System for automated transport using autonomous mobile robot and automated transport method using the same

Abstract

The present invention proposes an automated transport system using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting a cart loaded with goods at an industrial site. The system may include a cart loaded with goods at an industrial site, a worker terminal carried by a worker using the cart, and an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that plans a path to move according to a signal from the worker terminal and transports the cart based on the planned path.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automation system. More specifically, it relates to an automated transport system using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) and an automated transport method using the same for transporting a cart loaded with goods using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) at an industrial site. Background Technology

[0002] A smart factory is a production system that integrates Information and Communication Technology (ICT) with production and manufacturing technologies, enabling equipment, devices, and components within the factory to be interconnected and communicate with one another based on the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, cloud computing, intelligent robots, and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). Factory Automation (FA), which is essential for implementing a smart factory, refers to systems and technologies that automate production processes in the manufacturing sector to minimize human intervention and maximize production efficiency and quality.

[0003] In particular, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) refer to robots that utilize sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to perceive their environment and move by autonomously planning their own paths. These autonomous mobile robots are used to efficiently perform tasks in various industrial fields, such as logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, and services.

[0004] Meanwhile, a trolley is a transport device used to move goods, parts, and equipment in industrial sites. Such trolleys shorten work time by transporting goods, parts, and equipment quickly and safely, and by being equipped with wheels, they reduce the physical burden on workers in the industrial field, thereby supporting a smooth flow of logistics between production lines or work zones.

[0005] However, trolleys used in industrial sites handling heavy loads, such as automobile parts manufacturing facilities, can place a physical burden on workers if they are transported directly due to the heavy loads; furthermore, carelessness during transport can cause loaded items to fall or result in collision accidents. Prior art literature

[0006] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1205908, 'System and Method for Evaluating Early Cognitive Impairment and Dementia through Gait and Electrocardiogram Monitoring', (Registered Nov. 22, 2012) The problem to be solved

[0007] Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide an automated transport system using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting a cart loaded with goods at an industrial site.

[0008] In addition, another objective of the present invention is to provide an automated transport method using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting a cart loaded with goods at an industrial site.

[0009] The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0010] To achieve the technical objectives described above, the present invention proposes an automated transport system using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting a cart loaded with goods at an industrial site. The system may include a cart loaded with goods at an industrial site, a worker terminal carried by a worker using the cart, and an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that plans a path to move according to a signal from the worker terminal and transports the cart based on the planned path.

[0011] The above-described trolley is characterized by comprising a trolley body having a storage space for goods, a plurality of wheels positioned at the edge of the lower surface of the trolley body to move the trolley body, and a plurality of guide rollers arranged in a line at a spaced interval at the center of the lower surface of the trolley body, rotating around a rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the plurality of wheels.

[0012] The above-described autonomous mobile robot is characterized by comprising a robot body, a movement module positioned at the bottom of the robot body to move the robot body, and a controller that controls the movement module to position the robot body at a preset position at the bottom of the trolley and raises the robot body to place the trolley on the top of the robot body.

[0013] The above autonomous mobile robot is characterized by further including a docking module that is positioned on the upper part of the robot body, and has a guide groove formed in the center of the upper surface that penetrates the side of the docking module in a straight line, and has a plurality of guide rollers sequentially inserted into the guide groove to dock.

[0014] The above automated transport system is characterized by further including a lifting device that raises the trolley when the trolley is positioned at a preset location.

[0015] The above controller controls the robot body to be positioned at the center of the lower surface of the trolley by entering the lower part of the trolley through the moving module when the trolley is raised by the lifting device, and the lifting device raises the trolley when the trolley is positioned at a preset position, and when the autonomous mobile robot is positioned at the center of the lower surface of the trolley while the trolley is raised, the trolley is lowered to place the trolley on the autonomous mobile robot.

[0016] The above-described autonomous mobile robot is characterized by further including pressure sensing sensors arranged at regular intervals on the upper surface to detect pressure applied from the trolley.

