Methods, systems, and non-transient computer-readable recording media for controlling a serving robot.

Abstract

A method for controlling a serving robot is provided. The method includes the steps of: acquiring sensor data and order data relating to at least one object placed on at least one support base coupled to the serving robot; identifying a serving object from the at least one object to be served by referring to the sensor data and the order data; generating light in the portion of the serving robot's light-emitting unit corresponding to the specific support base on which the serving object is placed, pointing to the specific support base; and dynamically adjusting the light generated by the light-emitting unit based on information about the environment acquired during the operation of the serving robot.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] <Cross - reference to Related Applications> This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 445,347, filed on February 14, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a method, a system, and a non - transitory computer - readable recording medium for controlling a service robot.

Background Art

[0003] "Service" means providing customers with objects such as beverages and food in places such as cafeterias. Recently, robots and the like have been developed and are used for service instead of or to assist waiters and waitresses. Such robots usually have functions such as receiving food and beverage orders and performing service according to the orders, and also perform autonomous navigation using table position information and the like. Such robots can be configured to include means of movement (including sensors for obstacle avoidance), display means for outputting menus or inputting orders, and the like. Also, the robot can include means for arranging and transporting food, beverages, and food containers.

[0004] As an example of prior art related to this, we can cite the technology disclosed in Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1083700, which describes a robot system for serving in a cafeteria that takes orders and transports trays on which ordered food and beverages are placed, comprising: a pair of synchronously driven articulated robot arms; an upper end rotatably coupled to the lower end of the articulated robot arms and including a tray gripping section for securing the tray; a lower end provided at the bottom with a robot movement section including a main wheel and one or more auxiliary wheels; an intermediate section fixed to the lower end and rotatably connected to the upper end; and the pair of articulated robot arms, the tray gripping section and the robot movement section. A robot system has been introduced that includes a control unit for controlling the operation of a moving part, wherein the tray gripping part is characterized by including: a hand rotatably coupled to the end of the articulated robot arm; a fixed part that is vertically movable on the hand; a gripper located at the bottom of the tray and coupled to the fixed part; a stopper located at the top of the tray and coupled to the fixed part so as to face the gripper; a switch that is pressed by the fixed part as the end of the articulated robot arm is driven downward and the stopper is pressed against the tray, causing the fixed part to move upward; a spring that contracts when the fixed part moves upward; and a gripper angle sensing unit that senses the angle of the gripper.

[0005] On the other hand, while the technologies introduced so far have proposed various display methods for visually displaying the operating status of the serving robot, they have the limitation of not being able to propose a method that can intuitively display the operating status of the serving robot while simplifying the electrical connections.

[0006] Therefore, the present inventors propose a technology that allows the operating state of a serving robot to be intuitively and easily represented by generating light in the portion of the serving robot's light-emitting part that corresponds to the position where the object being served is placed. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to solve all of the problems of the prior art described above.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention aims to intuitively and easily represent the operating state of the serving robot by acquiring sensor data and order data relating to at least one object placed on at least one support base coupled to the serving robot, identifying a serving object to be served from among the at least one object by referring to the sensor data and order data, generating light that points to the specific support base in the portion of the serving robot's light-emitting part corresponding to the specific support base on which the serving object is placed, and dynamically adjusting the light generated by the light-emitting part based on environmental information acquired during the operation of the serving robot.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention aims to simplify the electrical connection for the light-emitting part of the serving robot while ensuring that the light generated by the light-emitting part of the serving robot is clearly visible on all front, side, and rear surfaces of the serving robot, by having the light-emitting part positioned on the column of the serving robot include an LED strip formed along the longitudinal direction of the column, a diffusion cover formed along the longitudinal direction of the column at a predetermined angle to the LED strip and at a constant distance from the LED strip, and a channel formed along the longitudinal direction of the column that maintains a constant angle and distance between the LED strip and the diffusion cover. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A typical configuration of the present invention for achieving the above objective is as follows:

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a serving robot is provided, comprising the steps of: acquiring sensor data and order data relating to at least one object placed on at least one support base coupled to the serving robot; identifying a serving object to be served from among the at least one object by referring to the sensor data and the order data; generating light in the portion of the serving robot's light-emitting unit corresponding to the specific support base on which the serving object is placed, pointing to the specific support base; and dynamically adjusting the light generated by the light-emitting unit based on information about the environment acquired during the operation of the serving robot.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, a system for controlling a serving robot is provided, comprising: a data acquisition unit that acquires sensor data and order data relating to at least one object placed on at least one support base coupled to the serving robot; and a display state management unit that identifies a serving object from among the at least one object to be served by referring to the sensor data and the order data, generates light pointing to the specific support base in a portion of the serving robot's light-emitting unit corresponding to the specific support base on which the serving object is placed, and dynamically adjusts the light generated by the light-emitting unit based on information about the environment acquired during the operation of the serving robot.

