Rail-mounted equipment inventory inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology

Abstract

The application discloses a track type equipment inventory inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology, which comprises a track moving unit, a holder unit, a passive RFID collecting unit, a wireless communication unit, a main control unit and a power supply unit; the track moving unit is movably installed on a track, and comprises a first mounting bracket, two track driving wheels and a driving motor; the two track driving wheels are symmetrically installed on the inner sides of the left and right side plates of the first mounting bracket; the holder unit is installed at the bottom of the first mounting bracket, and the passive RFID collecting unit, the wireless communication unit, the main control unit and the power supply unit are respectively installed on the holder unit; the main control unit is electrically connected with the driving motor, the holder unit, the passive RFID collecting unit and the wireless communication unit. The application has the advantages of low cost, low power consumption, lightweight structure, convenient maintenance and wide deployment in indoor fixed asset management scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of equipment inspection and asset management, and in particular to a track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing number of fixed assets in large laboratories, libraries, warehouses, and office buildings of enterprises and institutions, traditional manual inventory methods can no longer meet the needs of modern asset management in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and real-time performance. Existing track-based inspection robots mostly use complex modules such as high-definition cameras, industrial control computers, behavior recognition, and image analysis. They are typically used for tasks such as security monitoring and environmental inspection. Their system structure is complex, costly, power-consuming, and requires frequent maintenance, making them unsuitable for scenarios that only require asset tag reading.

[0003] For environments where the primary objective is fixed asset inventory, high-resolution cameras, video processing modules, and behavior recognition algorithms are not necessary. These increase overall equipment and maintenance costs, while also raising system power consumption and structural complexity. On the other hand, some inspection equipment uses active RFID technology, requiring independently powered active tags, which is costly and unsuitable for long-term deployment with large numbers of assets.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to design a track-mounted inspection device with a simpler structure, more controllable cost, lower power consumption, stable operation on the track, and reliable acquisition of passive RFID tag information to meet the needs of large-scale fixed asset inventory tasks. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology, which has the advantages of low cost, low power consumption, lightweight structure, convenient maintenance, and wide deployment in indoor fixed asset management scenarios.

[0006] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0007] A track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology includes a track moving unit, a gimbal unit, a passive RFID acquisition unit, a wireless communication unit, a main control unit, and a power supply unit. The track moving unit is movably mounted on a track and includes a first mounting bracket, two track drive wheels, and a drive motor. The two track drive wheels are symmetrically mounted on the inner sides of the left and right side plates of the first mounting bracket, respectively located on the left and right sides of the track, and the wheel surfaces of both track drive wheels are in contact with the lower edge of the track. Each track drive wheel is driven by a separate drive motor to rotate, enabling the inspection robot to move stably along the front-back direction of the track. The gimbal unit is mounted at the bottom of the first mounting bracket, and the passive RFID acquisition unit, wireless communication unit, main control unit, and power supply unit are respectively mounted on the gimbal unit. The RFID acquisition unit is used to sense and parse the passive RFID tags in the surrounding area. The pan-tilt unit is used to drive the passive RFID acquisition unit mounted on it to rotate around the vertical axis, thereby adjusting the recognition coverage and recognition angle of the passive RFID acquisition unit for the surrounding passive RFID tags. The main control unit is electrically connected to the drive motor, the pan-tilt unit, the passive RFID acquisition unit, and the wireless communication unit, respectively. It is used to control the drive motor to drive the track drive wheel to rotate, control the pan-tilt unit to drive each unit mounted on it to rotate around the vertical axis, receive the tag data output by the passive RFID acquisition unit, and upload it to the indoor asset management system through the wireless communication unit. The power supply unit is electrically connected to the drive motor, the pan-tilt unit, the passive RFID acquisition unit, the wireless communication unit, and the main control unit, respectively, and is used to supply power to each unit.

[0008] Furthermore, each track drive wheel is provided with a steering driven wheel on both sides. The steering driven wheel is installed on the inner side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket via an L-shaped bracket and is located next to the side wall of the track to assist the inspection robot in turning on the track.

[0009] Furthermore, a load-bearing driven wheel is provided between the track drive wheel and the steering driven wheel. The load-bearing driven wheel is installed on the inner side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket through a load-bearing connecting rod, and the wheel surface of the load-bearing driven wheel is in contact with the lower edge of the track. The two load-bearing driven wheels support the total weight of the inspection robot, ensuring that the inspection robot remains stable during track operation and does not shake up and down.

