Information acquisition module and autonomous mobile machine

Abstract

The utility model relates to an information acquisition module and an autonomous mobile machine, the autonomous mobile machine comprises a machine body and the information acquisition module, the information acquisition module is connected with the machine body, and the information acquisition module comprises a first information acquisition device, a second information acquisition device and a control device, the first information acquisition device is configured to at least acquire environmental data of the autonomous mobile machine in the advancing direction through at least one acquisition window; and the second information acquisition device is configured to acquire position data of the autonomous mobile machine in the advancing process. According to the autonomous mobile machine, the at least two information acquisition devices are installed in the same module structure, and the structure is connected with the machine body as a whole, so that production is facilitated in the production stage, the whole machine installation steps can be reduced, universality is high, external parameter calibration independent of the machine body can be carried out on the autonomous mobile machine, and the production efficiency is improved. And meanwhile, later maintenance is facilitated, and the working efficiency is improved.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application filed on July 7, 2023 and with application number CN202310833697.X, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of equipment technology, and in particular to an information collection module and an autonomous mobile machine. Background Art

[0003] Autonomous mobile machines can walk on the ground and perform corresponding tasks. Take a lawn mower as an example. A lawn mower is used to trim and maintain the lawn. Different types of lawn mowers can be used for different terrain environments. For example, for terrains with larger areas and higher trimming requirements, riding lawn mowers are usually used, which are more convenient to operate and more efficient. Existing autonomous mobile machines are equipped with various information acquisition devices to obtain relevant data during the travel process. Summary of the invention

[0004] In response to the above technical problems, the present application provides an autonomous mobile machine, which installs multiple information acquisition devices in the same structure, and the structure is then connected to the fuselage as a whole, so as to facilitate production during the production stage and reduce the installation steps of the whole machine. It has strong versatility and can also perform external parameter calibration independently of the fuselage, reducing the number of calibration times when installed on the fuselage. It is also convenient for later maintenance and improves work efficiency.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present application provides an autonomous mobile machine, the autonomous mobile machine comprising a body and an information collection module, the information collection module being connected to the body, and the information collection module comprising:

[0006] A first information acquisition device is provided with at least one acquisition window, wherein the first information acquisition device is configured to at least acquire environmental data of the autonomous mobile machine in a moving direction through the at least one acquisition window; and

[0007] A second information acquisition device is configured to at least collect position data of the autonomous mobile machine during its travel.

[0008] In one embodiment, the information collection module is arranged on the front side of the fuselage.

[0009] In one embodiment, the front edge of the information collection module does not exceed the front edge of the fuselage.

[0010] In one embodiment, the installation height of the information collection module does not exceed the fuselage.

[0011] In one embodiment, the installation height of the information collection module in the vertical direction of the fuselage is 0.5m-0.9m.

[0012] In one embodiment, the information collection module is detachably connected to the body.

[0013] In one embodiment, the information acquisition module includes an intermediate connecting member, the intermediate connecting member is connected to the fuselage, and the first information acquisition device and the second information acquisition device are installed on the intermediate connecting member.

[0014] In one embodiment, the intermediate connecting member includes a fixing plate and a supporting plate, the supporting plate is connected to the fixing plate, the first information acquisition device is configured to be installed on at least one of the fixing plate and the supporting plate, the second information acquisition device is configured to be installed on the fixing plate, and the information collection module is connected to the fuselage through the supporting plate.

[0015] In one embodiment, the autonomous mobile machine further includes a control module, wherein the control module is configured to obtain positioning information of the autonomous mobile machine based on the environmental data collected by the first information acquisition device and the position data collected by the second information acquisition device.

[0016] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device includes at least one of an image acquisition device and a distance acquisition device, the image acquisition device is configured to at least acquire image data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel, and the distance acquisition device is configured to at least acquire data related to obstacles of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel.

[0017] In one embodiment, the image acquisition device includes a visual sensor, and the distance acquisition device includes a lidar sensor.

[0018] In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device includes an inertial sensor, and the inertial sensor is configured to collect data related to position and posture during movement.

[0019] In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device further includes a satellite positioning sensor, and the satellite positioning sensor is configured to collect positioning data of the autonomous mobile machine during its travel.

[0020] In one embodiment, the control module is configured to obtain obstacle information of the autonomous mobile machine in the traveling direction based on the environmental data collected by the first information acquisition device.

[0021] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device includes an image acquisition device and a distance acquisition device, the image acquisition device is configured to at least acquire image data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel, and the distance acquisition device is configured to at least acquire data related to obstacles of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel.

[0022] In one embodiment, the image acquisition device includes a visual sensor, and the distance acquisition device includes a lidar sensor.

[0023] In one embodiment, the information acquisition module includes a first shell forming a first cavity and a second shell forming a second cavity and connected to the first shell, the first shell having a first acquisition window, the image acquisition device being disposed in the first cavity and at least collecting image data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel through the first acquisition window, the second shell having a second acquisition window, the distance acquisition device being disposed in the second cavity and at least collecting data related to obstacles of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel through the second acquisition window.