[0013] In addition, other methods, other systems, and non-transient computer-readable recording media storing computer programs for performing the present invention are further provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, compared to conventional serving robots that require a separate light-emitting means for each support base (tray), it becomes possible to realize a serving robot that simplifies electrical connections while easily indicating the position of the serving object mounted on the serving robot and intuitively showing the operating state of the serving robot.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the light generated by the light-emitting part of the serving robot can be clearly seen from the front, sides, and rear of the serving robot. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This diagram shows a schematic configuration of the overall system for controlling a serving robot according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This drawing shows in detail the internal configuration of a robot control system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This drawing illustrates the configuration of a serving robot according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This drawing exemplifies the situation in which light is generated in the light-emitting part of a serving robot according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This drawing exemplifies the situation in which light is generated in the light-emitting part of a serving robot according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This drawing illustrates the configuration of a light-emitting unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This drawing illustrates the configuration of a light-emitting unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This drawing illustrates the configuration of a light-emitting unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] The detailed description of the present invention to be described below refers to the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the present invention can be implemented as examples. Such embodiments are described in detail so that those skilled in the art can fully implement the present invention. It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention are different from each other but do not necessarily have to be mutually exclusive. For example, the specific shapes, structures, and characteristics described in this specification can be changed and embodied from one embodiment to another without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should also be understood that the position or arrangement of the individual components within each embodiment can be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the detailed description to be described below is not made in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention should be understood to include the scope claimed by the claims of the claims and all equivalent ranges thereto. Similar reference numerals in the drawings indicate the same or similar components throughout various aspects.

[0018] Hereinafter, in order to enable those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains to easily implement the present invention, a detailed description will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings regarding some preferred embodiments of the present invention.

[0019] Configuration of the entire system FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a schematic configuration of an entire system for controlling a service robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the entire system according to an embodiment of the present invention can include a communication network 100, a robot control system 200, and a service robot 300.

[0021] First, the communication network 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be configured regardless of the communication mode such as wired communication or wireless communication, and can be composed of various communication networks such as a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), and a wide area network (WAN). Preferably, the communication network 100 in this specification can be a known Internet or World Wide Web (WWW). However, the communication network 100 does not necessarily have to be limited to this, and may include at least a part of a known wired / wireless data communication network, a known telephone network, or a known wired / wireless television communication network.

[0022] For example, the communication network 100 can be a wireless data communication network that implements at least a part of conventional communication methods such as Wi-Fi communication, Wi-Fi Direct communication, Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication, 5G communication, Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication (including Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication), infrared communication, and ultrasonic communication. Another example is that the communication network 100 can be an optical communication network that implements at least a part of conventional communication methods such as LiFi (Light Fidelity).

[0023] Next, the robot control system 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention acquires sensor data and order data regarding at least one object placed on at least one support base coupled to a service robot, identifies a service object to be serviced among at least one object by referring to the sensor data and the order data, generates light indicating a specific support base at a part corresponding to the specific support base on which the service object is placed among the light emitting parts of the service robot, and can dynamically adjust the light generated by the light emitting part based on information regarding the environment acquired while the service robot is operating.

[0024] The configuration and functions of the robot control system 200 according to the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0025] Next, the serving robot 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention is a device that can communicate with a robot control system 200 via a communication network 100 and autonomously perform predetermined functions or assigned tasks (e.g., food and beverage serving, container collection, etc.) without operation by a user (e.g., an employee, a customer, etc.), and may include a support base configured to support at least one object. Furthermore, the serving robot 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include at least one module from among a module for loading and unloading objects (e.g., food and beverage trays) (e.g., a grab, a robotic arm module, etc.), a video module for acquiring images of the surroundings (e.g., a visible light camera, an infrared camera, etc.), a scanner module for acquiring obstacle information (e.g., a LiDAR sensor, etc.), a sound acquisition module for acquiring sounds of the surroundings (e.g., a microphone, etc.), a display and speaker module for providing images and sounds, and a drive module for moving the serving robot 300 (e.g., a motor, etc.).

