A robot following system based on UWB

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of robot following systems based on UWB, including signal connection's host computer and server, and multiple UWB base stations fixedly scattered arrangement in use scene, multiple the UWB base station forms base station array, mobile UWB label module and following robot are equipped in the base station array, the UWB base station is connected with server signal by Ethernet, and is connected with UWB label module signal, the host computer is connected with following robot signal, the real-time position of UWB label module is acquired by the UWB base station and is sent to host computer by server, following robot moves by host computer control, to make following robot and UWB label module keep preset following distance. The utility model can better control the movement of following robot, avoid the situation of following loss.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of mobile robot positioning technology, and in particular to a robot following system based on UWB. Background Technology

[0002] Existing follower robots mostly use visual recognition, infrared sensing or lidar technology. These follower robots have the following problems: visual recognition depends on lighting conditions, and the accuracy decreases in low light or complex backgrounds; lidar is expensive and cannot penetrate obstacles, making it difficult to determine which target to follow; infrared sensing is easily affected by environmental interference and has a limited ranging range.

[0003] UWB technology is a wireless communication technology that uses a very wide spectrum range for short-range, high-speed data transmission and can achieve centimeter-level accurate ranging and positioning. It has strong anti-interference capabilities and strong penetration, making it very suitable for complex environments. However, most UWB following systems on the market use positioning base stations installed on robots to follow people wearing wristbands or tags, such as the Chinese invention application with publication number CN105828431A. This type of following system has a significant drawback: if the person walks too fast, the mobile robot has a certain reaction time, which can lead to the robot losing track of the person. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize existing UWB-based robot following systems. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by proposing a UWB-based robot following system that can better control the movement of the following robot and avoid the situation of losing track of the robot.

[0005] The technical solution to achieve the purpose of this utility model is:

[0006] A UWB-based robot following system includes a host computer and a server connected by a signal connection, and multiple UWB base stations fixedly and distributed in the usage scenario. The multiple UWB base stations form a base station array. The base station array is equipped with a movable UWB tag module and a following robot. The UWB base stations are connected to the server via Ethernet and to the UWB tag module via signal connection. The host computer is connected to the following robot via signal connection. The host computer obtains the real-time position of the UWB tag module through the UWB base stations and sends it to the host computer via the server. The host computer controls the movement of the following robot to maintain a preset following distance from the UWB tag module.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes a wearable wristband, in which the UWB tag module is integrated.

[0008] Furthermore, the UWB base station integrates an omnidirectional antenna and a microcontroller of model STM32F103C8T6. The omnidirectional antenna receives signals from the UWB tag module and transmits them to the microcontroller to obtain the real-time location of the UWB tag module. The location information is then sent to the server via the omnidirectional antenna.

[0009] Furthermore, the host computer includes a main control module fixedly mounted on the top of the follower robot and a touch screen electrically connected to the main control module. The touch screen is tilted upward and positioned on the front side of the follower robot, and a face camera is integrated on the top.

[0010] Furthermore, the main control module adopts a host computer system architecture based on the Rockchip RK3568 development board.

[0011] Furthermore, the following robot includes a main body and a base located at the bottom of the main body. The main body contains a mobile power supply, and the base is electrically connected to the mobile power supply. It also integrates a lower-level machine that is electrically connected to the upper-level machine. The bottom is equipped with an electric wheel set, and the front is equipped with a laser radar sensor and an RGB-D depth camera that are both electrically connected to the lower-level machine. The following robot perceives the position signal in the usage scene through the laser radar sensor and the RGB-D depth camera and transmits it to the lower-level machine. The lower-level machine processes the signal to obtain the coordinates of the following robot in the usage scene table and transmits them to the upper-level machine.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes an ultrasonic ranging sensor, which is electrically connected to the lower-level electromechanical unit.

[0013] Furthermore, the ultrasonic ranging sensor is provided in five parts, one of which is installed on the front side of the base, and the other four are installed on the two sides of the base respectively, with two ultrasonic ranging sensors on the same side being evenly arranged.

[0014] Furthermore, the electric wheel set includes a first wheel set and a second wheel set located at the front and rear of the bottom of the base, respectively. The first wheel set includes a pair of liftable rollers, and the second wheel set includes a pair of electric wheels located outside the first electric wheels. The base integrates an inertial measurement unit electrically connected to the lower-level machine. The inertial measurement unit senses the tilt angle of the following robot, and the lower-level machine controls the rollers to raise and lower so that the following robot remains horizontal.

