A control circuit of a robot and a robot

Abstract

This application relates to the field of robotics technology, providing a robot control circuit and a robot. The control circuit includes a controller, a first sensor interface for connecting a first sensor, a second sensor interface for connecting a second sensor, a first switch unit, a second switch unit, and a signal switching unit. The first sensor interface includes a first control interface, and the second sensor interface includes a second control interface. The first control interface is connected to a power supply through the first switch unit; the second control interface is also connected to a power supply through the second switch unit. The signal switching unit is connected to the first and second control interfaces. The controller includes a first port, a second port, and a third port. The first port of the controller is connected to the first switch unit, the second port is connected to the second switch unit, and the third port is connected to the signal switching unit. This design allows only one sensor to operate at a time, avoiding signal interference and improving the stability of the robot's operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotics, and more particularly to a control circuit for a robot and the robot itself. Background Technology

[0002] The efficient operation of robots is crucial for the smooth progress of production processes. To enable robots to adapt flexibly to complex work environments, some robots require the installation of multiple sensors for more precise operation control. However, some controllers typically only support one sensor connection, thus exhibiting significant limitations in sensor connectivity. Therefore, to meet operational requirements, the number of controllers is generally increased to connect more sensors. However, increasing the number of controllers complicates the robot's communication system, thereby increasing the robot's production costs.

[0003] In related technologies, connecting two sensors to the controller in parallel can easily lead to signal interference between the two sensors, resulting in inaccurate data transmission and failure to issue control commands properly, which greatly reduces the stability and reliability of the robot's operation. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main purpose of this application is to provide a robot control circuit and a robot that enables only one sensor to work at a time, and prevents signal interference between the two sensors, thereby improving the stability of the circuit.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a control circuit for a robot, the control circuit comprising: a controller, a first sensor interface, a second sensor interface, a first switch unit, a second switch unit, and a signal switching unit; the first sensor interface is used to connect a first sensor; the second sensor interface is used to connect a second sensor; the first sensor interface includes a first control interface, and the second sensor interface includes a second control interface; the first control interface is connected to a power supply through the first switch unit; the second control interface is connected to the power supply through the second switch unit; the signal switching unit is connected to the first control interface and the second control interface; the controller includes a first port, a second port, and a third port; the first port of the controller is connected to the first switch unit, the second port of the controller is connected to the second switch unit, and the third port of the controller is connected to the signal switching unit; the controller is used to: control the first switch unit or the second switch unit to connect, so that the first control interface or the second control interface is connected to the power supply; when the first switch unit is connected, control the signal switching unit to connect the third port to the first control interface so that the first sensor connected to the first sensor interface works; when the second switch unit is connected, control the signal switching unit to connect the third port to the second control interface so that the second sensor connected to the second sensor interface works.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, both the first switching unit and the second switching unit include a first control circuit and a second control circuit; the power supply includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal; the positive terminal of the first control interface is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply through the first control circuit, and the negative terminal of the first control interface is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply through the second control circuit; the positive terminal of the second control interface is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply through the first control circuit, and the negative terminal of the second control interface is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply through the second control circuit; the first port of the controller is connected to the first control circuit of the first switching unit and the second control circuit of the first switching unit, and the second port of the controller is connected to the first control circuit of the second switching unit and the second control circuit of the second switching unit; the controller is used to output a first control signal through the first port to control the first control circuit and the second control circuit of the first switching unit to connect, so that the first control interface is connected to the power supply; or to output a second control signal through the second port to control the first control circuit and the second control circuit of the second switching unit to connect, so that the second control interface is connected to the power supply.

[0007] In one exemplary embodiment, the first control circuit includes: a first switch and a second switch; a first terminal of the first switch and a third terminal of the second switch are connected, a second terminal of the first switch is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, and a third terminal of the first switch is connected to the positive terminal of a corresponding control interface; a first terminal of the second switch is connected to a corresponding port of the controller; a second terminal of the second switch is grounded; the second control circuit includes: a third switch, a fourth switch, a fifth switch, and a sixth switch; a first terminal of the third switch is connected to a corresponding port of the controller, and the second terminals of the third switch and the fourth switch are grounded; a third terminal of the third switch is connected to the first terminal of the fourth switch; a third terminal of the fourth switch is connected to the first terminals of the fifth switch and the sixth switch; a second terminal of the fifth switch is connected to the second terminal of the sixth switch; a third terminal of the fifth switch is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply; and a third terminal of the sixth switch is connected to the negative terminal of the corresponding control interface.