[0024] In one embodiment, the second acquisition device is disposed in the first cavity, and the second cavity is located below the first cavity.

[0025] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device and the second information acquisition device are arranged in the same cavity in the information acquisition module.

[0026] In one embodiment, a shielding layer is provided between the second information acquisition device and the first information acquisition device to shield the first information acquisition device from interference with the second information acquisition device.

[0027] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition devices are symmetrically distributed along the central axis of the fuselage.

[0028] In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device is not lower than the first information acquisition device in the vertical direction.

[0029] The present application provides an information collection module, which includes:

[0030] A first information acquisition device is provided with at least one acquisition window, wherein the first information acquisition device is configured to at least acquire environmental data through the at least one acquisition window; and

[0031] A second information acquisition device, wherein the second information acquisition device is configured to at least collect location data.

[0032] In one embodiment, the information acquisition module includes an intermediate connecting piece, and the first information acquisition device and the second information acquisition device are installed on the intermediate connecting piece.

[0033] In one embodiment, the intermediate connecting member includes a fixing plate and a supporting plate, the supporting plate is connected to the fixing plate, the first information acquisition device is configured to be installed on at least one of the fixing plate and the supporting plate, and the second information acquisition device is configured to be installed on the fixing plate.

[0034] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device includes at least one of an image acquisition device and a distance acquisition device, the image acquisition device is configured to at least acquire image data, and the distance acquisition device is configured to at least acquire data related to obstacles.

[0035] In one embodiment, the image acquisition device is a visual sensor, and the distance acquisition device is a lidar sensor.

[0036] In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device comprises an inertial sensor, and the inertial sensor is configured to collect data related to position and posture.

[0037] In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device further includes a satellite positioning sensor, and the satellite positioning sensor is configured to collect positioning data.

[0038] In one embodiment, the information acquisition module includes a first shell forming a first cavity and a second shell forming a second cavity and connected to the first shell, the first shell having a first acquisition window, the image acquisition device at least acquires image data through the first acquisition window, the second shell having a second acquisition window, the distance acquisition device at least acquires data related to obstacles through the second acquisition window.

[0039] In one embodiment, the second acquisition device is disposed in the first cavity, and the second cavity is located below the first cavity.

[0040] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device and the second information acquisition device are arranged in the same cavity in the information acquisition module.

[0041] In one embodiment, a shielding layer is provided between the second information acquisition device and the first information acquisition device to shield the first information acquisition device from interference with the second information acquisition device.

[0042] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition devices are symmetrically distributed along the central axis of the fuselage.

[0043] In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device is not lower than the first information acquisition device in the vertical direction.

[0044] The present application provides an autonomous mobile machine, the autonomous mobile machine comprising a body and an information collection module, the information collection module being connected to the body, and the information collection module comprising:

[0045] A first information acquisition device is provided with at least one acquisition window, wherein the first information acquisition device is configured to at least acquire environmental data of the autonomous mobile machine in a moving direction through the at least one acquisition window; and

[0046] The second information acquisition device is configured to collect positioning data of the autonomous mobile machine during its travel.

[0047] In one embodiment, the information collection module is arranged on the front side of the fuselage.

[0048] In one embodiment, the front edge of the information collection module does not exceed the front edge of the fuselage.

[0049] In one embodiment, the installation height of the information collection module does not exceed the fuselage.

[0050] In one embodiment, the installation height of the information collection module in the vertical direction of the fuselage is 0.5m-0.9m.

[0051] In one embodiment, the information acquisition module includes an intermediate connecting member, the intermediate connecting member is connected to the fuselage, and the first information acquisition device and the second information acquisition device are installed on the intermediate connecting member.

[0052] In one embodiment, the intermediate connecting member includes a fixing plate and a supporting plate, the supporting plate is connected to the fixing plate, the first information acquisition device is configured to be installed on the fixing plate and the supporting plate, the second information acquisition device is configured to be installed on the fixing plate, and the information collection module is connected to the fuselage through the supporting plate.

[0053] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device includes an image acquisition device and / or a distance acquisition device, wherein the image acquisition device is configured to at least acquire image data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel, and the distance acquisition device is configured to at least acquire obstacle distance data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel.

[0054] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device and the second information acquisition device are arranged in the same cavity in the information acquisition module.

[0055] In one embodiment, the information acquisition module includes a first cavity and a second cavity connected to the first cavity, the first cavity has a first acquisition window, the image acquisition device acquires image data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel through the third acquisition window, the second cavity has a second acquisition window, and the distance acquisition device acquires obstacle distance data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel through the fourth acquisition window.

[0056] In one embodiment, the second cavity is located below the first cavity.

[0057] In one embodiment, a shielding layer is provided between the second information acquisition device and the first information acquisition device to shield the first information acquisition device from interference with the second information acquisition device.

[0058] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition devices are symmetrically distributed along the central axis of the fuselage.

[0059] In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device includes: an inertial sensor, and the inertial sensor is configured to collect positioning data related to posture during movement.

