Obstacle detection system for self-walking equipment and self-walking equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides an obstacle detection system for self-walking equipment, and the self-walking equipment comprises a machine main body, and is characterized in that the obstacle detection system is arranged on the peripheral surface of the machine main body, and is configured to detect an obstacle in a running path of the machine main body; the obstacle detection system comprises a plurality of groups of infrared geminate transistors, and the infrared geminate transistors are arranged at intervals according to a preset array; wherein each group of infrared geminate transistors comprises infrared light emitting tubes, and the infrared light emitting tubes of two adjacent groups are configured to be asynchronously lightened. According to the obstacle detection system provided by the invention, the cost and the hardware complexity of the obstacle avoidance module of the self-walking equipment can be greatly reduced.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure is a divisional application of the Chinese Utility Model Patent with the application number "202421117840.1", the application date of May 21, 2024, and the title of "Obstacle Detection System for Self-walking Device and Self-walking Device". TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of self-walking devices, in particular, to an obstacle detection system for a self-walking device and a self-walking device. BACKGROUND

[0003] With the development of artificial intelligence technology, various intelligent self-walking devices have emerged in the market, such as sweeping robots, mopping robots, vacuum cleaners, and weeding machines. These intelligent self-walking devices not only liberate labor and save labor costs, but also significantly improve cleaning efficiency. Most self-walking devices need to automatically identify obstacles around them during operation and perform obstacle avoidance operations. For example, self-walking devices can detect obstacles in front, side, and even below by integrating obstacle avoidance sensors, thereby planning a walking path in advance to avoid unnecessary collisions. The obstacle avoidance function not only protects furniture and the robot itself from damage, but also ensures the continuity and efficiency of the robot's walking process.

[0004] However, existing obstacle avoidance schemes are relatively complex and have high implementation costs. As self-walking devices, especially various self-cleaning robots, become more popular, the obstacle avoidance performance of the devices needs to be further enhanced, and the cost needs to be further reduced. SUMMARY

[0005] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an obstacle detection system for a self-walking device and a self-walking device, which can reduce the implementation cost of obstacle detection.

[0006] The present disclosure provides an obstacle detection system for a self-walking device, the self-walking device comprising a machine body, the obstacle detection system being arranged on an outer peripheral surface of the machine body and configured to detect obstacles in a travel path of the machine body, the obstacle detection system comprising a plurality of groups of infrared pairs of tubes, the infrared pairs of tubes being arranged at a preset array interval; wherein each group of infrared pairs of tubes comprises an infrared light emitting tube, and the infrared light emitting tubes of adjacent two groups are configured to be asynchronously lit.

[0007] In some embodiments, each group of infrared pairs of tubes further comprises two infrared light receiving tubes, the infrared light receiving tubes being configured to receive reflected infrared light and convert it into an electrical signal.

[0008] In some embodiments, the infrared light emitting tube is located at the center position of the infrared pair of tubes, and the two infrared light receiving tubes are arranged on both sides of the infrared light emitting tube, respectively.

[0009] In some embodiments, two of the infrared light receiving tubes are arranged adjacently, and the infrared light emitting tube is arranged on one side of the infrared light receiving tube.

[0010] In some embodiments, a plurality of groups of the infrared pair tubes are arranged horizontally on the buffer of the machine body.

[0011] In some embodiments, in the horizontal direction, the arrangement of the infrared light emitting tube and the infrared light receiving tube in two adjacent groups of the infrared pair tubes is different.

[0012] In some embodiments, a plurality of groups of the infrared pair tubes are arranged vertically on the buffer of the machine body.

[0013] In some embodiments, in the vertical direction, the arrangement of the infrared light emitting tube and the infrared light receiving tube in two adjacent groups of the infrared pair tubes is the same.

[0014] In some embodiments, the number of the infrared pair tubes is 1-30, and the distance between two adjacent infrared pair tubes is 2-5 cm.

[0015] The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a self-walking device comprising the obstacle detection system according to any one of the above.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the obstacle detection system for the self-walking device and the self-walking device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure utilize the special infrared pair tube structure and signal processing mode to realize obstacle detection and avoidance, which can greatly reduce the cost and hardware complexity of the obstacle avoidance module of the self-walking device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] The drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. It is apparent that the drawing in the following description is only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and other drawings can be obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative labor on the basis of these drawings. In the drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the robot vacuum cleaner related to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 2 A front view of the robot vacuum cleaner configured with the obstacle detection system provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the infrared pair tube; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the infrared pair tube;

[0021] Figure 4 The flow chart of the obstacle avoidance method of the obstacle detection system for the self-walking device provided for some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] Explanation of reference signs:

[0023] The robot 10, the machine body 110, the front part 111, the rear part 112, the perception system 120, the buffer 122, the infrared pair tube 210, the first infrared light receiving tube 211, the second infrared light receiving tube 212, the infrared light emitting tube 213, the transmission lens 220. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the present disclosure will be further described in detail below with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art without creative work fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0025] The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. The singular forms "a", "an" and "the" used in the embodiments of the present disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. "Plural" generally includes at least two.