[0008] In one exemplary embodiment, the controller further includes a fourth port; the first sensor interface further includes a first communication interface; the second sensor interface further includes a second communication interface; the first communication interface is connected to the fourth port via a first communication link, and the second communication interface is connected to the fourth port via a second communication link; the controller is further configured to acquire sensor data of the first sensor via the first communication link when the first switch unit is connected; and acquire sensor data of the second sensor via the second communication link when the second switch unit is connected.

[0009] In one exemplary embodiment, the first port of the controller is connected to the first communication link, and the second port of the controller is connected to the second communication link. The controller is used to control the first switch unit to connect and control the first communication link to connect when the first port outputs a first control signal, or to control the second switch unit to connect and control the second communication link to connect when the second port outputs a second control signal.

[0010] In one exemplary embodiment, the first communication link includes a first switch; the input of the first switch is connected to a first port of the controller, and the output of the first switch is connected to a fourth port of the controller and the first communication interface; the first switch connects the fourth port and the first communication interface according to a first control signal output from the first port. The second communication link includes a second switch; the input of the second switch is connected to a second port of the controller, and the output of the second switch is connected to the fourth port of the controller and the second communication interface; the second switch connects the fourth port and the second communication interface according to a second control signal output from the second port.

[0011] In one exemplary embodiment, both the first switch and the second switch include solid-state relays.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment, the controller further includes a fifth port; the fifth port of the controller is connected to the first control interface to connect to the first sensor through the first control interface, and the fifth port of the controller is connected to the second control interface to connect to the second sensor through the second control interface; the controller is used to acquire a first state feedback signal output by the first sensor through the fifth port; or acquire a second state feedback signal output by the second sensor through the fifth port.

[0013] In one exemplary embodiment, the signal switching unit includes a driving module and a signal output module; the driving module is connected to the third port of the controller and the signal output module; the signal output module is connected to the first control interface and the second control interface; the driving module is used to drive the signal output module to output a first working signal to enable the first sensor to work when the controller outputs a first switching signal through the third port; and to drive the signal output module to output a second working signal to enable the second sensor to work when the controller outputs a second switching signal through the third port.

[0014] Secondly, this application also provides a robot, including the control circuit of the robot described in the first aspect.

[0015] This application provides a robot control circuit and a robot, wherein the control circuit includes: a controller, a first sensor interface, a second sensor interface, a first switch unit, a second switch unit, and a signal switching unit; the first sensor interface is used to connect a first sensor; the second sensor interface is used to connect a second sensor; the first sensor interface includes a first control interface, and the second sensor interface includes a second control interface; the first control interface is connected to a power supply through the first switch unit; the second control interface is connected to the power supply through the second switch unit; the signal switching unit is connected to the first control interface and the second control interface; the controller includes a first port, a second port, and a third port; the first port of the controller is connected to the first switch unit, the second port of the controller is connected to the second switch unit, and the third port of the controller is connected to the signal switching unit; the controller is used to: control the first switch unit or the second switch unit to connect, so that the first control interface or the second control interface is connected to the power supply; when the first switch unit is connected, control the signal switching unit to connect the third port to the first control interface so that the first sensor connected to the first sensor interface works; when the second switch unit is connected, control the signal switching unit to connect the third port to the second control interface so that the second sensor connected to the second sensor interface works. The controller in this application can be connected to the first and second sensors through the first sensor interface and the second sensor interface. By controlling the connection of the first or second switch unit, the controller can control the power supply of the first or second sensor, enabling a single controller to connect to two sensors and improving the robot's working flexibility. By controlling the signal switching unit, the controller can make the first or second sensor work, ensuring that only one sensor works at a time and preventing signal interference between the two sensors, thereby improving the stability of the circuit. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a robot control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a robot control circuit provided in another embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 3A schematic block diagram of the control circuit provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second control circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the communication link structure provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the driver module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 8 This is a first structural schematic diagram of the signal output module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 9 A second structural schematic diagram of the signal output module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 10 A third structural schematic diagram of the signal output module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 11 This is a fourth structural schematic diagram of the signal output module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the sensor structure provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the opto-isolation module provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 14 This is a schematic block diagram of the structure of a robot provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] To make the inventive objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described below are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 This application provides a robot control circuit, which includes: a controller 110, a first sensor interface, a second sensor interface, a first switch unit 140, a second switch unit 150, and a signal switching unit 160; the first sensor interface is used to connect to a first sensor 210; the second sensor interface is used to connect to a second sensor 220; the first sensor interface includes a first control interface 121, and the second sensor interface includes a second control interface 131; the first control interface 121 is connected to a power supply 300 through the first switch unit 140; the second control interface 131 is connected to the power supply 300 through the second switch unit 150; the signal switching unit 160 is connected to the first control interface 121 and the second control interface 131; the controller 110 includes a first port (not shown in the figure) and a second port (not shown in the figure). The controller 110 is connected to the first switch unit 140, the second switch unit 150, and the third port of the controller 110. The controller 110 is used to: control the first switch unit 140 or the second switch unit 150 to connect to the first control interface 121 or the second control interface 131 and the power supply 300; when the first switch unit 140 is connected, the control signal switching unit 160 connects the third port to the first control interface 121 to make the first sensor 210 connected to the first sensor interface work; when the second switch unit 150 is connected, the control signal switching unit 160 connects the third port to the second control interface 131 to make the second sensor 220 connected to the second sensor interface work.

