An underwater robot control method, system and underwater robot

Abstract

The embodiment of the application discloses a kind of underwater robot control method, system and underwater robot, the method comprises: obtain first information, first information indicates that underwater robot moves to specified position in drag mechanism;After obtaining first information, control water pump is in first working state, to make underwater robot move to specified position;In the case where water pump is in first working state, obtain second information;According to the second information, it is determined that underwater robot is in stable state, to make drag mechanism take underwater robot away from water surface;Control water pump is adjusted from first working state to second working state, the working power of water pump in the second working state is less than the working power of water pump in first working state.Using the embodiment of the application, the problem that underwater robot cannot stably leave water surface can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to an underwater robot control method, system, and underwater robot. Background Technology

[0002] As people's living standards improve, the use of private swimming pools is becoming increasingly popular. Pool cleaning robots, as a convenient automated device, are widely used in the cleaning and maintenance of swimming pools. After the cleaning task is completed, the pool cleaning robot is immersed in water, requiring users to manually remove it from the water. The retrieval process is somewhat dangerous, and prolonged immersion can lead to aging of the robot's components, decreased sealing performance, or potential malfunctions.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a control method to solve the problem that underwater robots cannot stably leave the water surface. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an underwater robot control method, system, and underwater robot, solving the problem that underwater robots cannot stably leave the water surface.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an underwater robot control method, the underwater robot including a water pump, the method comprising: obtaining first information, the first information instructing the underwater robot to move to a designated position in a towing mechanism; after obtaining the first information, controlling the water pump to be in a first operating state, so as to move the underwater robot to the designated position; while the water pump is in the first operating state, obtaining second information; determining, based on the second information, that the underwater robot is in a stable state, so as to allow the towing mechanism to carry the underwater robot away from the water surface; controlling the water pump to adjust from the first operating state to a second operating state, wherein the operating power of the water pump in the second operating state is less than the operating power of the water pump in the first operating state.

[0006] In this embodiment, after the underwater robot reaches the towing mechanism, the underwater robot controls the water pump to work in the first working state to ensure that the water pump generates sufficient reverse thrust, so that the underwater robot can stick tightly to the contact bottom surface of the towing mechanism. After the underwater robot is in a stable state, the water pump is controlled to work in the second working state, so that the underwater robot remains stable during the process of leaving the water and will not fall off the towing mechanism.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the second information includes at least one of pressure information, angle information, and water exit status information. The pressure information includes the pressure value between the underwater robot and the towing mechanism. The angle information includes the angle between the underwater robot and a first direction. The water exit status information includes whether the underwater robot has left the water surface. The first direction is a direction perpendicular to the water surface, and the angle is an acute angle.

[0008] In this implementation, by determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state based on at least one of pressure information, angle information, and water exit state information, the underwater robot can adjust the working state of the water pump in a timely manner, thereby ensuring that the underwater robot remains stable during the process of leaving the water.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the underwater robot includes a first pressure sensor for detecting the pressure value; determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state based on the second information includes: determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state when the pressure value is greater than a first preset value.

[0010] In this implementation, as the towing mechanism emerges from the water, the angle between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the direction perpendicular to the water surface gradually increases. The gravity of the underwater robot is decomposed into pressure on the contact surface of the towing mechanism, which gradually increases with the increase of the angle. When the pressure sensor detects that the pressure is greater than the first preset value, it is determined that the underwater robot is in a stable state. The water pump is then controlled to adjust from the first working state to the second working state. At this time, the underwater robot will not fall off the towing mechanism, thus keeping the underwater robot stable during the process of leaving the water surface.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the underwater robot includes an angle measuring unit for measuring the included angle; determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state based on the second information includes determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state when the included angle is greater than a second preset value.

[0012] In this implementation, after the underwater robot reaches the designated position of the towing mechanism, the angle between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the direction perpendicular to the water surface gradually increases as the towing mechanism emerges from the water. Furthermore, due to the close contact between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the underwater robot, this angle is also equal to the angle between the bottom surface of the underwater robot and the direction perpendicular to the water surface. When the towing mechanism is pressed against the wall, this angle is at its minimum, making it easiest for the underwater robot to detach from the towing mechanism. By controlling the water pump to operate in the first working state, the reaction force generated by the water pump keeps the underwater robot in close contact with the contact surface of the towing mechanism. When the angle increases to a first preset value, a portion of the underwater robot's weight can be decomposed as pressure on the contact surface of the towing mechanism. At this point, adjusting the water pump to operate in the second working state prevents the underwater robot from detaching from the towing mechanism, thus ensuring the underwater robot remains stable during its descent from the water surface.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the underwater robot includes a water exit detection unit, which is used to detect whether the underwater robot has left the water surface; determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state based on the second information includes: determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state when the water exit detection unit detects that the underwater robot has left the water surface.