[0060] In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device is not lower than the first information acquisition device in the vertical direction.

[0061] The autonomous mobile machine of the present application includes a fuselage and an information collection module, the information collection module is connected to the fuselage, and the information collection module includes: a first information acquisition device, which is provided with at least one collection window, and the first information acquisition device is configured to collect at least environmental data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel through at least one collection window; and a second information acquisition device, and the second information acquisition device is configured to collect positioning data of the autonomous mobile machine during travel. The autonomous mobile machine of the present application first installs at least two information acquisition devices in the same structure, and then connects the structure to the fuselage. Multiple information acquisition devices are installed in the same structure, and the structure is connected to the fuselage as a detachable whole, so as to facilitate production in the production stage, reduce the steps of installing the whole machine, and can also be calibrated with external parameters independent of the fuselage. At the same time, it is also convenient for later maintenance to improve work efficiency.

[0062] The autonomous mobile machine and information acquisition module of the present application install a first acquisition device for acquiring environmental data and a second acquisition device for acquiring position data in the same module. The acquisition device in the module can perform external parameter calibration of the body of the independent autonomous mobile machine. The structure required for calibration in the module is simple and low-cost. At the same time, the module has strong versatility and can be installed on various types of autonomous mobile machines. At the same time, the number of calibration times of the acquisition device installed on the autonomous mobile machine is reduced, and only one calibration is required, thereby simplifying the operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an autonomous mobile machine according to an embodiment;

[0064] Figure 2 is a front view of an information collection module according to an embodiment;

[0065] Figure 3 is a top view of an information collection module according to an embodiment;

[0066] Figure 4 is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the A1-A1 line in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] In order to facilitate the understanding of the present application, the present application will be described more fully below with reference to the relevant drawings. The preferred embodiments of the present application are given in the drawings. However, the present application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, the purpose of providing these embodiments is to make the disclosure of the present application more thoroughly and comprehensively understood.

[0068] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used herein in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items. In this application, "each" includes one and more than two quantities.

[0069] In existing autonomous mobile machines, various types of information acquisition devices, that is, various types of sensors, are installed independently on the machine body. This non-modular design layout has many installation steps, and various types of information acquisition devices need to be installed separately on the autonomous mobile machine before they can be calibrated. The calibration process is frequent and the calibration operation of the information acquisition device is relatively complicated compared to that of the autonomous mobile machine, resulting in a large workload and affecting production efficiency.

[0070] See also Figures 2 to 4The present application relates to an information acquisition module 20, wherein the information acquisition module 10 includes a first information acquisition device 11 and a second information acquisition device 12. The first information acquisition device 11 is configured to at least acquire environmental data, and the second information acquisition device 12 is configured to at least acquire location data. At least two information acquisition devices are installed in the same structure, which is convenient for installation on an autonomous mobile machine, and external parameter calibration can be performed on them independently of the fuselage of the autonomous mobile machine, thereby reducing the number of calibrations relative to the fuselage, and reducing the workload of calibration when installed on the fuselage, which is beneficial to improving production efficiency. In addition, by arranging at least two information acquisition devices in the same information acquisition module 10 to form a modular structure, modular installation can be performed, which makes installation simpler and reduces the steps of installing the whole machine. At the same time, modular design is conducive to designing a unified interface, improving the versatility of the information acquisition module 10 between different devices, simplifying the design, reducing production costs, and facilitating later maintenance and improving work efficiency.

[0071] The first information acquisition device 11 is provided with at least one acquisition window, and the first information acquisition device 11 is configured to at least collect environmental data through the at least one acquisition window. The acquisition window is set according to at least one of the installation method and working requirements of the first information acquisition device 11 in the information acquisition module 10. When the first information acquisition device 11 includes two or more sensors, only one acquisition window can be set corresponding to one of the sensors, or all sensors have corresponding acquisition windows, or each sensor collects data through different areas of the same acquisition window.

[0072] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device 11 includes at least one of an image acquisition device 111 and a distance acquisition device 112. The image acquisition device 111 is configured to at least acquire image data as environmental data, and the distance acquisition device 112 is configured to at least acquire obstacle-related data as environmental data, wherein the obstacle-related data at least includes obstacle distance data. The image acquisition device 111 is, for example, a visual sensor, and the distance acquisition device 112 is, for example, a lidar sensor. The visual sensor may also be a monocular sensor, a binocular sensor, or a depth sensor. In other embodiments, the first information acquisition device 11 may also include only one binocular sensor or one depth sensor, and simultaneously obtain image data and data including obstacle distances. The distance acquisition device 112 may also be a 3D-TOF sensor or other sensors. Please refer to the following examples in conjunction with the image acquisition device 111. Figure 2, in at least one acquisition window, only the first acquisition window 116 may correspond to the image acquisition device 111, and no opening is set at the distance acquisition device 112 as the acquisition window, or there may be a second acquisition window 117 corresponding to the distance acquisition device 112, or the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 may collect data through different areas of the same acquisition window. It should be noted that the distance acquisition device 112 is configured to collect at least obstacle-related data as the obstacle in the environmental data is defined as a task object that can be collected by the distance acquisition device 112. For example, when the distance acquisition device 112 is a laser radar sensor, all objects that can reflect laser beams are called obstacles.