[0034] It is understood that the first control interface 121 may include a D-SUB25_1 interface, the first sensor 210 may be connected to the D-SUB25_1 interface, and connected to the power supply 300 through the first switching unit 140. The second control interface 131 may include a D-SUB25_2 interface, the second sensor 220 may be connected to the D-SUB25_2 interface, and connected to the power supply 300 through the second switching unit 150.

[0035] The controller 110 can control the connection of the first switching unit 140 via the first port, connecting the first control interface 121 to the power supply 300, thereby energizing the first sensor 210. When the first sensor 210 is energized, the controller signal switching unit 160 connects the third port to the first control interface 121, de-connecting the third port to the second control interface 131, thus enabling the first sensor 210 to operate while the second sensor 220 remains inactive. Similarly, the controller 110 can also control the connection of the second switching unit 150 via the second port, connecting the second control interface 131 to the power supply 300, thereby energizing the second sensor 220. When the second sensor 220 is energized, the controller signal switching unit 160 connects the third port to the second control interface 131, de-connecting the third port to the first control interface 121, thus enabling the second sensor 220 to operate while the first sensor 210 remains inactive. This ensures that only one sensor operates at a time among the two sensors connected to the controller 110, resolving the signal interference problem between the two sensors.

[0036] In this embodiment, a first sensor 210 and a second sensor 220 can be installed in the robot, and both the first sensor 210 and the second sensor 220 are connected to the same controller 110. Compared with the related art, which increases the number of controllers 110, this reduces the number of controllers 110 installed, effectively reducing the production cost of the robot. It not only solves the problem of inflexibility caused by installing a single sensor in a small robot, but also avoids signal interference, thereby improving the stability of the robot's operation.

[0037] The robot control circuit provided in the above embodiments includes: a controller 110, a first sensor interface, a second sensor interface, a first switch unit 140, a second switch unit 150, and a signal switching unit 160; the first sensor interface is used to connect to a first sensor 210; the second sensor interface is used to connect to a second sensor 220; the first sensor interface includes a first control interface 121, and the second sensor interface includes a second control interface 131; the first control interface 121 is connected to a power supply 300 through the first switch unit 140; the second control interface 131 is connected to a power supply 300 through the second switch unit 150; the signal switching unit 160 is connected to the first control interface 121 and the second control interface 131; the controller 110 includes a first port, a second port, and a third port; the first port of the controller 110 is connected to the first switch unit 140, the second port of the controller 110 is connected to the second switch unit 150, and the third port of the controller 110 is connected to the signal switching unit 160. The controller 110 in this application can be connected to the first sensor 210 and the second sensor 220 through the first sensor interface and the second sensor interface. By controlling the connection of the first switch unit 140 or the second switch unit 150, the controller 110 can control the power supply of the first sensor 210 or the second sensor 220, thereby enabling a single controller 110 to connect to two sensors and improving the robot's working flexibility. By controlling the signal switching unit 160, the controller 110 can make the first sensor 210 or the second sensor 220 work, so that only one sensor works at a time and there is no signal interference between the two sensors, thereby improving the stability of the circuit.

[0038] For example, the controller 110 in this embodiment includes an E84 controller, which can connect the first sensor 210 and the second sensor 220 to. The E84 controller controls the power supply and operation of the two sensors, thus solving the signal interference problem when two sensors are connected to the same E84 controller. Furthermore, it eliminates the need to increase the number of E84 controllers to connect the corresponding number of sensors, reducing the number of E84 controllers required for the robot and effectively lowering the robot's production cost.

[0039] In one exemplary implementation, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, both the first switching unit 140 and the second switching unit 150 include a first control circuit (not shown) and a second control circuit (not shown); the power supply includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal; the positive terminal of the first control interface 121 is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply through the first control circuit, and the negative terminal of the first control interface 121 is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply through the second control circuit; the positive terminal of the second control interface 131 is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply through the first control circuit, and the negative terminal of the second control interface 131 is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply through the second control circuit; the first port of the controller 110 is connected to the first switching unit 140. The controller 110 has a second port connected to the first control circuit of the first switch unit 150 and the second control circuit of the second switch unit 150. The controller 110 is used to output a first control signal through the first port to control the first control circuit of the first switch unit 140 and the second control circuit to connect, so that the first control interface 121 is connected to the power supply; or to output a second control signal through the second port to control the first control circuit of the second switch unit 150 and the second control circuit to connect, so that the second control interface 131 is connected to the power supply.