[0017] The above controller is characterized by estimating the load weight of the trolley based on pressure information detected by the pressure sensing sensor, and controlling the speed of the moving module at a speed corresponding to the estimated load weight.

[0018] The above controller is characterized by estimating the degree of deflection of the loaded item based on pressure information detected by the pressure sensing sensor and controlling the speed of the moving module at a speed corresponding to the estimated degree of deflection.

[0019] The above controller is characterized by identifying another autonomous mobile robot on which a trolley is mounted, receiving pressure information from the identified other autonomous mobile robot, and driving collaboratively along a preset path with the trolleys in contact so that they face each other in the direction where the pressure is relatively stronger.

[0020] The above controller is characterized by estimating the center of gravity of the bogie based on pressure information detected by the pressure sensing sensor, and controlling the movement module so that the center of the robot body is matched to the estimated center of gravity.

[0021] The above-described automated transport system is characterized by further including a charging station that charges the autonomous mobile robot when the autonomous mobile robot is located at a preset position.

[0022] The present invention proposes an automated transport method using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting a cart loaded with goods at an industrial site. The method is characterized by comprising the steps of: the autonomous mobile robot (AMR) receiving a signal from a worker terminal; the autonomous mobile robot planning a path to move according to the signal from the worker terminal; and the autonomous mobile robot transporting a cart loaded with goods at an industrial site based on the planned path.

[0023] Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings. Effects of the invention

[0024] According to various embodiments of the present invention, work efficiency can be increased by transporting a cart using an autonomous mobile robot, and accidents that may occur during the process of transporting the cart can be prevented in advance.

[0025] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains from the description in the claims. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0026] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram for explaining an automated conveying system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a bogie according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 3 and FIGS. 4 are illustrative diagrams for explaining an autonomous mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an illustrative diagram for explaining an automated conveying system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a logical configuration diagram of a controller according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an automated transport method according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0027] It should be noted that technical terms used in this specification are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, unless specifically defined otherwise in this specification, technical terms used in this specification should be interpreted in the sense generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and should not be interpreted in an overly broad or overly narrow sense. Additionally, if a technical term used in this specification is an incorrect technical term that fails to accurately express the spirit of the invention, it should be understood as being replaced by a technical term that can be correctly understood by those skilled in the art. Moreover, general terms used in this invention should be interpreted according to their prior definitions or the context, and should not be interpreted in an overly narrow sense.

[0028] Additionally, singular expressions used in this specification include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "composed of" or "have" should not be interpreted as necessarily including all of the various components or steps described in the specification, and should be interpreted as potentially including some of the components or steps, or including additional components or steps.

[0029] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., used herein may be used to describe various components, but said components shall not be limited by said terms. Such terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0030] When it is stated that one component is "connected" or "connected" to another component, it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, or there may be other components in between. On the other hand, when it is stated that one component is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components in between.

[0031] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Identical or similar components regardless of drawing symbols are given the same reference number, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known technology may obscure the essence of the present invention, such detailed description will be omitted. Additionally, it should be noted that the attached drawings are intended only to facilitate an easy understanding of the concept of the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the concept of the present invention. The concept of the present invention should be interpreted as extending to all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions other than those shown in the attached drawings.

[0033] Meanwhile, trolleys used in industrial sites handling heavy goods can place a physical burden on workers if they are transported directly, as the goods are loaded with heavy items; furthermore, carelessness during transport can cause loaded goods to fall or result in collision accidents.

[0034] To overcome these limitations, the present invention proposes various means for transporting a cart loaded with goods using an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) in an industrial setting.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram for explaining an automated transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of a trolley according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, an automated transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention may be configured to include a trolley (100), a worker terminal (200), an autonomous mobile robot (300), and a charging station (400).

[0038] As such, since the components of the automated transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention merely represent functionally distinct elements, two or more components may be implemented as an integrated unit in an actual physical environment, or a single component may be implemented as a separate unit in an actual physical environment.

