A robot joint control system based on wireless connection
The wireless robot joint control system solves the problems of cable tangling and easy damage caused by wired connections, reduces the complexity of modular production and installation of robot joints, improves the efficiency of modular production and installation, reduces weight and energy consumption, and enhances the durability and reliability of the robot.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- KEKEQIHUO SHENZHEN TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
Smart Images

Figure CN122299693A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to, but is not limited to, the field of robot joints and their control, and particularly relates to a robot joint control system based on wireless connection. Background Technology
[0002] Robot joints are the core components enabling relative movement of robot limbs, and their design must meet requirements such as range of motion, load capacity, precision, and response speed. Motor-driven joint modules are the mainstream solution for industrial robots, collaborative robots, and service robots. They utilize motor output power and employ reduction technology to match the joint's required "low speed, high torque" characteristics. The architecture of a motor-driven joint module generally includes: a servo motor (providing power), a reducer (torque matching), a sensor (position / force feedback), and a controller (motion planning). In special scenarios such as high loads and high power density, hydraulically driven joint modules are typically used. Their core components include: a hydraulic pump (providing pressurized oil), a hydraulic cylinder / hydraulic motor (actuator), a control valve (controlling flow / direction), and piping.
[0003] This wired cascaded control method has several drawbacks. First, wired connections are prone to cable tangling, damage, and breakage. Repeated joint movements cause cable bending, especially at the shoulder and wrist joints; industrial standard cables are at high risk of breakage after being folded more than 20 times. Second, wired connections hinder parallel control of individual joints. Multi-joint robots, such as automata, typically have 10-40 joints. If a wired parallel connection is used, with each joint connected to a separate main controller, independent power and communication control lines must be laid for each joint. The number of cables increases linearly with the number of joints; for example, 30 joints would require 30 sets of communication control lines. Summary of the Invention
[0004] To address the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a robot joint control system based on wireless connection.
[0005] This invention is implemented as follows: a robot joint control system based on wireless connection, the system comprising: The wireless main controller module is responsible for wireless signal transmission and reception, resource scheduling, joint motion tracking, and motion planning.
[0006] The wireless joint module is responsible for transmitting and receiving wireless signals, feeding back joint sensor data to the wireless main controller, and executing motion planning commands.
[0007] The wireless main controller module tracks the motion of each joint module based on the parameter data fed back by the joint modules, and generates motion control commands according to the motion planning goals, which are then sent to each joint module for execution.
[0008] Furthermore, the main components of the wireless master controller module are as follows: 1) Radio Frequency (RF) Module: The core components of an RF module include: antenna or antenna array, RF processing unit, filter, amplifier, etc. Its main functions include: a) Radio frequency signal transmission and reception: Converts digital baseband signals into radio frequency signals through up-conversion and transmits them through the antenna; receives radio frequency signals from the wireless joint module, converts them into digital signals through down-conversion, and sends them to the baseband processing unit of the main controller.
[0009] b) Beamforming: By adjusting the beam direction based on the location of the antenna array and joint modules, better coverage of each wireless joint module can be achieved.
[0010] c) Power amplification: Built-in power amplifier PA amplifies the radio frequency signal to the transmit power.
[0011] 2) Baseband Module: The core components of the baseband module include: a baseband signal processing unit, a protocol processing unit, and interfaces. Its main functions include: a) Physical layer processing: responsible for baseband signal modulation and demodulation, channel encoding and decoding, fast Fourier transform, etc.
[0012] b) Protocol processing: Through a well-designed protocol, time-frequency resources, orthogonal access code resources, spatial division resources, spatial multiplexing resources, spatial diversity mode, power resources, etc., are allocated to multiple wireless joint modules that need to be controlled, ensuring low latency and high reliability.
[0013] c) Interface interaction: Through a pre-designed protocol, data transmission and communication are performed with modules such as radio frequency and motion control.
[0014] 3) Motion control module: The motion control module is mainly responsible for global motion planning, multi-joint collaborative control, and complex algorithm calculations.
[0015] 4) Auxiliary modules: The auxiliary modules are mainly used to assist the wireless main controller in completing its various functions. They mainly include: power supply unit, heat dissipation unit, storage unit, clock synchronization unit, etc.