[0040] For example, the connection between the positive terminal of the power supply and the positive terminal of the first control interface 121 can be controlled by the first control circuit, and the connection between the negative terminal of the power supply and the negative terminal of the first control interface 121 can be controlled by the second control circuit. The controller 110 outputs a first control signal (i.e., control1) through the first port to the first control circuit and the second control circuit, simultaneously controlling the connection or disconnection of the power supply to the first sensor 210 in both directions. For example, when the first control signal output by the controller 110 through the first port is high, the first control circuit and the second control circuit are connected simultaneously; when the first control signal is low, the first control circuit and the second control circuit are disconnected simultaneously. Similarly, the connection between the positive terminal of the power supply and the positive terminal of the second control interface 131 can be controlled by the first control circuit, and the connection between the negative terminal of the power supply and the negative terminal of the second control interface 131 can be controlled by the second control circuit. The controller 110 outputs a second control signal (i.e., control2) through the second port to the first control circuit and the second control circuit, simultaneously controlling the connection or disconnection of the power supply to the first sensor 210 in both directions. For example, when the second control signal output by the controller 110 through the second port is high, the first control circuit and the second control circuit are simultaneously connected; when the output second control signal is low, the first control circuit and the second control circuit are simultaneously turned off. In this embodiment, the controller 110 can effectively avoid interference between the two sensors by simultaneously controlling the first control circuit and the second control circuit, ensuring the stability and safety of the circuit.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the application, the same input / output port (IO port), namely the first port, is used when controlling the first control circuit and the second control circuit of the first switch unit 140, and the same input / output port (IO port), namely the second port, is used when controlling the first control circuit and the second control circuit of the second switch unit 150. This design not only reduces the number of hardware components and the complexity of the control circuit, but also improves the stability of the circuit.

[0042] In one exemplary implementation, such as Figure 4 and 5 As shown, the first control circuit includes: a first switch M1 and a second switch M2; the first end of the first switch M1 and the third end of the second switch M2 are connected, the second end of the first switch M1 is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, and the third end of the first switch M1 is connected to the positive terminal of the corresponding control interface; the first end of the second switch M2 is connected to the corresponding port of the controller 110; the second end of the second switch M2 is grounded; the second control circuit includes: a third switch M3, a fourth switch M4, a fifth switch M5, and a sixth switch M6; the first end of the third switch M3 is connected to the corresponding port of the controller 110, and the second ends of the third switch M3 and the fourth switch M4 are grounded; the third end of the third switch M3 is connected to the first end of the fourth switch M4; the third end of the fourth switch M4 is connected to the first end of the fifth switch M5 and the first end of the sixth switch M6; the second end of the fifth switch M5 is connected to the second end of the sixth switch M6; the third end of the fifth switch M5 is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply; the third end of the sixth switch M6 is connected to the negative terminal of the corresponding control interface.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, taking the first control circuit of the first switching unit 140 as an example, it can be understood that the first switching transistor M1 in this embodiment is a PMOS transistor, and the second switching transistor M2 is an NMOS transistor. Specifically, the gate of the first switching transistor M1 is connected to the drain of the second switching transistor M2, one end of the inductor L1, and one end of the capacitor C1 through the inductor L2. The source of the first switching transistor M1 is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply (VCC_24), the other end of the inductor L1, and the other end of the capacitor C1. The drain of the first switching transistor M1 is connected to the positive terminal (VCC24_1) of the first control interface 121 through the fuse FU. The gate of the second switching transistor M2 is connected to the first port of the controller 110 through the inductor L3 to obtain the first control signal (control1) output by the first port. The source of the second switching transistor M2 is grounded.

[0044] like Figure 5As shown, taking the second control circuit of the first switching unit 140 as an example, the third switching transistor M3, the fourth switching transistor M4, the fifth switching transistor M5, and the sixth switching transistor M6 in this embodiment are all NMOS transistors. Specifically, the gate of the third switching transistor M3 is connected to the first port of the controller 110 through inductor L4 to obtain the first control signal output from the first port. The source of the third switching transistor M3 and the source of the fourth switching transistor M4 are grounded. The drain of the third switching transistor M3 and the gate of the fourth switching transistor M4 are connected to the power supply (VCC_3.3) through inductor L5. The drain of the fourth switching transistor M4, the gate of the fifth switching transistor M5, and the gate of the sixth switching transistor M6 are all connected to the power supply (VCC_3.3) through inductor L6. The source of the fifth switching transistor M5 is connected to the source of the sixth switching transistor M6. The drain of the fifth switching transistor M5 and one end of inductor L7 are connected to the negative terminal of the power supply, i.e., grounded. The drain of the sixth switching transistor M6 and the other end of inductor L7 are connected to the negative terminal (GND_S1) of the first control interface 121.