[0014] In this implementation, as the towing mechanism emerges from the water, the underwater robot also gradually leaves the water surface. When the underwater robot's water-leaving detection unit detects that the underwater robot has left the water surface, it means that the angle between the contact bottom surface of the towing mechanism and the direction perpendicular to the water surface has increased to an angle at which the underwater robot will not fall off even when the water pump is in the second working state. At this time, adjusting the water pump to the second working state will also keep the underwater robot stable.

[0015] In one possible implementation, after controlling the water pump to adjust from the first operating state to the second operating state, the method further includes: obtaining third information; determining, based on the third information, that the underwater robot is in an unstable state; and controlling the water pump to adjust from the second operating state to the first operating state.

[0016] In this implementation, after the water pump is in the second working state, the underwater robot may still be in an unstable state. By obtaining third information, the underwater robot can readjust the water pump to the first working state when it is in an unstable state, thereby keeping the underwater robot stable on the towing mechanism.

[0017] In one possible implementation, after obtaining the first information, the method further includes obtaining fourth information, the fourth information including the position information of the towing mechanism.

[0018] In this implementation, if the first information does not contain the location information of the towing mechanism, the underwater robot needs to obtain the fourth information to obtain the location information of the towing mechanism after obtaining the first information.

[0019] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide an underwater robot control system, the system including a base station and an underwater robot, the base station including a towing mechanism, and the underwater robot including a water pump; the base station is used to send fifth information to the underwater robot when it is determined that the underwater robot is in a stable state; the underwater robot is used to control the water pump to adjust from a first working state to a second working state after receiving the fifth information, wherein the working power of the water pump in the second working state is less than the working power of the water pump in the first working state.

[0020] In this embodiment of the application, the base station can identify whether the underwater robot is in a stable state on the towing mechanism. If it is in a stable state, it sends a fifth signal to the underwater robot so that the underwater robot controls the water pump to adjust from the first working state to the second working state.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the towing mechanism includes a contact bottom surface and a blocking surface, wherein the contact bottom surface and the blocking surface are respectively provided with a second pressure sensor and a third pressure sensor, and determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state includes: determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state when the second pressure sensor detects a pressure value greater than a third preset value and the third pressure sensor detects a pressure value greater than a fourth preset value.

[0022] In this implementation, when the base station detects that the pressure value is greater than the third preset value by the second pressure sensor and the pressure value is greater than the fourth preset value by the third pressure sensor, that is, when the base station detects that the underwater robot is in a stable state, it sends the fifth information to the underwater robot so that the underwater robot controls the water pump to adjust from the first working state to the second working state. At this time, the underwater robot is still in a stable state.

[0023] In one possible implementation, determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state includes: determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state when the angle between the contact bottom surface of the towing mechanism and the first direction is greater than a fifth preset value, wherein the first direction is a direction perpendicular to the water surface and the angle is an acute angle.

[0024] In this implementation, as the towing mechanism emerges from the water, the angle between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the direction perpendicular to the water surface gradually increases. When the angle increases to a fifth preset value, a portion of the underwater robot's gravity is decomposed as pressure on the contact surface of the towing mechanism. The base station sends a sixth message to the underwater robot to shut down the water pump. At this time, the water pump is in the second working state and the underwater robot will not fall off the towing mechanism, thus keeping the underwater robot stable as it leaves the water surface.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the base station further includes a drive mechanism for pulling the towing mechanism to make the underwater robot leave the water. Determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state includes determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state when the rotation angle of the drive mechanism is greater than a sixth preset value.

