake-equipped mechanisms, continuous power supply to critical actuators maintains the brake, braking, or locking states, reducing risks such as instability, tipping, and loosening of grippers.

[0061] It should be added that the battery swapping command can be triggered autonomously by the robot, issued externally, manually, or by a fault.

[0062] Optionally, an access judgment is added before switching. Before executing step S3, it is determined whether the backup power is higher than the minimum threshold. If it is insufficient, step S2 is executed first to charge for a period of time or to enter a low power mode.

[0063] Optionally, a power limiting / critical domain power supply strategy can be added. After switching to the backup battery, power supply is maintained only for critical domain loads, while power is reduced or power is cut off for non-critical loads to extend the backup power supply time window.

[0064] Abnormal handling and rollback: If the switching fails or the bus voltage is abnormal, an alarm will be triggered and the main battery disconnection action will be prohibited to reduce the risk of the battery swapping process.

[0065] It should be added that the power supply end can be the robot's DC bus, a critical load power supply branch, or the control system's power input. Switching can be performed by the power management unit to realize power takeover between the main battery and the backup battery, ensuring that the robot's critical systems do not lose power during battery swapping or when the main battery is disconnected.

[0066] In some embodiments, optionally, before controlling the power supply of the embodied robot to switch from the main battery to the backup battery in response to a battery swapping command for the embodied robot, the robot battery swapping power supply control method further includes: obtaining the main battery's main charge; and sending a battery swapping command to the embodied robot when the main charge is lower than the battery swapping charge threshold.

[0067] In this solution, the first step is to acquire the main battery's charge level. The charge level characterizes the main battery's current remaining energy or power supply capacity. The controller can acquire the charge level periodically or when specific events occur, such as robot startup, inspection during task execution, receiving a low battery alarm, or preparing to perform a battery swap. By acquiring the main battery's charge level, the remaining energy status of the main battery can be monitored in real time, providing a basis for subsequent judgments on whether a battery swap is necessary. This step allows for the identification of low battery status before the main battery is nearly depleted, thus preventing the robot from losing power and stopping after the main battery is completely depleted, improving the stability and controllability of robot operation.

[0068] In some embodiments, the main energy quantity can be the main battery's state of charge (SOC), state of energy (SOE), remaining capacity, main battery terminal voltage, remaining runtime, or other parameters that can characterize the main battery's remaining power supply capability. Methods for obtaining the main energy quantity can include reading relevant data through the main battery's battery management system (BMS), measuring through voltage and current sampling circuits, estimating through coulomb measurement, or calculating by combining battery temperature, battery internal resistance, and load power models.

[0069] After acquiring the main battery's charge level, the charge level is compared with a preset battery swapping threshold. When the main battery charge level falls below the threshold, a battery swapping command is sent to the embodied robot to initiate the swapping process. This step allows the battery swapping operation to be triggered before the main battery is completely depleted, enabling the robot to perform the swapping action while still possessing mobility and control capabilities. This avoids the problem of the robot being unable to perform self-swap operations after the main battery is completely depleted. Furthermore, by setting the battery swapping threshold, the timing of the swapping can be flexibly adjusted according to different operating environments and task requirements. For example, the threshold can be appropriately increased in high-load tasks, long-distance movement tasks, or low-temperature environments to ensure the robot has sufficient energy to complete the swapping action.

[0070] In some embodiments, the battery swapping threshold can be a fixed threshold, such as triggering battery swapping when the main battery SOC is below 20%, 15%, or 10%. In other embodiments, the battery swapping threshold can also be a dynamic threshold, such as dynamically adjusted based on the robot's current task power consumption, remaining task load, distance to the battery swapping location, ambient temperature, or terrain complexity. Furthermore, the battery swapping command can be generated autonomously by the robot's controller, or sent by a remote scheduling system, a cloud-based operation and maintenance platform, or a manual operation terminal.

[0071] Before or after receiving a battery swapping instruction, the backup battery's reserve power level can be obtained. The reserve power level indicates the backup battery's remaining power supply capacity. By obtaining the reserve power level, it can be determined whether the backup battery has the capability to take over power supply during the swapping process, thus providing a safety guarantee for subsequent power switching. This step ensures that the backup battery is available before power takeover, avoiding power interruptions during the swapping process due to insufficient backup battery power.

[0072] In some embodiments, the backup power capacity may include parameters such as the backup battery's SOC, remaining capacity, voltage, remaining power supply time, or energy available for critical loads. The backup power capacity may be obtained by reading from the backup battery BMS, measuring via a voltage and current detection module, estimating via a battery model, or correcting using a temperature compensation algorithm.

[0073] After acquiring power from the backup battery, the photovoltaic panels charge the backup battery to maintain its power level within the preset range. Specifically, when the backup power level falls below the lower limit of the backup power range, the controller directs the photovoltaic panels to charge the backup battery through the charging management circuit; when the backup power level reaches the upper limit of the backup power range, the controller stops charging or reduces the charging current, thus maintaining the backup power level within the preset range. This process ensures that the backup battery remains within its usable power range for an extended period, enabling it to reliably take over power supply when battery swapping or emergency power supply is needed. Furthermore, range control prevents the backup battery from being in a state of full or low charge for extended periods, helping to extend its lifespan and reduce battery safety risks.

[0074] In some embodiments, the backup power range can be defined by an upper and lower threshold, for example, charging can be initiated when the backup battery's SOC is below 40% and stopped when the SOC reaches 80%. In other embodiments, this range can be dynamically adjusted based on battery temperature, battery aging level, and environmental conditions. Furthermore, the photovoltaic panel can be a monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic panel, a polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic panel, or a flexible thin-film photovoltaic panel, and can be installed on the top, side, or other outer surface areas of the robot body. The photovoltaic panel and the backup battery can be connected via a photovoltaic charging management module, which may include a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuit, a DC-DC converter circuit, a constant current and constant voltage charging control circuit, and overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuits.

[0075] Upon receiving a battery swap command, the controller switches the power supply to the embodied robot from the main battery to the backup battery, thus providing power to the robot. Specifically, the controller manages the power supply circuitry to connect the backup battery to the robot's power supply, completing the power takeover before or simultaneously with the main battery disconnection, thereby ensuring a continuous power supply to the robot's critical systems. This step maintains a continuous power supply to the robot's control system, communication modules, and critical actuators during the disconnection, removal, or replacement of the main battery, preventing issues such as controller restarts, communication interruptions, or attitude instability caused by momentary power loss, thereby improving the safety and continuity of the battery swapping process.

