Method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area, and relates to the field of automation, and comprises: in response to the delivery robot identifying that it is about to enter or exit a restricted area, wherein the accommodation space of the restricted area is limited, and the number of passengers passing through or in the restricted area is limited; sensing the movement intention of the passengers in the restricted area around the delivery robot, and the space information of the restricted area; in response to the judgment result of the movement intention of the passengers in the restricted area, generating a delivery robot execution action instruction that conforms to the passing accommodation information of the restricted area and the movement intention of the passengers passing with the delivery robot, which meets the safety co-passing requirements, according to the behavior control strategy of the delivery robot, the passing accommodation information of the restricted area obtained by analyzing the space information of the restricted area; and driving the delivery robot to perform the corresponding action based on the execution action instruction. The present disclosure can improve the passing efficiency of entering and exiting the restricted area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of automation technology, and more specifically, to a method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area. Background Technology

[0002] When delivery robots are applied to complex delivery scenarios, they face restricted areas where pedestrians and other delivery robots coexist. Traditional solutions often treat people as obstacles, with the robot passively waiting until the obstacle disappears or changing course to avoid it. However, in specific restricted areas with limited space, intermingling pedestrian traffic, and varying pedestrian styles and timings, the overall decision-making complexity for delivery robots in such situations increases significantly. Traditional decision-making methods for delivery robots are no longer adequate for these complex scenarios; for example, prolonged periods of impassable traffic may occur, impacting delivery efficiency and service quality. Therefore, resolving the traffic dynamics between delivery robots and pedestrians in restricted spaces and improving traffic efficiency is a crucial issue that needs to be addressed in the field of delivery robot delivery. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a method for delivery robots to enter and exit restricted areas, thereby overcoming, at least to some extent, the problems of low efficiency and low service quality of delivery robots in restricted spaces due to limitations and defects in related technologies.

[0004] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this disclosure.

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area is provided, comprising: In response to the delivery robot recognizing that it is about to enter or leave a restricted area, wherein the restricted area has limited capacity and the number of passengers passing through or in the restricted area at the same time is limited; The sensor device senses the movement intention of the passenger in the restricted area around the delivery robot and the spatial information of the restricted area; the movement intention of the passenger includes the intention of the passenger to enter or leave the restricted area or the intention to move within the restricted area; In response to the judgment result of the movement intention of the passenger in the restricted area, based on the passage and capacity information obtained by analyzing the spatial information of the restricted area and the behavior control strategy of the delivery robot, a delivery robot execution action command is generated that conforms to the passage and capacity information of the restricted area and the movement intention of the passenger traveling with the delivery robot meets the safety co-travel requirements. The delivery robot is driven to perform corresponding actions based on the execution action instructions.

[0006] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: The restricted area is perceived, and the type of the restricted area is identified and determined. Based on the determination result of the restricted area type, a suitable passage mode for the delivery robot in the restricted area is obtained; wherein, the passage mode includes at least allowing the delivery robot and the passenger to pass through the restricted area together, or requiring the delivery robot and the passenger to pass through the restricted area sequentially. Based on the spatial information of the restricted area, the mode of passage, and the movement intention of the passenger, the delivery robot executes the action command according to the appropriate mode of passage.

[0007] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the process of determining the movement intention of the passenger in the restricted area includes, The movement tendency of the passenger is detected to determine the movement intention, the movement tendency including: the movement route of the passenger moving towards the restricted area or moving away from the restricted area; And / or, determine the movement intention based on the communication language emitted by the passenger regarding entering or leaving the restricted area.

[0008] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the delivery robot executes action commands including at least one of the following: Follow or enter or leave the restricted area together with the passenger, stay and wait for the passenger, exit the restricted area to allow the passenger to pass first, send interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger, or give up the current opportunity to pass through the restricted area and wait for the next opportunity to pass through the restricted area.

[0009] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the step of generating accessibility information for the restricted area and ensuring that the movement intention of the passenger traveling alongside the delivery robot meets the safe co-travel requirements includes the following: In response to the delivery robot's impending entry into a restricted area, the system determines whether the passenger already in the restricted area intends to leave, and determines the remaining space in the restricted area after the passenger leaves based on the restricted area's passage capacity information. It then determines whether the remaining space is sufficient to accommodate the delivery robot's current entry, thus determining the delivery robot's action command. The delivery robot's action command includes at least one of the following: entering the restricted area, sending interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger, or abandoning the current passage through the restricted area and waiting for the next opportunity to pass through the restricted area.

[0010] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: In response to the delivery robot about to leave the restricted area, it is determined whether the movement intention of the passengers traveling in the same restricted area is to leave the restricted area; wherein, the passengers include passengers that obstruct the delivery robot's movement path when leaving the restricted area, or passengers whose position obstructs the movement path when leaving the restricted area due to the delivery robot's location; The delivery robot generates action instructions based on the movement intention of the passenger, and the action instructions of the delivery robot include at least one of the following: leaving the restricted area directly, following the passenger out of the restricted area, or issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: When the delivery robot is in a non-access decision phase relative to the restricted area, in response to detecting the movement intention of the passenger, and when it is detected that the position of the delivery robot constitutes an obstruction to the passenger's movement route through or away from the restricted area, it is determined that the delivery robot needs to move to make way for the passenger to pass through or leave the restricted area. The delivery robot executes an action command including moving to make way for the key passage.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: In response to the detection of an emergency movement intention of a passenger, and based on the identification of the emergency movement intention, the delivery robot performs movement to avoid or exit the restricted area, allowing the emergency passenger to pass first.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: The restricted area type is a one-way restricted area. The system detects whether there are any objects traveling in the opposite direction to the delivery robot's route or whether there are any objects blocking the restricted area. The delivery robot executes an action command based on whether the object traveling in the opposite direction is in the process of passing through or based on the movement intention of the object blocking the restricted area. The action command executed by the delivery robot includes at least one of the following: directly passing through the restricted area, waiting for the object traveling in the opposite direction or the object blocking the restricted area to pass through completely before entering the restricted area, or issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the object.