[0039] To explain each configuration, the trolley (100) can load goods and move the loaded goods at an industrial site where an automated transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention is implemented. For example, the industrial site may include an automobile manufacturing site, an electronic device manufacturing site, a construction material manufacturing site, a food and beverage manufacturing site, a logistics warehouse, etc. Also, the goods loaded on the trolley (100) may include automobile parts, raw materials for parts, electronic components, construction materials, packaged goods, etc.

[0040] Such a bogie (100) may be configured to include a bogie body (110), a plurality of wheels (120), and a plurality of guide rollers (130).

[0041] The trolley body (110) may have a storage space for goods. Specifically, the trolley body (110) may have a flat shape so that various goods can be freely loaded, but is not limited thereto; it may have a basket shape with a threshold formed at the edge to prevent goods from falling, or may have multiple slots formed therein. Furthermore, goods to be transported may be loaded onto or unloaded from the trolley body (110) by a robot arm or an operator. The trolley body (110) may be formed of a durable metal material, but is not limited thereto; it may be formed of various materials depending on the type of goods loaded, such as metal composite materials or plastic composite materials. Additionally, an identification code may be printed on a pre-set location on the side of the trolley body (110). Here, the identification code may be a code of various types, such as a QR code or a bar code.

[0042] A plurality of wheels (120) are positioned at the edges of the lower surface of the bogie body (110) to move the bogie body (110). For example, the plurality of wheels (120) may each be provided at four vertices of the lower surface of the bogie body (110) which is formed in a rectangular shape. For example, the plurality of wheels (120) may consist of a wheel that rotates in contact with the ground, a hub connecting the axle and the wheel, a bearing that supports rotation, a bracket that fixes the wheel to the bogie body (110), etc.

[0043] A plurality of guide rollers (130) can be arranged in a line at a spaced interval at the center of the lower surface of the bogie body (110). These plurality of guide rollers (130) can rotate around a rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the plurality of wheels (120). Through this, the plurality of guide rollers (130) can be sequentially inserted into guide grooves formed on the upper surface of the autonomous mobile robot (300), which will be described later, and docked with the autonomous mobile robot (300). Here, as the plurality of guide rollers (130) rotate in the same direction as the direction of travel of the autonomous mobile robot (300), they come into contact with the inner surface of the guide groove, thereby supporting smooth docking of the autonomous mobile robot (300).

[0044] In the following configuration, the worker terminal (200) may be a device carried by a worker at an industrial site. Such a worker terminal (200) can transmit and receive data with the autonomous mobile robot (300). For example, the worker terminal (200) can transmit to the autonomous mobile robot (300) a signal to call the autonomous mobile robot (300) from the worker, a signal to dock the autonomous mobile robot (300) with a trolley, a signal to move the autonomous mobile robot (300) docked with the trolley to a desired location, etc.

[0045] The worker terminal (200), having the characteristics described above, is not limited to User Equipment (UE) defined by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), and any device capable of transmitting and receiving data with the autonomous mobile robot (300) and the charging station (400) and performing calculations based on the transmitted and received data may be allowed. For example, the worker terminal (200) may be any one of a fixed computing device such as a desktop, workstation, or server, or a mobile computing device such as a smartphone, laptop, tablet, phablet, Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), or E-book reader.

[0046] With the following configuration, the Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR, 300) can plan a path to move according to a signal from the worker terminal (200) and transport the trolley (100) based on the planned path. For example, when the Autonomous Mobile Robot (300) receives a call signal from the worker terminal (200), it can plan an optimal path to move based on the location information of the worker terminal (200) included in the call signal and move to the location of the worker terminal (200) according to the planned optimal path. Additionally, when the Autonomous Mobile Robot (300) receives a signal for docking with the trolley (100) from the worker terminal (200), it can identify the nearest trolley (100), enter the bottom of the identified trolley (100), rise, and then place the trolley (100) on the bottom of the trolley (100). And, when the autonomous mobile robot (300) receives a signal regarding movement to a specific location from the worker terminal (200), it plans an optimal path to move to the specific location and can move to the specific location according to the planned optimal path.