[0076] In some embodiments, the power supply terminal can be the robot's main DC bus, the power input terminal of the control system, the power supply branch of key actuators, or the power supply terminal of the communication and sensing system. Power supply switching can be achieved through ideal diode circuits, MOSFET power switching circuits, relay switches, power multiplexers, or bidirectional DC-DC converters. In some embodiments, the bus capacitor can also be pre-charged through a pre-charging circuit to reduce voltage fluctuations during power supply switching.

[0077] After the backup battery takes over power supply, it can power the entire load of the robot or only the critical load. For example, in some embodiments, the backup battery can power critical functional modules such as the main controller, communication module, attitude sensor, safety control unit, brake mechanism or locking mechanism, while reducing power or temporarily shutting down high-power motion drives, non-essential computing modules or auxiliary equipment to extend the backup battery's power supply time.

[0078] In summary, this solution can trigger battery swapping in advance when the main battery is low on power, and the backup battery provides transitional power during the swapping process, thus avoiding power interruption issues when a single-battery system is disconnected. Simultaneously, the photovoltaic panels continuously maintain the backup battery's power, ensuring its long-term availability and thereby improving the robot's autonomous operation capabilities and battery swapping reliability in outdoor environments.

[0079] In some embodiments, after the backup battery takes over power supply, the power supply can be switched back to the main battery after the main battery is installed and reconnected to the system, thus restoring normal operation. This further measure forms a complete main and backup power cycle management mechanism, thereby further improving the stability and reliability of system operation.

[0080] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, in response to a battery swapping command for the embodied robot, the power supply to the embodied robot is switched from the main battery to the backup battery, specifically including:

[0081] Step S31: Determine the battery swapping area corresponding to the embodied robot;

[0082] Step S32: In response to the battery swapping command for the embodied robot, control the embodied robot to move to the battery swapping area;

[0083] Step S33: In the battery swapping area, control the power supply of the robot to switch from the main battery to the backup battery.

[0084] In this embodiment, the above-described configuration ensures that the power switching action is not performed at arbitrary robot locations, but rather within a pre-defined battery swapping area. This places the power switching and subsequent battery swapping actions in a controlled environment, improving the stability, safety, and feasibility of the switching and swapping processes. Furthermore, by first guiding the robot to the battery swapping area and then performing the power switching from the main battery to the backup battery within that area, the risks associated with directly switching power and performing battery swapping under non-ideal ground conditions, unstable posture conditions, or space-constrained conditions can be reduced, thereby improving the overall battery swapping success rate.

[0085] Specifically, upon receiving a battery swapping command, the controller first determines the battery swapping area corresponding to the embodied robot. The battery swapping area can be a pre-configured fixed area or a target area dynamically selected based on the robot's current location, remaining main battery power, environmental conditions, or scheduling results. The controller can determine the target battery swapping area from one or more candidate battery swapping areas based on map information, location information, battery swapping station status, reachability information, or preset task strategies.

[0086] By defining the battery-swapping area corresponding to the embodied robot, a clear target location can be provided for the robot's subsequent movement and battery-swapping actions, transforming the battery-swapping process from random execution to controlled execution oriented towards a specific spatial location. This avoids problems such as alignment difficulties, space constraints, posture instability, or interference with the battery-swapping mechanism that can occur when the robot directly enters the battery-swapping process at arbitrary locations. Especially when the embodied robot is a legged robot, a wheeled robot, a robot with a robotic arm, or operates on complex outdoor terrain, pre-determining the battery-swapping area ensures that subsequent power switching and battery-swapping operations occur within a more suitable area, thereby improving the overall reliability of the system.

[0087] Furthermore, identifying the battery swapping area also allows the robot to prioritize locations with good ground flatness, high positioning accuracy, few obstacles, superior communication quality, or available auxiliary power supply, thus creating favorable conditions for subsequent power switching and battery swapping execution. In other words, this step not only serves as a path selection tool but also as a screening tool for battery swapping scenarios and a means of proactive risk avoidance.

[0088] In some embodiments, the battery swapping area may include, but is not limited to: battery swapping station, battery swapping station, battery swapping platform, maintenance area, power supply docking area, wireless charging area, mechanical clamping and positioning area, and guide parking area.

[0089] Battery swapping areas can be found directly from a preset map, matched with the nearest battery swapping area based on the current location, selected based on the remaining battery power, allocated based on remote dispatch instructions, and selected for dispatch based on the busy or idle status of each battery swapping area.

[0090] The battery swapping areas corresponding to the embodied robot include the following correspondences: nearest distance correspondence, task priority correspondence, robot type correspondence, interface matching correspondence, and current work area correspondence.

[0091] After identifying the battery swapping area, the controller responds to the battery swapping command and controls the embodied robot to move to the area. Movement can include one or more of the following: path planning, navigation control, obstacle avoidance control, speed control, posture adjustment, and alignment control. The robot can move to the battery swapping area autonomously, or it can move to the area under remote scheduling or manual assistance.

[0092] By controlling the robot to move to the battery swapping area, the preparatory actions before battery swapping and the subsequent power switching actions can be spatially connected, thus linking the power switching conditions with spatial location conditions. Compared to immediately switching power on the spot after detecting a battery swapping need, this step allows the robot to use the remaining power of the main battery to complete the transfer to the battery swapping area, reducing the consumption of the backup battery during unnecessary movement and allowing the backup battery to be reserved for the critical power supply phase during battery swapping. This improves the utilization efficiency of the backup battery and extends the time window during which the backup battery can support the battery swapping operation.

[0093] Furthermore, during the robot's movement to the battery swapping area, the main battery can still serve as the primary power source for high-power loads such as navigation, driving, and obstacle avoidance, while the backup battery does not need to be pre-connected to the overall power supply, thus avoiding the power consumption caused by prematurely deploying the backup battery. The effect of this setup is that it focuses the backup battery's role on critical stages when the main battery is about to disconnect or has already disconnected, rather than using it for long-distance movement, thereby improving the targeting and rationality of the entire power supply strategy.

