Humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system and method thereof

Abstract

The application provides a humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system, comprising: a central computing unit, a plurality of intelligent joint modules, a trunk integrated composite wire harness and a flexible flat branch connector; the central computing unit is arranged in the robot trunk, and contains a high-computing-power processor and a time-sensitive network gateway, which are used for generating global motion planning instructions and synchronizing a global clock; the central computing unit is also used for issuing motion primitive IDs and parameterized instructions, and performing periodic clock correction and task synchronization on each joint module. The humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system provided by the application integrates power and signals in a composite wire harness, reduces the total weight of the wire harness compared with separate wiring, saves the internal space of the joint, reduces the trunk network bandwidth occupancy rate through an edge autonomous control unit, eliminates the reflection of high-speed signals at the branch point through a terminal resistance array, and realizes wire harness health degree predictive maintenance through a PoDL circuit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to an integrated power and signal transmission system for a humanoid robot. Background Technology

[0002] Humanoid robots have joint actuators with dozens or even hundreds of degrees of freedom. They require a large number of power cables and signal cables to be laid out inside. In traditional solutions, the power cables and signal cables are independent of each other, resulting in large wiring harnesses, increased weight, difficult wiring, and easy electromagnetic interference.

[0003] Meanwhile, existing humanoid robot control systems generally adopt a centralized architecture, in which the central controller sends precise position or torque commands to each joint at a high frequency, and the joint modules only passively respond as actuators. This mode has the following prominent problems: the backbone communication network is under high load for a long time, the bandwidth occupancy rate is extremely high, and it is difficult to expand more sensors. The system's real-time performance depends entirely on the computing power and communication latency of the central controller, resulting in a heavy load on the central processing unit; When communication is jittered or interrupted, the robot will completely lose its ability to move, posing a safety hazard.

[0004] In addition, existing fieldbuses are insufficient to meet the nanosecond-level synchronization accuracy and millisecond-level control cycle required for high-dynamic motion. At the physical connection level, traditional branch connection methods are prone to signal reflection during high-speed signal transmission, affecting communication quality. Cable bending and fatigue are also among the main causes of robot failure.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an integrated power and signal transmission system for humanoid robots to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides an integrated power and signal transmission system for humanoid robots, which solves the problems of large size, heavy weight, and poor anti-interference caused by the separation of power and signal harnesses in the prior art; high backbone network bandwidth occupancy and heavy central processor load caused by centralized control architecture; and communication quality degradation caused by signal reflection from branch nodes.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system, comprising: Central computing unit, several intelligent joint modules, integrated composite wiring harness and flexible flat branch connector; The central computing unit is located inside the robot's torso and includes a high-performance processor and a time-sensitive network gateway. It is used to generate global motion planning instructions and synchronize the global clock. The central computing unit is also used to issue motion primitive IDs and parameterization instructions, and to perform periodic clock correction and task synchronization for each joint module. The aforementioned intelligent joint modules are respectively installed at the joints of the robot's shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. Each module includes a motor and a reducer. Joint controller with built-in MCU and TSN slave module; Position sensors, torque sensors, and temperature sensors; Local IMU and plantar pressure sensor; Pre-stored motion primitive library: Stores motion primitives including periodic or explosive movements such as walking, jumping, and turning, as well as their gait phase switching logic; Edge Autonomous Control Unit: Integrated into the joint controller; The integrated composite wiring harness of the main trunk connects the central computing unit and the plurality of intelligent joint modules: The flexible flat branch connector is located at the interface between the main wiring harness and the joint module. The branch connector has a flexible circuit board structure with ±180° torsion and ±90° bending.

[0008] Preferably, the integrated composite harness includes: a power conductor layer, an inner insulation layer, a signal transmission layer, a shielding layer, and an outer sheath. The power conductor layer uses multi-strand silver-plated copper alloy stranded wire for transmitting 48V~60V DC power. The inner insulation layer is made of cross-linked polyethylene material. The signal transmission layer comprises a pair of 100Mbps Ethernet physical layer twisted-pair cables and an optical fiber. The shielding layer consists of aluminum foil and tin-plated copper braided mesh, providing double-layer shielding. The outer sheath is made of flexible thermoplastic elastomer.