[0073] The second information acquisition device 12 includes an inertial sensor IMU, which is configured to collect data related to posture during the travel process, wherein the posture includes position and attitude. The second information acquisition device 12 may also include an odometer, which is configured to collect position data related to the running distance during the travel process. The second information acquisition device 12 also includes a satellite positioning sensor, which is configured to collect positioning data of the autonomous mobile machine during the travel process. The positioning data of the autonomous mobile machine during the travel process includes satellite positioning data and / or indoor positioning data based on wireless communication technology (such as Wi-Fi, low-power Bluetooth BLE, ZigBee, ultra-wideband UWB, etc.). In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device 12 can be a device that uses RTK (Real-time kinematic) carrier phase difference technology for satellite positioning.

[0074] It should be noted that the sensors in the first information acquisition device of the information acquisition module and the sensors in the second information acquisition device have multiple combinations. For example, the first information acquisition device includes a visual sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes an inertial sensor; or the first information acquisition device includes a lidar sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes an inertial sensor; or the first information acquisition device includes a visual sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes a satellite positioning sensor; or the first information acquisition device includes a lidar sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes a satellite positioning sensor; or the first information acquisition device includes a visual sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes an inertial sensor and a satellite positioning sensor; or the first information acquisition device includes a lidar sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes an inertial sensor and a satellite positioning sensor; or the first information acquisition device includes a visual sensor and a lidar sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes an inertial sensor and a satellite positioning sensor; or the first information acquisition device includes a visual sensor and a lidar sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes an inertial sensor; or the first information acquisition device includes a visual sensor and a lidar sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes a satellite positioning sensor; or the first information acquisition device includes a visual sensor and a lidar sensor, and the second information acquisition device includes an inertial sensor and a satellite positioning sensor.

[0075] In one embodiment, the information acquisition module 10 includes an intermediate connection piece, and the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 are installed on the intermediate connection piece. After being installed on the intermediate connection piece, they are installed on the autonomous mobile machine through the intermediate connection piece. In this way, the information acquisition module 10 as a whole forms a modular structure by means of the connection of the intermediate connection piece, and can be connected to the autonomous mobile machine as a detachable whole. In the production process, it can facilitate production, reduce the installation steps of the whole machine, facilitate calibration, and facilitate later maintenance, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0076] In actual implementation, there can be one or more intermediate connectors. When there is one intermediate connector, the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 are both installed on the same intermediate connector, and then connected to the autonomous mobile machine as a whole through the intermediate connector. When there are multiple intermediate connectors, the intermediate connectors are first assembled according to the arrangement of the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 to form a modular structure, and then connected to the autonomous mobile machine as a whole. In the process of assembling the intermediate connector, the intermediate connector can be used to construct one or more cavities for accommodating the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 to meet the use requirements of the information acquisition device that needs to be protected or prevented from interference.

[0077] In one embodiment, when the first information acquisition device 11 includes an image acquisition device 111 and a distance acquisition device 112, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4, the intermediate connecting member includes a fixing plate 171 and a supporting plate 15, the image acquisition device 111 and the second information acquisition device 12 are configured to be installed on the fixing plate 171, the distance acquisition device 112 is configured to be installed on the supporting plate 15, and the supporting plate 15 is connected to the fixing plate 171, so that the image acquisition device 111, the distance acquisition device 112, the second information acquisition device 12, the supporting plate 15 and the fixing plate 171 form a whole, and then connected to the autonomous mobile machine through the supporting plate 15, so that the information acquisition module 10 is connected to the autonomous mobile machine as a detachable whole, and the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 are modularly assembled. In this way, the image acquisition device 111, the distance acquisition device 112, and the second information acquisition device 12 can be flexibly arranged, and at the same time, the influence of the heat generated by the distance acquisition device 112 when working on the image acquisition device 111 and the second information acquisition device 12 is reduced, so as to ensure the normal operation of the information acquisition module 10. When the first information acquisition device 11 only includes the image acquisition device 111 or the distance acquisition device 112, the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 can be arranged on the fixing plate 171, or one is arranged on the fixing plate 171 and the other is arranged on the supporting plate 15.

[0078] The information acquisition module 10 includes a first shell forming a first cavity 18, the first shell includes a cover 16 and the above-mentioned fixing plate 171, and the first cavity 18 is formed between the cover 16 and the fixing plate 171 for accommodating the image acquisition device 111 and the second information acquisition device 12. The first shell has a first acquisition window 116, and the first acquisition window 116 is arranged in front of the first shell, and the front is the direction of the front end of the autonomous mobile machine when the information acquisition module 10 is installed in the autonomous mobile machine. In the first cavity 18, the image acquisition device 111 is arranged in front of the second information acquisition device 12, and collects data through the first acquisition window 116. The information acquisition module 10 also includes a second shell connected to the first shell, the second shell includes the above-mentioned support plate 15 and the fixing plate 171, and a second cavity 172 for accommodating the distance acquisition device 112 is formed between the support plate 15 and the fixing plate 171, and the second shell has a second acquisition window 117. The distance acquisition device 112 is disposed in the second cavity and collects data related to obstacles in the traveling direction of the autonomous mobile machine through the second acquisition window 117. Similarly, when the first information acquisition device 11 only includes the image acquisition device 111 or the distance acquisition device 112, the information acquisition module 10 can be provided with only one cavity, and the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 are provided on the same cavity. The information acquisition module 10 can also be provided with two cavities, and the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 are provided on the same two cavities respectively.