[0045] It is understood that when the first control signal output by the controller 110 through the first port is high, the first switch M1 and the second switch M2 are turned on, connecting the first control circuit and the positive terminal of the first control interface 121 to the positive terminal of the power supply; the third switch M3, the fourth switch M4, the fifth switch M5, and the sixth switch M6 are turned on, connecting the second control circuit and the negative terminal of the first control interface 121 to the negative terminal of the power supply, thereby energizing the first sensor 210. Similarly, the second sensor 220 can also be energized through the first and second control circuits of this embodiment. In addition, the first control circuit is equipped with a fuse FU to automatically cut off the current in the event of an overcurrent, thereby effectively preventing damage to the sensor from overcurrent. The fifth switch M5 and the sixth switch M6 in the second control circuit adopt a back-to-back design to achieve bidirectional current control, so that the circuit is completely turned off in both directions, effectively avoiding interference between different sensors, thereby improving the stability of the circuit.

[0046] In one exemplary implementation, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the controller 110 also includes a fourth port (not shown); the first sensor interface also includes a first communication interface 122; the second sensor interface also includes a second communication interface 132; the first communication interface 122 is connected to the fourth port via a first communication link 170, and the second communication interface 132 is connected to the fourth port via a second communication link 180; the controller 110 is also used to acquire sensor data of the first sensor 210 via the first communication link 170 when the first switch unit 140 is connected; and to acquire sensor data of the second sensor 220 via the second communication link 180 when the second switch unit 150 is connected.

[0047] It is understood that both the first sensor 210 and the second sensor 220 are equipped with RS232 interfaces. The first communication interface 122 may include a D-SUB9_1 interface, and the second communication interface 132 may include a D-SUB9_2 interface. Specifically, when the first switch unit 140 is connected, the controller 110 can communicate with the first sensor 210 connected to the first communication interface 122 through the first communication link 170 (e.g., an RS232 communication link) to obtain sensor data from the first sensor 210. When the second switch unit 150 is connected, it can communicate with the second sensor 220 connected to the second communication interface 132 through the second communication link 180 (e.g., an RS232 communication link) to obtain sensor data from the second sensor 220. That is, in this embodiment, the controller 110 communicates with the first sensor 210 or the second sensor 220 through a fourth port (i.e., the same I / O port), reducing the number of hardware components and thus reducing the complexity of the control circuit.

[0048] The embodiments of this application set up a controller and two sensors to communicate, so that only one communication bus of the controller needs to be retained, thereby reducing the complexity of the circuit.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, the first port of the controller 110 is connected to the first communication link 170, and the second port of the controller 110 is connected to the second communication link 180. The controller 110 is used to control the first switch unit 140 to connect and control the first communication link 170 to connect when the first control signal is output from the first port, or to control the second switch unit 150 to connect and control the second communication link 180 to connect when the second control signal is output from the second port.

[0050] For example, when the controller 110 outputs a high-level first control signal through the first port, the first switch unit 140 is connected, energizing the first sensor 210. The first communication interface 122 and the first communication link 170 are also connected. At this time, sensor data from the first sensor 210 can be obtained through the fourth port. When the controller 110 outputs a high-level second control signal through the second port, the second switch unit 150 is connected, energizing the second sensor 220. The second communication interface 132 and the second communication link 180 are also connected. At this time, sensor data from the second sensor 220 can be obtained through the fourth port. By controlling the connection of the first communication link 170 and the second communication link 180, the fourth port can acquire sensor data transmitted from only one sensor at a time, avoiding inaccurate sensor data transmission.

[0051] In this embodiment, the controller 110 can simultaneously control the connection of the first switch unit 140 and the first communication link 170 by outputting a first control signal through the first port; and can simultaneously control the connection of the second switch unit 150 and the second communication link 180 by outputting a second control signal through the second port. This achieves effective control of the first sensor 210 and the second sensor 220 using a small number of I / O ports, which not only avoids signal interference but also reduces the complexity of the control circuit.