[0014] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: The sensing device detects that the delivery robot has left the restricted area, and there is a passenger object at the exit of the restricted area that needs to enter the restricted area and is blocking the delivery robot's movement. The delivery robot executes action instructions including: issuing interactive information to the passenger object to delay entering the restricted area, instructing the passenger object to enter the restricted area after the delivery robot leaves the restricted area.

[0015] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the movement intention of a passenger in the restricted area includes: the passenger preparing to enter the restricted area, or the passenger preparing to leave the restricted area, or the passenger waiting, or the passenger preparing to perform an action unrelated to the restricted area.

[0016] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: If a dangerous behavior that affects the normal operation of a restricted area is detected, a hazard warning instruction corresponding to the dangerous behavior is output.

[0017] In one exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: When the robot follows or enters the restricted area with the passenger, it generates external interaction instructions for the restricted area and internal coordination interaction instructions for the passenger corresponding to the passenger. The internal coordination interaction instructions include guidance information indicating the direction of movement of the passenger and / or the spatial orientation that needs to be reserved in the restricted area, which are used to instruct the passenger that needs to move to move. The external interaction instructions are used to guide the movement of passenger outside the restricted area to provide a passage for the delivery robot to enter the restricted area.

[0018] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the technical solutions provide that the movement intention of the passengers in the restricted area around the delivery robot and the spatial information of the restricted area are perceived by the sensing device. Based on the passage capacity information obtained from the spatial information of the restricted area and the behavior control strategy of the delivery robot, the delivery robot's action instructions are generated and the actions of the delivery robot are automatically judged. Since the delivery robot's action instructions can be determined by combining multiple dimensions, intelligent coordinated passage between the delivery robot and the passengers can be realized, avoiding situations where they cannot travel together for a long time. This improves the delivery efficiency and service quality of the delivery robot and enhances the passage efficiency and safety in the restricted area.

[0019] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0021] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 2 This schematic diagram illustrates the process of generating action instructions for a delivery robot in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 3 This schematic diagram illustrates a delivery robot entering an elevator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates a delivery robot entering a gate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic block diagram illustrating a system for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this disclosure more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a full understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this disclosure can be practiced with one or more of these specific details omitted, or other methods, components, apparatus, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known technical solutions are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this disclosure.

[0027] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of this disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted. Some block diagrams shown in the drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0028] To address the technical problems in related technologies, this disclosure provides a method for a delivery robot to enter and exit restricted areas, which can be applied to delivery scenarios involving entry and exit from any type of restricted area. The delivery scenario can be any type of goods delivery, such as goods delivery within hotels, apartments, office buildings, residential communities, shopping malls, or transportation hubs.

[0029] Figure 1 This schematically illustrates a method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area, with reference to... Figure 1 The process described above mainly includes the following steps: Step S110, in response to the delivery robot recognizing that it is about to enter or leave a restricted area, wherein the restricted area has limited capacity and the number of passengers passing through or in the restricted area at the same time is limited; Step S120: The movement intention of the passenger in the restricted area around the delivery robot and the spatial information of the restricted area are sensed by the sensing device; the movement intention of the passenger includes the intention of the passenger to enter or leave the restricted area or the intention to move within the restricted area. Step S130: In response to the judgment result of the movement intention of the passenger in the restricted area, based on the passage and capacity information obtained by analyzing the spatial information of the restricted area and the behavior control strategy of the delivery robot, a delivery robot execution action instruction is generated that conforms to the passage and capacity information of the restricted area and the movement intention of the passenger traveling with the delivery robot meets the safety co-travel requirements. Step S140: Drive the delivery robot to perform the corresponding action based on the execution action instruction.

[0030] Next, refer to Figure 1 As shown, each step in the method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail.

[0031] In step S110, in response to the delivery robot recognizing that it is about to enter or leave a restricted area, wherein the restricted area has limited capacity and the number of passengers passing through or in the restricted area at the same time is limited.

[0032] In this embodiment of the disclosure, a restricted area refers to an area with limited space and a limited number of passengers passing through or within the restricted area at the same time. Restricted areas include, but are not limited to, elevators, turnstiles, revolving doors, vehicles, and narrow passageways.

[0033] Firstly, mapping can be achieved based on delivery robots. During the mapping phase, semantic objects are marked on the semantic map. These semantic objects include ordinary doors, automatic doors, turnstiles, revolving doors, elevators, narrow passages, etc. Simultaneously, attribute parameters for each semantic object can be defined, such as its location range, entrance location, exit location, waiting points, etc.