[0026] For example, such a serving robot 300 may be a robot having characteristics and functions similar to at least one of the following: a guidance robot, a transport robot, a cleaning robot, a medical robot, an entertainment robot, a pet robot, and an unmanned aerial robot. On the other hand, in this specification, "supporting an object" should be interpreted to include supporting a container for an object such as food or drink, and means on which the container can be placed (e.g., a tray).

[0027] On the other hand, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the serving robot 300 may include an application (not shown) for controlling the serving robot 300 according to the present invention. Such an application may be downloaded from the robot control system 200 or an external application distribution server (not shown). According to one embodiment of the present invention, the nature of such an application may be generally similar to the data acquisition unit 210, display state management unit 220, communication unit 230, and control unit 240 of the robot control system 200 as described later. Here, at least a part of the application may be replaced as needed by hardware or firmware devices that can perform substantially the same or equivalent functions.

[0028] Figures 3 and 4 are illustrative diagrams showing the structure of a serving robot 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Referring to Figure 3, the serving robot 300 may consist of a main body 310, a drive unit 320, a processor (not shown), and a light-emitting unit 340.

[0030] First, a main body 310 according to one embodiment of the present invention may be coupled with support bases 310a, 310b, and 310c configured to support at least one object. According to one embodiment of the present invention, such support bases 310a, 310b, and 310c may be detachably coupled for cleaning, replacement, etc. Furthermore, each support base 310a, 310b, and 310c may include a weight sensor (not shown) for sensing the weight supported by the respective support base 310a, 310b, and 310c. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the weight sensor may be implemented using one or more strain gauges (e.g., three strain gauges, four strain gauges, etc.). And according to one embodiment of the present invention, such a weight sensor may be linked to a processor.

[0031] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the main body 310 may include an image sensor (not shown) configured to capture the spatial area on each of the support bases 310a, 310b, and 310c, in place of or in addition to the weight sensor. On the other hand, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the image sensor configured to capture the spatial area on each of the support bases 310a, 310b, and 310c does not necessarily have to be included in the main body 310, and at least some of the image sensors may be installed on the structure of the serving place.

[0032] On the other hand, the main body 310 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include at least one loading space for loading objects. According to one embodiment of the present invention, such loading spaces may include support bases 310a, 310b, and 310c. The object according to one embodiment of the present invention is a general concept that refers to all types of objects that can be moved by the serving robot 300, and may include things, animals, etc. For example, the object according to one embodiment of the present invention may include objects that are served, such as food and drinks, and objects that are bussed, such as containers holding the food and drinks.

[0033] Continuing with Figure 3, the drive unit 320 according to one embodiment of the present invention may consist of modules for moving the main body 310 to another location. For example, the drive unit 320 is a module for moving the main body 310 to another location and may include modules relating to wheels, propellers, etc., that are driven electrically, mechanically, or hydraulically.

[0034] Next, a processor according to one embodiment of the present invention can be electrically connected to a drive unit 320 and perform the function of controlling the drive unit 320 (it may further include a communication module for communication with an external system), and may mean a hardware-integrated data processing device having a physically structured circuit for performing a function expressed by code or instructions contained in a program. For example, such a hardware-integrated data processing device may include a microprocessor, a central processing unit, a processor core, a multiprocessor, an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), and other processing devices.

[0035] Furthermore, the processor may perform at least one of the functions of the data acquisition unit 210 and the display state management unit 220 of the robot control system 200 according to the present invention (for example, the relevant function may be modularized and included in the processor), and may also perform a function of controlling the drive unit 320 through communication with an external system (not shown) that performs at least one of the functions of the data acquisition unit 210 and the display state management unit 220.

[0036] Specifically, the processor acquires sensor data and order data relating to at least one object placed on at least one support base coupled to the serving robot, identifies the serving object to be served from among the at least one object by referring to the sensor data and order data, generates light pointing to the specific support base in the portion of the serving robot's light-emitting part corresponding to the specific support base on which the serving object is placed, and can dynamically adjust the light generated by the light-emitting part based on information about the environment acquired during the operation of the serving robot.