[0009] Preferably, after receiving the motion primitive ID and gait parameters from the central computing unit, the edge autonomous control unit autonomously completes gait phase switching, landing cushioning control, and joint-level force-position hybrid control based on real-time data from the local IMU and plantar pressure sensor. The edge autonomous control unit only communicates with the central computing unit for reporting or clock alignment when phase switching is completed, abnormal impact force is detected, or a preset periodic correction time is reached. During normal operation, the backbone network only transmits primitive IDs and a small amount of correction data, reducing bandwidth occupancy compared to the centralized command issuance mode.

[0010] Preferably, the flexible flat branch connector integrates a passive "T-shaped" coupling structure: the power conductor layer in the main integrated composite wire harness is directly connected to the power input end of the joint motor in the branch connector without passing through any active device; the signal transmission layer in the main integrated composite wire harness branches out a branch signal to the joint controller through the T-shaped structure.

[0011] Preferably, the flexible flat branch connector also integrates a high-speed isolation transformer and a common-mode choke. The high-speed isolation transformer and the common-mode choke are located on the signal tapping path to couple the Ethernet signal from the backbone differential pair to the Ethernet physical layer chip on the flexible circuit board, while isolating DC components and common-mode interference.

[0012] Preferably, the flexible flat branch connector also integrates a terminating resistor array, which is disposed on a flexible circuit board and includes multiple programmable matching resistors. The branch connector can automatically detect its topological position on the trunk harness and automatically connect matching resistors of corresponding resistance values ​​to eliminate signal reflection caused by impedance discontinuity at the branch point of high-speed signals. The flexible flat branch connector also integrates a single pair of Ethernet power supply circuits, which are used to extract power from the trunk signal pairs to provide low-power auxiliary power to the terminating resistor array and the front-end circuit of the joint controller inside the branch connector.

[0013] A method for an integrated power and signal transmission system for a humanoid robot includes the following steps: S1. System initialization and topology identification steps: After the system is powered on, the central computing unit initiates global clock synchronization through the TSN gateway. Each TSN slave module establishes nanosecond-level synchronization. The terminal resistor array in each flexible flat branch connector automatically detects its topology position on the trunk harness. The end node automatically connects to the end matching resistor, and the intermediate node automatically connects to the intermediate node matching resistor. S2. Motion Element Distribution and Edge Autonomous Execution Steps: The central computing unit distributes motion element IDs and gait parameters. After receiving these, each intelligent joint module is taken over by the edge autonomous control unit for local motion control, including gait phase switching, landing buffer control, and force-position hybrid control. S3. Event Triggering Reporting and Abnormal Handling Steps: The edge autonomous control unit only sends a status report to the central computing unit when the phase switching is completed, an abnormal impact force is detected, or the preset periodic correction time is reached. When an abnormal impact is triggered, the central computing unit immediately issues a safety protection command. S4. High-speed data backhaul and clock cycle correction steps: The intelligent joint module continuously backhauls high-speed sensing data through optical fiber, and the central computing unit initiates TSN clock resynchronization at each preset cycle correction time. S5. Branch connector power supply and harness health management steps: The PoDL circuit continuously extracts low-power energy from the main signal line pairs while monitoring the DC impedance of the signal line pairs. When an abnormal drop in impedance is detected, an early warning information is reported through an event triggering mechanism.

[0014] Preferably, the gait phase switching in S2 is based on the trunk tilt angle and angular velocity detected by the local IMU, combined with the grounding status of the plantar pressure sensor, to make autonomous decisions.

[0015] Preferably, the harness health index in S3 comes from the continuous monitoring of the DC impedance of the signal line pair by the branch connector PoDL circuit. When the impedance drops below a preset threshold, it is determined to be a micro-crack or wear of the harness.

[0016] Preferably, in S1, the typical value of the end matching resistor is 100Ω, the typical value of the intermediate node matching resistor is 120Ω, and the synchronization accuracy is controlled within ±20ns.