[0094] Furthermore, by guiding the robot to the battery swapping area, it can perform posture adjustment, position fine-tuning, interface alignment, docking and locking, or preparatory actions for the battery swapping mechanism within that area, thereby improving the stability of subsequent power supply switching and actual battery swapping operations. For example, after moving to the battery swapping area, the robot can be in a preset orientation, preset standing posture, preset docking position, or a posture that matches the battery swapping device, to reduce the risks caused by posture changes or structural interference after power supply switching.

[0095] In some embodiments, the process of moving to the battery swapping area may further include: generating a target path based on the battery swapping area, adjusting the local path based on obstacle information, reducing the moving speed based on the terrain slope, performing fine positioning when approaching the battery swapping area, and performing attitude correction or parking lock after entering the battery swapping area.

[0096] The location status within the battery swapping area can also include the target docking point, target facing angle, target standing posture, target wheel position, and target robotic arm retraction status.

[0097] In some embodiments, after the robot moves to the battery swapping area, the controller controls the robot's power supply to switch from the main battery to the backup battery within the swapping area. In other words, the power switching action is limited to the battery swapping area and is not performed during robot movement or at any arbitrary work location. The controller can control the power management circuit to perform the power switching from the main battery to the backup battery after detecting that the robot has entered the battery swapping area, reached a preset position, met positioning accuracy requirements, met attitude stability requirements, or met other preset conditions.

[0098] By implementing power switching within the battery swapping area, the power switching action can be conducted in a more controllable environment, reducing switching failures, bus fluctuations, or subsequent battery swapping failures caused by uneven ground, robot swaying, confined space, abnormal posture, or environmental interference. This ensures that power switching no longer depends solely on the logical condition of receiving a battery swapping command, but also on the physical condition that the robot has reached a suitable location for battery swapping, thereby improving the overall coordination between the switching and battery swapping actions.

[0099] Furthermore, switching power within the battery swapping area allows the backup battery to take over power without bearing the additional burden of long-distance transport, instead focusing on supplying critical loads during the swapping period. This helps reduce peak load and discharge time for the backup battery, improving its ability to continuously power controllers, communication modules, safety mechanisms, and critical actuators. This is particularly important for embodied robots, as they often need to maintain balance, lock-on, and keep sensing and communication online during the swapping phase. If the backup battery has already consumed a significant amount of power before entering the swapping area, it will reduce the power supply safety margin during the swapping phase.

[0100] In some embodiments, after the robot enters the battery swapping area, one or more pre-switch conditions can be met before the main / backup power switch is performed. Pre-switch conditions may include: the robot has come to a complete stop, the robot's posture meets a threshold, the robot is aligned with the battery swapping device, the robot has established a connection with the auxiliary power supply equipment, the robot is in low-power mode, and non-critical loads are turned off. By setting these conditions, the system impact during the switch can be further reduced, the smoothness of the power switch can be improved, and the risk of excessive voltage drop in the backup battery due to the continued presence of high-power loads after the switch can be reduced.

[0101] In some embodiments, the area within the battery swapping zone may include: within the boundary of the battery swapping zone, at the battery swapping station, at a preset docking point, at a successful docking position, at a locking completion position, or at a position that meets the positioning error threshold. Controlling the power supply from the main battery to the backup battery includes: controlling the backup battery and connecting it to the power supply bus before disconnecting the main battery; controlling the power supply switch matrix to switch its output; controlling the ideal diode or MOS switch to change its conduction state; and controlling the DC-DC module to establish a stable output from the backup battery side before disconnecting the main battery power supply. Preset conditions may include: position conditions, attitude conditions, speed conditions, docking conditions, auxiliary power supply availability conditions, and battery swapping mechanism preparation completion conditions, etc.

[0102] In summary, this solution enhances the existing battery swapping power control method with spatial constraints and location guidance capabilities. On one hand, by defining and controlling the battery swapping area, the robot can move to a suitable swapping location while the main battery still has sufficient energy to support movement. On the other hand, by confining the main / backup power switching action to the swapping area, the backup battery's power supply responsibility is concentrated on the critical battery swapping phase, preventing premature consumption of backup power resources during movement. Therefore, this simultaneously improves backup battery utilization efficiency, power switching stability, and the success rate of subsequent battery swapping actions.

[0103] At the same time, it can not only solve the problem of uninterrupted power replacement when the main battery is low, but also solve the problems of spatial mismatch, unstable posture, difficulty in alignment and unreasonable energy distribution when the robot directly replaces the battery at any location, thereby further improving the overall autonomy and operational safety of the robot in outdoor, autonomous operation and unattended scenarios.

[0104] Optionally, a power supply device is provided within the battery swapping area, and a backup battery is located within the power supply device, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the robot battery swapping power supply control method also includes:

[0105] Step S4: When the robot moves to the battery swapping area, establish an electrical connection between the robot and the power supply equipment so that the backup battery can supply power to the robot.

[0106] In this embodiment, the backup battery no longer needs to be pre-integrated into the robot body; instead, it can be located in the power supply equipment corresponding to the battery swapping area. During or after the robot moves to the battery swapping area, it establishes an electrical connection with the power supply equipment, and the backup battery within the equipment supplies power to the robot. This integrates backup power capability with the infrastructure of the battery swapping area, allowing the robot to obtain external backup power support independent of the main battery when approaching or entering the area. This further reduces the risk of power loss when the main battery is low and improves the power supply guarantee capability during the battery swapping phase.

[0107] Compared to placing the backup battery inside the robot body, this solution reduces the battery integration burden on the robot body, decreases its space occupation and weight increase, and places the backup power supply in a fixed location in the battery swapping area, allowing the backup power resources to be integrated with the battery swapping facilities, positioning facilities, docking facilities, or auxiliary charging facilities. This not only improves the functional integration of the battery swapping area but also ensures that the robot receives more stable and continuous external power support when entering the battery swapping process.

[0108] Specifically, in some embodiments, a power supply device is provided within the battery swapping area to provide temporary, transitional, or auxiliary power to the robot when it enters the area. A backup battery is located inside the power supply device, serving as its energy storage unit. The power supply device can be charged via a fixed power network, or the backup battery can be replenished via an independent energy storage system, a photovoltaic system, a mains power system, or a combination thereof.

