Electric drive control system with built-in guidance and safety monitoring

Abstract

The present invention relates to a control system (1) for operating at least one electric motor (22) for a self-guided vehicle, comprising at least one electronic control interface (3) each associated with an electric motor (22), at least one driving safety processor (2) connected to the at least one electronic control interface (3) for operating the at least one electric motor (22) based on safety information obtained from a safety scanner (5), and a guidance control processor (4) configured to process environmental information obtained from the safety scanner (5).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric drive control system with integrated navigation and safety monitoring designed to drive the drive wheels of a vehicle.

[0002] The present disclosure also relates to a self-driving assembly and a self-guided vehicle equipped with such a drive control system. [Background technology]

[0003] Load-carrying vehicles, such as picking trolleys used in storage warehouses or trolleys for transporting machine parts between two work locations in a factory, may be equipped with electric drive systems, which allow the user to move the vehicle without or with little effort. However, it should be noted that in storage warehouses with long aisles, for example, the use of such substantially manual trolleys involves the worker traveling long routes, which results in fatigue and loss of time when the routes are not optimized. In addition, the worker must be perfectly aware of the location of the stored items and the layout of the warehouse in order not to waste time.

[0004] To improve the management of logistics flows, wire or laser guidance techniques are used to guide the movement of motorized trolleys within workspaces, e.g. warehouses, avoiding the need for human intervention. Such techniques rely on external elements or reference points placed along the route the trolley travels, e.g. markers, buried wires, painted stripes, etc. Such guidance techniques impose fixed tracks and specific infrastructure on the trolleys.

[0005] In recent years, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) have emerged that move autonomously and freely, without human intervention or external factors, in environments such as storage warehouses, thanks to geographic guidance techniques that allow the vehicle's trajectory to easily adapt to changes within the workspace in which it is moving.

[0006] Geographical guidance technology is based on the mapping of the environment in which the vehicle is moving. This allows the vehicle to autonomously locate itself in the working environment and automatically calculate the route. To do so, the vehicle is generally equipped with a Lidar system that allows to obtain multiple photographs of the environment. These photographs are then transmitted to a central computer located remotely from the vehicle in order to generate a virtual reconstruction of the environment using appropriate algorithms.

[0007] Nevertheless, factories and warehouses may have workers and other vehicles moving there. In such dynamic environments, it is therefore essential to be able to monitor the trajectory of the autonomous vehicle to ensure its correct operation while ensuring the safety of the workers during the movement. The information obtained by the lidar system or other sensors, called safety information, is transmitted to a controller coupled to the drive system that can cut off the power supply to the motor or activate the brake system to slow down the vehicle if an obstacle is detected in a predefined area.

[0008] Currently, the extended environmental information and safety information are processed by a set of separate modules. Thus, the navigation and safety functions are ensured by separate and distinct devices. In other words, an autonomous vehicle is equipped with a navigation system and a safety system to ensure movement in the environment. Thus, the number of modules required to ensure the safety and navigation functions is large, forming a fragmented, relatively complex and expensive architecture that is not well suited for full integration into wheeled devices such as light-load vehicles or mobile robots. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The present disclosure aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a drive control system that makes it possible to integrate and combine safety monitoring and navigation functions in a single module while reducing its size and final cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present disclosure improves this situation.

[0011] A system for controlling at least one electric motor for a self-guided vehicle is proposed, said system comprising: The vehicle includes at least one electronic control interface each associated with an electric motor, at least one driving safety processor connected to the at least one electronic control interface to control the at least one electric motor based on safety information obtained from a safety scanner, and a navigation monitor processor configured to process environmental information obtained from the safety scanner.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the at least one control interface comprises two electronic control interfaces each associated with an electric motor, and the safety processor is connected to the two electronic control interfaces to control the two motors based on the safety information transmitted by the scanner.

[0013] According to another embodiment, the at least one control interface comprises two electronic control interfaces each associated with an electric motor, and the at least one operational safety processor comprises two safety processors, each connected to the electronic control interfaces to control the two motors based on the safety information transmitted by the scanner.

[0014] The features described in the following paragraphs are optional and can be implemented independently of each other or in combination with each other.