[0017] Compared with related technologies, the humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system provided by the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention provides a humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system. By integrating power and signal into a single composite harness, the total weight of the harness is reduced compared to separate wiring, and internal space of the joints is saved. The backbone network bandwidth occupancy is reduced through an edge autonomous control unit, the reflection of high-speed signals at branch points is eliminated through a terminal resistor array, and predictive maintenance of harness health is achieved through a PoDL circuit. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system provided by the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0020] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 ,in, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an integrated power and signal transmission system for a humanoid robot provided by the present invention. The integrated power and signal transmission system for a humanoid robot includes:

[0021] Central computing unit, several intelligent joint modules, integrated composite wiring harness and flexible flat branch connector; The central computing unit is located inside the robot's torso and includes a high-performance processor and a time-sensitive network gateway. It is used to generate global motion planning instructions and synchronize the global clock. The central computing unit is also used to issue motion primitive IDs and parameterization instructions, and to perform periodic clock correction and task synchronization for each joint module. The aforementioned intelligent joint modules are respectively installed at the joints of the robot's shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. Each module includes a motor and a reducer. Joint controller with built-in MCU and TSN slave module; Position sensors, torque sensors, and temperature sensors; Local IMU and plantar pressure sensor; Pre-stored motion primitive library: Stores motion primitives including periodic or explosive movements such as walking, jumping, and turning, as well as their gait phase switching logic; Edge Autonomous Control Unit: Integrated into the joint controller; The integrated composite wiring harness of the main trunk connects the central computing unit and the plurality of intelligent joint modules: The flexible flat branch connector is located at the interface between the main wiring harness and the joint module. The branch connector has a flexible circuit board structure with ±180° torsion and ±90° bending.

[0022] The main integrated composite harness includes: a power conductor layer, an inner insulation layer, a signal transmission layer, a shielding layer, and an outer sheath. The power conductor layer uses multi-strand silver-plated copper alloy stranded wire for transmitting 48V~60V DC power. The inner insulation layer is made of cross-linked polyethylene material. The signal transmission layer comprises a pair of 100Mbps Ethernet physical layer twisted-pair cables and an optical fiber. The shielding layer consists of aluminum foil and tin-plated copper braided mesh, providing double-layer shielding. The outer sheath is made of flexible thermoplastic elastomer.

[0023] After receiving the motion primitive ID and gait parameters from the central computing unit, the edge autonomous control unit autonomously completes gait phase switching, landing cushioning control, and joint-level force-position hybrid control based on real-time data from the local IMU and plantar pressure sensor. The edge autonomous control unit only communicates with the central computing unit for reporting or clock alignment when phase switching is completed, abnormal impact force is detected, or a preset periodic correction time is reached. During normal operation, the backbone network only transmits primitive IDs and a small amount of correction data, reducing bandwidth occupancy compared to the centralized command issuance mode.

[0024] The flexible flat branch connector integrates a passive "T-shaped" coupling structure: the power conductor layer in the main integrated composite wire harness is directly connected to the power input end of the joint motor in the branch connector without passing through any active device; the signal transmission layer in the main integrated composite wire harness branches out a branch signal to the joint controller through the T-shaped structure.

[0025] The flexible flat branch connector also integrates a high-speed isolation transformer and a common-mode choke. The high-speed isolation transformer and the common-mode choke are located on the signal tapping path to couple the Ethernet signal from the backbone differential line pair to the Ethernet physical layer chip on the flexible circuit board, while isolating DC components and common-mode interference.

[0026] The flexible flat branch connector also integrates a terminating resistor array, which is mounted on a flexible circuit board and includes multiple programmable matching resistors. The branch connector can automatically detect its topological position on the trunk harness and automatically connect matching resistors of corresponding resistance values ​​to eliminate signal reflection caused by impedance discontinuity at the branch point of high-speed signals. The flexible flat branch connector also integrates a single pair of Ethernet power supply circuits, which are used to extract power from the trunk signal pairs to provide low-power auxiliary power to the terminating resistor array and the front-end circuit of the joint controller inside the branch connector.