[0052] In one exemplary implementation, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first communication link 170 includes a first switch 171; the input terminal of the first switch 171 is connected to the first port of the controller 110, and the output terminal of the first switch 171 is connected to the fourth port of the controller 110 and the first communication interface 122. The first switch 171 connects the fourth port and the first communication interface 122 according to the first control signal output from the first port. The second communication link 180 includes a second switch 181; the input terminal of the second switch 181 is connected to the second port of the controller 110, and the output terminal of the second switch 181 is connected to the fourth port and the second communication interface 132 of the controller 110. The second switch 181 connects the fourth port and the second communication interface 132 according to the second control signal output from the second port.

[0053] In this embodiment, the controller 110 controls the first switch 171 to turn on and off via a first control signal (control1) output from the first port, thereby controlling the connection between the fourth port and the first communication interface 122 (e.g., D-SUB9_1); and controls the second switch 181 to turn on and off via a second control signal (control2) output from the second port, thereby controlling the connection between the fourth port and the second communication interface 132 (e.g., D-SUB9_2), effectively ensuring the accuracy of communication between the controller 110 and the two sensors.

[0054] In one exemplary embodiment, both the first switch 171 and the second switch 181 include solid-state relays.

[0055] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 6As shown, taking the first communication link 170 as an example, the first communication link 170 includes a seventh switch M7, a first switch 171, inductors L8, L9, and L10, wherein the first switch 171 is a solid-state relay (SSR). The gate of the seventh switch M7 is connected to the first port of the controller 110 through inductor L8, and the source of the seventh switch M7 is grounded. The input terminal of the solid-state relay SSR is connected to the drain of the seventh switch M7 and to the power supply (VCC3.3) through inductor L9. The output terminal of the solid-state relay SSR is connected to inductor L10, the ground terminal (GND_ISO) of the fourth port, and the ground terminal (GND_ISO1) of the first communication interface 122. When the first control signal (control1) output by the controller 110 through the first port is high, the solid-state relay SSR is turned on to connect the ground terminal (GND_ISO) of the fourth port and the ground terminal (GND_ISO1) of the first communication interface 122, thereby connecting the fourth port of the controller 110 and the first sensor 210. Similarly, when the second control signal (control2) output by the controller 110 through the second port is high, it controls the second switch 181, i.e., the solid-state relay (SSR), to conduct, thereby connecting the ground terminal of the fourth port and the ground terminal of the second communication interface 132, thus connecting the fourth port of the controller 110 and the second sensor 220. This embodiment effectively solves the problem that the ground terminals of the controller 110 and the controlled sensor are not at the same reference ground level by using the solid-state relay (SSR), ensuring the reliability of communication between the controller 110 and the two sensors.

[0056] In one exemplary implementation, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the controller 110 also includes a fifth port; the fifth port of the controller 110 is connected to the first control interface 121 to connect to the first sensor 210 through the first control interface 121, and the fifth port of the controller 110 is connected to the second control interface 131 to connect to the second sensor 220 through the second control interface 131; the controller 110 is used to obtain the first state feedback signal output by the first sensor 210 through the fifth port; or to obtain the second state feedback signal output by the second sensor 220 through the fifth port.

[0057] It is understood that both the first and second state feedback signals are digital input signals (i.e., DI signals), which are generally high or low levels and used to indicate the on / off state of the sensor, such as triggered or not triggered, alarm or normal, etc. The controller 110 obtains the first state feedback signal, which represents the switching quantity or state information of the first sensor 210, through its fifth port, and can also obtain the switching quantity or state information of the second sensor 220 through the fifth port. This application connects the first state feedback signal output by the first sensor 210 and the second state feedback signal output by the second sensor 220 in parallel to the fifth port of the controller 110, so that only one sensor's state feedback signal is obtained at a time, thereby ensuring the reliability of the digital input signals.

[0058] In one exemplary implementation, such as Figures 7 to 11 The signal switching unit 160 includes a drive module and a signal output module; the drive module is connected to the third port of the controller 110 and the signal output module; the signal output module is connected to the first control interface 121 and the second control interface 131; the drive module is used to drive the signal output module to output a first working signal to make the first sensor 210 work when the controller 110 outputs a first switching signal through the third port; and to drive the signal output module to output a second working signal to make the second sensor 220 work when the controller 110 outputs a second switching signal through the third port.

[0059] For example, the signal switching unit 160 in this embodiment may include a switch chip. The switch chip allows for flexible control of the first sensor 210 or the second sensor 220, avoiding interference between the two sensors and ensuring the accuracy and stability of signal transmission.