[0047] Meanwhile, the specific configuration of the autonomous mobile robot (300) will be described later with reference to the drawings below.

[0048] With the following configuration, the charging station (400) may be installed at a pre-set location in an industrial site. The charging station (400) may be composed of a docking device to which the autonomous mobile robot (300) is docked, a power supply that supplies power to the autonomous mobile robot (300) when the autonomous mobile robot (300) is docked, and the like. For example, the charging station (400) may supply power to the autonomous mobile robot (300) through various methods such as wired charging, wireless charging, and battery swapping.

[0049] As described above, the trolley (100), worker terminal (200), autonomous mobile robot (300), and charging station (400) can transmit and receive data using a network that combines one or more of a secure line directly connecting each device, a public wired communication network, and a mobile communication network.

[0050] For example, public wired communication networks may include Ethernet, Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL), Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC), and Fiber To The Home (FTTH), but are not limited thereto. Additionally, mobile communication networks may include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and 5th / 6th generation mobile telecommunication, but are not limited thereto.

[0052] Hereinafter, an autonomous mobile robot (300) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0053] FIGS. 3 and FIGS. 4 are illustrative diagrams for explaining an autonomous mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an autonomous mobile robot (300) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be configured to include a robot body (310), a movement module (320), a sensor module (330), a docking module (340), and a controller (350).

[0055] To describe each configuration, the robot body (310) can be configured to be able to move up and down under the control of the controller (340). For example, the robot body (310) can enter the lower part of the trolley (100) and, while positioned at a preset location, rise to lift the trolley (100) off the ground, and conversely, descend to settle the trolley (100) on the ground.

[0056] In the following configuration, the movement module (320) is positioned at the bottom of the robot body (310) and can move the robot body (310) under the control of the controller (340). For example, the movement module (320) may be composed of a wheel that rotates in contact with the ground, a motor for driving the wheel, etc.

[0057] In the following configuration, the sensor module (330) can sense the surrounding environment of the autonomous mobile robot (300). The sensor module (330) can recognize obstacles, the location of the trolley (100), etc., that exist on the path of movement of the autonomous mobile robot (300). For example, the sensor module (330) may include a radar, lidar, camera, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, ultrasonic sensor, etc.

[0058] Additionally, the sensor module (330) may be configured to include pressure sensing sensors that are arranged at regular intervals on the upper surface to detect pressure applied from the trolley (100). For example, the pressure sensing sensors may be stress sensors. Specifically, the pressure sensing sensors may be composed of one of a strain gauge and a piezoelectric pressure sensor. In this case, the pressure sensing sensors may be provided in multiple numbers and arranged at regular intervals on the upper surface of the robot body (310).

[0059] In the following configuration, the docking module (340) is positioned on the upper part of the robot body (310), and a guide groove (341) can be formed in the center of the upper surface, which penetrates the side of the docking module (340) in a straight line. Accordingly, the docking module (340) can be docked to the trolley (100) by sequentially inserting a plurality of guide rollers (130) provided on the trolley (100) into the guide groove (341).

[0060] In the following configuration, the controller (350) controls the movement module (320) to position the robot body (310) at a preset position on the lower part of the trolley (100), and raises the robot body (310) to place the trolley (100) on the upper part of the robot body (310).

[0061] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 4(a), the controller (350) can control the movement module (320) to position the robot body (310) on the side of the trolley (100) and then move the robot body (310) into the lower part of the trolley (100). At this time, the longitudinal direction of the guide groove (341) of the docking module (340) and the arrangement direction of the plurality of guide rollers (130) may be the same. Here, the controller (350) can recognize the position of the plurality of guide rollers (130) by recognizing an identification code printed on the side of the trolley (100), but is not limited thereto, and can recognize the position of the trolley (100) through various information sensed from the sensor module (330). Accordingly, when the robot body (310) enters the lower part of the trolley (100), the guide groove (341) of the docking module (340) can guide the position of the robot body (310) as the guide roller (130) is sequentially inserted.