[0079] In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device 12 is disposed in the first cavity 18. The second information acquisition device 12 includes a satellite positioning sensor. To ensure the normal use of the satellite positioning sensor in the second information acquisition device 12, the second information acquisition device 12 is not lower than the first information acquisition device 11 in the vertical direction to meet the condition that the surrounding of the second information acquisition device 12 is open and unobstructed. In this regard, the first cavity 18 is configured to be located above the second cavity 172 so that the surrounding of the second information acquisition device 12 is open and unobstructed.

[0080] When the first information acquisition device 11 includes an image acquisition device 111 and a distance acquisition device 112, the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 are arranged in an up-and-down manner so as to be able to at least acquire environmental data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel, while ensuring the maximum field of view and a better overlap range of the field of view between the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112. In the embodiment of the present application, both the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 can be configured to be symmetrically arranged along the central axis of the information acquisition module 10, thereby ensuring that the two have a better overlap range of the field of view. The information acquisition module 10 is installed in two cavities, which facilitates the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 to be arranged in an up-and-down manner, while reducing the signal influence of the distance acquisition device 112 on the second information acquisition device 12.

[0081] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 may also be arranged in the same cavity in the information acquisition module 10. The cavity has a first acquisition window 116 corresponding to the image acquisition device 111, and a second acquisition window 117 corresponding to the distance acquisition device 112 is arranged below the first acquisition window 116, so that the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 are arranged in an upper and lower manner, so as to be able to at least collect environmental data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel, while ensuring the maximum field of view angle and a better overlap range of the field of view angle between the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112.

[0082] It can be understood that the arrangement of the image acquisition device 111, the distance acquisition device 112 and the second information acquisition device 12 is not limited to the above embodiments. The three devices can be arranged in parallel, or two of them are above the other, or two of them are parallel and the other is slightly higher, etc. There can be no obstruction between them, or there can be partial obstruction. As long as the signal can be received, data acquisition can be achieved.

[0083] It should be noted that the image acquisition device 111 of the first information acquisition device 11 includes a visual sensor, the distance acquisition device 112 of the first information acquisition device 11 includes a laser radar sensor, and the second information acquisition device 12 includes a satellite positioning sensor. The visual sensor or the laser radar sensor will generate signal interference to the satellite positioning. In one embodiment, in order to ensure the normal operation of the information acquisition module 10, a shielding layer is set between the second information acquisition device 12 and the first information acquisition device 11 to shield the interference of the first information acquisition device 11 to the second information acquisition device 12, that is, to shield the signal interference of the visual sensor and the laser radar sensor to the RKT. Please continue to refer to Figure 4 A first shielding layer 114 is provided between the image acquisition device 111 and the second information acquisition device 12. The image acquisition device 111 is installed on the fixing plate 171 through a mounting seat 115. A first acquisition window 116 is provided on the mounting seat 115. The first shielding layer 114 is provided around the image acquisition device 111 to separate the first cavity 18 into a space corresponding to the image acquisition device 111, so as to shield the signal interference of the image acquisition device 111 to the second information acquisition device 12. The first shielding layer 114 can be made of Q235 ordinary carbon structural steel. The highest point of the first shielding layer 114 is lower than the antenna of the second information acquisition device 12, so that the second information acquisition device 12 is not blocked above.

[0084] A second shielding layer 19 is provided between the distance acquisition device 112 and the second information acquisition device 12 to shield the signal interference of the distance acquisition device 112 to the second information acquisition device 12. The second shielding layer 19 is located in the non-signal transceiver area of ​​the distance acquisition device 112 to avoid affecting the normal operation of the distance acquisition device 112. In one embodiment, the second shielding layer 19 may include a shielding paper 191 and a shielding plate 192, wherein the shielding paper 191 is provided in the non-signal transceiver area on the upper side of the distance acquisition device 112 and extends between the distance acquisition device 112 and the second information acquisition device 12, and the shielding plate 192 is pressed on the top of the shielding paper 191 to fix the shielding paper 191 and enhance the shielding effect, wherein the shielding paper 191 may be made of tin foil material, and the shielding plate 192 may be made of 06Cr19Ni10 stainless steel material.

[0085] In one embodiment, in the information acquisition module 10, the relative positions of the first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 are fixed. When the information acquisition module 10 is installed on the autonomous mobile machine, the relative positions of the information acquisition module 10 and the autonomous mobile machine are fixed. In this way, the information acquisition module 10 can be independently calibrated instead of the traditional method of installing each information acquisition device on the autonomous mobile machine for calibration.