[0027] Compared with related technologies, the humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system provided by the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention provides a humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system. By integrating power and signal into a single composite harness, the total weight of the harness is reduced compared to separate wiring, and internal space of the joints is saved. The backbone network bandwidth occupancy is reduced through an edge autonomous control unit, the reflection of high-speed signals at branch points is eliminated through a terminal resistor array, and predictive maintenance of harness health is achieved through a PoDL circuit.

[0028] A method for an integrated power and signal transmission system for a humanoid robot includes the following steps: S1. System initialization and topology identification steps: After the system is powered on, the central computing unit initiates global clock synchronization through the TSN gateway. Each TSN slave module establishes nanosecond-level synchronization. The terminal resistor array in each flexible flat branch connector automatically detects its topology position on the trunk harness. The end node automatically connects to the end matching resistor, and the intermediate node automatically connects to the intermediate node matching resistor. S2. Motion Element Distribution and Edge Autonomous Execution Steps: The central computing unit distributes motion element IDs and gait parameters. After receiving these, each intelligent joint module is taken over by the edge autonomous control unit for local motion control, including gait phase switching, landing buffer control, and force-position hybrid control. S3. Event Triggering Reporting and Abnormal Handling Steps: The edge autonomous control unit only sends a status report to the central computing unit when the phase switching is completed, an abnormal impact force is detected, or the preset periodic correction time is reached. When an abnormal impact is triggered, the central computing unit immediately issues a safety protection command. S4. High-speed data backhaul and clock cycle correction steps: The intelligent joint module continuously backhauls high-speed sensing data through optical fiber, and the central computing unit initiates TSN clock resynchronization at each preset cycle correction time. S5. Branch connector power supply and harness health management steps: The PoDL circuit continuously extracts low-power energy from the main signal line pairs while monitoring the DC impedance of the signal line pairs. When an abnormal drop in impedance is detected, an early warning information is reported through an event triggering mechanism.

[0029] In S2, the gait phase switching is based on the trunk tilt angle and angular velocity detected by the local IMU, and the grounding status of the plantar pressure sensor is combined to make autonomous decisions.

[0030] The harness health index in S3 comes from the continuous monitoring of the DC impedance of the signal line pairs by the branch connector PoDL circuit. When the impedance drops below a preset threshold, it is determined to be a micro-crack or wear of the harness.

[0031] The typical value of the end matching resistor in S1 is 100Ω, the typical value of the intermediate node matching resistor is 120Ω, and the synchronization accuracy is controlled within ±20ns.

[0032] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system, characterized in that, include: Central computing unit, several intelligent joint modules, integrated composite wiring harness and flexible flat branch connector; The central computing unit is located inside the robot's torso and includes a high-performance processor and a time-sensitive network gateway. It is used to generate global motion planning instructions and synchronize the global clock. The central computing unit is also used to issue motion primitive IDs and parameterization instructions, and to perform periodic clock correction and task synchronization for each joint module. The aforementioned intelligent joint modules are respectively installed at the joints of the robot's shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. Each module includes a motor and a reducer. Joint controller with built-in MCU and TSN slave module; Position sensors, torque sensors, and temperature sensors; Local IMU and plantar pressure sensor; Pre-stored motion primitive library: Stores motion primitives including periodic or explosive movements such as walking, jumping, and turning, as well as their gait phase switching logic; Edge Autonomous Control Unit: Integrated into the joint controller; The integrated composite wiring harness of the main trunk connects the central computing unit and the plurality of intelligent joint modules: The flexible flat branch connector is located at the interface between the main wiring harness and the joint module. The branch connector has a flexible circuit board structure with ±180° torsion and ±90° bending.

2. The humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main integrated composite harness includes: a power conductor layer, an inner insulation layer, a signal transmission layer, a shielding layer, and an outer sheath. The power conductor layer uses multi-strand silver-plated copper alloy stranded wire for transmitting 48V~60V DC power. The inner insulation layer is made of cross-linked polyethylene material. The signal transmission layer comprises a pair of 100Mbps Ethernet physical layer twisted-pair cables and an optical fiber. The shielding layer consists of aluminum foil and tin-plated copper braided mesh, providing double-layer shielding. The outer sheath is made of flexible thermoplastic elastomer.