[0015] The safety processor determines, based on the received safety information, whether an obstacle is detected within the field of view of the safety scanner and performs the following safety functions: "STO" safety function, which corresponds to electrically disconnecting the motor to eliminate torque, "SDI" safety function, which corresponds to blocking one of the two directions of rotation of the motor, "SLS" safety feature that limits the motor's rotation to its maximum speed; "SS1" safety feature, which provides braking of the motor through controlled deceleration; "SBC" safety function that stops the motor by applying the brakes The safety function is configured to perform at least one of the following:

[0016] The navigation monitoring processor is responsible for the following navigation functions: calculating at least one trajectory to be performed by the vehicle in the environment based on the information transmitted by the central monitoring unit; reading augmented information about an environment, the augmented information being acquired by the at least one safety scanner while the vehicle is moving through the environment; reconstructing an environment and determining a position of the vehicle in said environment; Predicting at least one path that the vehicle will follow and adapting its trajectory to the environment; The device is configured to monitor the navigation of the vehicle by executing:

[0017] According to another aspect, a self-driving assembly for a self-guided vehicle is proposed, the assembly comprising: At least one electric motor for generating rotational motion; an energy source configured to store and return energy required for the autonomous operation of said assembly; a system for controlling said at least one electric motor as defined above; Equipped with.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the assembly comprises a base frame and an external profile shell forming an external casing, the base frame comprising a receiving space for receiving and holding in position an electric motor, a first internal profile shell and a second internal profile shell, the first internal profile shell and the second internal profile shell being integrated to form a tight internal casing in which an energy source, a control system are received, said casing being received in the receiving space of the external casing.

[0019] Preferably, the second, inner profile shell forms a user interface including the communication connection, the recharging connection and means for indicating the charging state of the energy source, said user interface being arranged facing an opening provided in the outer profile shell such that the recharging connection and the indicating means are accessible and visible from outside the casing.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the energy source comprises at least one accumulator of the Ni-MH or Li-ion type.

[0021] Preferably, the electric motor is coupled to the drive wheels via a planetary reduction gear.

[0022] According to another aspect, a self-guided vehicle is proposed comprising at least one drive wheel driven by a self-driving assembly as defined above and at least one safety scanner configured to obtain safety information and extended information regarding the environment in which the vehicle is moving.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the safety scanner is connected to a safety monitoring processor and a navigation monitoring processor via a bus for communicating safety information and a bus for communicating extended information about the environment, respectively.

[0024] Preferably, the at least one safety scanner is a LIDAR system.

[0025] Other features, details and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and examining the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 illustrates a drive control system according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a drive control system according to a second embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a drive control system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a self-actuated assembly including the drive control system of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a handling vehicle with automatic guidance equipped with drive wheels driven by the drive control system of FIG. 1; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a self-guided handling vehicle with two motors driven by a drive control system according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] In the various figures, the same reference numbers indicate the same or similar elements.

[0028] Within the scope of this disclosure, an environment refers for example to a warehouse, a production plant, or any other industrial space in which light vehicles move.

[0029] Within the scope of the present disclosure, a light vehicle moving autonomously in an environment may be, for example, a handling trolley, or any other wheeled handling device, or a mobile robot.

[0030] Within the scope of the present invention, a safety scanner is a device for perceiving the environment, typically used in autonomous mobile robotics, which on the one hand makes it possible to obtain operational safety information related to the presence of obstacles in preconfigured risk areas, and on the other hand is capable of sending back distance information, called augmented information about the environment, about the surrounding elements. The safety information is usually used to prevent dangerous actions or to activate safety devices. The non-safety, distance information can be used to reconstruct a map of the environment and to calculate a position relative to the environment, being information useful for the navigation of the autonomous mobile device.

[0031] Within the scope of this disclosure, "augmented information about the environment" is understood to mean a set of coordinates of points detected within the field of view of one or more safety scanners capable of capturing a picture of the device's environment. This information is used to feed and enhance the vehicle's navigation algorithms in order to recreate the environment in which the vehicle is moving and to recreate the position of the acquisition device in the recreated environment.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 1, a drive control system 1 for a lightweight self-guided vehicle is shown according to one embodiment.