[0016] Furthermore, the main components of the wireless joint module are as follows: 1) Radio Frequency (RF) Module: The core components of an RF module include: antenna or antenna array, RF processing unit, filter, amplifier, etc. Its main functions include: a) Radio frequency signal transmission and reception: converts digital baseband signals into radio frequency signals through up-conversion and transmits them through the antenna; receives radio frequency signals from the wireless main controller and converts them into digital signals through down-conversion.
[0017] b) Anti-interference: The transmit and receive signals are isolated by a duplexer to avoid interference between the transmitted signal and the received signal.
[0018] c) Power amplification: Built-in power amplifier PA amplifies the radio frequency signal to the transmit power.
[0019] 2) Baseband module. The core components of the baseband module include: baseband signal processing unit, protocol processing unit, interface, etc. Its main functions include: a) Physical layer processing: Convert the analog signal from the RF module into a digital signal, demodulate and decode it to obtain instructions from the wireless master controller; encode and modulate joint data, such as position, velocity, acceleration, torque, temperature, current, sensor status and fault signals, and send them to the RF module for transmission via radio electromagnetic waves, and report them back to the wireless master controller.
[0020] b) Protocol processing: Using well-designed protocols, network access, connection management, resource allocation, etc. are handled.
[0021] c) Interface interaction: Data transmission and communication with other modules are carried out through a pre-designed protocol.
[0022] 3) The motion control module receives motion planning instructions from the wireless master controller via the baseband module, combines sensor feedback, runs the control algorithm, calculates the control signals required to drive the actuator, and sends them to the drive circuit.
[0023] 4) The drive module, as the power unit of the joint, such as a motor, provides the required controlled electrical energy; it receives low-power control signals from the motion control module and converts them into high-power current or voltage required to drive the actuator.
[0024] 5) Sensor module. Sensing the environment and user status, providing parameter input for various applications, typically including position sensors, torque sensors, force sensors, temperature sensors, Hall effect sensors, etc.
[0025] 6) Auxiliary Modules. The auxiliary modules are mainly used to assist the wireless joint module in completing its various functions. They mainly include: power unit, transmission unit, braking unit, heat dissipation unit, safety unit, clock synchronization unit, etc.
[0026] Furthermore, the wireless master controller module uses multiple access technologies to achieve communication and control of multiple wireless joint modules; these multiple access technologies may be, but are not limited to: frequency division multiple access (FDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), space division multiple access (SDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), sparse code multiple access (SCMA), pattern segmentation multiple access (PDMA) or a combination of multiple technologies.
[0027] The wireless joint module connects to the wireless main controller through one or more multiple access technologies, and reports data by feeding back the data measured by its position, speed, torque and other sensors to the wireless main controller.
[0028] Furthermore, the wireless master controller module and the wireless joint module are equipped with a configurable smart metasurface RIS to enhance the wireless signal and improve anti-interference capabilities.
[0029] Furthermore, the communication protocol between the wireless main controller module and the wireless joint module can be, but is not limited to, 5G, WiFi, StarFlash, Bluetooth, Zigbee, various private network protocols, etc.
[0030] Furthermore, the wireless master controller module can generate beams pointing to the positions of each joint module through the equipped antenna array, and connect the wireless master controller and multiple joint modules through wireless beams.
[0031] Furthermore, the wireless main controller module adjusts the beam direction and beam amplitude connecting the wireless main controller and the joint module based on the position, speed, acceleration and other parameter data fed back by the joint module.
[0032] The wireless master controller module and the wireless joint module need to be clock-synchronized.
[0033] Furthermore, clock synchronization between the wireless master controller module and the wireless joint module can be achieved through one or more technologies, including but not limited to: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Precision Clock Protocol (PTP), IEEE 1588v2, Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE), Time-Sensitive Network (TSN), and air interface time synchronization.
[0034] Furthermore, the air interface time synchronization between the wireless main controller module and the wireless joint module is implemented as follows: (1) The wireless joint module obtains coarse synchronization through the downlink synchronization signal sent by the wireless master controller.
[0035] (2) The wireless master controller obtains the wireless joint module and its timing advance TA through the uplink signal.
[0036] (3) The wireless master controller informs the wireless joint module of the TA value, and the wireless joint module and the wireless master controller achieve phase synchronization and frequency synchronization.
[0037] (4) The wireless master controller notifies the wireless joint module of the absolute time through broadcast messages / or unicast messages, and the wireless joint module and the wireless master controller achieve time synchronization.