[0109] By integrating the backup battery into the power supply equipment, it can serve as a fundamental power source for the battery swapping area, eliminating the need to rely entirely on the robot's own backup battery for power takeover. This approach offers two advantages: firstly, it reduces the robot's dependence on its backup battery when the main battery is low; secondly, it leverages the relatively fixed and easily deployable nature of the battery swapping area to provide the robot with a larger, more stable, and more manageable backup power supply. This arrangement is particularly beneficial in scenarios where robot space is limited, load is sensitive, or lightweight design is critical, as it significantly improves engineering feasibility.

[0110] Optionally, the backup battery can be located within the power supply equipment, allowing for more efficient maintenance, replacement, cooling, protection, and health management of the backup battery to be performed within the battery swapping area. This reduces the complexity associated with integrating multiple battery systems within the robot. Consequently, system maintenance convenience is improved, and the scalability and replaceability of the backup power supply system are enhanced.

[0111] In some embodiments, the power supply equipment may include: power supply piles, power supply modules for battery swapping stations, docking power supply platforms, docking power supply devices, plug-in power supply terminals, wireless power supply terminals, rail-mounted power supply units, sliding power supply devices, and battery swapping station modules with energy storage, etc. The form of the backup battery within the power supply equipment may include, but is not limited to: the backup battery being fixedly installed within the power supply equipment housing, detachably installed within the power supply equipment battery compartment, configured as a battery module within the power supply equipment, or configured as a supercapacitor module or a hybrid energy storage module of battery and supercapacitor, etc.

[0112] In some embodiments, when the robot responds to a battery swapping command and moves to the battery swapping area, the controller controls the robot to establish an electrical connection with the power supply equipment. The electrical connection can be established during the robot's entry into the battery swapping area, or after the robot reaches a preset docking position, connection point, or power access point. After the electrical connection is established, the backup battery in the power supply equipment supplies power to the robot to maintain its operational needs during subsequent battery swapping phases.

[0113] By establishing an electrical connection with the power supply equipment when the robot moves to the battery swapping area, the robot can obtain external backup power support from the battery swapping area before the main battery is completely disconnected. This allows the power supply guarantee point to be moved forward, rather than waiting until the main battery is removed to establish a backup power path. This reduces the risk of the main battery continuing to bear the full load when its charge is low and provides a smoother power transition for subsequent main battery disconnection, removal, and installation processes.

[0114] Furthermore, as the robot approaches the battery swapping area, it gradually transitions from a state where the main battery provides independent power to a state where the main battery and an external power supply work together, or a state where an external backup battery takes over the power supply. This reduces the system impact during power switching and minimizes the risk of busbar drop due to continued voltage drop in the main battery, unstable contact, or instantaneous load fluctuations. This effect is particularly pronounced for embodied robots that require continuous online control, communication, attitude perception, or effective locking mechanisms.

[0115] In addition, by establishing an electrical connection when moving to the battery swapping area, the need for the robot's own backup battery to independently support the entire process in a long-term low-power state can be reduced. This allows the critical power supply during the battery swapping stage to rely more on the backup battery in the power supply equipment on the battery swapping area side, thereby improving the overall power supply redundancy and the fault tolerance of the battery swapping process.

[0116] In some embodiments, the electrical connection may include: plug-in electrical connection, contact electrical connection, flexible terminal electrical connection, conductive rail contact connection, sliding contact connection, magnetic conductive connection, wireless power transmission connection, inductive coupling connection, capacitive coupling connection, etc.

[0117] In some embodiments, after the robot establishes an electrical connection with the power supply equipment, a backup battery located within the power supply equipment supplies power to the robot. The power supply can power the entire robot or key functional modules. Key functional modules may include controllers, communication modules, safety control units, attitude sensors, braking mechanisms, holding brake mechanisms, locking mechanisms, or key actuators for performing battery swapping operations.

[0118] By supplying power to the robot from the backup battery within the power supply unit, the robot can maintain essential functions even when the main battery is low, about to disconnect, or has been removed. This step effectively transfers some or all of the uninterrupted power capability during battery swapping to the swapping area, allowing the robot to operate without relying entirely on its own main battery's remaining power or its internal backup battery. This significantly improves the reliability of power supply during the battery swapping phase.

[0119] Furthermore, supplying power to the robot from the backup battery within the power supply equipment also allows the power supply equipment to act as a power buffer during battery swapping. When the robot performs operations such as disconnecting, removing, installing, and resetting the main battery, the backup battery within the power supply equipment can maintain the stability of the robot bus, thereby reducing the risk of voltage drops caused by battery insertion / removal, changes in contact status, and instantaneous load fluctuations, and improving the continuity and safety of the battery swapping operation.

[0120] In some embodiments, powering the robot with a backup battery may include: supplying power from the backup battery within the power supply device to the robot's main DC bus, to the control system's power branch, to the safety branch, to the battery swapping actuator, or supplying power only to critical areas while limiting or cutting off power to non-critical high-power loads. Power supply methods may also include: powering solely from the backup battery within the power supply device, powering in parallel with the main battery and the backup battery within the power supply device, or prioritizing power supply from the backup battery within the power supply device via a power management module.

[0121] In summary, this solution allows for the placement of backup power resources within the battery swapping area, enabling the robot to operate without solely relying on its internal power supply during the swapping process, thus increasing power redundancy. Furthermore, it allows the robot to gradually establish external power support as it moves to the swapping area, proactively transferring and sharing the risks associated with low-charge main batteries, reducing the pressure on the main battery to operate independently until eventual disconnection. The battery swapping area serves not only as a spatial location but also as a power supply guarantee zone, unifying location, power supply, and swapping conditions to improve the stability, continuity, and safety of the swapping process. Additionally, it reduces the space requirements, weight increase, and maintenance complexity associated with integrating backup batteries into the robot, making the system more suitable for lightweight, miniaturized, or high-reliability operation and maintenance scenarios.

[0122] In some embodiments, optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, the robot battery swapping power supply control method includes: S51: determining the operating power consumption of multiple operating parts of the robot; S52: among the multiple operating parts, identifying the high power consumption part whose operating power consumption is greater than the power saving threshold; S53: reducing the operating power of the high power consumption part; S54: supplying power to the high power consumption part through the backup battery according to the reduced operating power, until the robot battery swapping is completed and the operating power of the high power consumption part is restored.