[0015] Furthermore, the bottom of the base is rotatably provided with a rotating shaft and an electric push rod. A connecting rod is vertically provided on the rotating shaft. The other end of the connecting rod is fixedly connected to a crossbar parallel to the rotating shaft. Two rollers are respectively rotatably installed at both ends of the crossbar. The electric push rod is electrically connected to the lower electromechanical unit, and the actuator end is rotatably connected to the connecting rod through a universal joint.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] (1) This utility model changes the structure of the traditional UWB following system. By fixing UWB base stations at multiple points in the usage scenario, the distance and angle between the UWB tag module and each base station in the same network can be obtained. The data is sent to the host computer through the server. The host computer calculates the real-time specific position of the moving UWB tag module and compares the real-time position of the following robot with the real-time position of the UWB tag module. This allows for dynamic path planning for the following robot and controls the following robot to maintain a preset following distance from the UWB tag module, thus avoiding the situation of losing the following in the usage scenario.

[0018] (2) This utility model integrates the UWB tag module into the wristband, making it convenient for users to wear.

[0019] (3) The UWB base station of this utility model adopts the STM32F103 series microcontroller, which has a long ranging distance and high ranging accuracy, thus enabling precise positioning of the UWB tag module.

[0020] (4) The host computer of this utility model is not only equipped with a main control module for processing data and controlling the movement of the robot, but also has a touch screen as a human-machine interface. This can not only significantly improve the user experience, but also enhance the interactivity of the system and simplify configuration and management. Users can directly adjust various parameters of the robot on the touch screen, such as speed setting, path planning, sensor sensitivity, etc., without relying on external computers or other tools.

[0021] (5) This utility model adds a lower-level machine to the robot base, which receives and processes the signals from the sensors to obtain the position of the following robot, relieves the data processing pressure of the upper-level machine, and improves the data processing capability of the entire system.

[0022] (6) This utility model achieves obstacle avoidance function of following robot by adding ultrasonic ranging sensor. At the same time, the installation position and number of ultrasonic ranging sensor are optimized. One sensor is set in the center of the front side of the base and two sensors are set on each side to ensure that there is no blind spot when turning at certain angles.

[0023] (7) This utility model achieves a rear-drive base by setting a pair of rollers and a pair of electric wheels to form an electric wheel set, which reduces the cost of following the robot. At the same time, the rollers are set to be liftable, so that the height of the rollers can be adjusted when following the robot to climb the slope, ensuring that the base is in a horizontal state and is not easy to tip over.

[0024] (8) This utility model senses the tilt angle of the base through an inertial measurement unit, and when the base is tilted, the lower computer controls the extension and retraction of the actuator of the electric push rod, thereby driving the rotating shaft to rotate through the connecting rod, so as to realize the height adjustment of the roller. The structure is simple and the control is convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To make the content of this utility model easier to understand, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the following robot of this utility model;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a simplified structural diagram of the electric wheel assembly of this utility model;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a simplified structural diagram of the first wheel assembly of this utility model.

[0030] The labels in the attached diagram are:

[0031] 1. Host computer, 1-1. Main control module, 1-2. Touch screen, 1-3. Face camera, 1-3. Server, 2. UWB base station, 3. UWB tag module, 4. Follower robot, 5. Body, 5-1. Base, 5-2. LiDAR sensor, 5-3. RGB-D depth camera, 5-4. Ultrasonic ranging sensor, 5-5. Roller, 5-6. Rotating shaft, 5-7. Push rod, 5-8. Connecting rod, 5-9. Horizontal bar, 5-10. Electric wheel, 5-11. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To better understand the above technical solutions, the following will provide a detailed explanation of the technical solutions in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0033] (Example 1)

[0034] like Figures 1 to 4The UWB-based robot following system shown includes a host computer 1, a server 2, UWB base stations 3, UWB tag modules 4, and a following robot 5. Multiple UWB base stations are distributed and fixedly arranged within the usage scenario, forming a base station array. The UWB tag modules 4 and the following robot 5 are movably installed within the base station array. The host computer 1 and UWB base stations 3 are connected to the server 2 via an intranet and Ethernet, respectively. The UWB base stations 3 are connected to the UWB tag modules 4, and the host computer 1 is connected to the following robot. The real-time position of the UWB tag modules 4 is obtained through the UWB base stations 3 and sent to the host computer 1 via the server 2. The host computer 1 then controls the movement of the following robot 5 to maintain a preset following distance from the UWB tag modules 4.