[0033] The control system 1 has the function of controlling the vehicle's motors based on the safety information transmitted by the safety scanner 5 and on extended information about the environment.

[0034] According to the invention, the drive control system 1 is directly integrated into a self-driving assembly 20, for example to drive one or two drive wheels. In the example of Fig. 1, the assembly 20 is configured to drive one drive wheel 201.

[0035] The autonomous assembly 20 is described in more detail below with reference to Figure 4. It may comprise an electric motor 22 configured to generate rotational motion and an energy source 21 that stores and returns energy required for the autonomous operation of the autonomous assembly.

[0036] The safety scanner 5 can capture information about the environment in which the light vehicle is moving. The safety scanner may include, but is not limited to, a camera for taking pictures in two dimensions, a camera for taking pictures in three dimensions, a lidar system, or any other equivalent system for acquiring multiple pictures of the environment. The data from the scanner 5 can be of two distinct types. The data can include safety information, for example indicating a presence detected in a predefined area, indicating a safety risk, and extended information about the environment, the extended information including all physical points detected in the detection field of the scanner 5.

[0037] The drive control system 1 comprises an electronic control interface 3 configured to control the operation of the motor 22 and a driving safety processor 2 connected to the electronic control interface 3 to control the motor 22 based on safety information obtained from the scanner 5. The control system 1 also comprises a navigation monitoring processor 4 configured to monitor the navigation of the vehicle based on extended information about the environment obtained from the scanner 5. Depending on the processed information, the drive control system 1 can have two functions: to control the operation of the motor depending on the safety information and to guide the vehicle by recreating the environment in which the device is moving.

[0038] The safety information and the extended information on the environment are processed by two separate processors, namely a driving safety processor 2 for the motors and a navigation monitoring processor 4, both integrated in one and the same physical entity, the control system 1 for the motors. Advantageously, the driving safety processor 2 and the navigation monitoring processor 4 can thus be integrated in a single device. Unlike known solutions proposing different separate devices to ensure the navigation and safety functions, these functions are ensured by a single device. By integrating the safety monitoring processor and the driving safety processor in the drive system, both the environmental information and the safety information obtained from the sensors can be processed in one and the same system. This integration makes the drive system more versatile and directly compatible with safety scanners.

[0039] The operational safety processor 2 is coupled to the motor 22 via an electronic control interface 3. The operational safety processor 2 controls the electronic control interface 3 to monitor the motor 22 and to perform the following safety functions: Electrically disconnecting the motor 22 to eliminate torque, corresponding to a Safe Torque Off (STO) safety function; Blocking one of the two rotation directions when there is an obstacle on one side of the vehicle, corresponding to the so-called SDI (Safe Direction) safety function; Limiting rotation to a maximum speed, corresponding to the so-called SLS (Safety Limited Speed) safety function, making it possible to switch to a safe limited speed mode when an obstacle is detected within view; Braking the motor with controlled deceleration if an imminent obstacle is detected, corresponding to the so-called SS1 (Safe Stop) safety function; Activating the brakes to stop the motor, which corresponds to the so-called SBC (Safe Brake Control) safety function Integrate at least one of the following:

[0040] The driving safety processor 2 is connected to a safety scanner 5 via a link 7 or communication bus 7 for transmitting safety information. The safety functions can be independently activated depending on the safety information transmitted by the scanner 5 to the driving safety processor 2. The communication bus can be for example a safety-specific communication network such as CANopen Safety, PROFIsafe or FSoE (Fail Safe over Ethercat).

[0041] According to one exemplary embodiment, when the SLS safety function is activated and the motor control is in limited speed mode, the safety monitoring processor sends information to the scanner 5 to request that the distance of the detection field be reduced. According to another exemplary embodiment, when the rotational speeds of the two drive wheels differ, the safety monitoring processor sends information to the scanner 5 to request that the position of the detection field be aligned to the orientation imposed by the speed difference of the drive wheels.

[0042] The navigation monitoring processor 4 is configured to monitor the navigation of the vehicle based on the augmented environmental information obtained from the scanner 5 .

