Unmanned driving system in limited space

Abstract

The utility model relates to an unmanned driving system in a limited space. The system comprises a vehicle-mounted subsystem used for determining position information of an unmanned vehicle in the limited space and data point cloud information of the limited space; the plurality of first base stations form a looped network in a limited space; the edge subsystem is used for generating a driving track control instruction of the unmanned vehicle according to the position information and the data point cloud information; the first switch, the second switch and the second base station are used for transmitting the driving track control instruction of the unmanned vehicle to the upper computer arranged outside the limited space; the unmanned vehicle is used for completing control according to the driving track control instruction; according to the invention, automatic driving of the unmanned vehicle can be accurately realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of knowledge graph technology, and in particular to an unmanned driving system in a confined space. Background Art

[0002] In confined and complex spatial environments, such as underground mines or narrow tunnels, traditional unmanned driving systems are unable to perform autonomous driving due to limited signal quality.

[0003] Currently, a common approach is to remotely control the vehicle's movement through a console based on 5G technology. However, in this environment, signal quality is poor, data transmission is not smooth, and errors are prone to occur.

[0004] Another common approach is to survey the confined space in three-dimensional point clouds in advance, build a three-dimensional map, and set it in the unmanned driving system in advance. Once the location of the unmanned driving system is obtained, the system can be driven automatically based on the three-dimensional map. However, this solution requires the contours of the entire confined space to be surveyed in advance, which is costly and difficult to implement. Utility Model Content

[0005] The following is a summary of the subject matter described in detail herein. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0006] The main purpose of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide an unmanned driving system in a confined space, which can accurately realize the automatic driving of an unmanned vehicle.

[0007] A first aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides an unmanned driving system in a confined space, the system comprising:

[0008] An onboard subsystem, configured to determine the position of an unmanned vehicle in a confined space and a data point cloud of the confined space, and to transmit a driving trajectory control instruction generated by the edge subsystem to the unmanned vehicle;

[0009] a plurality of first base stations, disposed in the confined space, the plurality of first base stations being communicatively connected to each other to form a ring network in the confined space, and at least one of the plurality of first base stations being connected to the vehicle-mounted subsystem;

[0010] A plurality of edge subsystems are arranged in the confined space, each of the plurality of edge subsystems being connected to at least one of the first base stations; the edge subsystem is configured to generate a driving trajectory control instruction for the unmanned vehicle based on the position information and the data point cloud information;

[0011] a first switch, disposed at an entrance of the confined space, the first switch being communicatively connected to at least one of the first base stations;

[0012] a second switch, disposed outside the confined space, the second switch being communicatively connected to the first switch;

[0013] a second base station, disposed outside the confined space, the second base station being communicatively connected to the second switch; the second base station being configured to transmit a driving trajectory control instruction of the unmanned vehicle to a host computer disposed outside the confined space;

[0014] The unmanned vehicle is communicatively connected to the on-board subsystem, and the unmanned vehicle is used to complete control according to the driving trajectory control instruction.

[0015] This embodiment has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] Multiple first base stations are set up in the confined space to form a ring network, thereby achieving network coverage within the confined space and ensuring smooth communication between the unmanned vehicle and the edge subsystem.

[0017] By setting up multiple first base stations to form a ring network, a first switch, a second interactive machine and a second base station, relevant information of the unmanned vehicle can be directly transmitted to the host computer, which is convenient for monitoring the unmanned vehicle for safety monitoring.

[0018] By setting up an edge subsystem, when the performance of the unmanned vehicle is limited, the driving trajectory of the unmanned vehicle can be calculated through the computing performance of the edge subsystem to complete the automatic operation of the unmanned vehicle.