[0037] Continuing with Figure 3, a serving robot 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a light-emitting unit 340 that can be positioned along the longitudinal direction of the pillar of the main body 310. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the light-emitting unit 340 may be formed to be elongated in the vertical direction so as to cover the section in which at least the support bases 310a, 310b, and 310c mounted on the main body 310 of the serving robot 300 are located.

[0038] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the light-emitting unit 340 may also be located at the lower end of the main body 310 of the serving robot 300.

[0039] On the other hand, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the display state of the light-emitting unit 340 can be adjusted by a display state management unit 220, which will be described later, and light may be generated by all or part of the light-emitting unit 340 depending on the mounting status of the serving object or the surrounding environment. A specific explanation of the configuration for adjusting the display state of the light-emitting unit 340 will be given later.

[0040] On the other hand, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the light-emitting section 340 may be configured to include an LED strip, a diffusion cover, and a channel. A specific description of the configuration of the light-emitting section 340 will be given later.

[0041] Robot control system configuration In the following, we will examine in detail the internal configuration of the robot control system 200, which performs important functions for realizing the present invention, and the functions of each component.

[0042] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating in detail the internal configuration of a robot control system 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] As illustrated in Figure 2, a robot control system 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention may be configured to include a data acquisition unit 210, a display state management unit 220, a communication unit 230, and a control unit 240. According to one embodiment of the present invention, at least a portion of the data acquisition unit 210, the display state management unit 220, the communication unit 230, and the control unit 240 may be program modules that communicate with an external system (not shown). Such program modules may be included in the robot control system 200 in the form of an operating system, an application module, or other program module, and may be physically stored in various known storage devices. Alternatively, such program modules may be stored in a remote storage device that can communicate with the robot control system 200. On the other hand, such program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, subroutines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or execute specific abstract data types as described later in the present invention.

[0044] On the other hand, although the robot control system 200 has been described as above, this description is illustrative, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that at least some of the components or functions of the robot control system 200 may be implemented or included within the serving robot 300 or an external system (not shown) as needed. Furthermore, in some cases, all the functions and components of the robot control system 200 may be implemented or included within the serving robot 300.

[0045] First, the data acquisition unit 210 according to one embodiment of the present invention can acquire sensor data and order data relating to at least one object placed on at least one support base coupled to the serving robot 300.

[0046] Specifically, a serving robot 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention may be coupled to a support base on which at least one object (for example, an object to be served or an object to be bashed) may be placed. Furthermore, at least one first sensor (not shown) for acquiring first sensor data relating to such at least one object may be coupled to the serving robot 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] More specifically, the sensor data acquired by the data acquisition unit 210 according to one embodiment of the present invention using the first sensor may include sensor data for recognizing (detecting) at least one object placed on the support base. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the object means an object that the serving robot 300 carries to serve to a customer, and should be understood as a comprehensive concept that also includes objects that the serving robot 300 collects from the customer for cleanup or other purposes. And while the object mainly refers to food and drink, it does not exclude tableware or other eating utensils.

[0048] For example, as described above, image data acquired from an image sensor with respect to at least one object placed on the support base may be included in the sensor data according to one embodiment of the present invention. That is, the data acquisition unit 210 according to one embodiment of the present invention can acquire an image or a change in that image captured by an image sensor configured to capture a spatial area on the support base as sensor data with respect to at least one object placed on the support base.

[0049] Another example is that the sensor data may include data relating to the weight or changes in weight sensed by the weight sensor included in the support base.

[0050] To give yet another example, the data acquisition unit 210 according to one embodiment of the present invention may, after determining whether or not at least one object has been placed on the support base based on weight data, have the image sensor acquire image data relating to the object as sensor data if at least one object has been placed on the support base.

[0051] However, the sensor data relating to at least one object placed on a support base coupled to a serving robot 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-listed content and can be varied in various ways within the scope that can achieve the objectives of the present invention. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, it should be understood that such sensor data can be obtained for each of the at least one object placed on the support base.

[0052] Furthermore, the data acquisition unit 210 according to one embodiment of the present invention can acquire order data relating to orders that the serving robot must process.

[0053] Specifically, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the order data may include data regarding which food or drink (serving item) is to be served to which customer (table) or data regarding which dish (bussing item) is to be collected from which customer (table). Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the order data may include data regarding which support stand of the serving robot 300 the serving item or the bussing item is placed on.