[0026] In this implementation, the drive mechanism drives the towing mechanism out of the water. Therefore, the rotation angle of the drive mechanism is related to the height of the towing mechanism. During the ascent, the angle between the contact bottom surface and the vertical direction of the water surface gradually increases. In other words, the larger the rotation angle of the drive mechanism, the larger the angle. When the rotation angle is greater than the sixth preset value, the sixth information is sent to the underwater robot to adjust the water pump to the second working state. At this time, the underwater robot is still in a stable state.

[0027] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide an underwater robot, comprising: a cleaning module for enabling the underwater robot to perform cleaning work; a motion module for enabling the underwater robot to move; a detection module for enabling the underwater robot to perform attitude detection or pressure detection, wherein the attitude detection includes angle detection; a communication module for enabling the underwater robot to obtain information; and a control module for executing some or all of the steps described in the first or second aspect of this embodiment. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the background art, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of the present invention or the background art will be described below.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a base station structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a base station state provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of an underwater robot control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an underwater robot control system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another state of the base station provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an underwater robot provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0036] The terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0037] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments.

[0038] The following describes the apparatus involved in the embodiments of this application.

[0039] The underwater robot provided in this application is a device capable of performing tasks underwater in place of humans, such as a pool cleaning robot. The underwater robot mentioned in this application refers to a robot used for cleaning swimming pools. This cleaning robot includes, but is not limited to, detection devices, a power unit, and cleaning devices.

[0040] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of a base station structure provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown, the base station (also referred to as an off-water base station) includes a host mechanism 101, a towing mechanism 102, and a drive mechanism 103. The host mechanism 101 is fixed to the shore, such as the shore of a swimming pool or pond. The towing mechanism 102 is at least partially located below the water surface and includes a receiving cavity 104. The entrance 105 of the towing mechanism 102 is located on the side of the towing mechanism and serves as the entrance for an underwater robot to enter the receiving cavity 104. The contact bottom surface 106 is the bottom surface where the bottom surfaces of the towing mechanism 102 and the underwater robot contact each other, and the blocking surface 107 is used to prevent the underwater robot from falling out of the towing mechanism. The host mechanism 101 and the towing mechanism 102 are connected by the drive mechanism 103.

[0041] In this embodiment, after the underwater robot moves to the designated position (i.e., the accommodating cavity 104), the main unit 101 pulls the towing mechanism 102 from the underwater position to the position on the main unit 101 through the drive mechanism 103, thereby causing the underwater robot to leave the water.

[0042] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a base station provided in an embodiment of this application. The descriptions of the host mechanism 101, towing mechanism 102, driving mechanism 103, contact bottom surface 106, and accommodating cavity 104 involved in this schematic diagram can be found above. Figure 1 The details of the above will not be elaborated here. The first water jet 206 and the second water jet 207 of the underwater robot spray water outwards under the control of a water pump, which can be installed inside the underwater robot. The shore 2010 is the ground to which the main mechanism 101 is fixed; it can be the shore of a pool, which may include an artificial swimming pool, a naturally formed pond, or a man-made pond. The wall 2020 is the side of the pool, forming a fixed angle with the shore 2010. For example, the wall 2020 can be the inner wall of a swimming pool or a pond.

[0043] Figure 2 This is the state when the underwater robot has just entered the towing mechanism 102, and the towing mechanism 102 has not yet moved. At this time, the first angle formed between the contact bottom surface 106 of the towing mechanism 102 and the wall 2020 is 0 degrees. This first angle is an acute angle formed by the contact bottom surface 106 and the wall perpendicularly downwards. At this time, the second angle between the contact bottom surface 106 of the towing mechanism 102 and the shore 2010 is the largest, equal to the aforementioned fixed angle. The second angle is... Figure 2The included angle 2030 shown can be 90 degrees or less (for example, the included angle 2030 can be between 80 and 90 degrees). Because the underwater robot is affected by water flow fluctuations and its own center of gravity, it is prone to tipping over (i.e., in this posture, the robot turns upside down, detaches from the towing mechanism 102, and falls to the bottom of the pool). Therefore, the robot's water pump needs to be in its first operating state. The water pump in this first operating state has a higher operating power (it can be in an on state), meaning the intensity of the water sprayed outward from the first nozzle 206 and the second nozzle 207 is greater. This water spraying ensures sufficient thrust, generating enough pressure between the robot and the contact surface 106 of the towing mechanism 102, thus keeping the robot firmly attached to the contact surface 106. During the process of the towing mechanism 102 moving from the water to the base station, a portion of the underwater robot's own weight is also distributed as pressure on the contact surface 106, allowing the underwater robot to maintain balance even when the water pump is in its second operating state, preventing it from falling off the towing mechanism 102. The water pump operates at a lower power when in the second working state described above (the water pump may be in a closed state).