[0026] It should be understood that the term "and / or" used herein is only to describe the association relationship of the associated objects, which means that there can be three relationships, for example, A and / or B, which can represent the three cases of A alone, A and B together, and B alone. In addition, the character " / " herein generally represents an "or" relationship between the front and rear associated objects.

[0027] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising", "including", or any other variant thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that the product or device including a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or further includes elements inherent to such product or device. Without more limitations, the element defined by the statement "including one" does not exclude the presence of another identical element in the product or device including the element.

[0028] In the related art, the obstacle avoidance schemes of self-walking devices are relatively complex and have high implementation costs. For example, the existing obstacle avoidance sensors based on structured light project light rays of a specific pattern into the environment, and determine the shape and position of an object by analyzing the reflected light pattern. The structured light technology requires complex image processing and calculation, and has a high implementation cost. For another example, the existing obstacle avoidance sensors based on TOF (Time of Flight) technology calculate the distance of an object by measuring the time required for light to be emitted, reflected, and returned to the receiver. However, the obstacle avoidance sensors based on the TOF technology require high-precision timing, and also have a high implementation cost.

[0029] To this end, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide an obstacle detection system for a self-walking device, the self-walking device comprising a machine body, the obstacle detection system being arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the machine body and configured to detect an obstacle in a travel path of the machine body, the obstacle detection system comprising: at least one set of infrared pairs of tubes, each infrared pair of tubes further comprising: an infrared light emitting tube configured to emit infrared light; a first infrared light receiving tube configured to receive the reflected infrared light and convert it into a first electrical signal; and a second infrared light receiving tube configured to receive the reflected infrared light and convert it into a second electrical signal; the obstacle detection system being configured to calculate a voltage ratio of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, and the voltage ratio being used for obstacle avoidance determination.

[0030] The optional embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a possible application scenario, which includes a self-walking device, such as a sweeping robot, a mopping robot, a vacuum cleaner, a weeding machine, and the like. As an example, a sweeping robot is taken as an example for description. Referring to Figure 1 , the self-walking device is a sweeping robot 10, which can include a machine body 110, a perception system 120, a controller, a driving module, a cleaning system, an energy system, a human-computer interaction module, and the like.

[0032] The machine body 110 includes a forward portion 111 and a rearward portion 112, and has an approximately circular shape (i.e., circular in front and rear). It can be understood that the machine body 110 can also have other shapes. The forward portion 111 of the machine body 110 can be further provided with a bumper 122. The bumper 122 can be made of an elastic material and has good energy absorption performance, which can effectively reduce the impact force when the machine collides with an obstacle, and protect the equipment and furniture. The bumper 122 can also be loaded with various sensors.

[0033] The perception system 120 is configured to provide various position information and motion state information of the machine to the control system. The perception system 120 can include a collision sensor, a cliff sensor, a magnetometer, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an odometer, and the like, which are disposed on or inside the device body 110.

[0034] The control system is disposed on a circuit board inside the device body 110, and includes a computing processor, such as a central processing unit, an application processor, and the like, in communication with a non-transitory memory, such as a hard disk, a flash memory, a random access memory, and the like. The control system can control the driving module to respond to the obstacles according to the obstacle information fed back by the perception system 120.

[0035] The cleaning system can be a dry cleaning system and / or a wet cleaning system. As a dry cleaning system, the main cleaning function is derived from a cleaning system composed of a rolling brush, a dust box, a fan, an air outlet, and connecting components therebetween. The rolling brush with a certain interference with the ground sweeps the garbage on the ground and is brought to the front of the dust suction port between the rolling brush and the dust box, and then the air generated by the fan and passing through the dust box is sucked into the dust box. The dry cleaning system can also include a side brush having a rotating shaft at an angle relative to the ground for moving debris into the rolling brush area of the cleaning system.

[0036] The energy system includes a rechargeable battery, such as a nickel-hydrogen battery and a lithium battery. The rechargeable battery can be connected with a charge control circuit, a battery pack charging temperature detection circuit, and a battery undervoltage monitoring circuit, which are connected with a single-chip microcomputer control circuit.