[0054] Next, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can identify the serving object to be served from among the at least one object mounted on the serving robot 300 by referring to the sensor data and the order data.

[0055] For example, if the sensor data according to one embodiment of the present invention includes image data relating to at least one object placed on the support stand, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can determine whether the object is a serving object or not by processing the image data relating to the object using an object recognition model of a machine learning platform relating to the object that may be placed on the support stand, and thereby specifically recognize what the object is. Here, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the object recognition model can be implemented using algorithms such as R-CNN (Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks), YOLO (You Only Look Once), and SSD (Single Shot Detector), but is not necessarily limited thereto, and can be modified in various ways within the scope that can achieve the objectives of the present invention.

[0056] To give another example, if the sensor data according to one embodiment of the present invention includes weight data relating to at least one object placed on the support stand, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can specifically recognize which object is placed on which support stand by comparing and analyzing the weight or weight change data with the weight of the object (food or drink) that is the subject of the order, and thereby determine whether or not the object placed on a particular support stand is a serving object that is to be served.

[0057] Furthermore, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can generate light that points to (highlights) a specific support base in the portion of the light-emitting unit 340 located on the column portion of the main body 310 of the serving robot 300 that corresponds to a specific support base on which a serving object is placed.

[0058] Figures 4 and 5 are illustrative diagrams showing how light is generated in a serving robot according to one embodiment of the present invention, thereby visually (intuitively) displaying information regarding the position of the serving object.

[0059] Referring to Figure 4, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can adjust the display state of the light-emitting units 340 so that light is generated from all of the light-emitting units 340 located on the column portion and lower end of the main body 310 of the serving robot 300.

[0060] Referring to Figure 5, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can adjust the display state of the light-emitting unit 340 so that light is emitted only in the part of the column portion of the main body 310 of the serving robot 300 that corresponds to a specific support stand (the support stand located in the middle of the three support stands) on which the serving object is placed.

[0061] Furthermore, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can dynamically adjust the light generated by the light-emitting unit 340 based on information about the environment acquired while the serving robot 300 is operating.

[0062] For example, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention identifies the first serving item to be provided to the first customer (first table) by referring to sensor data and order data, and in response to the serving robot 300 being positioned around the first customer (first table), it can generate light pointing to the first support base on which the first serving item is placed, using the portion of the light-emitting unit 340 located on the column of the serving robot 300 that corresponds to the first support base on which the first serving item is placed. As a result, the first customer can intuitively and easily find the support base on which their first serving item is placed among the multiple support bases mounted on the serving robot 300.

[0063] To give another example, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can generate light pointing to the first support base in the portion of the light-emitting unit 340 located on the column of the serving robot 300 that corresponds to the first support base, in response to the weight of an object placed on the first support base of at least one support base mounted on the serving robot 300 exceeding a standard weight. Here, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the light pattern indicating the weight excess can be set differently from the light pattern indicating the serving object. This allows the administrator or customer to intuitively and easily grasp the situation in which an object heavier than the standard weight is placed on the support base of the serving robot 300, and enables the administrator or customer to reduce the weight of the object placed on the support base of the serving robot 300 so that the serving robot 300 can operate with an object of an appropriate weight.

[0064] To give yet another example, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can generate light that points to (highlights) the first support base in the portion of the light-emitting unit 340 located on the column of the serving robot 300 that corresponds to the first support base, in response to the temperature of an object placed on the first support base of at least one support base mounted on the serving robot 300 exceeding a reference temperature. Here, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the light pattern indicating the temperature exceeding the reference temperature can be set differently from the light pattern indicating the serving object or the light pattern indicating the weight exceeding the reference temperature. This allows the administrator or customer to intuitively grasp the situation in which a hot object exceeding the reference temperature is placed on the support base of the serving robot 300, and consequently, the administrator or customer can safely use the serving robot 300 while paying attention to the support base on which the hot object is placed.

[0065] To give yet another example, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can generate light in a light-emitting unit 340 located on the column or lower end of the serving robot 300 to indicate the state of the serving robot 300, corresponding to whether the serving robot 300 is in a state of moving or rotating, or in a state where it is unable to move or rotate (i.e., it is stuck). Here, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the light pattern indicating abnormal movement or rotation may be set differently from the light pattern indicating the serving object, the light pattern indicating excessive weight, or the light pattern indicating excessive temperature. This allows administrators or customers to visually and intuitively grasp information regarding whether the serving robot 300 is moving or rotating normally.