[0035] Specifically, the UWB base station 3 integrates an omnidirectional antenna and an STM32F103C8T6 microcontroller, operating in the 3.5–6.9 GHz frequency band. Its ranging distance in open line-of-sight conditions is 200 meters, with a ranging accuracy of ±5 cm. It supports both TDoA (Time Difference of Arrival) and ToF (Time of Flight) dual-mode ranging. The omnidirectional antenna receives signals from the UWB tag module 4 and transmits them to the microcontroller. Based on the signal flight time between the UWB base station 3 and the UWB tag module 4, the UWB base station 3 calculates the distance from the UWB tag module 4 to each other in real time, obtaining the real-time location of the UWB tag module 4, and then transmits the location information to the server 2 via the omnidirectional antenna. The number and installation location of the UWB base stations 3 are adaptively arranged according to the shape and size of the usage scenario, ensuring signal coverage of the entire scenario. For example, in a near-square usage scenario, four UWB base stations 3 can be fixed; in a rectangular usage scenario, the number of base stations can be appropriately increased according to the size of the usage scenario.

[0036] To facilitate carrying the UWB tag module 4, this embodiment integrates the UWB tag module 4 into a wearable wristband, making it convenient for users to wear.

[0037] The host computer 1 includes a main control module 1-1 fixedly mounted on the top of the follower robot 5 and a touch screen 1-2 electrically connected to the main control module 1-1. The touch screen 1-2 is tilted upwards and positioned on the front side of the follower robot 5, and a face camera 1-3 is integrated on its top. The main control module 1-1 adopts a host computer system architecture based on the Rockchip RK3568 development board, with a quad-core 64-bit Cortex A55 CPU with a main frequency of 2.0 GHz, 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of hard disk, and an Android 11 operating system.

[0038] The follower robot 5 includes a main body 5-1 and a base 5-2 located at the bottom of the main body 5-1. The main body 5-1 contains a power bank, and the base 5-2 is electrically connected to the power bank. The base 5-2 integrates a lower-level machine electrically connected to the upper-level machine 1. It has electric wheels at the bottom and a LiDAR sensor 5-3, an RGB-D depth camera 5-4, and an ultrasonic ranging sensor 5-5, all electrically connected to the lower-level machine, on the front side. The lower-level machine is an Android motherboard. The LiDAR sensor 5-3 is located in the middle of the front side of the base 5-2. Two RGB-D depth cameras 5-4 are symmetrically arranged on either side of the LiDAR sensor 5-3. The follower robot 5 senses its position within the usage scene through the LiDAR sensor 5-3 and the RGB-D depth cameras 5-4 and transmits this signal to the lower-level machine. The lower-level machine processes this signal to obtain the coordinates of the follower robot 5 within the usage scene table and transmits them to the upper-level machine 1. The upper-level machine 1 continuously compares these coordinates with the position of the UWB tag module 4 to achieve the following function. Five ultrasonic ranging sensors 5-5 are provided. One of them is installed directly below the lidar sensor 5-3, and the other four are installed on both sides of the base 5-2. The two ultrasonic ranging sensors 5-2 on the same side are evenly arranged. The ultrasonic ranging sensors 5-5 enable the obstacle avoidance function of the following robot 5. At the same time, the installation position and number of ultrasonic ranging sensors 5-5 are optimized to ensure that there are no blind spots when turning at certain angles.

[0039] The electric wheel assembly includes a first wheel assembly and a second wheel assembly located at the front and rear of the bottom of the base 5-2, respectively. The first wheel assembly includes a pair of height-adjustable rollers 5-6. Specifically, a rotating shaft 5-7 and an electric push rod 5-8 are rotatably mounted on the bottom of the base 5-2. A connecting rod 5-9 is vertically mounted on the rotating shaft 5-7, and a crossbar 5-10 parallel to the rotating shaft 5-7 is fixedly connected to the other end of the connecting rod 5-9. The two rollers 5-6 are rotatably mounted at both ends of the crossbar 5-9. The electric push rod 5-8 is connected to a lower-level electromechanical unit, and its actuator is rotatably connected to the connecting rod 5-9 via a universal joint. The extension and retraction of the electric push rod 5-8 drives the rotating shaft 5-7 to rotate via the connecting rod 5-9, thus adjusting the height of the rollers 5-6. The second wheel assembly includes a pair of electric wheels 5-11 located outside the first electric wheels. The electric wheels 5-11 are connected to the lower-level electromechanical unit, and their movement is controlled by the lower-level unit. The base 5-2 integrates an inertial measurement unit that is electrically connected to the lower-level machine. The inertial measurement unit senses the tilt angle of the following robot 5, and the lower-level machine controls the rollers 5-6 to raise and lower, so that the following robot always remains horizontal.