[0062] And, as shown in FIG. 4(b), when the robot body (310) is positioned at a preset location on the lower part of the trolley (100), the controller (350) can raise the robot body (310) to place the trolley (100) on the upper surface of the robot body (310). Then, the controller (350) can control the movement module (320) to transport the trolley (100).

[0063] Meanwhile, a detailed description of the controller (350) will be provided later with reference to the drawings below.

[0065] Hereinafter, an automated transport system according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0066] FIG. 5 is an illustrative diagram for explaining an automated conveying system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] Meanwhile, the automated transport system according to another embodiment of the present invention has substantially the same structure as the automated transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention, except for some components. Therefore, redundant descriptions are omitted, and the same reference numerals are assigned to identical components.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 5, an automated transport system according to another embodiment of the present invention may be configured to include a trolley (100), a worker terminal (200), an autonomous mobile robot (300), a charging station (400), and a lifting device (500).

[0069] In particular, the lifting device (500) can raise and lower the trolley (100) when the trolley (100) is positioned at a preset location. Specifically, the lifting device (500) raises the trolley (100) when the trolley (100) is positioned at a preset location by a worker, and when the autonomous mobile robot (300) is positioned at the center of the lower surface of the trolley (100) while the trolley (100) is raised, the trolley (100) can be lowered to allow the trolley (100) to be placed on the autonomous mobile robot (300). Here, the lifting device (500) receives a control signal from the worker terminal (200) and can raise or lower the trolley (100) according to the received control signal.

[0070] In this way, an automated transport system according to another embodiment of the present invention can be configured to transport a cart (100) using an autonomous mobile robot (300) without changing the structure of a cart (100) used in existing industrial sites.

[0072] Hereinafter, the logical configuration of a controller (350) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0073] FIG. 6 is a logical configuration diagram of a controller according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] As illustrated in FIG. 6, a controller (350) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be configured to include a communication unit (355), an input / output unit (360), a docking control unit (365), a work plan establishment unit (370), a collaboration control unit (375), and a storage unit (380).

[0075] As such, since the components of the controller (350) according to one embodiment of the present invention merely represent functionally distinct elements, two or more components may be implemented as integrated elements in an actual physical environment, or a single component may be implemented as separated elements in an actual physical environment.

[0076] To explain each configuration, the communication unit (355) can transmit and receive data with the worker terminal (200).

[0077] Specifically, the communication unit (355) can receive a control signal from the worker terminal (200). Here, the control signal may include information regarding the operation control of the autonomous mobile robot (300), location information of the worker terminal (200), etc. Additionally, the communication unit (355) can transmit information regarding the operation status to the worker terminal (200).

[0078] With the following configuration, the input / output unit (360) can receive information or commands from a user through a user interface (UI) and output the operation result to the outside.

[0079] Specifically, the input / output unit (360) can plan a path according to a control signal received from a worker terminal (200) and receive various setting information for transporting a cart. Additionally, the input / output unit (360) can output status information of the autonomous mobile robot (300).

[0080] In the following configuration, the docking control unit (365) can control the moving module (320) to dock the autonomous mobile robot (300) to the trolley (100) for docking with the trolley (100).

[0081] Specifically, the docking control unit (365) can control the movement module (320) to position the robot body (310) on the side of the trolley (100) and then move the robot body (310) into the lower part of the trolley (100). Here, the docking control unit (365) can recognize the position of the trolley (100) by recognizing an identification code printed on the side of the trolley (100), but is not limited thereto, and can recognize the position of the trolley (100) through various information sensed from the sensor module (330). Then, when the robot body (310) is positioned at a preset position on the lower part of the trolley (100), the docking control unit (365) can raise the robot body (310) and place the trolley (100) on the upper surface of the robot body (310).

[0082] With the following configuration, the work planning unit (370) can establish a work plan according to the control signal of the worker terminal (200).