[0123] During the period when the backup battery takes over power supply, power voltage drop or power limiting control can be applied to high-power components of the robot. This reduces the instantaneous output pressure and continuous discharge burden of the backup battery, allowing its limited energy storage to be prioritized for supporting the necessary actions and functions during the battery swapping phase. This reduces problems such as excessively rapid voltage drop, power interruption, protection shutdown, or insufficient power supply duration caused by excessive load on the backup battery, improving power supply stability and overall robot safety during the battery swapping process.

[0124] In some embodiments, the controller determines the operating power consumption of multiple operating parts of the embodied robot. Operating parts may be multiple functional components, actuation components, drive components, sensing components, computing components, or other parts of the robot that may consume power during battery swapping. Operating power consumption may be the real-time power consumption, average power consumption, peak power consumption, estimated power consumption, or preset rated power consumption of each operating part.

[0125] By determining the operating power consumption of multiple components, the load power consumption distribution information of the embodied robot during battery swapping can be established, providing a basis for subsequently identifying high-power components and implementing differentiated power-limiting control. The effect of this step is that it enables the system to grasp the power consumption proportion of each component during the battery swapping phase as a whole, rather than treating all components uniformly, thereby improving the targeting of energy-saving control.

[0126] Furthermore, by determining power consumption, it is possible to identify in advance which parts pose a significant power burden to the backup battery under the current operating state, and which parts are low-power but critical parts that must continue to operate.

[0127] In some embodiments, the operating components may include: a motion drive component, a joint drive component, a robotic arm drive component, an end effector, a vision processing unit, a lidar unit, a communication unit, an environmental sensing unit, a heating unit, a lighting unit, a heat dissipation unit, a braking unit, a holding brake unit, a locking unit, etc. Operating power consumption may include: real-time power formed by the product of real-time voltage and real-time current, average power within a time window, rated power under preset operating conditions, predicted power required to perform a specific action, target power estimated by a model, etc. Determination methods may include: direct sampling measurement, feedback from the driver, statistics from the BMS or power management module, estimation by the controller based on operating status and load model, etc.

[0128] In some embodiments, the controller compares the operating power consumption of each operating component with a preset power-saving threshold, and identifies operating components whose operating power consumption exceeds the power-saving threshold as high-power components. There may be one or more high-power components.

[0129] By selecting components from multiple operating parts that significantly impact the backup battery's power supply, the scope of subsequent power limiting control can be clearly defined. Compared to uniformly reducing power for all components, this avoids unnecessary power limiting for components with low power consumption but critical functions, thus achieving energy savings while ensuring the continuity of critical functions.

[0130] Furthermore, identifying high-power consumption areas allows energy management to better align with actual needs during battery swapping. Since embodied robots typically do not need to maintain full-power operation of all parts during battery swapping, identifying areas with power consumption exceeding thresholds and prioritizing them for energy-saving control can yield significant energy reduction benefits with minimal functional impact, thereby extending the backup battery's support time for critical processes.

[0131] In some embodiments, the power-saving threshold may include: a fixed power threshold, a power threshold dynamically adjusted based on the remaining power of the backup battery, a power threshold adjusted based on the expected duration of battery swapping, a power threshold adjusted based on ambient temperature or the health status of the backup battery, and classification thresholds set separately for different operating components. High-power components may include: drive motors, joint actuators, robotic arm actuators, image processing units, active cooling modules, heating modules, lighting modules, high-power communication transmitting units, etc.

[0132] In some embodiments, the determination of high-power components may not be limited to a single threshold comparison method, but may also be based on a comprehensive judgment combining priority, task status, action necessity and current posture requirements.

[0133] In some embodiments, after identifying a high-power component, the controller reduces the operating power of that component. Reducing the operating power may include reducing drive output power, reducing target torque, reducing target speed, reducing refresh rate, reducing sampling rate, reducing computing power usage, switching to energy-saving mode, intermittent operation, or partially shutting down functional modules.

[0134] By reducing the operating power of high-power components, the load level after the backup battery takes over power supply can be directly reduced, thereby reducing the backup battery's discharge rate and voltage drop risk. This step allows the backup battery to maintain effective power supply for a longer period even with limited capacity, and reduces bus instability caused by instantaneous high-power loads.

[0135] Furthermore, reducing the operating power of high-power components can also reduce the thermal load and electrical surges of the system during the battery swapping phase. Especially when the backup battery capacity is small, the output capability is limited, or the battery swapping duration is uncertain, by reducing the power of high-power components in advance, more stable power supply margin can be reserved for controllers, communication, safety mechanisms, and critical actuators, thereby improving the fault tolerance of the battery swapping process.

[0136] In addition, in some embodiments, reducing the operating power of high-power components does not necessarily mean completely stopping the operation of the corresponding components. Instead, it can be that the operating parameters are adjusted to a lower level while meeting the minimum motion requirements, minimum attitude maintenance requirements, or minimum sensing requirements. This can achieve energy-saving control while taking into account functional continuity and avoid new control or safety risks caused by completely shutting down certain components.

[0137] In some embodiments, reducing operating power may include: reducing the upper limit of motor drive current, reducing the upper limit of joint torque, reducing the upper limit of movement speed, reducing the robotic arm's movement speed, reducing the vision processing frame rate, disabling high-resolution mode, reducing radar scanning frequency, disabling auxiliary lighting, disabling heating modules, disabling unnecessary fans, and disabling unnecessary peripherals. The reduction methods may also include: tiered power reduction, power-down in stages according to priority, dynamic power reduction according to time windows, and continuous adjustment of the power upper limit based on the remaining power of the backup battery.

[0138] In some embodiments, after the operating power of a high-power component is reduced, the controller controls the backup battery to supply power to the high-power component at the reduced operating power. This power supply is maintained until the robot completes the battery swap. That is, during the battery swap, the backup battery does not supply power at the original operating power of the high-power component, but rather at the target power after the power voltage drop.