[0019] In some embodiments, the vehicle-mounted subsystem includes: a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller;

[0020] The controller is in communication with the first base station and the unmanned vehicle;

[0021] The first sensor is used to communicate with at least two third sensors in the confined space to determine the position information of the unmanned vehicle in the confined space; the third sensor and the first sensor are of the same type;

[0022] The second sensor is used to scan the confined space to determine data point cloud information of the confined space;

[0023] The controller is configured to transmit the location information and the data point cloud information to the first base station;

[0024] The controller is also used to transmit the driving trajectory control instructions generated by the edge subsystem to the unmanned vehicle.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first sensor is an ultra-wideband sensor.

[0026] In some embodiments, the second sensor is a lidar.

[0027] In some embodiments, the controller is a PLC controller.

[0028] In some embodiments, the edge subsystem is connected to the first base station via an optical fiber.

[0029] In some embodiments, the confined space is a mine or a tunnel.

[0030] In some embodiments, the second sensor and the first sensor are disposed on top of the unmanned vehicle.

[0031] In some embodiments, the host computer is a vehicle monitoring terminal.

[0032] In some embodiments, the on-board subsystem is communicatively connected to the unmanned vehicle via a CAN line. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or related technical descriptions. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a confined space drone driving system provided by one embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of controlling an unmanned vehicle in a mine provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of calculating a driving trajectory using a nested depth SLAM component provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Reference numerals:

[0038] 110, vehicle-mounted subsystem; 120, first base station; 130, edge subsystem; 140, first switch; 150, second switch; 160, second base station; 170, unmanned vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clear, the following further describes this application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0040] It should be noted that although the device schematics illustrate functional module divisions and the flowcharts illustrate logical sequences, in certain circumstances, the steps shown or described may be performed in a sequence that differs from the module divisions in the device or the sequence in the flowcharts. The terms "first," "second," and so on, in the specification, claims, and drawings, are used to distinguish similar items and are not necessarily used to describe a specific sequence or precedence.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing the embodiments of this application only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0042] In confined and complex spatial environments, such as underground mines or narrow tunnels, traditional unmanned driving systems are unable to perform autonomous driving due to limited signal quality.

[0043] Currently, a common approach is to remotely control the vehicle's movement through a console based on 5G technology. However, in this environment, signal quality is poor, data transmission is not smooth, and errors are prone to occur.

[0044] Another common approach is to survey the confined space in three-dimensional point clouds in advance, build a three-dimensional map, and set it in the unmanned driving system in advance. Once the location of the unmanned driving system is obtained, the system can be driven automatically based on the three-dimensional map. However, this solution requires the contours of the entire confined space to be surveyed in advance, which is costly and difficult to implement.

[0045] like Figures 1 to 3 To address existing deficiencies, one embodiment of the present application provides a confined space drone piloting system. The system comprises:

[0046] The onboard subsystem 110 is used to determine the position information of the unmanned vehicle 170 in the confined space and the data point cloud information of the confined space. The onboard subsystem 110 is used to transmit the driving trajectory control instructions generated by the edge subsystem 130 to the unmanned vehicle 170;

[0047] A plurality of first base stations 120 are disposed in the confined space, the plurality of first base stations 120 are communicatively connected to each other to form a ring network in the confined space, and at least one first base station 120 among the plurality of first base stations 120 is connected to the vehicle-mounted subsystem 110;

[0048] Multiple edge subsystems 130 are arranged in a confined space, and each edge subsystem 130 of the multiple edge subsystems 130 is connected to at least one first base station 120; the edge subsystem 130 is used to generate a driving trajectory control instruction of the unmanned vehicle 170 based on the location information and the data point cloud information;

[0049] A first switch 140 is provided at the entrance of the confined space, and the first switch 140 is communicatively connected to at least one first base station 120;

[0050] A second switch 150 is provided outside the confined space and is communicatively connected to the first switch 140 ;

[0051] The second base station 160 is disposed outside the confined space and is in communication with the second switch 150 . The second base station 160 is used to transmit the driving trajectory control instructions of the unmanned vehicle 170 to the host computer disposed outside the confined space.

[0052] The unmanned vehicle 170 is in communication with the vehicle-mounted subsystem 110 , and the unmanned vehicle 170 is configured to complete control according to the driving trajectory control instructions.