[0083] Specifically, when a call signal is received from a worker terminal (200), the work planning unit (370) can plan an optimal path to move based on the location information of the worker terminal (200) included in the call signal. Additionally, when the work planning unit (370) receives a signal regarding movement to a specific location from the worker terminal (200), it can plan an optimal path to move to the specific location and move to the specific location according to the planned optimal path.

[0084] For example, the work planning unit (370) can create a map of the entire industrial site through Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) and plan an optimal path based on the created map. However, it is not limited to this, and the work planning unit (370) can plan an optimal path based on pre-stored map data. At this time, the work planning unit (370) can plan an optimal path based on various publicly available algorithms, such as graph-based algorithms, sampling-based algorithms, latent field-based algorithms, optimization-based algorithms, and reinforcement learning-based algorithms.

[0085] With the following configuration, the movement control unit (375) can control the movement of the autonomous mobile robot (300) based on a planned optimal path.

[0086] In one embodiment, the movement control unit (375) can estimate the load weight of the trolley (100) based on pressure information detected from the pressure sensing sensors. For example, the movement control unit (375) can calculate the load distribution detected by the multiple pressure sensing sensors by multiplying the pressure values ​​collected from the multiple pressure sensing sensors evenly distributed on the upper surface of the robot body (310) by the area covered by the multiple pressure sensing sensors.

[0087] For example, the movement control unit (375) can calculate the load distribution measured from a plurality of pressure sensing sensors based on the following mathematical formula.

[0088] [Mathematical Formula]

[0089]

[0090] (Here, P i is the pressure value measured by each pressure sensing sensor, A i represents the area covered by each pressure sensing sensor.)

[0091] Additionally, the movement control unit (375) can estimate the load weight through the relationship between the calculated load distribution and the acceleration due to gravity. For example, the movement control unit (375) can estimate the load weight through the following mathematical formula.

[0092] [Mathematical Formula]

[0093]

[0094] (Here, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m / s²) 2 It means )

[0095] Additionally, the movement control unit (375) can control the speed of the movement module (320) at a speed corresponding to the estimated load weight. That is, the heavier the load weight, the higher the risk of the trolley (100) falling during the movement process. Accordingly, the movement control unit (375) can increase stability during movement by variably controlling the speed of the movement module (320) according to the load weight. For example, the movement control unit (320) can control the speed of the movement module (320) based on the following mathematical formula.

[0096] [Mathematical Formula]

[0097]

[0098] (Here, v is the velocity (m / s), v max θ can be the maximum speed, W the load weight (kg), and α the deceleration factor (speed reduction rate based on weight).

[0099] In another embodiment, the movement control unit (375) can estimate the degree of deflection of the loaded item based on pressure information detected from the pressure sensing sensor.

[0100] Specifically, the movement control unit (375) can generate a pressure distribution map based on pressure values ​​detected from a plurality of pressure sensing sensors. Additionally, the movement control unit (375) can calculate the center of pressure of an item based on the coordinates of the plurality of pressure sensing sensors and the measured pressure. For example, the movement control unit (375) can calculate the center of pressure of an item based on the following mathematical formula.

[0101] [Mathematical Formula]

[0102]

[0103] (here, x c , y c is the coordinates of the center position, P i is the pressure value of each sensor, x i , y i represents the coordinates of the corresponding sensor.)

[0104] In addition, the movement control unit (375) can estimate the degree of deflection of the loaded item based on the center position. For example, the movement control unit (375) can estimate the degree of deflection of the item based on the following mathematical formula.

[0105] [Mathematical Formula]

[0106]

[0107] (here, x c , y c is the coordinates of the actual center position, x center , y center represents the coordinates of the ideal center position.)

[0108] That is, the movement control unit (375) can express the degree of deviation as a ratio of the center of gravity deviation based on the distance between the actual center position and the ideal center position.