[0043] The navigation monitoring processor 4 is configured to perform monitoring of the following navigation of the vehicle based on extended information about the environment, which information is obtained from the data acquisition device 5 . Calculating at least one trajectory to be performed by the vehicle within the environment; Reconstructing the environment, determining a position of a vehicle in the reconstructed environment; Predicting at least one path that the vehicle will follow and adapting its trajectory to the environment.

[0044] The navigation monitor processor 4 is also arranged to be able to communicate with a fixed central unit 71 located remotely from the vehicle, as shown in Figure 6. The navigation monitor processor 4 receives task commands to be executed by the vehicle and a database representing the coordinates of points in the environment along which the vehicle must move. The navigation monitor processor 4 processes the task commands to be executed by said vehicle and determines the trajectory to be taken within the environment.

[0045] There are several algorithms from the prior art that can be used depending on the sensor envisaged for the system to perceive the environment, to generate a reconstruction of the environment based on extended information about it, which can for example come from various photographs. For example, if the sensor for perceiving the environment is a camera or a lidar, a "SLAM" type algorithm makes it possible to obtain a two-dimensional or three-dimensional reconstruction of the environment. In the context of a lidar or laser type sensor, the various individual reconstructions can be assembled into a single overall reconstruction by using an ICP (Iterative Closest Point) type approach.

[0046] The navigation monitoring processor 4 and the scanner 5 are connected by a data transmission link 6, which allows the navigation monitoring processor 4 not only to access the data measured by the scanner 5, but also to transmit data to the scanner 5.

[0047] The navigation monitoring processor 4 and the safety processor 2 are connected via a link 8 which may be, for example, a serial bus, a CANopen, PROFInet or a non-safety communication bus of the EtherCAT type.

[0048] In known solutions, the safety information and the extended information about the environment are processed by different devices. The safety information is generally sent to a safety logic that can cut off the power supply to the motor or activate the brakes of the motor, while the extended information about the environment is processed by a computation unit outside the vehicle. In an autonomously navigating vehicle, many devices are required to ensure all safety and navigation functions. The particular centralized architecture of the drive control system of the present invention allows to combine the safety monitoring and navigation functions in a single compact physical entity, thus giving modularity to the drive system of the present disclosure.

[0049] The drive control system according to the present disclosure is particularly suitable for being integrated into a self-driving assembly to drive the drive wheels of a light vehicle. One of the main advantages of the system is its simplicity of architecture and implementation, while ensuring automatic guidance and its safety in dynamic environments.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 2, a drive control system 10 according to a second embodiment is shown.

[0051] 2 makes it possible to control two electric motors 42.1, 42.2 of a self-drive assembly 40 so as to drive the drive wheels 301, 302 of a vehicle 300. The assembly 40 further comprises a rechargeable energy source 41 for powering the motors.

[0052] The control system 10 comprises a first electronic control interface 13.1 coupled to a first motor 42.1, a second electronic control interface 13.2 coupled to a second motor 42.2, and a safety processor 12 connected to the two control interfaces 13.1, 13.2 so as to control the two motors 42.1, 42.2 based on safety information obtained from a safety scanner 15.

[0053] The control system also comprises a navigation surveillance processor 14 configured to process extensive information about the environment, this information being obtained from a scanner 15 .

[0054] The driving safety processor 12 is connected to a safety scanner 15 via a link 17 or communication bus 17 for transmitting safety information. Safety functions can be activated depending on the safety information transmitted by the scanner 15 to the driving safety processor 12. The communication bus can be a safety-specific communication network, for example CANopen Safety, PROFIsafe or FSoE (Fail Safe over Ethercat).

[0055] The navigation monitoring processor 14 and the scanner 15 are connected by a data transmission link 16, such as Ethernet or USB, which allows the navigation monitoring processor 14 not only to access data measured by the scanner 15, but also to transmit data to the scanner 15.

[0056] The navigation monitoring processor 14 and the safety processor 12 are connected via a link 18, which is for example a non-safety communication bus of the serial bus, CANopen, PROFInet or EtherCAT type.