[0066] To give yet another example, the display state management unit 220 according to one embodiment of the present invention can generate light indicating the charging state of the serving robot 300 at a light-emitting unit 340 located on the column or lower end of the serving robot 300, corresponding to the serving robot 300 being in a charging state. Here, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the light pattern indicating the charging state can be set differently from a light pattern indicating a serving object, a light pattern indicating excessive weight, a light pattern indicating excessive temperature, or a light pattern indicating abnormal movement or rotation.

[0067] Next, the communication unit 230 according to one embodiment of the present invention can perform the function of enabling data transmission and reception to and from the data acquisition unit 210 and the display state management unit 220.

[0068] Finally, the control unit 240 according to one embodiment of the present invention can perform the function of controlling the flow of data between the data acquisition unit 210, the display state management unit 220, and the communication unit 230. That is, the control unit 240 according to one embodiment of the present invention can control the flow of data from and to the outside of the robot control system 200 or the flow of data between each component of the robot control system 200, thereby controlling the data acquisition unit 210, the display state management unit 220, and the communication unit 230 to perform their respective functions.

[0069] On the other hand, Figures 6 to 8 are illustrative diagrams showing the configuration of a light-emitting unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0070] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the light-emitting section 340, which is positioned on the column portion of the main body 310 of the serving robot 300, may include an LED strip 341, a diffusion cover 342, and a channel 343.

[0071] First, an LED strip 341 according to one embodiment of the present invention may be formed to be long enough to cover a section along the longitudinal direction of the column of the serving robot 300 where at least one support base is located, and may include a plurality of LEDs arranged at a predetermined density over the entire section. For example, the plurality of LEDs may be included in the LED strip 341 at a density of about 60 LEDs per meter, and the light emission state of each of the plurality of LEDs arranged in this manner may be controlled individually.

[0072] Next, the diffusion cover 342 according to one embodiment of the present invention may be formed along the longitudinal direction of the column portion of the serving robot 300 at a predetermined angle with respect to the LED strip 341 and at a certain distance from the LED strip 341, and may be formed to be long enough to completely cover the LED strip 341.

[0073] Next, the channel 343 according to one embodiment of the present invention may be formed along the longitudinal direction of the column portion of the serving robot 300 while remaining coupled with the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342, and may be formed to be long enough to completely cover the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342. Furthermore, the channel 343 according to one embodiment of the present invention can fix the positional relationship between the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342, thereby maintaining a constant state in which the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342 are arranged at a predetermined angle and distance from each other.

[0074] Referring to Figure 6, one can see the side view of the light-emitting unit 340, which is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the column portion of a serving robot 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the cross-sectional view of the light-emitting section 340 according to one embodiment of the present invention can be confirmed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, it can be confirmed that the channel 343 fixes the positional relationship between the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342 such that the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342 are positioned at a predetermined distance d and a predetermined angle θ.

[0076] Specifically, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the distance d between the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342 can be set so that the light generated from the LED strip 341 is continuously and naturally exposed to the outside through the diffusion cover 342. If the distance d between the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342 is excessively short, the light generated through the LED strip 341 may not be sufficiently diffused by the diffusion cover 342, potentially causing the problem of hot spots. However, the channel 343 according to one embodiment of the present invention can prevent such problems from occurring by maintaining the distance d between the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342 at a predetermined level.

[0077] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the angle θ between the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342 can be determined based on the direction of light propagation from the LED strip 341 and the curvature of the diffusion cover 342, thereby ensuring that the light generated from the LED strip 341 and passing through the diffusion cover 342 is clearly visible on the front, sides, and rear of the serving robot 300. For example, the angle θ between the LED strip 341 and the diffusion cover 342 may represent the angle between a virtual line perpendicular to the LED strip 341 and a virtual line parallel to the exterior face of the diffusion cover 342.

[0078] However, the configuration of the light-emitting unit 340, which is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the column portion of the serving robot 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention, is not limited to the above-listed contents and can be modified in various ways within the scope that can achieve the objectives of the present invention.

[0079] The embodiments of the present invention described above can be embodied in the form of program instructions that can be executed through a variety of computer components and recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., individually or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the computer-readable recording medium may be specifically designed and configured for the present invention or may be available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memory. Examples of program instructions include not only machine code, such as that produced by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. Hardware devices may be modified into one or more software modules to perform the processing according to the present invention, and vice versa.