[0109] Additionally, the movement control unit (375) can control the speed of the movement module (320) at a speed corresponding to the estimated degree of bias. For example, the movement control unit (375) can control the movement module (320) at a relatively high speed as the bias is smaller, and can control the movement module (320) at a relatively low speed as the bias is larger. For example, the movement control unit (375) can control the speed of the movement module (320) based on the following mathematical formula.

[0110] [Mathematical Formula]

[0111]

[0112] (Here, v is the movement speed, v max ε represents the maximum speed, β represents the speed reduction coefficient, and Offset represents the degree of bias.

[0113] In another embodiment, the movement control unit (375) can control the movement module (320) so that the center of the robot body (310) matches the estimated center of gravity. That is, the movement control unit (375) can support stable movement by controlling the robot body (310) to be positioned at the center of gravity of the trolley.

[0114] In another embodiment, the movement control unit (375) can identify other autonomous mobile robots on which the trolley is mounted. Here, the movement control unit (375) can identify other autonomous mobile robots located within a preset area based on short-range wireless communication. For example, the movement control unit (375) can identify other autonomous mobile robots through at least one short-range wireless communication method among Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Ultra-Wideband.

[0115] Next, the movement control unit (375) can share pressure information with other identified autonomous mobile robots. Specifically, the movement control unit (375) can share the degree of deflection of loaded items based on pressure information detected by a pressure sensing sensor. Then, the movement control unit (375) can drive collaboratively along a preset path while the carts are in contact with each other so that they face each other in the direction where the pressure is relatively stronger. At this time, the movement control unit (375) can align the carts based on the distance from other autonomous mobile robots, and while aligned, they can move along a preset path while adjusting the position and posture by sharing real-time positions with each other. In this way, the movement control unit (375) can support the stable movement of the carts by maintaining the balance of the load.

[0117] Hereinafter, an automated transport method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0118] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an automated transport method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0119] Referring to Fig. 7, at step S100, the autonomous mobile robot can receive a signal from the worker terminal.

[0120] Specifically, the autonomous mobile robot can receive a control signal from a worker terminal. Here, the control signal may include information regarding the motion control of the autonomous mobile robot, location information of the worker terminal, etc.

[0121] Next, in step S200, the autonomous mobile robot can plan a path to move according to the signal from the worker terminal.

[0122] Specifically, when an autonomous mobile robot receives a call signal from a worker terminal, it can plan an optimal path to move based on the location information of the worker terminal included in the call signal. Additionally, when the autonomous mobile robot receives a signal from the worker terminal regarding movement to a specific location, it can plan an optimal path to move to the specific location and move to the specific location according to the planned optimal path.

[0123] For example, autonomous mobile robots can create a map of an entire industrial site through Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) and plan an optimal path based on the created map. However, this is not limited to this, and autonomous mobile robots can plan an optimal path based on pre-stored map data. In this case, autonomous mobile robots can plan an optimal path based on various publicly available algorithms, such as graph-based algorithms, sampling-based algorithms, latent field-based algorithms, optimization-based algorithms, and reinforcement learning-based algorithms.

[0124] Next, in the S300 stage, the autonomous mobile robot can transport a cart loaded with goods at an industrial site based on a planned route.

[0125] In one embodiment, an autonomous mobile robot can estimate the load weight of a trolley based on pressure information detected by a pressure sensing sensor. The autonomous mobile robot can then control the speed of the movement module at a speed corresponding to the estimated load weight. In other words, the heavier the load weight, the higher the risk of the trolley falling during movement. Accordingly, the autonomous mobile robot can enhance stability during movement by variably controlling the speed of the movement module according to the load weight.

[0126] In another embodiment, the autonomous mobile robot can estimate the degree of deflection of a loaded item based on pressure information detected by a pressure sensing sensor. Then, the autonomous mobile robot can control the speed of the movement module at a speed corresponding to the estimated degree of deflection. For example, the autonomous mobile robot can control the movement module at a relatively higher speed as the deflection is smaller, and control the movement module at a relatively lower speed as the deflection is larger.