[0086] Specifically, during calibration, the information acquisition module 10 is held by a mechanical arm to simulate the walking process of an autonomous mobile machine, and the mechanical arm is controlled to swing to simulate the data collected by the inertial sensor in actual road conditions, so that it outputs multiple possible posture parameters, and then the information acquisition device in the information acquisition module 10 is calibrated based on the posture parameters, and the coordinate conversion results between each information acquisition device are fitted. The coordinate conversion during the calibration process is known to those skilled in the art and will not be repeated here. Compared with the traditional method, this independent calibration is simpler and more convenient, and the results obtained are richer.

[0087] This embodiment discloses an autonomous mobile machine, which first installs at least two information acquisition devices in the same structure, and then connects the structure to the fuselage, so that it is convenient to produce in the production stage, reduces the steps of whole machine installation, and can also perform external parameter calibration independent of the fuselage, reducing the number of calibrations relative to the fuselage, and at the same time, it is convenient to repair it later and improve work efficiency. The autonomous mobile machine can be a household lawn mower, a commercial lawn mower and other intelligent lawn mowers, a drone, an unmanned boat, an unmanned sweeper and other outdoor operating equipment, and can also be an indoor operating equipment such as a sweeper.

[0088] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an autonomous mobile machine according to an embodiment. Figure 1 As shown, the autonomous mobile machine of this embodiment includes an information collection module 10 and a body 20. The information collection module 10 is connected to the body 20, and the information collection module 10 includes a first information acquisition device 11 and a second information acquisition device 12. The first information acquisition device 11 is configured to at least collect environmental data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel, and the second information acquisition device 12 is configured to collect position data of the autonomous mobile machine during travel.

[0089] The information acquisition module 10 in this embodiment is exactly the same as the information acquisition module 10 in the above embodiment, that is, the information acquisition module 10 in the above embodiment is installed on the body of the autonomous mobile machine. The first information acquisition device 11 is provided with at least one acquisition window, and the first information acquisition device 11 is configured to at least acquire environmental data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel through at least one acquisition window. The first information acquisition device 11 includes at least one of an image acquisition device 111 and a distance acquisition device 112. The image acquisition device 111 is configured to at least acquire image data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel as environmental data, and the distance acquisition device 112 is configured to at least acquire obstacle-related data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel as environmental data. The image acquisition device 111 is, for example, a visual sensor, and the distance acquisition device 112 is, for example, a laser radar sensor. The number and type of sensors of the first acquisition device 11 are not repeated here.

[0090] The second information acquisition device 12 includes an inertial sensor IMU, which is configured to collect data related to posture during the travel process, wherein the posture includes position and attitude. The second information acquisition device 12 may also include an odometer, which is configured to collect position data related to the running distance during the travel process. The second information acquisition device 12 also includes a satellite positioning sensor, which is configured to collect positioning data of the autonomous mobile machine during the travel process. The positioning data of the autonomous mobile machine during the travel process includes satellite positioning data and / or indoor positioning data based on wireless communication technology (such as Wi-Fi, low-power Bluetooth BLE, ZigBee, ultra-wideband UWB, etc.). In one embodiment, the second information acquisition device 12 can be a device that uses RTK (Real-time kinematic) carrier phase difference technology for satellite positioning.

[0091] The present application sets at least two information acquisition devices in the same information acquisition module 10 to form a modular structure, and then connects the whole to the fuselage 20, so that the information acquisition device in the information acquisition module 10 can be calibrated as a whole independently of the fuselage 20, reducing the workload of calibration, which is conducive to improving production efficiency. In addition, by setting at least two information acquisition devices in the same information acquisition module 10 to form a modular structure, modular installation can be performed, which is simpler to install and reduces the steps of installing the whole machine. At the same time, the modular design is conducive to designing a unified interface, improving the versatility of the information acquisition module 10 between different devices, simplifying the design, reducing production costs, and facilitating later maintenance and improving work efficiency.

[0092] The specific structure of the information collection module 10 is as described above, and will not be repeated here. Figure 1 The information collection module 10 is arranged on the front side of the fuselage 20 to collect environmental data on the front side of the fuselage 20. The front edge of the information collection module 10 does not exceed the front edge of the fuselage 20, so that the information collection module 10 can be prevented from colliding with other objects during the movement of the autonomous mobile machine. When the information collection module 10 is arranged on the front side of the fuselage 20, the installation height of the information collection module 10 does not exceed the fuselage 20 or is slightly higher than the fuselage 20 while meeting the required data collection range, which can make the overall structure of the autonomous mobile machine more beautiful and compact. In one embodiment, the installation height of the information collection module 10 in the vertical direction of the fuselage 20 is 0.5m-0.9m, and the installation position and angle of the information collection module 10 meet the following requirements:

[0093] The first information acquisition device can detect obstacles 1.3 meters away from the fuselage and with a height of not less than 350 mm;

[0094] The first information acquisition device can detect obstacles at a distance of 0.8 meters from the fuselage and a height of not less than 810 mm;

[0095] The detection blind area on the working plane where the autonomous mobile machine is located is less than or equal to 800mm;

[0096] The width of the detection blind area at a preset distance in front of the fuselage is greater than or equal to the width of the fuselage.