[0038] As a supplement to the embodiments of the present invention, the motion control function of the wireless main controller can be completed by the robot brain, and the control commands can be transmitted to the wireless main controller, which then sends them to each wireless joint module in the form of wireless signals.
[0039] Based on the above technical solutions and the technical problems solved, the advantages and positive effects of the technical solution to be protected by this invention are as follows: The robot joint control device, system, and equipment based on wireless connection proposed in this invention have the following main advantages compared with existing wired control technologies.
[0040] 1) It avoids the risk of cable breakage and damage, and solves the problem of robot failure caused by cable breakage.
[0041] 2) It avoids the problem of cable tangling, allowing the robot's various joint modules to be produced and installed in a modular fashion, greatly improving the efficiency of large-scale robot production, installation, and debugging.
[0042] 3) Effectively reduces the extra weight caused by the robot wiring harness, reduces inertial motion, and while reducing energy consumption and increasing battery life, makes motion control easier to achieve.
[0043] 4) Improves troubleshooting efficiency. This wireless connection and control method is more conducive to troubleshooting.
[0044] The embodied robot joint control system, which utilizes a wireless method proposed in this invention, effectively avoids the problems of cable breakage and damage, thus preventing potentially huge after-sales warranty expenses for robot manufacturers. Furthermore, embodied robots typically have 20 to 40 joints, making wired control difficult to modularize. The wireless method proposed in this invention avoids cable tangling, allowing for modular production and mass installation of robot joint modules, significantly reducing production costs. The wireless-connected robot joint module device and system proposed in this invention have clear commercial value.
[0045] Currently, all android joint control on the market is achieved through wired methods, leaving a gap in the market for wireless android joint connection and control. This invention proposes a new technology and solution for android joint control, filling this gap in both domestic and international markets.
[0046] The technical solution of this invention solves a long-standing but unresolved technical problem: how to make androids lighter, more flexible, and more durable—a problem that has always been desired but has been hampered by wired joint control. The wireless android joint control proposed in this invention avoids numerous control cables, reducing the weight and space occupied by the android, allowing for lighter and smaller androids, thus enabling them to perform various tasks more flexibly.
[0047] The technical solution of this invention overcomes technical bias: For a long time, people have been fixated on wired joint control schemes. The wireless joint control scheme proposed in this invention provides a brand-new joint control technology and implementation method, overcoming people's long-standing technical bias. Attached Figure Description
[0048] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of the logic function of the wireless master controller module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0049] Figure 2 This is a logic function block diagram of the wireless joint module provided in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0050] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a robot joint control device based on wireless connection provided in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0051] Figure 4 Weight loss after using the wireless joint proposed in this invention.
[0052] Figure 3 In the middle: 1. Wireless main controller module; 11. Radio frequency module; 12. Baseband module; 13. Motion control module; 14. Auxiliary module; 2. Wireless joint module; 21. Radio frequency module; 22. Baseband module; 23. Motion control module; 24. Drive module; 25. Sensor module; 26. Auxiliary module; 3. Robot head; 31. First cervical joint; 32. Second cervical joint; 33. First shoulder joint; 34. Second shoulder joint; 35. First elbow joint; 36. Second elbow joint; 37. First hip joint; 38. Second hip joint; 39. First knee joint; 310. Second knee joint. Detailed Implementation
[0053] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.
[0054] This invention provides a wireless connection-based robot joint control system, the system comprising: Wireless main controller module 1 is responsible for wireless signal transmission and reception, resource scheduling, joint motion tracking, and motion planning.
[0055] Wireless joint module 2 is responsible for wireless signal transmission and reception, feeding back joint sensor data to the wireless main controller, and executing motion planning commands.
[0056] The wireless main controller module 1 tracks the motion of each joint module based on the parameter data fed back by the joint modules, and generates motion control commands according to the motion planning goals, which are then sent to each joint module for execution.
[0057] The main components of the wireless master controller module are as follows: 1) Radio Frequency (RF) Module: The core components of an RF module include: antenna or antenna array, RF processing unit, filter, amplifier, etc. Its main functions include: a) Radio frequency signal transmission and reception: Converts digital baseband signals into radio frequency signals through up-conversion and transmits them through the antenna; receives radio frequency signals from the wireless joint module, converts them into digital signals through down-conversion, and sends them to the baseband processing unit of the main controller.
[0058] b) Beamforming: By adjusting the beam direction based on the location of the antenna array and joint modules, better coverage of each wireless joint module can be achieved.