[0053] First, let’s introduce the key technical points:

[0054] Ultra Wide Band (UWB) sensors are signal receivers or signal transmitters based on ultra-wideband technology, which is not limited here. Ultra-wideband technology is a wireless carrier communication technology that does not use a sinusoidal carrier, but instead uses nanosecond-level non-sinusoidal narrow pulses to transmit data, so it occupies a very wide spectrum range. UWB has the advantages of low system complexity, low power spectrum density of transmitted signals, insensitivity to channel fading, low interception capability, and high positioning accuracy. It is especially suitable for high-speed wireless access in dense multipath places such as indoors. This application mainly uses ultra-wideband sensors to achieve positioning.

[0055] Radar includes laser radar (LR) and millimeter-wave radar (MWR), among which: (1) Laser radar is a radar system that mainly uses laser beams to detect the position, speed and other characteristic quantities of the target. Its working principle is to transmit a detection signal (laser beam) to the target, and then compare the received signal reflected from the target (target echo) with the transmitted signal. After appropriate processing, relevant information about the target can be obtained, such as target distance, direction, height, speed, attitude, and even shape parameters. (2) Millimeter-wave radar is a radar that works in the millimeter wave band. Compared with optical seekers such as infrared, laser, and television, millimeter-wave seekers have strong ability to penetrate fog, smoke, and dust, and have the characteristics of all-weather (except heavy rain) and all-day. In addition, the anti-interference and anti-stealth capabilities of millimeter-wave seekers are also better than other microwave seekers. This application mainly uses radar for ranging.

[0056] In this embodiment, multiple first base stations 120 are set up in the confined space, and the multiple first base stations 120 form a ring network to achieve full coverage in the confined space, so as to ensure that at least one first base station 120 can communicate with the vehicle-mounted subsystem 110, so that the information of the vehicle-mounted subsystem 110 can be transmitted to the edge subsystem 130.

[0057] In this embodiment, multiple edge subsystems 130 are installed in the confined space. The purpose of these edge subsystems 130 is to perform fusion calculations based on the information collected by the onboard subsystem 110 to generate driving trajectory control instructions. The edge subsystems can be edge servers or computing terminals. The powerful computing capabilities of edge subsystems 130 can alleviate the problem of computational inability caused by the limited computing performance of the unmanned vehicle 170.

[0058] In this embodiment, edge subsystem 130 is connected to at least one first base station 120 to ensure it can receive information forwarded by first base station 120 and send driving trajectory control instructions to first base station 120 for forwarding. Furthermore, multiple edge subsystems 130 are provided to meet the needs of driving trajectory prediction for multiple unmanned vehicles 170 within a confined space.

[0059] In this embodiment, the first switch 140, the second interactive machine, and the second base station 160 are designed to transmit driving trajectory control instructions to a host computer. This combination enables real-time monitoring of the unmanned vehicle 170, as many confined spaces (such as deep mines with hazardous gases) are inaccessible to personnel. Furthermore, the host computer can also send instructions to actively control the unmanned vehicle 170.

[0060] In this embodiment, the vehicle-mounted subsystem 110 is installed in the unmanned vehicle 170 and specifically implements two functions:

[0061] (1) determining the position information of the unmanned vehicle 170 in the confined space;

[0062] (2) Obtain data point cloud information of confined space.

[0063] Regarding point (1), positioning can be achieved by using triangulation positioning with ultra-wideband technology.

[0064] Regarding point (2), three-dimensional data point cloud data can be acquired through laser radar.

[0065] The following provides a specific implementation process:

[0066] (1) The unmanned vehicle 1 requests path planning. The on-board subsystem first determines the position information of the unmanned vehicle 1 in the confined space and the data point cloud information of the confined space.

[0067] (2) The vehicle-mounted subsystem is within the communication range of the first base station 5 and the first base station 4. According to the proximity principle (the vehicle is closer to the first base station 5), the vehicle-mounted subsystem sends the location information and the data point cloud information of the confined space to the first base station 5.