[0057] Advantageously, the architecture of the control system is particularly flexible: the number of electronic control interfaces can thus be adjusted depending on the number of motors to be controlled.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, a drive control system 100 according to a third embodiment is shown.

[0059] 3 also makes it possible to control two electric motors 52.1, 52.2 of a self-propelled assembly 50 to drive two drive wheels 401, 402 of a vehicle 400. The assembly 50 further comprises a rechargeable energy source 51 for powering the motors.

[0060] The control system 100 comprises a first electronic control interface 103.1 coupled to the first motor 52.1, a second electronic control interface 103.2 coupled to the second motor 52.2, a first driving safety processor 102.1 connected to the first control interface 103.1 and a second driving safety processor 102.2 connected to the second control interface 103.2 to control the two motors 52.1, 52.2 respectively based on safety information obtained from a safety scanner 105.

[0061] The control system also comprises a navigation monitoring processor 104 configured to process augmented information about the environment, which information is obtained from a scanner 105 .

[0062] In this configuration, the scanner 105 is connected only to the first driving safety processor 102.1 and the navigation monitoring processor 104 of the system 100 via a bus 107 for communicating safety information and a bus 106 for communicating extended information about the environment, respectively. The first safety processor 102.1 is connected to the second driving safety processor 102.2 via a bus 109 for communicating safety information to transmit the safety information obtained from the scanner 105.

[0063] The navigation monitoring processor 104 and the first safety processor 102.1 are connected via a link 108, which is for example a non-safety communication bus of the serial bus, CANopen, PROFInet or EtherCAT type.

[0064] The drive control system of the present invention is in the form of a control board that can be easily integrated into a casing along with the motor and rechargeable energy source to form a self-powered assembly.

[0065] Referring to FIG. 4, an exploded view illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a self-actuated assembly 20 integrated with a drive control system, which may be the control system of one of FIGS.

[0066] The assembly 20 comprises an external casing that supports and brings together all the elements for driving and controlling the drive wheels 201, namely one or more electric motors 22 capable of generating the rotary movement, an energy source 21, a control system 1 for the electric motors in the form of an electronic board, and an interface 24 for managing the elements.

[0067] The energy source 21 comprises a rechargeable accumulator capable of storing and returning the energy required for the autonomous operation of the self-driving assembly 20. According to one exemplary embodiment, the accumulator comprises a Ni-MH battery. According to another exemplary embodiment, the accumulator comprises a Li-Ion battery.

[0068] The external housing is formed by a base frame 23 and an external shell 25, which are assembled and fixed. The base frame 23 comprises a receiving space 28 for receiving an internal casing formed by a first internal profile shell 27 and a second internal profile shell 24 attached to the first shell 27. The first profile shell 27 is dimensioned and configured to fit into the receiving space 28 of the base frame 23. The base frame 23 also comprises a housing designed to support the drive wheels 201, delimited by the internal casing and to receive the electric motor 22. The walls of the internal shell 27 thus form the interface between the energy source 21 and the motor 22. The internal shell 27 also comprises a receiving space 29 for receiving the energy source 21 and the control system 1.

[0069] The first shell 27 may be made of an electrically insulating material and has enhanced mechanical properties that make it possible to ensure retention of the elements and to ensure resistance to the mechanical stresses to which it is subjected, such as vibrations and / or shocks during operation. The material of the casing is for example a composite material. It may also be made of plastic reinforced with glass fibre.

[0070] Preferably, the two internal profile shells 27 and 24 containing the electronic system 1 can be attached together to obtain a hermetic casing. In addition, seals are arranged between the two shells and the parts that make up the casing.

[0071] The electric motor 22 comprises a motor shaft 22A. The motor control system 1 in the form of an electronic board comprises a hole 9 for receiving the shaft of the motor shaft. At the axial end of the motor on one side of the motor casing, a flange 22F is arranged so as to form an interface between the rear end of the motor 22 and the electronic board 1. The electronic system 1 comprises a power electronic interface 3, a driving safety processor 2 and a navigation monitoring processor 4, and controls the electric motor 22 according to safety information and extended information on the environment obtained from a scanner 5. The electronic system 1 also comprises a communication interface, for example a Wifi connection, for transmitting data to a fixed central unit 71, as shown in FIG. 6. The electronic system 1 may consist of several electronic boards combined with each other.