[0037] The human-machine interaction system includes keys on the panel of the device body 110, which are used by the user to select functions; can also include a display screen and / or an indicator light and / or a loudspeaker, which show the user the current state of the machine or the function selection item; and can also include a mobile phone client program.

[0038] Reference Figure 2 And Figure 3 , Figure 2 A front view of the sweeping robot 10 configured with the obstacle detection system provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, Figure 3 For Figure 2 A schematic position distribution setting diagram of a mid-infrared pair tube. The machine body 110 is further provided with an obstacle detection system. The obstacle detection system is used to detect obstacles in the driving path of the machine body.

[0039] The obstacle detection system comprises at least one infrared pair tube 210, which further comprises a first infrared light receiving tube 211, a second infrared light receiving tube 212, and an infrared light emitting tube 213, wherein the infrared light emitting tube 213 is used to emit infrared light, the first infrared light receiving tube 211 is used to receive the reflected infrared light and convert it into a first electrical signal, and the second infrared light receiving tube 212 is used to receive the reflected infrared light and convert it into a second electrical signal.

[0040] In some embodiments, the obstacle detection system is arranged on the front portion 111 of the machine body 110, in particular, on the bumper 122 of the front portion 111. During the cleaning process, the drive module propels the robotic sweeper 10 to move on the ground, and the bumper 122 detects obstacles in the moving path of the robotic sweeper 10 via the obstacle detection system arranged thereon, and the robotic sweeper 10 can control the drive module to respond to the obstacle event detected by the obstacle detection system on the bumper 122, such as deceleration, stopping forward movement, performing a turning operation, etc.

[0041] In some embodiments, the obstacle detection system further comprises a signal processing unit for receiving the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, and calculating the voltage ratio of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, which can be used for subsequent obstacle avoidance judgment. The signal processing unit can be a micro control unit (MCU). The signal processing unit can calculate the voltage ratio of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal through an internal ratio calculation module. Let the voltage value of the first electrical signal be V1 and the voltage value of the second electrical signal be V2, then the voltage ratio R is defined as: R = V2 / V1.

[0042] In some embodiments, the calculated voltage ratio R can be compared with a plurality of preset threshold values to determine the situation of the front obstacle, such as position, size, etc. For example, a plurality of voltage ratio threshold values T1, T2, T3, etc. can be set according to experimental data and actual use environment, which are used for obstacle avoidance judgment and obstacle avoidance operation of different levels, wherein the obstacle avoidance operation includes no need to avoid obstacles, triggering deceleration operation, immediately performing stopping or turning operation, etc. By calculating the voltage ratio of the outputs of the two infrared receiving tubes, accurate judgment and obstacle avoidance of the obstacle can be achieved.

[0043] In some embodiments, the obstacle detection system includes multiple groups of the infrared pair tubes 210. The multiple groups of the infrared pair tubes 210 are arranged at the front portion 111 of the machine body 110, ensuring that the obstacles in front of the machine body 110 can be effectively detected when the machine body 110 moves forward. In some embodiments, the emitting tube and the receiving tube of each group of the infrared pair tubes 210 are arranged on the bumper 122, specifically, on the front surface of the bumper 122, to ensure the emission and reception of the light without obstacles.

[0044] In some embodiments, the number of the groups of the infrared pair tubes 210 can be 1-30, for example, 9-17, and the distance between the adjacent groups of the infrared pair tubes 210 can be 1-10 cm, for example, 2-5 cm, to ensure that there is no blind area and the interference between the adjacent groups of the infrared pair tubes 210 is small.

[0045] In some embodiments, the multiple groups of the infrared pair tubes 210 are arranged horizontally at the front portion 111 of the machine body 110, forming a straight line or slightly arc-shaped array, to ensure that all possible paths in front are covered. In some embodiments, the groups of the infrared pair tubes 210 can also be arranged vertically to cover obstacles of different heights. For example, on a higher device, the groups of the infrared pair tubes 210 can be distributed vertically to detect obstacles of different heights. Further, to improve the detection ability in complex environments, a combined arrangement can be used, combining the horizontal arrangement and the vertical arrangement to form a two-dimensional detection network, enhancing the obstacle avoidance effect.