[0068] (3) The first base station 5 is connected to the edge subsystems 15 and 17. At this time, the computing load of the edge subsystem 15 is relatively low, so the location information data point cloud information is sent to the edge subsystem 15, which calculates the driving trajectory according to the preset algorithm and generates a driving trajectory control instruction.

[0069] (4) The edge subsystem 15 returns the driving trajectory control instruction through the original route.

[0070] (5) The unmanned vehicle 1 is controlled according to the driving trajectory control instruction.

[0071] (6) The first base station 5 receives the driving trajectory control instruction, which is then sent to the first switch by multiple first base stations set up in the ring network.

[0072] (7) The first switch sends the driving trajectory control instruction to the second switch.

[0073] (8) The second switch transmits the driving trajectory control instruction to the host computer through the second base station.

[0074] (9) The host computer monitors the unmanned vehicle according to the driving trajectory control instructions.

[0075] The following describes at least one computing process of the edge subsystem 130 (not involved in this application):

[0076] Edge subsystem 130 integrates a minimalist SLAM component and a nested deep SLAM component for local sections of high-precision maps. Through optimized hardware configuration and algorithm design, it achieves efficient and accurate navigation in confined spaces. Positioning and data point clouds jointly provide environmental data to support navigation and environmental adaptation. The minimalist SLAM component uses position and data point cloud information to build a simplified map, which is suitable for alleyways with relatively variable environments. The nested deep SLAM component for local sections of high-precision maps plays a role in sections that require high-precision navigation, using advanced sensor data for detailed map construction and complex path planning at key crossroads or specific work areas.

[0077] The beneficial effects of the system provided by this embodiment are:

[0078] (1) Multiple first base stations are set up in the confined space to form a ring network, thereby achieving network coverage within the confined space and ensuring smooth communication between the unmanned vehicle and the edge subsystem.

[0079] (2) By setting up multiple first base stations to form a ring network, a first switch, a second interactive machine and a second base station, relevant information of the unmanned vehicle can be directly transmitted to the host computer, which is convenient for monitoring the unmanned vehicle for safety monitoring.

[0080] (3) By setting up an edge subsystem, when the performance of the unmanned vehicle is limited, the driving trajectory of the unmanned vehicle can be calculated through the computing performance of the edge subsystem to complete the automatic operation of the unmanned vehicle.

[0081] In some embodiments, the vehicle-mounted subsystem 110 includes: a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller;

[0082] The controller is in communication with the first base station 120 and the unmanned vehicle 170;

[0083] The first sensor is used to communicate with at least two third sensors in the confined space to determine the position information of the unmanned vehicle 170 in the confined space; the third sensor and the first sensor are of the same type;

[0084] The second sensor is used to scan the confined space to determine data point cloud information of the confined space;

[0085] The controller is used to transmit the location information and the data point cloud information to the first base station 120;

[0086] The controller is also used to transmit the driving trajectory control instructions generated by the edge subsystem 130 to the unmanned vehicle 170.

[0087] The following describes how to generate position information based on signal transmission between a first sensor and multiple third sensors:

[0088] The implementation principle is triangulation positioning. Assuming there are third sensors 1, 2 and 3, the signal transmission speed and time between the third sensors 1, 2 and 3 and the first sensor are obtained, and the distance between the first sensor and the third sensors 1, 2 and 3 is determined. Then, each of the third sensors 1, 2 and 3 uses its own position as the center and the distance as the radius to draw a circle. The intersection of the three circles is the position of the first sensor. The controller can be the common TMS320F28335 series or a computer device with data processing capabilities.

[0089] In some embodiments, the first sensor is an ultra-wideband sensor.

[0090] In some embodiments, the second sensor is a lidar.

[0091] In some embodiments, the controller is a PLC controller, which is a digital computing controller with a microprocessor for automated control, capable of loading control instructions into memory for storage and execution at any time.