[0059] c) Power amplification: Built-in power amplifier PA amplifies the radio frequency signal to the transmit power.
[0060] 2) Baseband Module: The core components of the baseband module include: a baseband signal processing unit, a protocol processing unit, and interfaces. Its main functions include: a) Physical layer processing: responsible for baseband signal modulation and demodulation, channel encoding and decoding, fast Fourier transform, etc.
[0061] b) Protocol processing: Through a well-designed protocol, time-frequency resources, orthogonal access code resources, spatial division resources, spatial multiplexing resources, spatial diversity mode, power resources, etc., are allocated to multiple wireless joint modules that need to be controlled, ensuring low latency and high reliability.
[0062] c) Interface interaction: Through a pre-designed protocol, data transmission and communication are performed with modules such as radio frequency and motion control.
[0063] 3) Motion control module: The motion control module is mainly responsible for global motion planning, multi-joint collaborative control, and complex algorithm calculations.
[0064] 4) Auxiliary modules: The auxiliary modules are mainly used to assist the wireless main controller in completing its various functions. They mainly include: power supply unit, heat dissipation unit, storage unit, clock synchronization unit, etc.
[0065] The main components of the wireless joint module 2 are as follows: 1) Radio Frequency (RF) Module: The core components of an RF module include: antenna or antenna array, RF processing unit, filter, amplifier, etc. Its main functions include: a) Radio frequency signal transmission and reception: converts digital baseband signals into radio frequency signals through up-conversion and transmits them through the antenna; receives radio frequency signals from the wireless main controller and converts them into digital signals through down-conversion.
[0066] b) Anti-interference: The transmit and receive signals are isolated by a duplexer to avoid interference between the transmitted signal and the received signal.
[0067] c) Power amplification: Built-in power amplifier PA amplifies the radio frequency signal to the transmit power.
[0068] 2) Baseband module. The core components of the baseband module include: baseband signal processing unit, protocol processing unit, interface, etc. Its main functions include: a) Physical layer processing: Convert the analog signal from the RF module into a digital signal, demodulate and decode it to obtain instructions from the wireless master controller; encode and modulate joint data, such as position, velocity, acceleration, torque, temperature, current, sensor status and fault signals, and send them to the RF module for transmission via radio electromagnetic waves, and report them back to the wireless master controller.
[0069] b) Protocol processing: Using well-designed protocols, network access, connection management, resource allocation, etc. are handled.
[0070] c) Interface interaction: Data transmission and communication with other modules are carried out through a pre-designed protocol.
[0071] 3) The motion control module receives motion planning instructions from the wireless master controller via the baseband module, combines sensor feedback, runs the control algorithm, calculates the control signals required to drive the actuator, and sends them to the drive circuit.
[0072] 4) The drive module, as the power unit of the joint, such as a motor, provides the required controlled electrical energy; it receives low-power control signals from the motion control module and converts them into high-power current or voltage required to drive the actuator.
[0073] 5) Sensor module. Sensing the environment and user status, providing parameter input for various applications, typically including position sensors, torque sensors, force sensors, temperature sensors, Hall effect sensors, etc.
[0074] 6) Auxiliary Modules. The auxiliary modules are mainly used to assist the wireless joint module in completing its various functions. They mainly include: power unit, transmission unit, braking unit, heat dissipation unit, safety unit, clock synchronization unit, etc.
[0075] The wireless master controller module 1 uses multiple access technologies to achieve communication and control of multiple wireless joint modules. These multiple access technologies may be, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: frequency division multiple access (FDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), space division multiple access (SDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), sparse code multiple access (SCMA), and pattern partitioning multiple access (PDMA).
[0076] The wireless joint module 2 connects to the wireless main controller through one or more multiple access technologies, and reports data by feeding back the data measured by its position, speed, torque and other sensors to the wireless main controller.
[0077] The wireless master controller module 1 and the wireless joint module 2 are equipped with a configurable smart metasurface RIS to enhance the wireless signal and improve anti-interference capabilities.
[0078] The communication protocol between the wireless main controller module 1 and the wireless joint module 2 can be, but is not limited to, 5G, WiFi, StarFlash, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and various private network protocols.
[0079] The wireless main controller module 1 can generate beams pointing to the positions of each joint module through the equipped antenna array, and connect the wireless main controller and multiple joint modules through the wireless beams.