[0139] By supplying power at the reduced operating power, the backup battery can meet the minimum necessary operating requirements of high-power components while avoiding excessive power supply pressure from the original high load. The effect of this step is that high-power components can still maintain the necessary controlled operating capabilities during battery swapping, such as maintaining low-speed drive, low-torque support, low-frequency sensing, or low-power hold-up, without interruption of operation, abrupt changes in attitude, or loss of state due to complete power failure.

[0140] Furthermore, it enables high-power components to operate under a unified backup power supply framework with low-power critical components during the battery swapping process. This helps improve the overall resource allocation efficiency of the backup battery during the swapping process and prevents high-power components from monopolizing too many backup power resources, which could affect the normal operation of critical safety components.

[0141] In some embodiments, battery swapping completion may include one or more of the following states being met: main battery installation completed, main battery reconnected to the power supply system, main battery power supply restored to stability, battery swapping mechanism reset completed, and robot exiting battery swapping mode.

[0142] In some embodiments, after the robot's battery swap is completed, the controller restores the operating power of the high-power components. This restoration can be done by restoring the operating power to its pre-swap state all at once after the main battery resumes power supply, or it can be done in stages, by component, and by priority.

[0143] By restoring the operating power of high-power components after battery swapping, the robot can switch from its power-saving operation during the swapping period back to normal operation, ensuring that the overall performance, motion capabilities, and work efficiency return to normal after the swap. This step effectively establishes a clear, phased boundary for the aforementioned power-limiting control, implementing it only during battery swapping and preventing long-term impacts on the robot's normal task execution.

[0144] Furthermore, restoring the operating power of high-power components can reduce task interruptions, functional limitations, or decreased operational efficiency caused by prolonged low-power operation. By promptly removing the power limiting state after battery swapping is completed and main power supply is restored, a smooth transition between energy-saving control and normal operation can be ensured, improving the consistency and integrity of the overall control logic.

[0145] In some embodiments, restoring operating power may include: restoring to the target power recorded before battery swapping, restoring to the default rated power, gradually restoring according to a preset ramp-up curve, restoring critical components first and then non-critical components, or restoring the corresponding power level according to the current task requirements. The restoration process may also include preliminary judgments such as detecting whether the main battery output is stable, detecting whether the bus voltage has reached the restoration conditions, and detecting whether the temperature or fault state of high-power components allows for restoration.

[0146] In summary, this solution can further enhance the existing battery swapping power supply control scheme with tiered energy-saving power supply capabilities during battery swapping. It can reduce the crowding-out effect of high-power components on backup batteries when backup battery power supply capacity is limited, and ensure that the energy storage of backup batteries prioritizes critical operations and critical safety functions during battery swapping.

[0147] By limiting power to high-power components instead of simply cutting off power, energy-saving goals and functional continuity can be balanced, reducing the risks of attitude changes, operational interruptions, or control problems caused by directly cutting off high-power loads. This can reduce the peak output and continuous load of backup batteries during battery swapping, minimizing the risks of voltage drops, overcurrent protection failures, or insufficient power supply time, thereby improving the stability and success rate of the battery swapping process.

[0148] In addition, the system automatically restores the normal operating power of high-power components after the battery swap is completed, so that energy-saving control only takes effect during specific phases, thus balancing the safety of battery swapping with the normal operating performance after the swap.

[0149] Overall, the battery swapping power supply control method not only has the ability to switch between main and backup power, but also has the ability to manage power consumption in a refined manner for different operating parts, thereby further improving the energy utilization efficiency, power supply reliability and overall operational safety of the robot in the battery swapping scenario.

[0150] In some embodiments, the robot battery swapping power supply control method further includes: charging the main battery through a photovoltaic panel when the backup power is greater than the upper limit of the backup power range.

[0151] Once the backup battery has reached a high level and meets backup power requirements, the electricity generated by the photovoltaic panels is further distributed to the main battery. This ensures that photovoltaic power not only keeps the backup battery operational but also replenishes the main battery when the backup battery has sufficient reserve power. This improves the overall utilization rate of photovoltaic energy, preventing idle or wasted photovoltaic power generation when the backup battery is already at a high charge level. It also helps extend the continuous operating time of the main battery, improving the robot's overall endurance.

[0152] This design enables the power supply path corresponding to the photovoltaic panels to have a hierarchical distribution characteristic. Priority is given to ensuring the backup battery is within its reserve power range. Once the backup battery reaches a higher charge level, the remaining photovoltaic energy is used to charge the main battery. This ensures that the backup battery always has high availability, while also further increasing the energy reserve of the main battery after meeting backup power requirements. This enhances the robot's continuous operating capability in outdoor, mobile, and unattended scenarios.

[0153] In some embodiments, the controller acquires the backup power of the backup battery and compares it with the upper limit of the backup power range. When the backup power exceeds the upper limit, the controller controls the photovoltaic panel to charge the main battery via the charging management loop. In other words, the output power of the photovoltaic panel is preferentially used for the backup battery before it reaches its upper limit, and after the backup battery has reached a higher power level, at least some of the photovoltaic power is switched, distributed, or directed to the main battery. This allows for conditional switching or priority scheduling of photovoltaic power supply between different batteries, thereby preventing the backup battery from continuously occupying all photovoltaic charging resources. The effect of this step is to increase the main battery's recharging opportunities, slow down the main battery's discharge rate, and extend the time window for the robot to perform tasks, move to the battery swapping area, or complete subsequent operations, while ensuring that the backup battery has backup power capabilities.

[0154] It's understandable that photovoltaic power generation is intermittent and fluctuating when robots are operating outdoors. By charging the main battery after the backup power exceeds its upper limit, the limited photovoltaic energy can be absorbed by the entire energy storage system as much as possible, rather than being limited to the backup battery for maintenance. This improves the overall system's ability to absorb photovoltaic energy and its energy storage efficiency.

[0155] In addition, it can reduce the reliance on charging the main battery in certain application scenarios. For example, in scenarios with good sunlight, long task cycles, and high battery swapping frequency, by continuing to charge the main battery using photovoltaic panels after the backup battery is fully charged, the time it takes for the main battery to reach the battery swapping threshold can be appropriately delayed, reducing the number of battery swaps or extending the single operation cycle, thereby improving the continuity of robot operations.