[0034] In some embodiments, the delivery robot acquires its real-time positioning information during operation, queries a semantic map based on this information, and determines the map annotation result by comparing the location range of the semantic objects marked in the semantic map with the real-time positioning information. The image acquisition unit and 3D LiDAR collect environmental data along the delivery robot's path, classify and verify the access facilities included in the environmental data to determine structural features, and then determine the real-time perception result corresponding to the environmental data based on these structural features. When the map annotation result matches the real-time perception result, a restricted area is identified, and the delivery robot has reached the vicinity of the restricted area. The type of restricted area is further analyzed based on the marked semantic objects corresponding to the map annotation result or based on the real-time perception result.

[0035] If the delivery robot detects that its real-time location is less than the entrance threshold of the restricted area or that it is at a waiting point in the restricted area, it will recognize that it is about to enter the restricted area; if the delivery robot detects that its real-time location is less than the exit threshold of the restricted area, it will recognize that it is about to leave the restricted area.

[0036] In step S120, the movement intention of the passenger in the restricted area around the delivery robot and the spatial information of the restricted area are sensed by the sensing device; the movement intention of the passenger includes the intention of the passenger to enter or leave the restricted area or the intention to move within the restricted area.

[0037] In this embodiment, the sensing device can be of various types, used to collect multimodal information. The sensing device can be mounted on the delivery robot and / or deployed inside or around a restricted area. The sensing device can be a 3D LiDAR, depth camera, vision camera, etc. The "riding object" refers to an object that is about to ride with the delivery robot in the same restricted area or is already in the same restricted area as the delivery robot. This object can include any type of object, such as a person or other objects. The riding object can be located outside or inside the restricted area. The delivery robot and the riding object may influence each other's entry and exit from the same restricted area. The restricted area refers to the area surrounding the delivery robot, with the smallest distance to the delivery robot, limited space, and a limited number of riding objects that can simultaneously pass through or be in the restricted area.

[0038] For example, the movement tendency of the passenger can be detected to determine the movement intention. The movement tendency includes: a movement route for the passenger to move towards or away from the restricted area; and / or, the movement intention can be determined by analyzing the communication language emitted by the passenger regarding entering or leaving the restricted area. Here, the movement tendency is used to represent the movement trend of the passenger. When the movement tendency is a movement route for the passenger to move towards the restricted area, the movement intention of the passenger is determined to be entering the restricted area. When the movement tendency is a movement route for the passenger to move away from the restricted area, the movement intention of the passenger is determined to be leaving the restricted area. In addition, the communication language emitted by the passenger regarding entering or leaving the restricted area can be acquired, and semantic analysis and recognition can be performed on the communication language to determine the movement intention of the passenger. It should be noted that the movement intention of the passenger can be adjusted and changed after the passenger interacts with the delivery robot via voice. When there is a change in intention, the subsequent steps of generating delivery robot action execution instructions are executed based on the changed movement intention.

[0039] When a passenger exhibits a tendency to move and utters communicative language regarding entering or leaving a restricted area, a first preliminary intention is obtained based on the passenger's movement tendency; a second language intention is obtained from the communicative language through speech recognition and semantic analysis; multimodal fusion reasoning is performed on the first preliminary intention and the corresponding second language intention; when the first preliminary intention and the corresponding second language intention are... Figure 1 When the first preliminary intention or the second language intention is inconsistent, the first preliminary intention is modified based on the second language intention to obtain the movement intention.

[0040] For the restricted area in this embodiment of the disclosure, the movement intention of a passenger within the restricted area includes: the passenger's intention to enter the restricted area, the passenger's intention to leave the restricted area, or the passenger's intention to move and adjust its position within the restricted area. Specifically, the movement intention may include the passenger preparing to enter the restricted area, or the passenger preparing to leave the restricted area, or the passenger waiting, or the passenger moving within the restricted area, or the passenger preparing to perform an action unrelated to the restricted area.

[0041] Spatial information of restricted areas refers to the unoccupied remaining space in the restricted area. The remaining space is used to determine whether it can accommodate other passengers or delivery robots.

[0042] In step S130, in response to the judgment result of the movement intention of the passenger in the restricted area, based on the passage and capacity information obtained by analyzing the spatial information of the restricted area and the behavior control strategy of the delivery robot, an action command for the delivery robot to execute is generated that conforms to the passage and capacity information of the restricted area and the movement intention of the passenger traveling with the delivery robot meets the safety co-travel requirements.

[0043] In this embodiment of the disclosure, spatial information analysis of the restricted area yields access capacity information. When the restricted area is an elevator, revolving door, or similar structure, the access capacity information indicates whether the restricted area can accommodate a delivery robot and the number of passengers that can still be accommodated within the restricted area. Alternatively, when the restricted area is a turnstile, the access capacity information can be used to indicate whether the restricted area can accommodate passengers or a delivery robot.

[0044] After obtaining the movement intention of passengers traveling within the restricted area, the delivery robot can generate action commands based on the judgment of the passengers' movement intention, the passage capacity information obtained from the spatial information analysis of the restricted area, and the delivery robot's behavior control strategy. These commands should conform to the passage capacity information of the restricted area and the movement intention of passengers traveling alongside the delivery robot should meet the safety requirements for shared travel. The behavior control strategy can be a dynamically adjustable passage control method for the delivery robot through the restricted area. Specifically, it refers to determining the passage method the delivery robot should adopt in the restricted area based on the current environmental state of the delivery robot, the type of restricted area, the movement intention of the passengers, and the passage capacity information. For example, when the restricted area is saturated and entry is prohibited, the behavior control strategy could be to queue at a certain location. When a change in the movement intention of a passenger is detected, the behavior control strategy can be dynamically adjusted to update the action commands in real time.