[0080] The wireless main controller module 1 adjusts the beam direction and beam amplitude between the wireless main controller and the joint module based on the position, speed, acceleration and other parameter data fed back by the joint module.
[0081] The wireless master controller module 1 and the wireless joint module 2 need to be clock-synchronized.
[0082] Clock synchronization between the wireless master controller module 1 and the wireless joint module 2 can be achieved through one or more technologies, including but not limited to: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Precision Clock Protocol (PTP), IEEE 1588v2, Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE), Time-Sensitive Network (TSN), and air interface time synchronization.
[0083] The steps for implementing air interface time synchronization between the wireless main controller module 1 and the wireless joint module 2 are as follows: (1) The wireless joint module obtains coarse synchronization through the downlink synchronization signal sent by the wireless master controller.
[0084] (2) The wireless master controller obtains the wireless joint module and its timing advance TA through the uplink signal.
[0085] (3) The wireless master controller informs the wireless joint module of the TA value, and the wireless joint module and the wireless master controller achieve phase synchronization and frequency synchronization.
[0086] (4) The wireless master controller notifies the wireless joint module of the absolute time through broadcast messages / or unicast messages, and the wireless joint module and the wireless master controller achieve time synchronization.
[0087] Clock synchronization between the wireless master controller module 1 and the wireless joint module 2 can be achieved through one or more technologies, including but not limited to: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Precision Clock Protocol (PTP), IEEE 1588v2, Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE), Time-Sensitive Network (TSN), and air interface time synchronization.
[0088] This wirelessly connected robot joint control device is structurally composed of a wireless main controller module 1 and multiple wireless joint modules 2, forming a corresponding distributed control system. The wireless main controller module 1 is fixedly installed in the central control compartment of the robot body. Its internal radio frequency module 11 is connected to the radio frequency processing unit and power amplifier through an antenna array and filter to realize wireless signal transmission and reception and beamforming. Its baseband module 12 is connected to the motion control module 13 through an interface to complete physical layer signal processing and protocol interaction. The motion control module 13 has an embedded multi-core processor, which is responsible for global motion planning, path prediction, and multi-joint cooperative algorithm calculation. The auxiliary module 14 includes a power supply unit, a heat dissipation unit, a storage unit, and a clock synchronization unit to ensure the power supply stability of the main controller, data caching, and clock consistency of the entire system.
[0089] Wireless joint modules 2 are installed at each joint of the robot, forming a dual mechanical and communication connection with adjacent modules. Its radio frequency (RF) module 21 includes an antenna, RF processing unit, filter, duplexer, and power amplifier, enabling signal transmission and reception as well as anti-interference functions. The baseband module 22 is signal-coupled with the RF module 21 and used to demodulate control data from the main controller. The motion control module 23 is responsible for parsing control commands and generating PWM or current control signals to output to the drive module 24. The drive module 24 amplifies the low-power control signals into high-power drive signals, directly acting on the actuator motors. Sensor modules 25 are arranged within the joint structure and include position sensors, torque sensors, force sensors, temperature sensors, and Hall effect sensors, used to monitor the operating status of each joint in real time and feed the measurement data back to the main controller.
[0090] In terms of assembly structure, the wireless main controller module 1 forms a stable star communication topology with each wireless joint module 2 via a spatially located radio frequency link. A configurable intelligent metasurface (RIS) module, installed inside the robot's skeleton or on its outer shell, is positioned in the middle. Composed of a phased array unit and a control chip, it automatically adjusts the reflection phase according to the wireless signal path and angle, achieving signal enhancement and interference optimization. The RIS module is connected to the main controller module 1 via a control bus, enabling the main controller to dynamically configure the RIS array parameters to maintain high reliability and low latency in multi-joint signal transmission.
[0091] In terms of working principle, the wireless main controller module 1 periodically collects sensor data from the wireless joint module 2, including parameters such as position, velocity, torque, and temperature. Based on the global motion planning algorithm within the motion control module 13, it calculates the desired pose and actuation of each joint. Subsequently, the main controller sends control commands to each joint module through multiple access technologies (such as OFDMA, CDMA, SDMA, NOMA, SCMA, etc.). After receiving the control commands, the wireless joint module 2 decodes them through the baseband module 22, and the motion control module 23 generates control signals. The drive module 24 executes the drive motor movement and monitors the feedback signals in real time. The main controller makes dynamic adjustments based on the feedback results to ensure multi-joint collaboration, synchronous response, and high-precision control of the robot. The entire system achieves clock synchronization through GNSS, PTP, SyncE, or TSN, enabling deterministic delay and real-time consistency in wireless distributed control, thereby achieving high-precision control.