[0156] In summary, this solution improves the utilization rate of photovoltaic energy. If, after the backup battery has reached a high charge level, only the photovoltaic panel is allowed to charge the corresponding backup battery, the available photovoltaic energy may not be further absorbed. By redirecting the photovoltaic panel to charge the main battery, the photovoltaic output can be further utilized, reducing energy wastage. The main battery is then replenished only after ensuring the backup battery meets the needs for battery swapping and emergency power supply. Thus, the overall main power supply capacity can be improved without compromising backup power security. When the main battery receives additional energy from the photovoltaic panel, its charge rate decreases more slowly, thereby extending the robot's uptime, reducing the probability of the main battery prematurely triggering the battery swapping process, and improving task execution continuity.

[0157] Furthermore, the photovoltaic output can be dynamically allocated based on the different charge states of the backup and main batteries, rather than being fixedly distributed to a single object. This makes the overall power supply strategy more flexible, adaptable to different ambient light levels, varying power consumption, and different task stages. In scenarios without external fixed charging facilities or with limited recharging conditions, the photovoltaic panels can be used to maintain the availability of the backup batteries and also to recharge the main battery when conditions permit, giving the robot stronger self-recharging capabilities and thus improving its autonomy in long-term outdoor operation scenarios.

[0158] It is understandable that the output of photovoltaic panels no longer only serves the backup battery, but continues to serve the main battery after the backup battery has met the power requirements. This can improve the safety of battery swapping and emergency phases, as well as enhance the robot's endurance during normal operation, thereby strengthening the robot's continuous working ability, energy utilization efficiency, and system autonomy in complex outdoor application scenarios.

[0159] like Figure 5 As shown in the figure, this application provides a robot battery swapping power supply control device. The robot battery swapping power supply control device 900 includes: an acquisition unit 901, a power supply unit 902, and a switching unit 903.

[0160] The acquisition unit 901 is used to acquire the backup power of the backup battery; the power supply unit 902 is used to charge the backup battery through the photovoltaic panel to keep the backup power within the backup power range; the switching unit 903 is used to control the power supply of the embodied robot to switch from the main battery to the backup battery in response to the battery swapping command for the embodied robot, so as to supply power to the embodied robot through the backup battery.

[0161] The robot battery swapping power supply control device in this application embodiment can be a device, or a component, integrated circuit, or chip in a terminal. The device can be a mobile electronic device or a non-mobile electronic device. For example, mobile electronic devices can be mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PDAs, in-vehicle electronic devices, wearable devices, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), netbooks, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc., while non-mobile electronic devices can be servers, network-attached storage (NAS), personal computers (PCs), televisions (TVs), ATMs, or self-service machines, etc. This application embodiment does not impose specific limitations.

[0162] The robot battery swapping power control device in this embodiment can be a device with an operating system. This operating system can be Android, iOS, or other possible operating systems; this embodiment does not specifically limit it.

[0163] The robot battery swapping power supply control device provided in this application embodiment can achieve... Figures 1 to 4 The various processes implemented in the method implementation examples will not be described again here to avoid repetition.

[0164] Optionally, such as Figure 6 As shown, this application embodiment also provides an electronic device 100, including a processor 1110, a memory 1109, and a program or instructions stored in the memory 1109 and executable on the processor 1110. When the program or instructions are executed by the processor 1110, they implement the various processes of the above-described robot battery swapping power supply control method embodiment and achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, they will not be described again here.

[0165] It should be noted that the electronic devices in the embodiments of this application include the aforementioned electronic devices and non-electronic devices.

[0166] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an electronic device to implement an embodiment of this application.

[0167] The electronic device 100 includes, but is not limited to, components such as: radio frequency unit 101, network module 102, audio output unit 103, input unit 104, sensor 105, display unit 106, user input unit 107, interface unit 108, memory 1109, and processor 1110.

[0168] Those skilled in the art will understand that the electronic device 100 may also include a power supply (such as a battery) for supplying power to various components. The power supply may be logically connected to the processor 1110 through a power management system, thereby enabling functions such as managing charging, discharging, and power consumption through the power management system. Figure 7 The electronic device structure shown does not constitute a limitation on the electronic device. The electronic device may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements, which will not be elaborated here.

[0169] The processor 1110 is used to obtain the backup power of the backup battery; charge the backup battery through the photovoltaic panel to keep the backup power within the backup power range; and control the power supply of the embodied robot to switch from the main battery to the backup battery in response to the battery swapping command for the embodied robot, so as to supply power to the embodied robot through the backup battery.

[0170] The above solution utilizes photovoltaic panels to continuously or preferentially replenish the backup battery, preventing the backup battery from becoming unusable due to long-term idle self-discharge, low-temperature degradation, or daily standby consumption, thereby improving the robot's self-sustaining capability in long-term outdoor operation scenarios.

[0171] Optionally, the processor 1110 is also configured to perform the following steps: obtain the main battery power level; and send a battery swapping command to the embodied robot when the main battery power level is lower than the battery swapping power threshold.

[0172] Optionally, the processor 1110 is also configured to determine a battery swapping area corresponding to the embodied robot; control the embodied robot to move to the battery swapping area in response to a battery swapping command for the embodied robot; and control the power supply of the embodied robot to switch from the main battery to the backup battery within the battery swapping area.

[0173] Optionally, the processor 1110 is also configured to establish an electrical connection between the embodied robot and the power supply equipment when the robot moves to the battery swapping area, so that the backup battery can power the embodied robot.

[0174] Optionally, the processor 1110 is also configured to determine the operating power consumption of multiple operating parts of the embodied robot; among the multiple operating parts, identify high power consumption parts whose operating power consumption is greater than the power saving threshold; reduce the operating power of the high power consumption parts; and supply power to the high power consumption parts through a backup battery based on the reduced operating power, until the embodied robot completes the battery swap and restores the operating power of the high power consumption parts.

[0175] Optionally, the processor 1110 is also used to charge the main battery via the photovoltaic panel when the backup power is greater than the upper limit of the backup power range.