[0045] In some embodiments, the system acquires the judgment result of the passenger's movement intention towards the restricted area, as well as the restricted area's capacity information, and loads a behavior control strategy for the delivery robot that matches the type of the restricted area. Based on the passenger's movement intention, the system predicts the change in the number of passengers within the restricted area, and combines this with the current number of passengers and the change in that number to obtain the estimated number of passengers occupying the restricted area. The estimated number of passengers occupying the restricted area is compared with the capacity information to determine whether the capacity conditions are met. If the capacity conditions are met, the joint behavior control strategy analysis generates a delivery robot execution command that the delivery robot can recognize. The delivery robot's execution command conforms to the restricted area's capacity information, and the movement intention of the passenger traveling alongside the delivery robot conforms to the safe co-travel requirements of the restricted area. The safe co-travel requirements ensure that the delivery robot and the passenger can safely co-travel within the restricted area without collisions or conflicts. For example, if the travel path of the passenger traveling alongside the delivery robot does not conflict with the delivery robot's route, the safe co-travel requirements are deemed met.

[0046] The generated delivery robot's action commands include at least one of the following: following or entering or leaving a restricted area with the passenger; stopping and waiting for the passenger; exiting the restricted area to allow the passenger priority; issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger; and abandoning the current opportunity to pass through the restricted area and waiting for the next opportunity. The interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger can be voice or text messages indicating the order or path of passage, and can be generated based on the delivery robot's environmental state and its upcoming entry into or exit from the restricted area. The interactive information can include one or more of the following: guidance information for entering or leaving the restricted area; crowd control information; safety reminders; and courtesy reminders, such as "Please wait a moment, I'm exiting the elevator," or "Please take the next elevator or another elevator." The interactive information can be tailored to the environment of the delivery robot, identifying the passenger group and determining the style of the interactive information output.

[0047] When the delivery robot follows or enters a restricted area with a passenger, it generates external interaction instructions for the restricted area and internal coordination interaction instructions corresponding to the passenger within the restricted area. The internal coordination interaction instructions include guidance information indicating the direction of movement for the passenger and / or the required space within the restricted area. The external interaction instructions guide passengers outside the restricted area to move to make way for the delivery robot to enter. Specifically, the internal coordination interaction instructions include the location of the moving passenger and the required range and direction of movement. The external interaction instructions include the direction and distance of movement for passengers outside the restricted area.

[0048] In some embodiments, a restricted area is perceived, and the type of restricted area is identified. Specifically, the type of restricted area is determined by matching the delivery robot's real-time location information with a semantic map and combining the matching results with visual matching results. Next, based on the determination of the restricted area type, a suitable passage method for the delivery robot in the restricted area is obtained. This passage method includes at least allowing the delivery robot and passengers to pass through the restricted area together, or requiring the delivery robot and passengers to pass through the restricted area sequentially. For example, based on the correspondence between the restricted area type and pre-configured multiple passage methods, a passage method that matches the identified restricted area is determined. When the restricted area type is an elevator, subway, transportation vehicle, or revolving door, the passage method allows multiple passengers to pass through together or allows multiple passengers and the delivery robot to pass through together. When the restricted area type is a turnstile, the passage method requires the delivery robot and passengers to pass through the restricted area sequentially, with only one passenger or one delivery person allowed to pass at a time.

[0049] Based on this, and using the spatial information of the detected restricted area, the passage method, and the movement intention of the passengers, the appropriate action commands for the delivery robot to execute are determined. Specifically, the passage capacity is determined by analyzing the spatial information of the restricted area. Based on the passage capacity, the passage method of the restricted area, and the movement intention of the passengers traveling with the delivery robot, the appropriate action commands for the delivery robot to execute when entering and exiting this type of restricted area are determined. When entering the restricted area, if the passage capacity is sufficient, the appropriate action commands for the delivery robot to execute can be determined based on whether the delivery robot and the passengers are blocking each other's path. If there is no obstruction, the delivery robot can execute actions such as following or entering the restricted area together with the passengers, or issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passengers. If there is obstruction, the delivery robot can execute actions such as exiting the restricted area to allow the passengers priority passage, waiting for the passengers, or issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passengers. When the passage capacity is insufficient, the delivery robot can execute actions such as abandoning the current attempt to pass through the restricted area and waiting for the next opportunity. When leaving the restricted area, the action commands for delivery robots that comply with the passage rules are determined based on whether the delivery robot and the passenger are obstructing each other's path. If there is no obstruction, the delivery robot can follow or leave the restricted area together with the passenger, or send interactive messages to coordinate passage with the passenger. If there is obstruction, the delivery robot can stop and wait for the passenger, or send interactive messages to coordinate passage with the passenger.