[0060] Specifically, the signal switching unit 160 in this embodiment may include a driving module and a signal output module. For example... Figure 7As shown, the driving module in this embodiment includes an eighth switch M8, inductors L11, L12, and L13. The gate of the eighth switch M8 is connected to the third port of the controller 110 through inductor L13, the source of the eighth switch M8 is grounded, the drain of the eighth switch M8 is connected to the third port of the controller 110 through inductor L12, and is connected to the power supply through inductor L11. It can be understood that, taking the first sensor 210 as an example, when the driving module obtains the first switching signal (e.g., DO_Select) output by the controller 110 through the third port, it generates a driving signal (DO_SEL1) for the signal output module to drive the signal output module to output a first working signal, thereby enabling the first sensor 210 to operate. Similarly, when the driving module obtains the second switching signal (e.g., DO_Select) output by the controller 110 through the third port, it can also drive the signal output module to output a second working signal, thereby enabling the second sensor 220 to operate. For example, when the first switching signal is high, the drive module drives the signal output module to output a first working signal to make the first sensor 210 work; when the second switching signal is low, the drive module drives the signal output module to output a second working signal to make the second sensor 220 work.

[0061] like Figures 8 to 11 As shown, the signal output module in this embodiment includes four chips U10-U13. When the four chips U10-U13 acquire the drive signal output by the drive module, such as DO_SEL1, they can output first working signals to control the working mode, trigger operation, and configuration parameters of the first sensor 210, such as DO1-DO8, MODE, Select_E84, etc.

[0062] It is understood that the first sensor 210 and the second sensor 220 have the same design. This application embodiment uses the first sensor 210 as an example, such as... Figure 12 As shown, the input interface of the first sensor 210 is used to acquire signals output by the signal output module, such as DO1_1-DO8_1, MODE_1, Select_E84_1, etc. Correspondingly, the input interface of the second sensor 220 is also used to acquire signals output by the signal output module.

[0063] In practical applications, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, when the first sensor 210 needs to work, the controller 110 outputs a high-level first control signal (control1) through the first port to connect the first switching unit 140 and the first control interface 121 (e.g., D-SUB25_1), so that the first sensor 210 is powered on. The controller 110 connects the RS232 communication link between the fourth port and the first communication interface 122 (e.g., D-SUB9_1) through the first switch 171 (e.g., solid-state relay), so that the controller 110 and the first sensor 210 can communicate. Then, the controller outputs a high-level first switching signal (e.g., DO_Select) through the third port, so that the signal switching unit 160 outputs the first working signal, and the first sensor 210 enters the working state. When the second sensor 220 needs to work, the controller 110 outputs a high-level second control signal (control2) through the first port to connect the second switch unit 150 and the second control interface 131 (e.g., D-SUB25_2), so that the second sensor 220 is powered on. The controller 110 connects the RS232 communication link between the fourth port and the second communication interface 132 (e.g., D-SUB9_2) through the second switch 181 (e.g., solid-state relay), so that the controller 110 and the second sensor 220 can communicate. Then, the controller 110 outputs a low-level second switching signal (e.g., DO_Select) through the third port, so that the signal switching unit 160 outputs a second working signal, and the second sensor 220 enters the working state.

[0064] In one exemplary embodiment, taking the first sensor 210 as an example, such as Figure 13 As shown, an opto-isolation module can be provided between the first sensor interface and the controller 110 to ensure that the sensor data output by the first sensor 210 (e.g., DI1_1) is isolated before being transmitted to the controller 110. Alternatively, an opto-isolation module can be provided between the second sensor interface and the controller 110. Furthermore, in this embodiment, an opto-isolation module can also be provided between the signal switching unit 160 and the controller 110. By isolating the controller 110 from the sensor and the signal switching unit 160 using an opto-isolation module, interference or damage to the controller 110 from peripherals can be effectively prevented, improving the reliability of the controller 110 and ensuring the stable operation of the entire control circuit.

[0065] Please see Figure 14 This application also provides a robot, which includes a control circuit 100, a first sensor 210, and a second sensor 220 as described in any of the above embodiments. The control circuit is connected to the first sensor 210 and the second sensor 220 to control the first sensor 210 or the second sensor 220 to operate. The robot in this application has all the technical effects of the robot control circuit described above.

[0066] For example, the robot in this application embodiment may include a handling robot, with sensors installed on both sides of the handling robot, which can meet the needs of the semiconductor manufacturing industry.

[0067] It is understandable that the first sensor 210 and the second sensor 220 can be placed on the left and right sides of the robot respectively, so that the small robot can work flexibly in narrow spaces.