[0092] In some embodiments, the edge subsystem 130 is connected to the first base station 120 via an optical fiber. The optical fiber connection can improve the quality of communication between the edge subsystem 130 and the first base station 120.

[0093] In some embodiments, the confined space is a mine or a tunnel.

[0094] In some embodiments, the second sensor and the first sensor are disposed on the top of the unmanned vehicle 170. By being disposed on the top, the coverage of the signal is maximized.

[0095] In some embodiments, the host computer is a vehicle monitoring terminal.

[0096] In some embodiments, the vehicle-mounted subsystem 110 is connected to the unmanned vehicle 170 via a CAN line. The CAN line is a serial communication line with data communication function.

[0097] The above is a specific description of the preferred implementation of the embodiments of the present application, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited to the above-mentioned implementation methods. Technical personnel familiar with the art can also make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without violating the spirit of the embodiments of the present application. These equivalent modifications or substitutions are all included in the scope defined by the claims of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. An unmanned driving system in a confined space, characterized in that: The system comprises: An onboard subsystem (110), the onboard subsystem (110) being used to determine position information of an unmanned vehicle (170) in a confined space and data point cloud information of the confined space, and the onboard subsystem (110) being used to transmit a driving trajectory control instruction generated by an edge subsystem (130) to the unmanned vehicle (170); A plurality of first base stations (120) are arranged in the confined space, the plurality of first base stations (120) are communicatively connected to each other to form a ring network in the confined space, and at least one of the plurality of first base stations (120) is connected to the vehicle-mounted subsystem (110); A plurality of edge subsystems (130) are arranged in the confined space, each of the plurality of edge subsystems (130) being connected to at least one of the first base stations (120); the edge subsystems (130) are configured to generate a driving trajectory control instruction for the unmanned vehicle (170) based on the position information and the data point cloud information; a first switch (140), arranged at the entrance of the confined space, the first switch (140) being communicatively connected to at least one of the first base stations (120); a second switch (150), arranged outside the confined space, the second switch (150) being communicatively connected to the first switch (140); A second base station (160) is arranged outside the confined space, and the second base station (160) is communicatively connected to the second switch (150); the second base station (160) is used to transmit the driving trajectory control instruction of the unmanned vehicle (170) to a host computer arranged outside the confined space; The unmanned vehicle (170) is communicatively connected to the vehicle-mounted subsystem (110), and the unmanned vehicle (170) is used to complete control according to the driving trajectory control instruction.

2. The unmanned driving system in a confined space according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vehicle-mounted subsystem (110) includes: a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller; The controller is in communication with the first base station (120) and the unmanned vehicle (170); The first sensor is used to communicate with at least two third sensors in the confined space to determine the position information of the unmanned vehicle (170) in the confined space; the third sensor and the first sensor are sensors of the same type; The second sensor is used to scan the confined space to determine data point cloud information of the confined space; The controller is used to transmit the position information and the data point cloud information to the first base station (120); The controller is also used to transmit the driving trajectory control instruction generated by the edge subsystem (130) to the unmanned vehicle (170).

3. The unmanned driving system in a confined space according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first sensor is an ultra-wideband sensor.

4. The unmanned driving system in a confined space according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second sensor is a laser radar.

5. The unmanned driving system in a confined space according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controller is a PLC controller.

6. The unmanned driving system in a confined space according to claim 1, characterized in that: The edge subsystem (130) is connected to the first base station (120) via an optical fiber.

7. The unmanned driving system in a confined space according to claim 1, characterized in that: The confined space is a mine or a tunnel.

8. The unmanned driving system in a confined space according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second sensor and the first sensor are arranged on the top of the unmanned vehicle (170).

9. The unmanned driving system in a confined space according to claim 1, characterized in that: The host computer is a vehicle monitoring terminal.

10. The unmanned driving system in a confined space according to claim 1, characterized in that: The onboard subsystem (110) is communicatively connected to the unmanned vehicle (170) via a CAN line.

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