[0050] In some embodiments, when the restricted area type is a non-one-way restricted area, the delivery robot's action command can be determined based on whether the delivery robot is about to enter or leave the restricted area. For example, a non-one-way restricted area is a non-one-way turnstile, such as an elevator, a vehicle, or a narrow passage. In response to the delivery robot's impending entry into the restricted area, it is determined whether the passenger already in the restricted area intends to leave, and the remaining space in the restricted area after the passenger leaves is determined based on the restricted area's capacity information. It is then determined whether the remaining space is sufficient to accommodate the delivery robot's current entry. If sufficient, the generated delivery robot action command may include: entering the restricted area and issuing interaction information to coordinate passage with the passenger. Issuing interaction information to coordinate passage with the passenger can be used to indicate the delivery robot's current entry, whether the passenger needs to move, and providing direction guidance. If insufficient, the generated delivery robot action command may include: abandoning the current passage through the restricted area and waiting for the next opportunity to pass through, and issuing interaction information to coordinate passage with the passenger. The system sends interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger, instructing the delivery robot not to enter the restricted area this time. If the restricted area has sufficient capacity, the delivery robot will move forward or to the side after entering the restricted area to allow other objects to enter.

[0051] In response to the delivery robot's impending departure from the restricted area, the system determines whether any passengers traveling alongside it within the restricted area intend to leave the area. These passengers include those obstructing the delivery robot's path out of the restricted area, or those whose location obstructs the robot's path out of the restricted area. In other words, either the passenger is obstructing the delivery robot from leaving the restricted area, or the delivery robot is obstructing the passenger from leaving the restricted area.

[0052] The delivery robot generates action instructions based on the movement intention of the passenger. For example, in response to the delivery robot about to leave a restricted area, if the passenger is obstructing the delivery robot's path out of the restricted area, the delivery robot's action instructions include following the passenger out of the restricted area and issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger. If the passenger is obstructing the delivery robot's path out of the restricted area due to its location, the delivery robot's action instructions include directly leaving the restricted area, and may also include issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger.

[0053] In response to a delivery robot about to leave a restricted area, but the passenger's intention is not to leave, if the passenger is obstructing the delivery robot's path out of the restricted area, the delivery robot's action command includes issuing an interactive message to coordinate passage with the passenger. This interactive message is a voice message instructing the passenger to make way for the delivery robot's exit from the restricted area, such as "Please make way, I need to exit." After issuing the interactive message and detecting that the passenger has made way for the delivery robot's exit from the restricted area, the delivery robot executes the action command to leave the restricted area.

[0054] When it is detected that the delivery robot is about to leave the restricted area, and there is a passenger who needs to enter the restricted area and is blocking the delivery robot's movement at the exit of the restricted area, the generated action command for the delivery robot is to issue a delayed entry into the restricted area interactive voice for the passenger. The delayed entry into the restricted area interactive voice is used to instruct the passenger to enter the restricted area after the delivery robot leaves the restricted area, so as to avoid congestion and improve safety.

[0055] It should be noted that when the delivery robot is about to leave the restricted area, the action command executed by the delivery robot does not include abandoning the departure from the restricted area.

[0056] When a revolving door is located in a non-one-way restricted area, the robot's ability to pass through can be determined based on the distance from the delivery robot to the revolving door, the revolving door's operating speed, the door's position, and the safe passage gap. For example, the distance from the delivery robot to the revolving door, the robot's travel speed, the revolving door's operating speed, the door's position, and the safe passage gap are collected in real time. Based on the distance and the delivery robot's travel speed, the arrival time of the delivery robot at the revolving door entrance is calculated. Based on the current door position and operating speed, the door distribution at the arrival time is predicted to determine if there is an empty sector with a minimum safe passage gap, and the duration of this empty sector is calculated. Based on the delivery robot's size information and travel speed, the passage time required for the delivery robot to completely pass through the revolving door is calculated. If an empty sector exists at the arrival time that meets the delivery robot's size information, and the duration of the empty sector is not less than the sum of the delivery robot's passage time and the safety threshold, then the delivery robot is determined to be able to pass through the empty door, and the generated delivery robot action command may include: Enter the restricted area this time. If it is determined that the delivery robot cannot pass through the current empty door, the generated action instructions for the delivery robot may include: abandoning the current attempt to pass through the restricted area and waiting for the next opportunity to pass through the restricted area.

[0057] In some embodiments, during the non-access decision phase of a relatively restricted area, in response to detecting the movement intention of a passenger, if the delivery robot's current position obstructs the passenger's path through or out of the restricted area, it is determined that the delivery robot needs to move to make way for the passenger's critical passage through or out of the restricted area. The generated action instruction for the delivery robot includes moving to make way for the critical passage. Here, the non-access decision phase of a relatively restricted area refers to a restricted area associated with the pickup or delivery address in the waybill being delivered by the delivery robot. If the passenger's movement intention is to leave the restricted area, but the delivery robot is blocking the passenger's path through or out of the restricted area, the delivery robot needs to move to make way for the critical passage in the path. The passenger's movement path is determined based on the positional relationship with the delivery robot and the critical passage.

[0058] When the restricted area type is a one-way restricted area, it means that only one direction of travel is allowed at a time. In response to the delivery robot's imminent entry or exit from the restricted area, it determines whether any passengers already within the restricted area intend to leave. If so, the generated action instructions for the delivery robot may include: entering the restricted area this time, and issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger. Issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger can indicate the delivery robot's entry, whether the passenger needs to move, and the direction of movement.