[0092] As a supplement to the embodiments of the present invention, the motion control function of the wireless main controller can be completed by the robot brain, and the control commands can be transmitted to the wireless main controller, which then sends them to each wireless joint module in the form of wireless signals.
[0093] like Figure 3As shown, the robot's main body is mounted on the chest cavity by a wireless main controller module 1, forming a fixed assembly relationship with the robot head 3, first cervical joint 31, second cervical joint 32, first shoulder joint 33, second shoulder joint 34, first elbow joint 35, second elbow joint 36, first hip joint 37, second hip joint 38, first knee joint 39, and second knee joint 310. Wireless joint modules are distributed at their corresponding movable joints, including the first cervical joint 31, second cervical joint 32, first shoulder joint 33, second shoulder joint 34, first elbow joint 35, second elbow joint 36, first hip joint 37, second hip joint 38, first knee joint 39, and second knee joint 310. Each wireless joint module, relying on its radio frequency module, baseband module, motion control module, sensor module, and drive module, constitutes a complete local control unit. It is integrated with the robot skeleton through mounting brackets fixed inside the joints, structurally enabling it to simultaneously undertake mechanical transmission and data interaction functions.
[0094] The wireless main controller module 1 is located at the core of the robot's chest, maintaining a short and symmetrical spatial path from each joint module. This facilitates multi-beam coverage of the antenna array, pointing towards the first cervical joint 31, the second cervical joint 32, the first shoulder joint 33, the second shoulder joint 34, the first elbow joint 35, the second elbow joint 36, the first hip joint 37, the second hip joint 38, the first knee joint 39, and the second knee joint 310. The wireless main controller module utilizes the antenna array of its radio frequency module to generate spatial beams pointing towards each joint module. Based on the position, velocity, and acceleration information fed back by the joints, the beam direction and amplitude are adjusted in real time, ensuring a reliable wireless link between the main controller and each joint module. With the support of its radio frequency module, the wireless joint modules connect to the wireless main controller via one or more multiple access technologies such as FDMA, TDMA, CDMA, SDMA, OFDMA, and NOMA, forming a one-to-many wireless closed-loop control structure. Simultaneously, a fully wireless connection system without physical cables is established between the joints.
[0095] During robot operation, the sensor modules inside each wireless joint module collect various parameters in real time, including position, speed, torque, temperature, and current. These parameters are encoded and modulated by the baseband module and then transmitted uplink to the wireless main controller module 1 via the radio frequency module. Upon receiving the parameter data from the joints, the wireless main controller module performs physical layer demodulation, decoding, and protocol processing via the baseband module. The motion control module then executes global motion planning and joint coordination algorithms to generate motion commands for each joint. These commands are encoded and modulated by the baseband module and sent to the radio frequency module. Finally, the antenna array transmits the commands downlink to the corresponding joint module via a beam pointing towards the joint position. Upon receiving the motion planning commands, the wireless joint module's motion control module executes the control algorithm based on feedback from its own sensors, and the drive module outputs the corresponding drive torque to achieve limb movements.
[0096] To enhance the reliability of the wireless link, a configurable intelligent metasurface (RIS) can be deployed between the wireless main controller module 1 and each wireless joint module. This RIS, integrated based on the robot's shell or torso material, reconstructs and enhances the wireless signal in space, improving its anti-obstruction and anti-interference performance. Throughout the wireless control system, strict time synchronization must be maintained between the wireless main controller module and all wireless joint modules. The system can achieve clock consistency using one or more synchronization methods such as GNSS, PTP, IEEE 1588v2, SyncE, TSN, or over-the-air time synchronization. This ensures that data reporting, resource scheduling, time slot allocation, and motion command execution for all joints have a unified time reference, thereby achieving precise coordinated control of the robot's multi-joint movements.
[0097] As a supplement to the embodiments of the present invention, the motion control function of the wireless main controller can be completed by the robot brain, and the control commands can be transmitted to the wireless main controller, which then sends them to each wireless joint module in the form of wireless signals.