[0127] In another embodiment, the autonomous mobile robot can control the movement module so that the center of the robot body matches the estimated center of gravity. That is, the autonomous mobile robot can support stable movement by controlling the robot body to be positioned at the center of gravity of the trolley.

[0128] In another embodiment, the autonomous mobile robot can identify another autonomous mobile robot on which a trolley is placed. Subsequently, the autonomous mobile robot can share pressure information with the identified other autonomous mobile robot. Then, the autonomous mobile robots can drive collaboratively along a preset path with the trolleys in contact so that they face each other in the direction where the pressure is relatively stronger. In this way, the autonomous mobile robot can support the stable movement of the trolley by maintaining load balance.

[0130] As described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed in this specification and drawings; however, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that other variations based on the technical spirit of the present invention are possible in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein. Furthermore, although specific terms have been used in this specification and drawings, they are used merely in a general sense to facilitate the explanation of the technical content of the present invention and to aid in understanding the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the detailed description above should not be interpreted restrictively in any respect and should be considered illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the present invention are included within the scope of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0131] 100 : Carriage 200 : Worker Terminal 300: Autonomous mobile robot 400: Charging station 110: Bogie body 120: Multiple wheels 130: Multiple guide rollers 310: Robot body 320: Movement Module 330: Sensor Module 340: Docking Module 350: Controller 355 : Communication unit 360 : Input / Output unit 365: Docking Control Unit 370: Work Planning Unit 375: Movement control unit 380: Storage unit

Claims

Claim 1 A trolley for loading goods at an industrial site; a worker terminal carried by a worker using the trolley; and an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) that plans a path to move according to a signal from the worker terminal and transports the trolley based on the planned path; wherein the trolley comprises: a trolley body having a storage space for goods formed therein; a plurality of wheels positioned at the edge of the lower surface of the trolley body to move the trolley body; and a plurality of guide rollers arranged in a line at a certain interval at the center of the lower surface of the trolley body, rotating around a rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the plurality of wheels; and wherein the autonomous mobile robot comprises: a robot body; a movement module positioned at the bottom of the robot body to move the robot body; a docking module positioned at the top of the robot body to sequentially insert and dock the plurality of guide rollers; and a controller that controls the movement module to position the robot body at a preset position at the bottom of the trolley and raises the robot body to place the trolley on the top of the robot body. A lifting device comprising, wherein the lifting device raises the bogie when the bogie is positioned at a preset location;An automated transport system using an autonomous mobile robot, comprising further including, wherein the controller controls the robot body to be positioned at the center of the lower surface of the trolley through the moving module when the trolley is raised by the lifting device, and the lifting device raises the trolley when the trolley is positioned at a preset position, and when the autonomous mobile robot is positioned at the center of the lower surface of the trolley while the trolley is raised, the lifting device lowers the trolley to place the trolley on the autonomous mobile robot, and the docking module is disposed on the upper part of the robot body, and a guide groove is formed at the center of the upper surface that straightly penetrates the side of the docking module, wherein the plurality of guide rollers are sequentially inserted into the guide groove to dock. Claim 2 An automated transport system using an autonomous mobile robot, characterized in that, in claim 1, the autonomous mobile robot further comprises pressure sensing sensors disposed at regular intervals on the upper surface to detect pressure applied from the trolley. Claim 3 An automated transport system using an autonomous mobile robot, wherein, in claim 2, the controller estimates the load weight of the trolley based on pressure information detected from the pressure sensing sensor and controls the speed of the moving module at a speed corresponding to the estimated load weight. Claim 4 An automated transport system using an autonomous mobile robot according to claim 2, wherein the controller estimates the degree of deflection of a loaded item based on pressure information detected by the pressure sensing sensor and controls the speed of the moving module at a speed corresponding to the estimated degree of deflection. Claim 5 An automated transport system using an autonomous mobile robot, characterized in that, in claim 1, it further includes a charging station that charges the autonomous mobile robot when the autonomous mobile robot is located at a preset position. Claim 6 delete Claim 7 delete Claim 8 delete Claim 9 delete Claim 10 delete

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