[0044] The following describes the method provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0045] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an underwater robot control method provided in an embodiment of this application. The flowchart shows the underwater robot adjusting the water pump's operating state. For explanations of the main unit, towing mechanism, drive mechanism, contact bottom surface, and accommodating cavity involved in this flowchart, please refer to the above text. Figure 1 The details of the above process will not be elaborated here. The following will provide a detailed explanation of the steps involved in the above process.

[0046] 301. Obtain the first information.

[0047] The first information instructs the underwater robot to move to a designated position within the towing mechanism, which may be the receiving cavity of the towing mechanism. Optionally, the first information may also include the position information of the towing mechanism. This first information may be obtained under the following circumstances: 1. The underwater robot has completed its cleaning work; 2. The underwater robot's battery is too low and it needs to return to the off-water base station for charging; 3. The underwater robot has collected enough debris to fill its container, or the efficiency of filtering debris has decreased during cleaning. The first information obtained by the underwater robot may come from the off-water base station, application software, etc. As an example, if the underwater robot can communicate underwater, then the off-water base station can communicate directly with the robot; existing communication methods may include acoustic communication and optical communication. Specifically, acoustic communication uses different frequencies of sound waves and acoustic signatures to match pre-set corresponding commands. When the underwater robot receives the corresponding sound wave or acoustic signature, it executes the corresponding command. Optical communication uses light waves emitted by lasers or LEDs to transmit information in the water. When the underwater robot receives the corresponding light signature, it executes the corresponding command. It should be noted that acoustic sensors can not only perform acoustic communication but also acoustic positioning. That is, based on the base station on the water surface emitting acoustic signals, which are received by the underwater robot that needs to be positioned, the relative distance and angle between the base station and the underwater robot can be measured, thereby facilitating the underwater robot to move to the designated location. Acoustic positioning can use ultra-short baseline (USBL) or short baseline (SBL), which provides good positioning accuracy in relatively limited spaces such as pools and in low-noise underwater environments.

[0048] Based on the aforementioned underwater communication methods, application software can use base stations as communication relays.

[0049] As another example, if the underwater robot cannot communicate underwater, the base station can periodically send a first message, which the robot can receive when it surfaces. For instance, in this embodiment, the underwater robot is controlled to periodically surface.

[0050] Optionally, after obtaining the first information, the underwater robot obtains a fourth information, which includes the location information of the towing mechanism. In this embodiment, if the location information of the towing mechanism is not included in the first information, the underwater robot needs to obtain the location information of the towing mechanism by obtaining the fourth information after obtaining the first information.

[0051] 302. Control the water pump to the first working state so that the underwater robot can move to the designated position.

[0052] For an explanation of the first working state mentioned above, please refer to the above text. Figure 2 The explanation will not be elaborated here.

[0053] After the underwater robot receives the initial information, the water pump is put into a first operating state, in which the underwater robot moves to the designated position. This water pump controls the intensity of the water jet from the underwater robot's nozzles. By controlling the water pump to be in the first operating state, sufficient thrust is generated, allowing the underwater robot to remain firmly attached to the contact surface of the towing mechanism. This ensures the underwater robot remains stable during its exit from the water and prevents it from detaching from the towing mechanism.

[0054] 303. Obtain the second piece of information.

[0055] Optionally, the second information includes at least one of pressure information, angle information, and water exit status information, wherein the pressure information includes the pressure value between the underwater robot and the towing mechanism, and the angle information includes the angle between the underwater robot and the first direction, and the angle is an acute angle (which may be the tilt angle of the underwater robot relative to the first direction), and the angle value is equal to... Figure 5 The first included angle value of 50°30° shown indicates that the first direction is perpendicular to the water surface (e.g., Figure 2 As shown in direction 2040), the water exit status information includes whether the underwater robot has left the water surface. In this embodiment, by obtaining the above-mentioned second information, the underwater robot can adjust the working state of the water pump in a timely manner, thereby ensuring the stability of the underwater robot during the process of leaving the water.