[0059] The restricted area type is a one-way restricted area represented by the turnstile. The system determines whether passengers already within the restricted area intend to leave. If no intention to leave is found, it detects whether there are passengers traveling in the opposite direction to the delivery robot's route or whether there are passengers blocking the restricted area. Based on whether the passenger traveling in the opposite direction is currently passing through or the intention of the passenger blocking the restricted area, the delivery robot executes the following actions: When the passenger traveling in the opposite direction is currently passing through, the delivery robot executes the following actions: waits for the passenger to pass completely before entering the restricted area and sends an interactive message to coordinate passage with the passenger. If there is a passenger blocking the restricted area, the robot determines its movement intention based on the movement tendency of the blocking passenger. If no movement tendency is found, the intention is considered continuous obstruction. Furthermore, the system can detect whether there are other passengers traveling alongside the passenger blocking the restricted area. If other passengers are present, the delivery robot executes the following actions: waits for the passenger blocking the restricted area to pass completely before entering the restricted area and sends an interactive message to coordinate passage with the passenger. If no other passengers are present, the delivery robot's action instructions include: issuing an interactive message to coordinate passage with the passengers. This message prompts any passengers obstructing the restricted area to make way for entry. Alternatively, the delivery robot's action instructions can be determined by a pre-set priority system for one-way passage within the restricted area.

[0060] In step S140, the delivery robot is driven to perform the corresponding action based on the execution action instruction.

[0061] In this embodiment of the disclosure, after obtaining the action instruction for the delivery robot, the action instruction can be sent to the delivery robot to drive the delivery robot to complete the corresponding action of the action instruction.

[0062] In this embodiment of the disclosure, in response to detecting an emergency movement intention of a passenger, the delivery robot can identify an emergency passenger based on the emergency movement intention, and perform movement avoidance or exit the restricted area to allow the emergency passenger to pass first. The emergency movement intention can be an intention to carry out rescue or an intention to board an imminent vehicle within the transportation hub area. For example, scene perception data is acquired, and the motion timing features, human posture features, accessory device features, and interactive voice features of the passenger are extracted based on the scene perception data. The presence of an emergency passenger is determined based on the motion timing features, human posture features, accessory device features, and interactive voice features. If so, the passenger is identified as an emergency passenger. When approaching a restricted area, if the restricted area cannot accommodate both the emergency passenger and the delivery robot's entry, the delivery robot exits the restricted area to allow the emergency passenger to pass first. When leaving the restricted area, the delivery robot performs movement avoidance to allow the emergency passenger to pass first. Delivery robots can move to avoid obstacles or leave restricted areas, allowing those in urgent need of transportation to pass first, thus ensuring efficient passage in emergency situations.

[0063] In some embodiments, if a dangerous behavior affecting the normal operation of a restricted area is detected, a hazard warning instruction corresponding to the dangerous behavior is output. The dangerous behavior could be jumping within the restricted area or blocking the door of the restricted area. The delivery robot can output warning instructions to indicate dangerous behavior.

[0064] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the specific flowchart for generating action instructions for a delivery robot. (See reference) Figure 2 As shown, it includes: Step S201: The delivery robot identifies the restricted area and determines the type of restricted area.

[0065] Step S202: The restricted area type is elevator, revolving door, vehicle, narrow passage, and the delivery robot is about to enter or leave the restricted area.

[0066] Step S203: Based on the movement intentions of passengers in the restricted area surrounding the delivery robot, the passage and capacity information of the restricted area, and the delivery robot's behavior control strategy, generate action instructions for the delivery robot to execute. (Reference) Figure 3 As shown, a delivery robot is about to enter an elevator, but there is a passenger blocking its way. The delivery robot can send an interactive message to coordinate passage with the passenger. After the passenger gives way to the key passage on its route, the delivery robot enters the elevator.

[0067] Step S204: The restricted area type is a one-way access gate, and the delivery robot is about to enter or leave the restricted area.

[0068] Step S205: Based on whether the object traveling in the opposite direction at the one-way access gate is currently passing through, or based on the movement intention of the object in the restricted area, determine the action command to be executed by the delivery robot. (Reference) Figure 4 As shown, the delivery robot is about to enter the gate and can enter the gate after the reverse passage object leaving the gate has completely passed through the gate.

[0069] To address the issues of confusing decision-making and lack of interaction when multiple types of passengers coexist in restricted areas, this disclosure proposes a multimodal perception-based intelligent decision-making and voice interaction system for entering or leaving restricted areas. This system can analyze the movement intentions of passengers traveling with the delivery robot in the remaining space within the restricted area in real time, automatically determine whether to enter or leave the restricted area or wait, and provide courtesy and guidance through voice prompts, thereby significantly improving the passage efficiency and safety of restricted areas.

[0070] Integrating spatial detection, object recognition, and scene understanding capabilities, this system can cover various scenarios for travel in restricted areas, enabling automated decisions for entering or leaving these areas without human intervention, thus improving intelligence and efficiency in accessing restricted areas. It generates differentiated voice prompts for different scenarios, guiding passengers to cooperate with the delivery robot in entering or leaving restricted areas in a polite and natural manner, effectively reducing traffic congestion caused by communication gaps and improving overall traffic efficiency in restricted areas.