3. The humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, After receiving the motion primitive ID and gait parameters from the central computing unit, the edge autonomous control unit autonomously completes gait phase switching, landing cushioning control, and joint-level force-position hybrid control based on real-time data from the local IMU and plantar pressure sensor. The edge autonomous control unit only communicates with the central computing unit for reporting or clock alignment when phase switching is completed, abnormal impact force is detected, or a preset periodic correction time is reached. During normal operation, the backbone network only transmits primitive IDs and a small amount of correction data, reducing bandwidth occupancy compared to the centralized command issuance mode.

4. The humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible flat branch connector integrates a passive "T-shaped" coupling structure: the power conductor layer in the main integrated composite wire harness is directly connected to the power input end of the joint motor in the branch connector without passing through any active device; the signal transmission layer in the main integrated composite wire harness branches out a branch signal to the joint controller through the T-shaped structure.

5. The humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible flat branch connector also integrates a high-speed isolation transformer and a common-mode choke. The high-speed isolation transformer and the common-mode choke are located on the signal tapping path to couple the Ethernet signal from the backbone differential line pair to the Ethernet physical layer chip on the flexible circuit board, while isolating DC components and common-mode interference.

6. The humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible flat branch connector also integrates a terminating resistor array, which is mounted on a flexible circuit board and includes multiple programmable matching resistors. The branch connector can automatically detect its topological position on the trunk harness and automatically connect matching resistors of corresponding resistance values ​​to eliminate signal reflection caused by impedance discontinuity at the branch point of high-speed signals. The flexible flat branch connector also integrates a single pair of Ethernet power supply circuits, which are used to extract power from the trunk signal pairs to provide low-power auxiliary power to the terminating resistor array and the front-end circuit of the joint controller inside the branch connector.

7. A method for an integrated power and signal transmission system for a humanoid robot, as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. System initialization and topology identification steps: After the system is powered on, the central computing unit initiates global clock synchronization through the TSN gateway. Each TSN slave module establishes nanosecond-level synchronization. The terminal resistor array in each flexible flat branch connector automatically detects its topology position on the trunk harness. The end node automatically connects to the end matching resistor, and the intermediate node automatically connects to the intermediate node matching resistor. S2. Motion Element Distribution and Edge Autonomous Execution Steps: The central computing unit distributes motion element IDs and gait parameters. After receiving these, each intelligent joint module is taken over by the edge autonomous control unit for local motion control, including gait phase switching, landing buffer control, and force-position hybrid control. S3. Event Triggering Reporting and Abnormal Handling Steps: The edge autonomous control unit only sends a status report to the central computing unit when the phase switching is completed, an abnormal impact force is detected, or the preset periodic correction time is reached. When an abnormal impact is triggered, the central computing unit immediately issues a safety protection command. S4. High-speed data backhaul and clock cycle correction steps: The intelligent joint module continuously backhauls high-speed sensing data through optical fiber, and the central computing unit initiates TSN clock resynchronization at each preset cycle correction time. S5. Branch connector power supply and harness health management steps: The PoDL circuit continuously extracts low-power energy from the main signal line pairs while monitoring the DC impedance of the signal line pairs. When an abnormal drop in impedance is detected, an early warning information is reported through an event triggering mechanism.

8. The method of the humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system according to claim 7, characterized in that, In S2, the gait phase switching is based on the trunk tilt angle and angular velocity detected by the local IMU, and the grounding status of the plantar pressure sensor is combined to make autonomous decisions.

9. The method of the humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The harness health index in S3 comes from the continuous monitoring of the DC impedance of the signal line pairs by the branch connector PoDL circuit. When the impedance drops below a preset threshold, it is determined to be a micro-crack or wear of the harness.

10. The method of the humanoid robot power and signal integrated transmission system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The typical value of the end matching resistor in S1 is 100Ω, the typical value of the intermediate node matching resistor is 120Ω, and the synchronization accuracy is controlled within ±20ns.

Images