[0072] According to an exemplary embodiment, the second, inner profile shell 24 is provided with a management interface of the casing and may comprise, for example, a communication interface connection, a recharging connection and means for indicating the operating and charging state of the energy source. The management interface 24 is arranged facing an opening 26 provided in the outer profile shell 25 such that the communication connection, the recharging connection and the indicating means are accessible and visible from outside the casing.

[0073] The wheels 201 are coupled to the electric motors 22 of the self-drive assembly 20 through a planetary reducer, not shown in FIG. 4. The wheels 201 may be non-directional drive wheels that drive the vehicle forward or backward in a primary direction of travel associated with the vehicle, the direction of travel being perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the non-directional wheels. The wheels may be directional motors. The wheels are steerable by pivoting about a vertical pivot axis to direct the vehicle along its route.

[0074] The architecture of the self-propelled assembly of the present invention is particularly advantageous, as it allows all elements of the drive assembly to be assembled in a single casing forming a single modular functional block that is coupled to the wheel, and in addition, each element of the self-propelled assembly is housed in a robust, fully enclosed fairing, allowing the wheel to operate in the harshest environments.

[0075] With reference to FIG. 5, an exemplary drive architecture for a light vehicle 200 equipped with the self-drive assembly of FIG. 4 will now be described.

[0076] In general, one or more drive wheels may be used to provide a traction or propulsion function for the movement of the wheeled device. A wheeled vehicle may move on a single autonomous drive wheel, on multiple drive wheels, or on a set of drive and non-drive wheels. The wheels may be fixed or swivel. Fixed wheels are understood to mean wheels that maintain the same orientation relative to the base of the device, regardless of the direction of movement of the device. Swivel wheels are understood to mean wheels that have a horizontal axis that swivels around a vertical axis so that the wheel can change the direction of movement of the device to which it is fixed. The axis of the wheel is the horizontal axis that passes through the center of rotation of the wheel.

[0077] Depending on the shape of the vehicle, the number of wheels and the load distribution, several layouts of the drive wheels can be considered to ensure their correct operation.

[0078] In Fig. 5, the wheeled vehicle 200 comprises four swivel non-driven wheels 61, 62, 63, 64 and one driven wheel 201. The driven wheel is centrally located relative to the base of the vehicle and allows for electrical assistance to move the device. The wheel 201 is coupled to the self-driving assembly 20 of Fig. 4 via a planetary reducer. The wheeled vehicle 200 further comprises a safety scanner 5 configured to obtain safety information and extended information about the environment in which the self-guided vehicle is moving.

[0079] With reference to FIG. 6, the steps for implementing the method for self-guiding a light vehicle 500 equipped with a drive assembly of the present invention will now be described.

[0080] The light vehicle 500 is equipped with four fixed wheels 61, 62, 63, 64 and two drive wheels 501, 502. Each of the two drive wheels is equipped with a self-drive assembly 20.1, 20.2 of Fig. 4. The vehicle is equipped with safety scanners 505, 515 at the front and rear.

[0081] In a first step, the fixed navigation monitoring central unit 71 transmits a task command to the navigation monitoring processors of the two self-driving assemblies 20.1, 20.2. As an example, the task command can be a path to travel between a start position A and an end position B according to a given trajectory. Furthermore, the navigation monitoring central unit 71 also transmits a database representing the environment in which the vehicle is moving. As an example, the database is in the form of a three-dimensional point cloud.

[0082] In a second step, the navigation supervisory processor calculates a trajectory, which is sent in the form of instructions to a safety processor that controls the motors to move the vehicle through the environment.

[0083] In a third step, while the vehicle is moving, one of the scanners 505, 515 acquires information about the environment based on multiple pictures of the environment. In Fig. 6, this is for example the referenced scanner 505 that is activated to take pictures while the vehicle is moving. By way of example, if the scanner consists of a camera or a lidar, multiple images of the environment are acquired. The multiple images may for example be of one and the same scene taken from different spatial viewpoints. The information consists of augmented information and safety information about the environment.