[0098] Regarding weight reduction, traditional automata robots use wired joint control, with the control wiring accounting for 8% to 15% of the overall weight. The wireless joint control proposed in this invention effectively avoids the weight contribution from the control wiring. Figure 4 As shown, this invention provides a predicted weight reduction for humanoid robots currently on the market after adopting the wireless joints proposed in this invention.
[0099] In terms of miniaturization, traditional wired joint control schemes used in embodied robots require a large amount of space, while the internal space of the robot is extremely compact, requiring the outer diameter of the connecting wires to be reduced from the traditional 5 mm to less than 3 mm; the available space in critical parts such as the hip joint is compressed to the size of a "fingernail". By adopting the wireless joint control scheme proposed in this invention, there is no need to consider the internal layout and structural optimization design of the joint control harness, which not only brings design convenience but also saves a lot of valuable space resources for the embodied robot, making its own structure more compact.
[0100] To save space, the outer diameter of traditional embodied robot connection cables has been reduced to below 3 mm, which exacerbates the risk of cable breakage and damage, placing extremely high demands on the flexibility and durability of the cables. It is important to note that breakage is not the only form of cable failure. In joint control signal cables, micro-damage to the internal conductors can lead to signal attenuation or interference, causing malfunctions in the robot. This type of "soft" failure is more troublesome and harder to locate than complete breakage. The wireless joint control scheme proposed in this invention completely solves the problems caused by the vulnerability of control cables to breakage and hidden "soft" cable failures, significantly improving the durability and reliability of embodied robots.
[0101] It should be noted that embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both. The hardware portion can be implemented using dedicated logic; the software portion can be stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system, such as a microprocessor or dedicated-design hardware. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above-described devices and methods can be implemented using computer-executable instructions and / or included in processor control code, for example, such code provided on a carrier medium such as a disk, CD, or DVD-ROM, a programmable memory such as read-only memory (firmware), or a data carrier such as an optical or electronic signal carrier. The devices and modules of the present invention can be implemented by hardware circuitry such as very large-scale integrated circuits or gate arrays, semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or programmable hardware devices such as field-programmable gate arrays, programmable logic devices, etc., or by software executed by various types of processors, or by a combination of the above-described hardware circuitry and software, such as firmware.
[0102] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, and within the spirit and principles of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A robot joint control system based on wireless connection, characterized in that, The system includes: The wireless main controller module is responsible for wireless signal transmission and reception, resource scheduling, joint motion tracking, and motion planning. The wireless joint module is responsible for wireless signal transmission and reception, feeding back joint sensor data to the wireless main controller, and executing motion planning commands, etc. The wireless main controller module tracks the motion of each joint module based on the parameter data fed back by the joint modules, and generates motion control commands according to the motion planning goals, which are then sent to each joint module for execution.
2. The robot joint control system based on wireless connection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main components of the wireless master controller module are as follows: 1) Radio Frequency (RF) Module: The core components of an RF module include: antenna or antenna array, RF processing unit, filter, and amplifier. Its main functions include: a) Radio frequency signal transceiver: Converts digital baseband signals into radio frequency signals via up-conversion and transmits them through the antenna; receives radio frequency signals from the wireless joint module, converts them into digital signals via down-conversion, and sends them to the baseband processing unit of the main controller. b) Beamforming: By adjusting the position of the antenna array and joint modules, the beam direction is adjusted to better cover each wireless joint module; c) Power amplification: Built-in power amplifier PA amplifies the radio frequency signal to the transmit power; 2) Baseband Module: The core components of the baseband module include: a baseband signal processing unit, a protocol processing unit, and interfaces. Its main functions include: a) Physical layer processing: responsible for baseband signal modulation and demodulation, channel coding and decoding, fast Fourier transform, etc. b) Protocol processing: Through the designed protocol, time and frequency resources, orthogonal access code resources, spatial division resources, spatial multiplexing resources, spatial diversity mode, power resources, etc. are allocated to multiple wireless joint modules that need to be controlled to ensure low latency and high reliability. c) Interface interaction: Data transmission and communication with modules such as radio frequency and motion control are carried out through a pre-designed protocol; 3) Motion control module: The motion control module is mainly responsible for global motion planning, multi-joint collaborative control, and complex algorithm calculation; 4) Auxiliary modules: The auxiliary modules are mainly used to assist the wireless main controller in completing its various functions. They mainly include: power supply unit, heat dissipation unit, storage unit, clock synchronization unit, etc.