[0010] Furthermore, the gimbal unit includes a second mounting bracket, a gimbal steering motor, and a circular connector; the housing of the gimbal steering motor is connected to the first mounting plate via the circular connector, and its bottom output shaft is connected to the second mounting bracket; the passive RFID acquisition unit, the wireless communication unit, the main control unit, and the power supply unit are respectively mounted on the second mounting bracket; the gimbal steering motor is electrically connected to the main control unit, and the main control unit controls the rotation of the gimbal steering motor, thereby driving the second mounting bracket to rotate horizontally around the axis of the circular connector, thereby adjusting the orientation of the passive RFID acquisition unit.

[0011] Furthermore, the passive RFID acquisition unit includes a passive RFID reader antenna and a passive RFID reader chip; the passive RFID reader antenna is used to identify passive RFID tags within a preset range; the passive RFID reader chip is connected to the main control unit via a serial port and is used to send the read passive RFID tag data to the main control unit.

[0012] Furthermore, the first mounting bracket has a U-shaped structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the track drive wheel is mounted on the inner side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket via a flange, and the drive motor is correspondingly mounted on the outer side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket, with its output shaft passing through the flange and connected to the track drive wheel for transmission.

[0014] Furthermore, the main control unit is a microcontroller.

[0015] Furthermore, the power supply unit is a lithium battery.

[0016] Furthermore, the track is an I-shaped track.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0018] This invention targets indoor fixed asset inventory scenarios, employing a lightweight structural design. It acquires device tag information via passive RFID card reading, avoiding the complex modules common in traditional monitoring and inspection robots, such as video acquisition, image recognition, and high-performance computing. This results in a simpler overall structure, lower cost, and lower energy consumption. The passive RFID acquisition unit requires no independent power supply, ensuring high system stability. The pan-tilt unit can rotate from 0° to 180° in the horizontal plane, facilitating changes to the passive RFID reader antenna direction and improving tag reading coverage. The inspection robot operates stably within an I-shaped track, with multiple degrees of freedom constrained by track-driven wheels, load-bearing driven wheels, and steering driven wheels. The main control unit and wireless communication unit work together to achieve data processing and TCP / IP network communication, meeting the data accessibility and real-time requirements of indoor asset management systems. This invention is lightweight, easy to maintain, and suitable for large-scale fixed asset inspection deployments in laboratories, libraries, warehouses, office areas, and other similar settings. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the inspection robot of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is the front view of the inspection robot of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a top view of the inspection robot of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the inspection robot of the present invention without the track-moving unit.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a top view of the inspection robot of the present invention without the track-moving unit.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the track installation for the inspection robot of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] like Figures 1 to 6As shown, this embodiment provides a track-based equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology, including a track moving unit 2, a gimbal unit 3, a passive RFID acquisition unit 4, a wireless communication unit 5, a main control unit 6, and a power supply unit 7. The track moving unit 2 is movably mounted on a track 1. The track moving unit 2 includes a first mounting bracket 201, two track drive wheels 202, and a drive motor 203. The two track drive wheels 202 are symmetrically mounted on the inner sides of the left and right side plates of the first mounting bracket 201, and are located on the left and right sides of the track 1, respectively. The wheel surfaces of the two track drive wheels 202 are in contact with the lower edge of the track 1. Each track drive wheel 202 is driven to rotate by a separate drive motor 203, so that the inspection robot can move stably along the front and back direction of the track 1. The gimbal unit 3 is mounted on the bottom of the first mounting bracket 201. The passive RFID acquisition unit 4, wireless communication unit 5, main control unit 6, and power supply unit 7 are respectively mounted on the track 1. Mounted on the pan-tilt unit 3; the passive RFID acquisition unit 4 is used to sense surrounding passive RFID tags and parse and read passive RFID tag data; the pan-tilt unit 3 is used to drive the passive RFID acquisition unit 4 mounted on it to rotate around the vertical axis, thereby adjusting the recognition coverage and recognition angle of the passive RFID acquisition unit 4 for surrounding passive RFID tags; the main control unit 6 is electrically connected to the drive motor 203, the pan-tilt unit 3, the passive RFID acquisition unit 4 and the wireless communication unit 5 respectively, and is used to control the drive motor 203 to drive the track drive wheel 202 to rotate, control the pan-tilt unit 3 to drive each unit mounted on it to rotate around the vertical axis, receive the tag data output by the passive RFID acquisition unit 4, and upload it to the indoor asset management system through the wireless communication unit 5; the power supply unit 7 is electrically connected to the drive motor 203, the pan-tilt unit 3, the passive RFID acquisition unit 4, the wireless communication unit 5 and the main control unit 6 respectively, and is used to supply power to each unit.