[0056] 304. Based on the second piece of information, it is determined that the underwater robot is in a stable state.

[0057] 305. Control the water pump to change from the first working state to the second working state.

[0058] The aforementioned stable state can be a state in which the support force provided by the towing mechanism to the underwater robot, the weight of the underwater robot, and the buoyancy of the underwater robot are balanced when the water pump is in the second working state, or a state in which the underwater robot does not fall off the towing mechanism during the process of leaving the water.

[0059] For an explanation of the first and second operating states, please refer to the above text. Figure 2 The explanation will not be elaborated here.

[0060] Optionally, the underwater robot includes a first pressure sensor, such as a strain gauge pressure sensor, a voltage pressure sensor, or a Hall effect pressure sensor. This first pressure sensor can be disposed on the surface in contact with the towing mechanism of the underwater robot to detect the pressure value mentioned in step 304. When the pressure value exceeds a first preset value, the underwater robot is determined to be in a stable state. In this embodiment, as the angle between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the direction perpendicular to the water surface gradually increases during the process of the towing mechanism emerging from the water, the pressure exerted by the underwater robot on the contact surface of the towing mechanism gradually increases with the increase of the angle. When the pressure sensor detects that the pressure exceeds the first preset value, the underwater robot is determined to be in a stable state, and the water pump is controlled to switch from a first operating state to a second operating state. At this time, the underwater robot will not detach from the towing mechanism, thus ensuring the underwater robot remains stable during its departure from the water surface.

[0061] Optionally, the underwater robot includes an angle measurement unit, which may be an inertial measurement unit (IMU), used to measure the included angle mentioned in step 304. If the included angle is greater than a second preset value, the underwater robot is determined to be in a stable state. In this embodiment, after the underwater robot reaches the designated position of the towing mechanism, the angle between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the direction perpendicular to the water surface gradually increases as the towing mechanism emerges from the water. Furthermore, due to the close contact between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the underwater robot, the included angle is also equal to the angle between the underwater robot and the direction perpendicular to the water surface. When the towing mechanism is close to the wall, the angle is at its smallest, making it easiest for the underwater robot to detach from the towing mechanism. By controlling the water pump to operate in the first working state, the reaction force generated by the water pump keeps the underwater robot in close contact with the bottom surface of the towing mechanism. When the angle increases to a first preset value, a portion of the underwater robot's weight can be decomposed into pressure on the bottom surface of the towing mechanism. At this time, adjusting the water pump to operate in the second working state will prevent the underwater robot from detaching from the towing mechanism, thus ensuring the underwater robot remains stable during its departure from the water surface.

[0062] Optionally, the underwater robot includes a water-leaving detection unit, which detects whether the underwater robot has left the water surface. If the water-leaving detection unit detects that the underwater robot has left the water surface, it determines that the underwater robot is in a stable state. In this embodiment, as the towing mechanism emerges from the water, the underwater robot also gradually leaves the water surface. When the water-leaving detection unit detects that the underwater robot has left the water surface, it indicates that the angle between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the direction perpendicular to the water surface has increased to an angle at which the underwater robot will not detach even when the water pump is in its second operating state. At this point, adjusting the water pump to its second operating state will also maintain the stability of the underwater robot.

[0063] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an underwater robot control system provided in an embodiment of this application. The diagram illustrates communication between a base station and the underwater robot within the control system. For details regarding the base station 4010, underwater robot 4020, main unit mechanism, towing mechanism, drive mechanism, contact bottom surface, and accommodating cavity involved in this diagram, please refer to the above description. Figure 1 The explanations will not be detailed here. The following will provide a detailed description of the diagram.

[0064] 401. Confirm that the underwater robot is in a stable state.

[0065] For an explanation of steady states, please refer to the above text. Figure 3 The explanation of step 305 will not be detailed here.

[0066] Optionally, the towing mechanism includes a contact bottom surface and a blocking surface, each equipped with a second pressure sensor and a third pressure sensor. When the second pressure sensor detects a pressure value greater than a third preset value, and the third pressure sensor detects a pressure value greater than a fourth preset value, the base station determines that the underwater robot is in a stable state. If the difference between two consecutive pressure values ​​detected by the first pressure sensor is greater than a threshold, or if the difference between two consecutive pressure values ​​detected by the second pressure sensor is greater than a threshold, the base station identifies that the underwater robot is in an unstable state.