[0097] The detection blind area is the area where the first information acquisition device 11 cannot collect environmental data. The vertical field of view of the information acquisition module 10 is limited. Under the condition of ensuring the height of the obstacles that can be detected, the detection blind area should be as small as possible. The detection blind area is less than or equal to 800mm, which means that on the working plane where the autonomous mobile machine is located, the distance between the front edge of the fuselage 20 of the autonomous mobile machine and the farthest boundary of the detection blind area is less than or equal to 800mm. The preset distance is preferably 0.5m, so as to ensure the safety of the fuselage 20 during movement.

[0098] The field of view of the first information acquisition device 11 in the width direction of the fuselage 20 should be as large as possible. Corresponding to the scenario where the first information acquisition device 11 includes at least one sensor, if there are at least two sensors working together, the at least two sensors need to have the largest overlapping range of field of view. In the embodiment of the present application, both the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 can be configured to be along the central axis L of the fuselage 20 (reference Figure 3 ) are symmetrically arranged to ensure that the two have a better overlapping range of field of view angles. In addition, the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 are installed in a horizontal or downward manner to reduce the impact of sunlight. When installed in a horizontal manner, the central axis of the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 is parallel to the horizontal plane. When installed in a downward manner, Figure 1 As shown, the central axis of the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 is slightly inclined toward the ground, wherein the central axis of the image acquisition device 111 forms an angle θ1 with the horizontal plane, and the central axis of the distance acquisition device 112 forms an angle θ2 with the horizontal plane. To avoid interference with the detection results, the image acquisition device 111 and the distance acquisition device 112 are configured to be unable to detect the fuselage 20 or only to detect a small part of the fuselage 20. It should be noted that when the first information acquisition device 11 is configured to be able to adjust the rotation angle, the first information acquisition device 11 can also be used to collect environmental data behind or on the side of the autonomous mobile machine.

[0099] The first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 are installed in the information acquisition module 10, and the positions between them are relatively fixed, and the external parameter calibration is performed independently of the fuselage 20, and then the information acquisition module 10 is installed on the fuselage 20 of the autonomous mobile machine, and the calibration is performed once relative to the fuselage 20. Figure 1 The autonomous mobile machine also includes a control module 21 disposed in the body 20. The information acquisition module 10 is installed on the body 20 of the autonomous mobile machine. The control module 21 is configured to obtain positioning information of the autonomous mobile machine based on the environmental data collected by the first information acquisition device 11 and the position data collected by the second information acquisition device 12. At the same time, the control module 21 is configured to obtain obstacle information of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel based on the environmental data collected by the first information acquisition device 11. The method for the control module 21 to obtain positioning information based on environmental data and position data, and to obtain obstacle information based on environmental data is a prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0100] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device 11 includes an image acquisition device 111, and the image acquisition device 111 includes a visual sensor. The second information acquisition device 12 includes an inertial sensor and a satellite positioning sensor. The visual sensor, the inertial sensor and the satellite positioning sensor are calibrated with external parameters and transformed into a unified space-time coordinate system. The information acquisition module 10 is installed on the fuselage 20 of the autonomous mobile machine, and the control module 21 is configured to obtain the positioning information of the autonomous mobile machine based on the environmental data collected by the visual sensor, the position data collected by the inertial sensor, and the positioning data collected by the satellite positioning sensor, so as to achieve accurate positioning. When the autonomous mobile machine is blocked, the satellite positioning signal is weak, and the positioning data after the fusion of the visual sensor and the inertial sensor is used for positioning. Under conditions of insufficient light such as cloudy days, the positioning data of satellite positioning is used for positioning, so as to ensure that the autonomous mobile machine can accurately navigate even when moving outdoors.

[0101] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device 11 includes a distance acquisition device 112, and the distance acquisition device 112 includes a laser radar sensor. The second information acquisition device 12 includes an inertial sensor and a satellite positioning sensor. The laser radar sensor, the inertial sensor and the satellite positioning sensor are calibrated with external parameters and transformed into a unified space-time coordinate system. The information acquisition module 10 is installed on the fuselage 20 of the autonomous mobile machine, and the control module 21 is configured to obtain the positioning information of the autonomous mobile machine based on the environmental data collected by the laser radar sensor, the position data collected by the inertial sensor, and the positioning data collected by the satellite positioning sensor, so as to achieve accurate positioning. When the autonomous mobile machine is blocked, the satellite positioning signal is weak, and the positioning data after the laser radar sensor and the inertial sensor are fused for positioning. In harsh environments, the positioning data of satellite positioning is used for positioning to ensure that the autonomous mobile machine can accurately navigate even when moving outdoors.