[0040] This invention changes the structure of traditional UWB following systems. By fixing UWB base stations at multiple points in the usage scenario, the distance and angle between the UWB tag module and each base station in the same network are obtained. This information is then sent to a host computer via a server. The host computer calculates the real-time position of the moving UWB tag module and compares the real-time position of the following robot with that of the UWB tag module. This allows for dynamic path planning for the following robot, controlling it to maintain a preset following distance from the UWB tag module and preventing loss of tracking in the usage scenario.

[0041] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of this utility model. It should be understood that the above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit this utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A UWB-based robot following system, characterized in that: The system includes a host computer and a server for signal connection, as well as multiple UWB base stations that are fixedly and dispersedly deployed in the usage scenario. The multiple UWB base stations form a base station array. The base station array is equipped with a movable UWB tag module and a following robot. The UWB base stations are connected to the server via Ethernet and to the UWB tag modules via signal connection. The host computer is connected to the following robot via signal connection. The host computer obtains the real-time position of the UWB tag module through the UWB base stations and sends it to the host computer via the server. The host computer controls the movement of the following robot to maintain a preset following distance from the UWB tag module.

2. The robot following system based on UWB according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a wearable wristband, in which the UWB tag module is integrated.

3. The robot following system based on UWB according to claim 2, characterized in that: The UWB base station integrates an omnidirectional antenna and an STM32F103C8T6 microcontroller. The omnidirectional antenna receives signals from the UWB tag module and transmits them to the microcontroller to obtain the real-time location of the UWB tag module. The location information is then sent to the server via the omnidirectional antenna.

4. The UWB-based robot following system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The host computer includes a main control module fixed on the top of the follower robot and a touch screen that is electrically connected to the main control module. The touch screen is tilted upward and positioned on the front side of the follower robot, and a face camera is integrated on the top.

5. A robot following system based on UWB according to claim 4, characterized in that: The main control module adopts a host computer system architecture based on the Rockchip RK3568 development board.

6. A robot following system based on UWB according to claim 1, characterized in that: The following robot includes a main body and a base located at the bottom of the main body. A mobile power supply is installed inside the main body, and the base is electrically connected to the mobile power supply. A lower-level computer that is electrically connected to the upper-level computer is integrated inside the base. An electric wheel set is installed at the bottom, and a laser radar sensor and an RGB-D depth camera, both electrically connected to the lower-level computer, are installed on the front side. The following robot perceives the position signal in the usage scene through the laser radar sensor and the RGB-D depth camera and transmits it to the lower-level computer. The lower-level computer processes the signal to obtain the coordinates of the following robot in the usage scene table and transmits them to the upper-level computer.

7. A robot following system based on UWB according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes an ultrasonic ranging sensor, which is electrically connected to the lower-level machine.

8. A robot following system based on UWB according to claim 7, characterized in that: The ultrasonic ranging sensor is provided in five parts, one of which is installed on the front side of the base, and the other four are installed on the two sides of the base respectively. The two ultrasonic ranging sensors on the same side are evenly arranged.

9. A robot following system based on UWB according to claim 6, characterized in that: The electric wheel set includes a first wheel set and a second wheel set located at the front and rear of the bottom of the base, respectively. The first wheel set includes a pair of liftable rollers, and the second wheel set includes a pair of electric wheels located outside the first electric wheels. The base integrates an inertial measurement unit that is electrically connected to the lower computer. The inertial measurement unit senses the tilt angle of the following robot, and the lower computer controls the rollers to raise and lower so that the following robot remains horizontal.

10. A robot following system based on UWB according to claim 9, characterized in that: The base has a rotating shaft and an electric push rod at its bottom. A connecting rod is vertically mounted on the rotating shaft. The other end of the connecting rod is fixedly connected to a crossbar parallel to the rotating shaft. Two rollers are rotatably mounted at both ends of the crossbar. The electric push rod is electrically connected to the lower electromechanical unit, and the actuator is rotatably connected to the connecting rod through a universal joint.

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