[0067] Optionally, the contact surface of the towing mechanism is aligned with the first direction (e.g., Figure 2 The angle between the directions shown (2040) (as shown) Figure 5When the first included angle (50°30°) shown is greater than the fifth preset value, it is determined that the underwater robot is in a stable state. In this embodiment, during the process of the towing mechanism emerging from the water, the angle between the contact bottom surface of the towing mechanism and the direction perpendicular to the water surface will gradually increase. When the above included angle increases to the fifth preset value, a portion of the underwater robot's gravity can be decomposed as pressure on the contact bottom surface of the towing mechanism. The base station sends a sixth message to the underwater robot to make the underwater robot shut down the water pump. At this time, the water pump is in the second working state and the underwater robot will not fall off the towing mechanism, thereby making the underwater robot remain stable during the process of leaving the water surface.

[0068] Optionally, the base station also includes a drive mechanism for pulling the towing mechanism to lift the underwater robot out of the water, at a rotation angle of the drive mechanism (e.g., Figure 5 When the angle (50° to 40°) shown is greater than the sixth preset value, the underwater robot is determined to be in a stable state. In this embodiment, the drive mechanism drives the towing mechanism out of the water. Therefore, the rotation angle of the drive mechanism is related to the height the towing mechanism rises. During the ascent, the angle between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the vertical direction of the water surface gradually increases. In other words, the larger the rotation angle of the drive mechanism, the larger the angle. When the rotation angle is greater than the sixth preset value, the sixth information is sent to the underwater robot to adjust the water pump to the second working state. At this time, the underwater robot is still in a stable state.

[0069] 402. Send the fifth message to the underwater robot.

[0070] Once the base station determines that the underwater robot is in a stable state, the base station sends the fifth piece of information to the underwater robot.

[0071] 403. Control the water pump to change from the first working state to the second working state.

[0072] For an explanation of the first and second operating states, please refer to the above text. Figure 2 The explanation will not be elaborated here.

[0073] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is another schematic diagram of the base station provided in an embodiment of this application. The descriptions of the host mechanism 101, the towing mechanism 102, and the driving mechanism 103 involved in this schematic diagram can be found above. Figure 1 The details of the description will not be elaborated here. The shore 2010 is the ground to which the main unit 101 is fixed, which can be the shore of a swimming pool, the shore of a pond, etc. The wall 2020 can be the inner wall of a swimming pool, the inner wall of a pond, etc.

[0074] As shown in the figure, during the process of the drive mechanism 103 driving the towing mechanism 102 to move, the first angle 5030 formed between the towing mechanism 102 and the wall 2020 gradually increases, and the rotation angle 5040 of the drive mechanism 103 also gradually increases. In the initial state, the first angle 5030 formed between the contact surface of the towing mechanism and the wall 2020 is 0 degrees. As shown in the figure, a water spray nozzle 5050 is provided on the surface of the underwater machine (which can be as follows). Figure 2 As shown in the first water nozzle 206 or the second water nozzle 207, the water pump controls the water nozzle to spray water outward to form a water column 5060. During the process of spraying water outward, the water nozzle 5050 generates a counter-thrust force on the underwater robot, so that the contact bottom surface of the underwater robot and the towing mechanism are in close contact. Figure 5 The location and number of water nozzles shown in this application embodiment are not limited.

[0075] The apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below.

[0076] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an underwater robot provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in the figure, the underwater robot 600 includes at least a cleaning module 602, a motion module 603, a detection module 604, a communication module 605, and a control module 601. The control module 601 is connected to the cleaning module 602, the motion module 603, the communication module 605, and the detection module 604, respectively, for example, through communication connections, electrical connections, etc.

[0077] The cleaning module 602, under the control of the control module 601, enables the underwater robot to complete cleaning tasks. The cleaning module 602 includes, but is not limited to, roller brushes, bristle brushes, and rags. The motion module 603, under the control of the control module 601, enables the underwater robot to move. The motion module 603 includes, but is not limited to, tracks and drive motors. The detection module 604 detects the pressure value between the underwater robot and the towing mechanism, and detects the position of the towing mechanism. The detection module 604 can be an inertial measurement unit (IMU), pressure sensor, infrared receiver, camera, radar, etc. For example, the underwater robot determines its tilt angle during its exit from the water based on the data output by the IMU. The communication module 605 receives or sends information. The control module 601 executes the relevant operations in the above method embodiments, such as controlling the movement of the underwater robot and controlling the working state of the water pump.