[0071] This disclosure also provides a system for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area. Figure 5 The diagram shows a schematic of a delivery robot entering and exiting a restricted area. (Refer to...) Figure 5 As shown, the system 500 for delivery robots to enter and exit restricted areas mainly includes the following modules: Sensor layer 501 collects scene data of the restricted area corresponding to the location of the delivery robot; The object spatiotemporal detection module 502 is used to determine the movement intention of a vehicle in a restricted area based on scene data; The decision engine 503 is used to generate action instructions for the delivery robot to execute based on the fact that the delivery robot is about to enter or leave the restricted area, the movement intention of the passenger, the spatial information of the restricted area, and the behavior control strategy of the delivery robot. Interaction module 504 is used to generate and send interactive information to coordinate passage with the riding object; The execution layer 505 is used to drive the delivery robot to perform corresponding actions based on the execution action instructions.

[0072] The sensor layer includes, but is not limited to, sensors such as cameras, radar, and Time-of-Flight (TOF) sensors. The object spatiotemporal detection module analyzes the collected scene data and outputs a remaining space estimate and movement intention. The decision engine integrates the outputs from the above modules, combined with the current stage of entering or leaving the restricted area, to generate action commands for the delivery robot. These commands include following or entering / leaving the restricted area with the passenger, stopping and waiting for the passenger, exiting the restricted area to allow the passenger priority, issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger, and abandoning the current attempt to pass through the restricted area and waiting for the next opportunity. The voice interaction module plays corresponding voice prompts based on the delivery robot's action commands, completing natural language interaction with the passenger. The execution layer controls the delivery robot to complete corresponding movement actions, such as moving forward, backward, moving to the side, and waiting.

[0073] It should be noted that the specific details of each unit in the system for the delivery robot to enter and exit restricted areas have been described in detail in the corresponding methods, and will not be repeated here.

[0074] An exemplary embodiment of this disclosure also provides a delivery robot. This delivery robot can perform the aforementioned method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area. Generally, the delivery robot may include a processor and a memory, the memory for storing executable instructions of the processor, and the processor configured to execute the aforementioned method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area by executing the executable instructions. Furthermore, the delivery robot may also include a display for presenting a display interface of the delivery robot.

[0075] The following description uses a general-purpose computing device as an example to illustrate a delivery robot. This delivery robot is merely an example and should not be construed as limiting the functionality and scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0076] The components of the delivery robot may include, but are not limited to: at least one processing unit, at least one storage unit, a bus connecting different system components (including storage units and processing units), and a display unit.

[0077] The storage unit stores program code that can be executed by the processing unit, causing the processing unit to perform the steps described in the "Exemplary Methods" section of this specification according to various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. For example, the processing unit can perform actions such as... Figure 1 The steps are shown in the figure.

[0078] The storage unit may include readable media in the form of volatile storage units, such as random access memory (RAM) and / or cache storage units, and may further include read-only memory (ROM).

[0079] The storage unit may also include a program / utility having a set (at least one) of program modules, including but not limited to: an operating system, one or more applications, other program modules, and program data, each or some combination of these examples may include an implementation of a network environment.

[0080] A bus can represent one or more of several types of bus structures, including a memory cell bus or memory cell controller, a peripheral bus, a graphics acceleration port, a processing unit, or a local bus that uses any of the various bus structures.

[0081] The delivery robot can also communicate with one or more external devices (e.g., keyboards, pointing devices, Bluetooth devices, etc.), one or more devices that enable users to interact with the robot, and / or any device that enables the robot to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., routers, modems, etc.). This communication can be achieved through input / output (I / O) interfaces. Furthermore, the delivery robot can communicate with one or more networks (e.g., local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and / or public networks, such as the Internet) via a network adapter. As shown in the figure, the network adapter communicates with other modules of the delivery robot via a bus. It should be understood that, although not shown in the figure, other hardware and / or software modules can be used in conjunction with the delivery robot, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems.

[0082] It should be noted that some embodiments of this disclosure also provide a computer program product, which includes a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area as described above.

[0083] In one implementation, the computer program product can be a tangible product containing a computer program, such as a computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program. The readable storage medium can be a storage medium based on electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or other signals, including but not limited to: random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), solid-state drive (SSD), etc. For example, the computer program product can be implemented as a non-volatile storage medium storing a computer program, such as read-only memory, NAND flash memory, etc.

[0084] In one implementation, the computer program product can be an intangible product containing a computer program. For example, the computer program product can be implemented as a virtual digital product, such as an executable file, installation package, or other digital file storing the computer program.

[0085] Computer program code can be written in one or more programming languages. Examples of programming languages ​​include C, Java, and C++. Program code can execute entirely on the user's computing device, partially on the user's computing device, or as a standalone software package. It can also execute partially on the user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In cases involving remote computing devices, the remote computing device can be connected to the user's computing device via any type of network, such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or it can be connected to an external computing device (e.g., via an internet connection provided by a mobile network operator).

[0086] Computer programs can be carried or transmitted via signals such as electricity, magnetism, light, electromagnetic fields, and infrared radiation. Delivery robots can convert signals carrying computer programs into digital signals, thereby executing the computer programs. When a computer program runs on a delivery robot, its code is used to cause the delivery robot to execute (more specifically, the delivery robot's processor to execute) the method steps of various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0087] From the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of this disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to cause a computing device (such as a personal computer, server, client device, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0088] Furthermore, the above figures are merely illustrative of the processes included in the method according to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to be limiting. It is readily understood that the processes shown in the above figures do not indicate or limit the temporal order of these processes. Additionally, it is readily understood that these processes may be executed synchronously or asynchronously, for example, in multiple modules.