[0084] In a fourth step, the scanner 505 transmits extended information about the environment to the navigation processor 4 and safety information to the driving safety processor 2 .

[0085] In a fifth step, the navigation monitoring processor uses the received extended information on the environment to perform the following navigation functions: reconstructing the environment based on the extended information on the environment, determining the position of the vehicle in this reconstructed environment, and predicting the path the vehicle will follow and adapting the route with respect to the reconstructed environment. The driving safety processor uses the received safety information to perform one of the safety functions. According to one configuration, if the safety processor determines based on the safety information that an obstacle is present on one side of the vehicle, it sends a control signal to the control interface 3 to block one of the two rotation directions. According to another configuration, shown in FIG. 6, if an obstacle, e.g. a worker 70, is detected in the field of view, the safety processor sends a signal to the control interface 3 to limit the rotation speed of the two drive wheels 501, 502. According to yet another configuration, if an obstacle is detected in the close range of the vehicle, the processor can activate the SS1 function to brake the motor by controlled deceleration.

[0086] In the sixth step, once the vehicle reaches its destination, the self-driving assembly stops the motor.

[0087] While the vehicle is moving, the drive control system 1 can communicate with a remote fixed central unit 71 to exchange data. [Industrial Applicability]

[0088] The technical solution can be used in various industrial application areas, such as the automotive industry, food processing industry or logistics industry, to equip industrial handling trolley-type devices for transporting spare parts or products between work locations or work units in order to optimize logistics flows while maintaining worker safety. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1 Drive control system 2 Operational Safety Processor 3 Electronic Control Interface 4 Navigation Monitoring Processor 5 Data Acquisition Device 5 Safety Scanner 6 Data transmission link 7 Link, Communication Bus 8 Links 9 holes 10 Drive control system 12 Safety Processor 13.1 First Electronic Control Interface 13.2 Second Electronic Control Interface 14 Navigation Monitoring Processor 15 Safety Scanner 16 Data transmission link 17 Link, communication bus 18 Links 20 Assembly 20.1 Self-actuated assemblies 20.2 Self-actuated assemblies 21 Energy Sources 22 Electric motor 22A motor shaft 22F Flange 23 Base Frame 24 Interface 24 Second inner profile shell 25 Outer shell, outer profile shell 26 Opening 27 First inner profile shell 28 Reception Space 29 Reception Space 40 Self-propelled Assembly 41 Rechargeable Energy Sources 42.1 Electric motors 42.2 Electric motors 50 Self-propelled Assembly 51 Rechargeable Energy Sources 52.1 Electric motor 52.2 Electric motors 61 Swivel non-driving wheels, fixed wheels 62 Swivel non-driving wheels, fixed wheels 63 Swivel non-driving wheels, fixed wheels 64 Swivel non-driving wheels, fixed wheels 70 workers 71 Fixed Central Unit 100 Drive control system 102.1 First Operational Safety Processor 102.2 Secondary Operational Safety Processor 103.1 First Electronic Control Interface 103.2 Secondary Electronic Control Interface 104 Navigation Monitoring Processor 105 Safety Scanner 106 Bus 107 Bus 108 Links 109 Bus 200 Light Vehicles 201 Driving wheels, wheels 300 vehicles 301 Drive Wheel 302 Drive Wheel 400 vehicles 401 Drive Wheel 402 Drive Wheel 500 Light Vehicles 501 Drive wheel 502 Drive Wheel 505 Safety Scanner 515 Safety Scanner

Claims

1. A system (1, 10, 100) for controlling at least one electric motor (22) for a self-guided vehicle, comprising: at least one electronic control interface (3, 13.1, 13.2, 103.1, 103.2) associated with each electric motor (22, 42.1, 42.2, 52.1, 52.2); at least one driving safety processor (2, 12, 102.1, 102.2) connected to the at least one electronic control interface (3, 13.1, 13.2, 103.1, 103.2) for controlling the at least one electric motor based on safety information obtained from a safety scanner (5, 15, 105); and a navigation monitoring processor (4, 14, 104) configured to process environmental information obtained from the safety scanner (5). A system (1, 10, 100) comprising:

2. 2. The system (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control interface (3, 13.1, 13.2) comprises two electronic control interfaces (13.1, 13.2) each associated with an electric motor (42.1, 42.2), and the safety processor (12) is connected to the two electronic control interfaces (13.1, 13.2) so as to control the two motors based on safety information transmitted by the scanner (15).