[0027] In a specific example, each track drive wheel 202 is provided with a steering driven wheel 204 on both sides. The steering driven wheel 204 is mounted on the inner side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket 201 via an L-shaped bracket 206 and is located next to the side wall of the track 1 to assist the inspection robot in turning on the track 1. The multiple steering driven wheels 204 together limit the left and right displacement of the inspection robot on the track 1 to ensure that the inspection robot does not swing laterally or derail within the track 1.

[0028] In a specific example, a load-bearing driven wheel 205 is also provided between the track drive wheel 202 and the steering driven wheel 204. The load-bearing driven wheel 205 is installed on the inner side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket 201 through the load-bearing connecting rod 207, and the wheel surface of the load-bearing driven wheel 205 is in contact with the lower edge of the track 1. The two load-bearing driven wheels 205 support the total weight of the inspection robot, ensuring that the inspection robot remains stable and does not shake up and down during the operation of the track 1.

[0029] In a specific example, the gimbal unit 3 includes a second mounting bracket 301, a gimbal steering motor 302, and a circular connector 303. The housing of the gimbal steering motor 302 is connected to the first mounting plate through the circular connector 303, and its bottom output shaft is connected to the second mounting bracket 301. The passive RFID acquisition unit 4, the wireless communication unit 5, the main control unit 6, and the power supply unit 7 are respectively mounted on the second mounting bracket 301. The gimbal steering motor 302 is electrically connected to the main control unit 6, and the main control unit 6 controls the gimbal steering motor 302 to rotate, thereby driving the second mounting bracket 301 to rotate horizontally around the axis of the circular connector 303, that is, to rotate 0° to 180° in the horizontal plane, thereby adjusting the orientation of the passive RFID acquisition unit 4.

[0030] In a specific example, the passive RFID acquisition unit 4 includes a passive RFID reader antenna 401 and a passive RFID reader chip 402; the passive RFID reader antenna 401 has a wide profile and a large radiation angle, and is used to realize the identification of passive RFID tags within a preset range (set to 5m in this embodiment); the passive RFID reader chip 402 is connected to the main control unit 6 through a serial port, and is used to send the read passive RFID tag data to the main control unit 6.

[0031] In one specific example, the first mounting bracket 201 has a U-shaped structure.

[0032] In a specific example, the track drive wheel 202 is mounted on the inner side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket 201 via a flange 208, and the drive motor 203 is correspondingly mounted on the outer side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket 201, with its output shaft passing through the flange 208 and being connected to the track drive wheel 202 for transmission.

[0033] In a specific example, the main control unit 6 is an STM32 microcontroller. The STM32 microcontroller outputs motor control signals to the drive motor 203 via the CAN bus, thereby controlling the rotation speed of the drive motor 203. The STM32 microcontroller also outputs motor control signals to the gimbal steering motor 302 via PWM, thereby controlling the rotation angle of the gimbal unit 3.

[0034] In a specific example, the wireless communication unit 5 is a WiFi communication module. The WiFi communication module is connected to the indoor asset management system through a local area network and uploads the passive RFID tag data processed by the STM32 microcontroller using the TCP / IP protocol.

[0035] In one specific example, power supply unit 7 is a lithium battery.

[0036] In a specific example, track 1 is an I-shaped track 1.

[0037] The L-shaped bracket 206, the circular connector 303, the load-bearing connecting rod 207, and the flange 208 mentioned above are all made of aluminum alloy, which can ensure sufficient strength and effectively reduce the structural weight.

[0038] The PTZ unit 3, passive RFID acquisition unit 4, wireless communication unit 5, main control unit 6, and power supply unit 7 adopt a centralized installation structure, with each component arranged compactly, which helps to reduce the size and improve the system reliability.

[0039] The working principle of the inspection robot in this embodiment is as follows:

[0040] The main control unit 6 outputs a drive signal to the drive motor 203, which in turn drives the two track drive wheels 202 to rotate synchronously, so that the inspection robot can move forward or backward smoothly in the track 1. During this process, the four steering driven wheels 204 are close to the side wall of the track 1, and the four steering driven wheels 204 together restrict the lateral displacement of the inspection robot in the track 1.