3. The robot joint control system based on wireless connection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The main components of the wireless joint module are as follows: 1) Radio Frequency (RF) Module: The core components of an RF module include: antenna or antenna array, RF processing unit, filter, amplifier, etc. Its main functions include: a) Radio frequency signal transmission and reception: converts digital baseband signals into radio frequency signals through up-conversion and transmits them through the antenna; receives radio frequency signals from the wireless main controller and converts them into digital signals through down-conversion; b) Interference prevention: Transmit and receive signals are isolated by a duplexer to avoid interference from transmitted signals to received signals; c) Power amplification: Built-in power amplifier PA amplifies the radio frequency signal to the transmit power; 2) Baseband module. The core components of the baseband module include: baseband signal processing unit, protocol processing unit, interface, etc. Its main functions include: a) Physical layer processing: Convert the analog signal from the RF module into a digital signal, demodulate and decode it to obtain instructions from the wireless master controller; encode and modulate the joint data and send it to the RF module for transmission via radio electromagnetic waves, and report it back to the wireless master controller. b) Protocol processing: Using well-designed protocols, network access, connection management, resource allocation, etc. are handled. c) Interface interaction: Through a pre-designed protocol, data transmission and communication are performed with other modules; 3) The motion control module receives motion planning instructions from the wireless main controller transmitted by the baseband module, combines sensor feedback, runs the control algorithm, calculates the control signals required to drive the actuator, and sends them to the drive circuit. 4) The drive module, as the power unit of the joint, such as a motor, provides the required controlled electrical energy; it receives low-power control signals from the motion control module and converts them into high-power current or voltage required to drive the actuator. 5) Sensor module, which senses the environment and user status and provides parameter input for various applications, typically includes position sensors, torque sensors, force sensors, temperature sensors, Hall sensors, etc. 6) Auxiliary modules: The auxiliary modules are mainly used to assist the wireless joint module in completing its various functions. They mainly include: power unit, transmission unit, braking unit, heat dissipation unit, safety unit, clock synchronization unit, etc.
4. The robot joint control system based on wireless connection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The wireless master controller module uses multiple access technology to achieve communication and control of multiple wireless joint modules; These multiple access technologies include: frequency division multiple access (FDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), space division multiple access (SDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), sparse code multiple access (SCMA), and pattern segmentation multiple access (PDMA) or a combination of multiple technologies. The wireless joint module connects to the wireless main controller through one or more multiple access technologies, and reports data by feeding back the data measured by its position, speed, torque and other sensors to the wireless main controller.
5. The robot joint control system based on wireless connection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The wireless master controller module and the wireless joint module are equipped with a configurable smart metasurface RIS to enhance the wireless signal and improve anti-interference capabilities.
6. The robot joint control system based on wireless connection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The communication protocol between the wireless main controller module and the wireless joint module can be, but is not limited to: 5G, WiFi, StarFlash, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and various private network protocols.
7. The robot joint control system based on wireless connection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The wireless main controller module can generate beams pointing to the positions of each joint module through its equipped antenna array, and connect the wireless main controller and multiple joint modules through wireless beams.
8. The robot joint control system based on wireless connection as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The wireless main controller module adjusts the beam direction and beam amplitude between the wireless main controller and the joint module based on the position, velocity, and acceleration parameter data fed back by the joint module. The wireless main controller module and the wireless joint module need to be clock-synchronized. Clock synchronization between the wireless master controller module and the wireless joint module can be achieved through one or more technologies, such as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Precision Clock Protocol (PTP), IEEE 1588v2, Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE), Time-Sensitive Network (TSN), and air interface time synchronization.
9. The robot joint control system based on wireless connection as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The steps for implementing over-the-air time synchronization between the wireless master controller module and the wireless joint module are as follows: (1) The wireless joint module obtains coarse synchronization through the downlink synchronization signal sent by the wireless main controller; (2) The wireless master controller obtains the wireless joint module and its timing advance TA through the uplink signal; (3) The wireless master controller informs the wireless joint module of the TA value, and the wireless joint module and the wireless master controller achieve phase synchronization and frequency synchronization; (4) The wireless master controller notifies the wireless joint module of the absolute time through broadcast messages / or unicast messages, and the wireless joint module and the wireless master controller achieve time synchronization.
10. The robot joint control system based on wireless connection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motion control function of the wireless main controller can be completed by the robot's brain, which will transmit control commands to the wireless main controller and then send them to each wireless joint module in the form of wireless signals.