[0046] In some embodiments, in a single infrared pair tube 210, the infrared light emitting tube 213 is located at the center of the pair tube, and the first infrared light receiving tube 211 and the second infrared light receiving tube 212 are arranged on the two sides of the infrared light emitting tube 213. In other embodiments, the first infrared light receiving tube 211 is located at the center of the pair tube, and the infrared light emitting tube 213 and the second infrared light receiving tube 212 are arranged on the two sides of the first infrared light receiving tube 211. Or, the second infrared light receiving tube 212 is located at the center of the pair tube, and the infrared light emitting tube 213 and the first infrared light receiving tube 211 are arranged on the two sides of the second infrared light receiving tube 212.

[0047] In some embodiments, the bumper 122 generally has a certain curvature, and the infrared pair tube 210 is arranged closely to the bumper 122, and the infrared pair tube 210 and the bumper 122 maintain the same curvature, and / or the arrangement of the multiple groups of the infrared pair tubes 210 maintains the same curvature as the bumper 122.

[0048] In some embodiments, the obstacle detection system further comprises a transmission lens 220 arranged outside the infrared pair tube 210, which is made of special infrared transmission material to ensure efficient penetration of infrared light. In some embodiments, the transmission lens 220 can also block visible light while ensuring efficient penetration of infrared light to reduce environmental light interference. As an example, the transmission lens 220 is black, with high infrared transmission and low visible light transmission, to reduce environmental light interference and optimize detection performance. In some embodiments, the transmission lens 220 maintains the same curvature as the bumper 122.

[0049] In some embodiments, the obstacle detection system further comprises a Fresnel convex lens arranged in front of the light path of the infrared light emitting tube 213. If there are multiple groups of infrared pair tubes 210, a Fresnel convex lens can be installed in front of each infrared light emitting tube 213 in each group of infrared pair tubes 210. After focusing and guiding by the Fresnel convex lens, the infrared light beam can be effectively focused, making the infrared light have strong directivity, reducing beam divergence, and reducing mutual interference between adjacent infrared light emitting tubes 213. Moreover, the Fresnel lens is relatively smaller in volume than ordinary lenses, making it particularly suitable for situations where multiple lenses are required in the present disclosure.

[0050] In some embodiments, the Fresnel convex lens is designed with an inner convex, with the inner surface of the lens designed as a concave surface to ensure overall consistency of the optical system. In some embodiments, the Fresnel convex lens is installed directly in front of the infrared light emitting tube 213, aligned with the axis of the infrared light emitting tube 213, to ensure optimal optical effect

[0051] In some embodiments, the infrared pair tube 210 is welded to a flexible PCB (Printed Circuit Board), which can be further fixed to the transmission lens 220 by means of adhesive, buckle, or locking screw. Specifically, adhesive fixation involves pre-pasting adhesive, such as double-sided tape, on the back of the flexible PCB. The adhesive installation process is simple and quick, requiring only that the PCB be attached to the inner surface of the transmission lens 220 and that appropriate pressure be applied to ensure secure fixation. Buckle fixation involves arranging a number of buckle slots on the inner side of the transmission lens 220, which match the buckle holes on the flexible PCB. Locking screw fixation involves arranging corresponding screw holes on the edges of the flexible PCB and the transmission lens 220, aligning the screw holes on the flexible PCB with the holes on the transmission lens 220, inserting the screws, and tightening them.

[0052] The flexible PCB is made of high-flexibility material, with good bending resistance and electrical performance. In some embodiments, the thickness of the flexible PCB can be 0.1 to 0.2 millimeters to ensure that it can still work stably in a bent state.

[0053] In some embodiments, the obstacle detection system further comprises a connector for electrical connection with the main board of the robot. Through the connector, the circuit on the PCB can exchange data and signals with the control system of the main board of the robot. For example, the obstacle detection system sends an obstacle avoidance signal to the main board of the robot through the connector, and the control system of the main board of the robot further performs corresponding operations such as stopping, turning, slowing down, etc. according to the obstacle avoidance signal.

[0054] In some embodiments, each group of infrared pairs of tubes 210 is respectively welded on an independent small flexible PCB, and the PCBs are connected through FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) flexible wires. The FPC flexible wires are connection lines made of flexible circuits, and have the characteristics of lightness, bendability and easy installation. The welding of each group of infrared pairs of tubes 210 makes it easy to install and replace the infrared pairs of tubes 210. The signal processing unit can be arranged on one of the independent flexible PCBs, and exchange data and signals with each infrared pair of tubes 210 arranged on other flexible PCBs through FPC flexible wires to process the signals received by each infrared pair of tubes 210. The connector can be arranged on one of the independent flexible PCBs. The connector can be arranged on the same flexible PCB as the signal processing unit.