[0176] It should be understood that, in this embodiment, the input unit 104 may include a graphics processing unit (GPU) 1041 and a microphone 1042. The GPU 1041 processes image data of still images or videos obtained by an image capture device (such as a camera) in video capture mode or image capture mode. The display unit 106 may include a display panel 1061, which may be configured in the form of a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode, etc. The user input unit 107 includes a touch panel 1071 and other input devices 1072. The touch panel 1071 is also called a touch screen. The touch panel 1071 may include a touch detection device and a touch controller. Other input devices 1072 may include, but are not limited to, physical keyboards, function keys (such as volume control buttons, power buttons, etc.), trackballs, mice, joysticks, etc., which will not be described in detail here. The memory 1109 can be used to store software programs and various data, including but not limited to applications and operating systems. Processor 1110 may integrate an application processor and a modem processor. The application processor mainly handles the operating system, user interface, and applications, while the modem processor mainly handles wireless communication. It is understood that the modem processor may also not be integrated into processor 1110.

[0177] This application also provides a readable storage medium storing a program or instructions. When the program or instructions are executed by a processor, they implement the various processes of the above-described robot battery swapping power supply control method embodiments and achieve the same technical effects. To avoid repetition, they will not be described again here.

[0178] The methods can be implemented in various ways depending on specific features and / or example applications. For example, these methods can be implemented through a combination of hardware, firmware, and / or software. For instance, in a hardware implementation, the processor can be implemented in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other device units for performing the functions described above, and / or combinations thereof.

[0179] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device that holds and stores instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium can be an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing, but is not limited thereto. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes: portable computer floppy disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable and programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital universal disk (DVD), memory cards, floppy disks, encoding mechanical devices (e.g., punched cards or grooves with raised structures for recording instructions), and any suitable combination of the foregoing. The computer-readable storage medium used herein should not be construed as the transmission of signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media, or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0180] The processor is the processor in the electronic device described in the above embodiments. The readable storage medium includes computer-readable storage media, such as computer read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0181] This application embodiment also provides a chip, which includes a processor and a communication interface. The communication interface and the processor are coupled. The processor is used to run programs or instructions to implement the various processes of the above-described robot battery swapping power supply control method embodiment, and can achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0182] It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as a system-on-a-chip, system chip, chip system, or system-on-a-chip, etc.

[0183] In one specific embodiment, an embodied robot is provided. Acting as a home manager, the robot monitors all devices connected to the smart home system. This is achieved through automatic battery level reminders from the smart home system or by the robot proactively checking devices requiring battery monitoring. When a battery replacement or charging operation is needed, the robot moves to the corresponding device and manually performs the replacement or charging. By uniformly monitoring and automatically reminding / proactively inspecting the battery levels of all devices in the house, the low battery rate is reduced, minimizing functional interruptions caused by power outages and improving the stability of the home system. The robot's automatic battery replacement or charging maintenance reduces the burden of frequent inspections and manual replacements for users, lowering maintenance costs and improving ease of use. Upon detecting low battery levels, the robot can promptly arrive and handle the situation, shortening device offline time and improving the availability and security of critical equipment (sensors, door locks, security systems, etc.). When the smart home system triggers an automatic battery level reminder, or when the robot proactively checks devices requiring battery monitoring according to a preset strategy, the robot determines whether the target device meets the conditions for battery replacement or charging and generates a maintenance task. The robot moves to the location of the target device based on the maintenance task, determines the position and orientation of the target device and the battery compartment / charging interface based on vision / positioning sensors, and performs battery swapping or charging operations. For battery swapping, the robot opens the battery compartment, removes the battery, and inserts a new battery; for charging, the robot connects the charging cable / charging base or places the device on the charging base, and updates the device's power status and maintenance record after completion.

[0184] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0185] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a computer software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0186] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the power supply of a robot during battery swapping, characterized in that, A robot with a body assembly is used, the robot including a main battery and a backup battery, and a photovoltaic panel is provided on the outer surface of the robot, the photovoltaic panel being electrically connected to the backup battery. The robot's battery swapping power supply control method includes: Obtain the backup power of the backup battery; The backup battery is charged through the photovoltaic panel to maintain the backup power level within the backup power range; In response to a battery swapping command for the robot, the power supply to the robot is switched from the main battery to the backup battery so that the backup battery can supply power to the robot.

2. The robot battery swapping power supply control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before controlling the switching of the power supply terminal of the android from the main battery to the backup battery in response to a battery swapping command for the android, the method further includes: Obtain the main battery's main charge level; If the main battery power is lower than the battery swapping power threshold, a battery swapping command is sent to the robot.

3. The robot battery swapping power supply control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of controlling the power supply of the android to switch from the main battery to the backup battery in response to a battery swapping command for the android specifically includes: Determine the battery swapping area corresponding to the embodied robot; In response to a battery swapping command for the android, the robot is controlled to move to the battery swapping area; Within the battery swapping area, the power supply to the android is switched from the main battery to the backup battery.

4. The robot battery swapping power supply control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The battery swapping area is equipped with power supply equipment, and the backup battery is located within the power supply equipment. The robot battery swapping power supply control method includes: When the robot moves to the battery swapping area, an electrical connection is established between the robot and the power supply equipment so that the backup battery supplies power to the robot.

5. The robot battery swapping power supply control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Also includes: Determine the operating power consumption of multiple operating parts of the embodied robot; Among the multiple operating locations, a high-power location whose operating power consumption is greater than the power-saving threshold is identified; Reduce the operating power of the high-power components; The reduced operating power is supplied to the high-power components via the backup battery until the robot completes the battery swap and restores the operating power of the high-power components.

6. The robot battery swapping power supply control method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Also includes: When the backup power is greater than the upper limit of the backup power range, the main battery is charged through the photovoltaic panel.

7. A robot battery swapping power supply control device, characterized in that, include: Acquisition unit, used to acquire the backup power of the backup battery; A power supply unit is used to charge the backup battery through a photovoltaic panel to maintain the backup power within the backup power range; A switching unit is used to control the power supply terminal of the android to switch from the main battery to the backup battery in response to a battery swapping command for the android, so as to supply power to the android through the backup battery.

8. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, implement the steps of the robot battery swapping power supply control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A readable storage medium, characterized in that, The readable storage medium stores a program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the robot battery swapping power supply control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

10. A chip, characterized in that, The chip includes a processor and a communication interface, the communication interface being coupled to the processor, and the processor being used to run programs or instructions to implement the steps of the robot battery swapping power supply control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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