3. 2. The system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control interface (3, 103.1, 103.2) comprises two electronic control interfaces (103.1, 103.2) each associated with an electric motor (52.1, 52.2), and the at least one driving safety processor comprises two driving safety processors (102.1, 102.2), each of the two driving safety processors being connected to an electronic control interface (103.1, 103.2) to control two motors based on safety information transmitted by the scanner (105).

4. The at least one safety processor (2, 12, 102.1, 102.2) determines, based on the received safety information, whether an obstacle is detected in the field of view of the safety scanner (5, 15, 105) and performs the following safety functions: a "STO" safety function that corresponds to electrically disconnecting the motor to eliminate torque; an "SDI" safety function corresponding to blocking one of the two directions of rotation of said motor; "SLS" safety feature, which corresponds to limiting the rotation of said motor to a maximum speed; An "SS1" safety function which corresponds to braking the motor by controlled deceleration; "SBC" safety function that supports stopping the motor by applying the brakes 4. The system according to claim 1 , configured to perform at least one safety function from among

5. The navigation monitoring processor (4, 14, 104) performs the following navigation functions: - calculating at least one trajectory performed by said vehicle in an environment based on information transmitted by a central monitoring unit (71); - reading extended information about the environment, the extended information being acquired by the at least one safety scanner (5, 15, 105) while the vehicle is moving in the environment; and reconstructing the environment and determining a position of the vehicle in the environment; predicting at least one path that the vehicle will follow and adapting the trajectory to the environment; 5. The system of claim 1, configured to monitor navigation of the vehicle by executing:

6. A self-driving assembly (20, 40, 50) for a self-guided vehicle, comprising: At least one electric motor (22, 42.1, 42.2, 52.1, 52.2) for generating a rotational movement; an energy source (21, 41, 51) configured to store and return the energy required for the autonomous operation of said assembly; A system (1, 10, 100) for controlling at least one electric motor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A self-actuating assembly (20, 40, 50) comprising:

7. 7. An assembly according to claim 6, comprising a base frame (23) and an external profile shell (25) forming an external casing, said base frame (23) comprising a receiving space (28) for receiving and holding in position said electric motor (22), a first internal profile shell (27) and a second internal profile shell (24), said first internal profile shell (27) and said second internal profile shell (24) being integrated to form a tight internal casing in which said energy source (21), said control system (1, 10, 100) are received, said casing being received in said receiving space of the external casing.

8. 8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the second inner profile shell forms a user interface (24) including a communication connection, a recharging connection and means for indicating the charging state of the energy source (21, 41, 51), the user interface (24) being arranged facing an opening (26) provided in the outer profile shell (25) such that the recharging connection and the means for indicating are accessible and visible from outside the casing.

9. 9. An assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the energy source (21, 41, 51) comprises at least one accumulator of the Ni-MH type or of the Li-ion type.

10. 10. An assembly according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the electric motor (22) is coupled to a drive wheel (201) via a planetary reduction gear.

11. A self-guided vehicle (200, 300, 400, 500) comprising at least one drive wheel (201, 301, 302, 401, 402, 501, 502) driven by a self-driving assembly as described in any one of claims 6 to 10 and at least one safety scanner (5, 15, 105, 505, 515) configured to obtain safety information and extended information regarding the environment in which the vehicle is moving.

12. 12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the safety scanners (5, 15, 105) are connected to the safety monitoring processor (2, 12, 102.1) and the navigation monitoring processor (4, 14, 104) via a bus (7, 17, 107) for communicating safety information and a bus (6, 16, 106) for communicating extended information about the environment, respectively.

13. 13. The vehicle according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the at least one safety scanner (5, 15, 105) is a LIDAR system.

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