[0102] In one embodiment, the first information acquisition device 11 includes an image acquisition device 111 and a distance acquisition device 112, the image acquisition device 111 includes a visual sensor, the distance acquisition device 112 includes a laser radar sensor, and the second information acquisition device 12 includes an inertial sensor and a satellite positioning sensor. The visual sensor, the laser radar sensor, the inertial sensor and the satellite positioning sensor are calibrated with external parameters and transformed into a unified space-time coordinate system. The information acquisition module 10 is installed on the fuselage 20 of the autonomous mobile machine, and the control module 21 is configured to obtain the positioning information of the autonomous mobile machine based on the environmental data collected by at least one of the visual sensor and the laser radar sensor, the position data collected by the inertial sensor, and the positioning data collected by the satellite positioning sensor, so as to achieve accurate positioning. When the autonomous mobile machine is blocked, the satellite positioning signal is weak, and the positioning data after the fusion of at least one of the visual sensor and the laser radar sensor and the inertial sensor is used for positioning. In harsh environments, the positioning data of satellite positioning is used for positioning, so as to ensure that the autonomous mobile machine can accurately navigate even when moving outdoors. At the same time, the control module is configured to obtain obstacle information in the direction of travel of the autonomous mobile machine based on the environmental data collected by the visual sensor and the lidar sensor. When the visual sensor is a monocular sensor, the image data obtained does not have distance information, and the environmental data obtained by the lidar sensor does not have image information. By fusing the two calibrations, it is possible to accurately obtain obstacle information so that the autonomous mobile machine can achieve accurate obstacle avoidance.

[0103] like Figure 1As shown, in order to prevent the autonomous mobile machine from being electrically conductive and causing the information collection module 10 to be turned on and burned, an insulating layer 13 is further provided between the information collection module 10 and the autonomous mobile machine. Specifically, the insulating layer 13 can be provided between the intermediate connector and the body 20 of the autonomous mobile machine. The first information acquisition device 11 and the second information acquisition device 12 are provided in the first shell or the second shell, which is also convenient for insulating them from the body 20.

[0104] The present application first sets at least two information acquisition devices in the same structure to form a modular structure, and then connects them to the fuselage as a whole, so that the information acquisition module 10 can be calibrated independently of the fuselage as a whole, reducing the workload of calibration, which is conducive to improving production efficiency. In addition, the installation is simpler, which is conducive to designing a unified interface, improving the versatility of the information acquisition module between different devices, simplifying the design, and reducing production costs. At the same time, the installation steps of the whole machine are reduced, which is also convenient for later maintenance and improves work efficiency.

[0105] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile machine, characterized in that: The autonomous mobile machine includes a body and an information collection module, wherein the information collection module is connected to the body, and the information collection module includes: A first information acquisition device is provided with at least one acquisition window, wherein the first information acquisition device is configured to at least acquire environmental data of the autonomous mobile machine in a moving direction through the at least one acquisition window; and A second information acquisition device is configured to at least collect position data of the autonomous mobile machine during its travel.

2. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The information collection module is arranged on the front side of the fuselage.

3. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front edge of the information collection module does not exceed the front edge of the fuselage.

4. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The installation height of the information collection module does not exceed the fuselage.

5. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The installation height of the information collection module in the vertical direction of the fuselage is 0.5m-0.9m.

6. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The information collection module is detachably connected to the fuselage.

7. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The information collection module includes an intermediate connecting piece, the intermediate connecting piece is connected to the fuselage, and the first information acquisition device and the second information acquisition device are installed on the intermediate connecting piece.

8. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first information acquisition device includes at least one of an image acquisition device and a distance acquisition device, wherein the image acquisition device is configured to at least acquire image data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel, and the distance acquisition device is configured to at least acquire data related to obstacles of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel.

9. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 8, characterized in that: in, The image acquisition device includes a visual sensor, and the distance acquisition device includes a laser radar sensor.

10. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that: The second information acquisition device includes an inertial sensor.

11. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 10, characterized in that: The second information acquisition device further includes a satellite positioning sensor, and the satellite positioning sensor is configured to collect positioning data of the autonomous mobile machine during its travel.

12. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 8, characterized in that: The information collection module includes a first shell forming a first cavity and a second shell forming a second cavity and connected to the first shell, the first shell having a first collection window, the image collection device being arranged in the first cavity and at least collecting image data of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel through the first collection window, the second shell having a second collection window, the distance collection device being arranged in the second cavity and at least collecting data related to obstacles of the autonomous mobile machine in the direction of travel through the second collection window.

13. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: A shielding layer is provided between the second information acquisition device and the first information acquisition device to shield the first information acquisition device from interference with the second information acquisition device.

14. The autonomous mobile machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second information acquiring device is not lower than the first information acquiring device in the vertical direction.

15. An information collection module, characterized in that: The information collection module includes: A first information acquisition device is provided with at least one acquisition window, wherein the first information acquisition device is configured to at least acquire environmental data through the at least one acquisition window; and A second information acquisition device, wherein the second information acquisition device is configured to at least collect location data.

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