[0055] In other embodiments, all the infrared pairs of tubes 210 are welded on a whole flexible PCB to form an integrated circuit board module, which can reduce the number of cables. The design of the flexible PCB can improve the adaptability of the infrared pairs of tubes 210 on complex curved surfaces and provide flexible installation methods. Referring to Figure 4 The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide an obstacle avoidance method of the obstacle detection system as in the foregoing embodiments, which comprises the following steps:

[0056] S110, controlling the infrared light emitting tube to emit infrared light;

[0057] S120, controlling the first infrared light receiving tube to receive the reflected infrared light to obtain a first electric signal, and controlling the second infrared light receiving tube to receive the reflected infrared light to obtain a second electric signal;

[0058] S130, calculating the voltage ratio of the first electric signal and the second electric signal, judging the situation of the front obstacle according to the voltage ratio, and forming an obstacle avoidance strategy.

[0059] In some embodiments, the self-walking device can include one or more groups of the infrared pair tube 210. The one or more groups of the infrared pair tube 210 are arranged at the front portion 111 of the machine body 110, ensuring that the front obstacles can be effectively detected when the machine body 110 advances.

[0060] When the self-walking device includes multiple groups of the infrared pair tube 210, the infrared light emitting tube 213 of the infrared pair tube 210 can be configured to be asynchronously lit to avoid two adjacent infrared light emitting tubes 213 emitting infrared light at the same time, so that the interference can be further reduced.

[0061] The voltage ratio R of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal is defined as: R = V2 / V1, V1 is the voltage value of the first electrical signal, and V2 is the voltage value of the second electrical signal. In some embodiments, the calculated voltage ratio R can be compared with a plurality of preset threshold values to determine the situation of the front obstacle, such as the position, size, etc. For example, a plurality of voltage ratio threshold values T1, T2, T3, etc. can be set according to experimental data and actual use environment, which are used for different levels of obstacle avoidance judgment and obstacle avoidance strategies, such as no need to avoid obstacles, trigger deceleration operation, immediately execute stop or steering operation, etc. The embodiment can realize accurate judgment of the obstacle by calculating the voltage ratio of the outputs of the two infrared receiving tubes, so as to form the corresponding obstacle avoidance strategy.

[0062] Compared with the prior art, the obstacle detection system and the self-walking device provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure utilize the special structure of the infrared pair tube 210 and the signal processing method to realize obstacle detection and avoidance, which can greatly reduce the cost and hardware complexity of the obstacle avoidance module of the self-walking device.

[0063] Finally, it should be noted that: the embodiments in the specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts of each embodiment can be referred to each other. For the system or device disclosed in the embodiments, since it corresponds to the method disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple, and the related parts can be referred to the method part.

[0064] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure, but not limit them; although the foregoing disclosure has been made in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments can be modified, or some technical features can be replaced by equivalents; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An obstacle detection system for a self-propelled device, the self-propelled device comprising a main body, characterized in that, The obstacle detection system is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the machine body and is configured to detect obstacles in the travel path of the machine body. The obstacle detection system includes multiple sets of infrared photodiodes, which are arranged at preset array intervals. Each set of infrared photodiodes includes an infrared light emitting tube, and the infrared light emitted by adjacent sets is configured to be illuminated asynchronously.

2. The obstacle detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each set of infrared photocells also includes two infrared light receiving tubes, which are used to receive reflected infrared light and convert it into electrical signals.

3. The obstacle detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The infrared light emitting tube is located at the center of the infrared light pair tube, and the two infrared light receiving tubes are respectively arranged on both sides of the infrared light emitting tube.

4. The obstacle detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The two infrared light receiving tubes are arranged adjacent to each other, and the infrared light emitting tube is arranged on one side of the infrared light receiving tubes.

5. The obstacle detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Multiple sets of the infrared photocells are arranged horizontally on the buffer of the machine body.

6. The obstacle detection system according to claim 5, characterized in that, In the horizontal direction, the infrared light emitting tubes and infrared light receiving tubes in two adjacent sets of infrared tubes are arranged differently.

7. The obstacle detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Multiple sets of the infrared photocells are arranged vertically on the buffer of the machine body.

8. The obstacle detection system according to claim 7, characterized in that, In the vertical direction, the infrared light emitting tubes and infrared light receiving tubes in two adjacent sets of infrared tubes are arranged in the same way.

9. The obstacle detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of infrared photocells is 1 to 30, and the distance between two adjacent infrared photocells is 2 to 5 centimeters.

10. A self-propelled device comprising an obstacle detection system as claimed in any one of claims 1-9.

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