[0089] It should be noted that although several modules or units for the device used to perform actions have been mentioned in the detailed description above, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in one module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided and embodied by multiple modules or units.

[0090] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the claims.

[0091] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area, characterized in that, include: In response to the delivery robot recognizing that it is about to enter or leave a restricted area, wherein the restricted area has limited capacity and the number of passengers passing through or in the restricted area at the same time is limited; The sensor device senses the movement intention of the passenger in the restricted area around the delivery robot and the spatial information of the restricted area; the movement intention of the passenger includes the intention of the passenger to enter or leave the restricted area or the intention to move within the restricted area; In response to the judgment result of the movement intention of the passenger in the restricted area, based on the passage and capacity information obtained by analyzing the spatial information of the restricted area and the behavior control strategy of the delivery robot, a delivery robot execution action command is generated that conforms to the passage and capacity information of the restricted area and the movement intention of the passenger traveling with the delivery robot meets the safety co-travel requirements. The delivery robot is driven to perform corresponding actions based on the execution action instructions.

2. The method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The restricted area is perceived, and the type of the restricted area is identified and determined. Based on the determination result of the restricted area type, a suitable passage mode for the delivery robot in the restricted area is obtained; wherein, the passage mode includes at least allowing the delivery robot and the passenger to pass through the restricted area together, or requiring the delivery robot and the passenger to pass through the restricted area sequentially. Based on the spatial information of the restricted area, the mode of passage, and the movement intention of the passenger, the delivery robot executes the action command according to the appropriate mode of passage.

3. The method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of determining the movement intention of passengers in the restricted area. include, The movement tendency of the passenger is detected to determine the movement intention, the movement tendency including: the movement route of the passenger moving towards the restricted area or moving away from the restricted area; And / or, determine the movement intention based on the communication language emitted by the passenger regarding entering or leaving the restricted area.

4. The method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to claim 1, characterized in that, The delivery robot executes action commands including at least one of the following: Follow or enter or leave the restricted area together with the passenger, stay and wait for the passenger, exit the restricted area to allow the passenger to pass first, send interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger, or give up the current opportunity to pass through the restricted area and wait for the next opportunity to pass through the restricted area.

5. The method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to claim 1, characterized in that, The delivery robot executes action commands that generate accessibility information conforming to the restricted area and whose movement intentions of passengers traveling alongside the delivery robot meet the safe co-travel requirements, including: In response to the delivery robot's impending entry into a restricted area, the system determines whether the passenger already in the restricted area intends to leave, and determines the remaining space in the restricted area after the passenger leaves based on the restricted area's passage capacity information. It then determines whether the remaining space is sufficient to accommodate the delivery robot's current entry, thus determining the delivery robot's action command. The delivery robot's action command includes at least one of the following: entering the restricted area, sending interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger, or abandoning the current passage through the restricted area and waiting for the next opportunity to pass through the restricted area.

6. The method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: In response to the delivery robot about to leave the restricted area, it is determined whether the movement intention of the passengers traveling in the same restricted area is to leave the restricted area; wherein, the passengers include passengers that obstruct the delivery robot's movement path when leaving the restricted area, or passengers whose position obstructs the movement path when leaving the restricted area due to the delivery robot's location; The delivery robot generates action instructions based on the movement intention of the passenger, and the action instructions of the delivery robot include at least one of the following: leaving the restricted area directly, following the passenger out of the restricted area, or issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the passenger.

7. The method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the delivery robot is in a non-access decision phase relative to the restricted area, in response to detecting the movement intention of the passenger, and when it is detected that the position of the delivery robot constitutes an obstruction to the passenger's movement route through or away from the restricted area, it is determined that the delivery robot needs to move to make way for the passenger to pass through or leave the restricted area. The delivery robot executes an action command including moving to make way for the key passage.

8. The method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: In response to the detection of an emergency movement intention of a passenger, and based on the identification of the emergency movement intention, the delivery robot performs movement to avoid or exit the restricted area, allowing the emergency passenger to pass first.

9. The method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The restricted area type is a one-way restricted area. The system detects whether there are any objects traveling in the opposite direction to the delivery robot's route or whether there are any objects blocking the restricted area. The delivery robot executes an action command based on whether the object traveling in the opposite direction is in the process of passing through or based on the movement intention of the object blocking the restricted area. The action command executed by the delivery robot includes at least one of the following: directly passing through the restricted area, waiting for the object traveling in the opposite direction or the object blocking the restricted area to pass through completely before entering the restricted area, or issuing interactive information to coordinate passage with the object.

10. The method for a delivery robot to enter and exit a restricted area according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: The sensing device detects that the delivery robot has left the restricted area, and there is a passenger object at the exit of the restricted area that needs to enter the restricted area and is blocking the delivery robot's movement. The delivery robot executes action instructions including: issuing interactive information to the passenger object to delay entering the restricted area, instructing the passenger object to enter the restricted area after the delivery robot leaves the restricted area.

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