[0080] Although the present invention has been described above with specific details such as concrete components and limited embodiments and drawings, these are provided only to aid in a more general understanding of the invention, and the invention is not limited to the above embodiments. A person with ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains can attempt various modifications and changes from this description.

[0081] Therefore, the concept of the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above, and it can be said that not only the claims described below, but also all scopes equivalent to or equivalently modified from these claims, fall within the scope of the concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a serving robot, A step of acquiring sensor data and order data relating to at least one object placed on at least one support base coupled to a serving robot, The steps include: identifying the serving object to be served from among the at least one object by referring to the sensor data and the order data; generating light in the portion of the serving robot's light-emitting part corresponding to the specific support base on which the serving object is placed; and A method comprising the step of dynamically adjusting the light generated by the light-emitting unit based on information about the environment acquired while the serving robot is in operation.

2. The light-emitting part is positioned on the column of the serving robot. An LED strip formed along the longitudinal direction of the column portion, A diffusion cover is formed along the longitudinal direction of the column portion at a predetermined angle to the LED strip and at a predetermined distance from the LED strip, and The method according to claim 1, comprising a channel formed along the longitudinal direction of the column portion, which remains coupled with the LED strip and the diffusion cover, and which maintains a constant angle and distance.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in correspondence with the serving robot carrying the first object to be provided to the first customer being located around the first customer, a portion of the light-emitting unit arranged on the column of the serving robot that corresponds to the first support base on which the first object is placed generates light that points to the first support base.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in response to the weight of an object placed on the first support among the at least one support bases exceeding a standard weight, a portion of the light-emitting unit located on the column of the serving robot that corresponds to the first support base generates light pointing to the first support base.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in response to the temperature of an object placed on the first support among the at least one support base exceeding a reference temperature, a portion of the light-emitting unit arranged on the column of the serving robot that corresponds to the first support base generates light pointing to the first support base.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in response to the serving robot being in a state of moving or rotating, or being unable to move or rotate, a light-emitting unit located on the column or lower end of the serving robot generates light that can indicate the state of the serving robot.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in response to the serving robot being in a charging state, a light-emitting unit located on the column or lower end of the serving robot generates light indicating the charging state of the serving robot.

8. A non-transient computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for performing the method described in claim 1.

9. A system for controlling a serving robot, A data acquisition unit that acquires sensor data and order data relating to at least one object placed on at least one support base coupled to a serving robot, and A system comprising: a display state management unit that identifies a serving object from among the at least one object to be served by referring to the sensor data and the order data; a portion of the serving robot's light-emitting unit corresponding to a specific support base on which the serving object is placed, which generates light pointing to the specific support base; and a display state management unit that dynamically adjusts the light generated by the light-emitting unit based on environmental information acquired during the operation of the serving robot.

10. The light-emitting part is positioned on the column of the serving robot. An LED strip formed along the longitudinal direction of the column portion, A diffusion cover is formed along the longitudinal direction of the column portion at a predetermined angle to the LED strip and at a predetermined distance from the LED strip, and The system according to claim 9, further comprising a channel formed along the longitudinal direction of the column portion, which remains coupled with the LED strip and the diffusion cover, and which maintains a constant angle and distance.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein, in correspondence with the serving robot carrying the first object to be provided to the first customer being located around the first customer, a portion of the light-emitting unit arranged on the column of the serving robot that corresponds to the first support base on which the first object is placed generates light pointing to the first support base.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein, in response to the weight of an object placed on the first support among the at least one support bases exceeding a standard weight, a portion of the light-emitting unit located on the column of the serving robot that corresponds to the first support base generates light pointing to the first support base.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein, in response to the temperature of an object placed on the first support among the at least one support base exceeding a reference temperature, a portion of the light-emitting unit located on the column of the serving robot that corresponds to the first support base generates light pointing to the first support base.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein, in response to the serving robot being in a state of moving or rotating, or being unable to move or rotate, a light-emitting unit located on the column or lower end of the serving robot generates light that can indicate the state of the serving robot.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein, in response to the serving robot being in a charging state, a light-emitting unit located on the column or lower end of the serving robot generates light indicating the charging state of the serving robot.

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