[0068] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0069] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a replaceable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0070] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A control circuit for a robot, characterized in that, The control circuit includes: a controller, a first sensor interface, a second sensor interface, a first switching unit, a second switching unit, and a signal switching unit; the first sensor interface is used to connect to a first sensor; the second sensor interface is used to connect to a second sensor; the first sensor interface includes a first control interface, and the second sensor interface includes a second control interface; The first control interface is connected to the power supply through the first switching unit; the second control interface is connected to the power supply through the second switching unit; the signal switching unit is connected to the first control interface and the second control interface; The controller includes a first port, a second port, and a third port; the first port of the controller is connected to the first switching unit, the second port of the controller is connected to the second switching unit, and the third port of the controller is connected to the signal switching unit. The controller is used for: Control the first switch unit or the second switch unit to connect, so that the first control interface or the second control interface is connected to the power supply; When the first switching unit is connected, the signal switching unit is controlled to connect the third port to the first control interface so that the first sensor connected to the first sensor interface can work. When the second switching unit is connected, the signal switching unit is controlled to connect the third port to the second control interface so that the second sensor connected to the second sensor interface can work.

2. The control circuit for the robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first switching unit and the second switching unit include a first control circuit and a second control circuit; the power supply includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal; the positive terminal of the first control interface is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply through the first control circuit, and the negative terminal of the first control interface is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply through the second control circuit; the positive terminal of the second control interface is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply through the first control circuit, and the negative terminal of the second control interface is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply through the second control circuit. The first port of the controller is connected to the first control circuit of the first switch unit and the second control circuit of the first switch unit, and the second port of the controller is connected to the first control circuit of the second switch unit and the second control circuit of the second switch unit. The controller is used to output a first control signal through the first port to control the first control circuit and the second control circuit of the first switching unit to connect, so that the first control interface is connected to the power supply; or to output a second control signal through the second port to control the first control circuit and the second control circuit of the second switching unit to connect, so that the second control interface is connected to the power supply.

3. The robot control circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first control circuit includes: a first switching transistor and a second switching transistor; The first terminal of the first switch is connected to the third terminal of the second switch, the second terminal of the first switch is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, and the third terminal of the first switch is connected to the positive terminal of the corresponding control interface; the first terminal of the second switch is connected to the corresponding port of the controller; the second terminal of the second switch is grounded. The second control circuit includes: a third switch, a fourth switch, a fifth switch, and a sixth switch; The first terminal of the third switch is connected to the corresponding port of the controller, and the second terminals of the third switch and the fourth switch are grounded; the third terminal of the third switch is connected to the first terminal of the fourth switch; the third terminal of the fourth switch is connected to the first terminals of the fifth switch and the sixth switch; the second terminal of the fifth switch is connected to the second terminal of the sixth switch; the third terminal of the fifth switch is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply; and the third terminal of the sixth switch is connected to the negative terminal of the corresponding control interface.

4. The control circuit for the robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller further includes a fourth port; the first sensor interface further includes a first communication interface; the second sensor interface further includes a second communication interface; the first communication interface is connected to the fourth port via a first communication link, and the second communication interface is connected to the fourth port via a second communication link; The controller is further configured to acquire sensor data of the first sensor through the first communication link when the first switching unit is connected; and to acquire sensor data of the second sensor through the second communication link when the second switching unit is connected.

5. The control circuit for the robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The controller's first port is connected to the first communication link, and the controller's second port is connected to the second communication link. The controller is used to control the first switch unit to connect and control the first communication link to connect when the first port outputs a first control signal, or to control the second switch unit to connect and control the second communication link to connect when the second port outputs a second control signal.

6. The robot control circuit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first communication link includes a first switch; the input terminal of the first switch is connected to the first port of the controller, and the output terminal of the first switch is connected to the fourth port of the controller and the first communication interface. The first switch connects the fourth port and the first communication interface according to the first control signal output from the first port. The second communication link includes a second switch; the input terminal of the second switch is connected to the second port of the controller, the output terminal of the second switch is connected to the fourth port of the controller and the second communication interface, and the second switch connects the fourth port and the second communication interface according to the second control signal output by the second port.

7. The control circuit for the robot according to claim 6, characterized in that, Both the first switch and the second switch include solid-state relays.

8. The control circuit for the robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller also includes a fifth port; The fifth port of the controller is connected to the first control interface to connect to the first sensor through the first control interface, and the fifth port of the controller is connected to the second control interface to connect to the second sensor through the second control interface; The controller is used to acquire a first state feedback signal output by the first sensor through the fifth port; or to acquire a second state feedback signal output by the second sensor through the fifth port.

9. The control circuit for the robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The signal switching unit includes a drive module and a signal output module; The drive module is connected to the third port of the controller and the signal output module; the signal output module is connected to the first control interface and the second control interface; the drive module is used to drive the signal output module to output a first working signal to make the first sensor work when the controller outputs a first switching signal through the third port; and to drive the signal output module to output a second working signal to make the second sensor work when the controller outputs a second switching signal through the third port.

10. A robot, characterized in that, The control circuit of the robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 is included.

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