[0041] During the movement of the inspection robot, the gimbal unit 3 can rotate as needed to adjust the orientation of the passive RFID reader antenna 401, thereby improving the identification coverage and angle of the passive RFID tags. The passive RFID reader chip 402 has a reading range of approximately 5 meters, which can cover the tag area of ​​fixed assets on both sides of track 1.

[0042] The wireless communication unit 5 is connected to the indoor asset management system via a local area network, and the main control unit 6 uploads RFID tag data to the indoor asset management system in real time to realize remote data acquisition and equipment inventory.

[0043] The inspection robot of this invention moves smoothly, is lightweight, and consumes little energy when running on track 1. It realizes fixed asset inventory through passive RFID identification, eliminating the need for high-load modules such as cameras and industrial control computers. The system has high reliability, low cost, and simple maintenance, and is suitable for asset management in various scenarios such as laboratories, warehouses, libraries, and office areas.

[0044] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology, characterized in that: The system includes a track-moving unit, a gimbal unit, a passive RFID data acquisition unit, a wireless communication unit, a main control unit, and a power supply unit. The track-moving unit is movably mounted on a track and includes a first mounting bracket, two track drive wheels, and a drive motor. The two track drive wheels are symmetrically mounted on the inner sides of the left and right side plates of the first mounting bracket, respectively located on the left and right sides of the track, with the wheel surfaces of both wheels contacting the lower edge of the track. Each track drive wheel is driven by a separate drive motor to ensure stable movement of the inspection robot along the track's forward and backward direction. The gimbal unit is mounted at the bottom of the first mounting bracket, and the passive RFID data acquisition unit, wireless communication unit, main control unit, and power supply unit are respectively mounted on the gimbal unit. The passive RFID data acquisition unit is used to sense the surrounding environment. The system includes a passive RFID tag reader and its data parsing. A pan-tilt unit drives the passive RFID acquisition unit mounted on it to rotate around a vertical axis, thereby adjusting the passive RFID acquisition unit's coverage area and angle for identifying surrounding passive RFID tags. A main control unit is electrically connected to the drive motor, pan-tilt unit, passive RFID acquisition unit, and wireless communication unit, controlling the drive motor to rotate the track drive wheel, controlling the pan-tilt unit to rotate each mounted unit around a vertical axis, receiving tag data output from the passive RFID acquisition unit, and uploading it to the indoor asset management system via the wireless communication unit. A power supply unit is electrically connected to the drive motor, pan-tilt unit, passive RFID acquisition unit, wireless communication unit, and main control unit, providing power to each unit.

2. The track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each track drive wheel has a steering driven wheel on each side. The steering driven wheel is mounted on the inner side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket via an L-shaped bracket and is located next to the side wall of the track to assist the inspection robot in turning on the track.

3. The track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology according to claim 2, characterized in that: A load-bearing driven wheel is also provided between the track drive wheel and the steering driven wheel. The load-bearing driven wheel is installed on the inner side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket through a load-bearing connecting rod, and the wheel surface of the load-bearing driven wheel is in contact with the lower edge of the track. The two load-bearing driven wheels support the total weight of the inspection robot, ensuring that the inspection robot remains stable during track operation and does not shake up and down.

4. The track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gimbal unit includes a second mounting bracket, a gimbal steering motor, and a circular connector. The housing of the gimbal steering motor is connected to the first mounting plate via the circular connector, and its bottom output shaft is connected to the second mounting bracket. The passive RFID acquisition unit, wireless communication unit, main control unit, and power supply unit are respectively mounted on the second mounting bracket. The gimbal steering motor is electrically connected to the main control unit, which controls the rotation of the gimbal steering motor, thereby driving the second mounting bracket to rotate horizontally around the axis of the circular connector, thus adjusting the orientation of the passive RFID acquisition unit.

5. The track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The passive RFID acquisition unit includes a passive RFID reader antenna and a passive RFID reader chip; the passive RFID reader antenna is used to identify passive RFID tags within a preset range; the passive RFID reader chip is connected to the main control unit via a serial port and is used to send the read passive RFID tag data to the main control unit.

6. The track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first mounting bracket has a U-shaped structure.

7. The track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The track drive wheel is mounted on the inner side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket via a flange, and the drive motor is mounted on the outer side of the left or right side plate of the first mounting bracket, with its output shaft passing through the flange and connected to the track drive wheel for transmission.

8. The track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main control unit is a microcontroller.

9. A track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power supply unit is a lithium battery.

10. A track-mounted equipment inventory and inspection robot based on passive RFID identification technology according to claim 1, characterized in that: The track is an I-shaped track.

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