[0078] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for electronic data interchange, which causes a computer to perform some or all of the steps of any of the methods for implementing key functions as described in the above method embodiments.

[0079] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage device, which may include: a flash drive, a read-only memory, a random access memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, etc.

[0080] It is understandable that the module division in the above-mentioned device is merely a logical functional division. Each function can correspond to a functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one functional module. In actual implementation, all or some modules can be integrated into one physical entity, or they can be distributed across different physical entities. Furthermore, the above-mentioned functional modules can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both.

[0081] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. A control method for an underwater robot, characterized in that, The underwater robot includes a water pump, and the method includes: Obtain first information, which instructs the underwater robot to move to a designated position within the towing mechanism; After obtaining the first information, the water pump is controlled to be in a first working state so that the underwater robot moves to the designated position; When the water pump is in the first operating state, the second information is obtained; Based on the second information, it is determined that the underwater robot is in a stable state, so that the towing mechanism can carry the underwater robot out of the water. The water pump is controlled to change from the first working state to the second working state, where the working power of the water pump in the second working state is less than that in the first working state.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second information includes at least one of pressure information, angle information, and water exit status information. The pressure information includes the pressure value between the underwater robot and the towing mechanism. The angle information includes the angle between the underwater robot and the first direction. The water exit status information includes whether the underwater robot has left the water surface. The first direction is a direction perpendicular to the water surface, and the angle is an acute angle.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The underwater robot includes a first pressure sensor for detecting the pressure value; determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state based on the second information includes: If the pressure value is greater than a first preset value, the underwater robot is determined to be in a stable state.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The underwater robot includes an angle measuring unit for measuring the included angle; determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state based on the second information includes: When the included angle is greater than a second preset value, the underwater robot is determined to be in a stable state.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The underwater robot includes a water exit detection unit, which is used to detect whether the underwater robot has left the water surface; determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state based on the second information includes: When the underwater robot leaves the water, the water departure detection unit determines that the underwater robot is in a stable state.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, After the method controls the water pump to switch from the first operating state to the second operating state, the method further includes: Obtain third-party information; Based on the third piece of information, it is determined that the underwater robot is in an unstable state; The water pump is controlled to switch from the second operating state to the first operating state.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, After obtaining the first information, the method further includes: Obtain fourth information, which includes the position information of the towing mechanism.

8. An underwater robot control system, characterized in that, The system includes a base station and an underwater robot. The base station includes a towing mechanism, and the underwater robot includes a water pump. The base station is used to send fifth information to the underwater robot when it is determined that the underwater robot is in a stable state; The underwater robot is used to control the water pump to change from a first working state to a second working state after receiving the fifth information. The working power of the water pump in the second working state is less than that in the first working state.

9. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The towing mechanism includes a contact bottom surface and a blocking surface, wherein a second pressure sensor and a third pressure sensor are respectively provided on the contact bottom surface and the blocking surface, and determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state includes: If the second pressure sensor detects a pressure value greater than a third preset value, and the third pressure sensor detects a pressure value greater than a fourth preset value, the underwater robot is determined to be in a stable state.

10. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that, Determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state includes: When the angle between the contact bottom surface of the towing mechanism and the first direction is greater than a fifth preset value, it is determined that the underwater robot is in a stable state. The first direction is the direction perpendicular to the water surface, and the angle is an acute angle.

11. The system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The base station further includes a drive mechanism for pulling the towing mechanism to cause the underwater robot to leave the water. Determining that the underwater robot is in a stable state includes: If the rotation angle of the drive mechanism is greater than a sixth preset value, the underwater robot is determined to be in a stable state.

12. An underwater robot, characterized in that, include: A cleaning module is used to enable the underwater robot to perform cleaning tasks; A motion module is used to enable the underwater robot to move; A communication module is used to enable the underwater robot to obtain information; The detection module is used to enable the underwater robot to perform attitude detection or pressure detection, wherein the attitude detection includes angle detection; A control module for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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