Ar glasses-based field-centered robot control system

Abstract

An AR glasses-based field-centered robot control system is provided. A mobile robot control system, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a computer which receives information that a mobile robot possesses and information that the mobile robot generates for performing a mission, and generates a control screen of the mobile robot by using the received information; and a display which is worn by a manager and displays the control screen generated by the computer. Accordingly, by providing various control screens such as a dash mode screen, an AR screen, a control screen, and the like on the basis of AR, it is possible to effectively control a mobile robot having a free and wide movement range in a field where the mobile robot is present.

Description

AR glasses-based field-centric robot control system

[0001] The present invention relates to robot control technology, and more particularly, to a system that supports a manager to effectively control a robot at a site where the robot is performing a task to provide a service.

[0002] As the Internet of Things expands from smart devices to robots, robots are performing many physically demanding and repetitive tasks on behalf of humans, and the scope of services is expected to expand further in the future.

[0003] Mobile robots collect sensing data, monitor events, navigate optimal routes, and perform missions. Representative service areas include unmanned logistics / delivery and security / surveillance.

[0004] Robot control is necessary during the development or testing phase of a mobile robot, or during the inspection phase of a mobile robot deployed in service. This process is typically performed on a PC or laptop with a monitor, but this is not suitable for controlling a mobile robot with a wide and free range of movement.

[0005] The present invention has been devised to solve the above problems, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a mobile robot control system and method that provides various control screens based on AR (Augmented Reality) as a means for effective control of a mobile robot in a field where a mobile robot is present.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a mobile robot control system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a computer that receives information possessed and generated by a mobile robot for performing a task, and generates a control screen for the mobile robot using the received information; a display worn by a manager that displays a control screen generated by the computer;

[0007] When set to the first mode, the computer can generate a control screen in which the mobile robot's situation information is displayed across the entire display.

[0008] The situation information of the mobile robot may include status information, mission information, captured video, and location on a map.

[0009] When set to the second mode, the computer can create a control screen in which the mobile robot's situation information is displayed on both sides of the display.

[0010] The display could be AR glasses.

[0011] When set to the third mode, the computer can generate a control screen displaying the mobile robot's situation information and the mobile robot's control means.

[0012] The number of situation information displayed on the control screen generated in the second and third modes may be less than the number of situation information displayed on the control screen generated in the first mode.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a mobile robot is provided, comprising: a step of receiving, by a computer, information that a mobile robot possesses and information that it generates for performing a task; a step of generating, by the computer, a control screen of the mobile robot using the received information; and a step of displaying, by a manager, the control screen generated in the generation step.

[0014] As described above, according to embodiments of the present invention, by providing various control screens such as an AR-based dash mode screen, an AR screen, and a control screen, effective control of a mobile robot with a free and wide range of movement is possible in a field where the mobile robot is present.

[0015] Figure 1 is a mobile robot service system to which an embodiment of the present invention can be applied.

[0016] Figure 2 is a mobile robot control system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 is a method for controlling a mobile robot according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 is an example of a control screen in dashboard mode.

[0019] Figure 5 is an example of a control screen in AR mode.

[0020] Figure 6 is an example of a control screen in control mode.

[0021] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

[0022] An embodiment of the present invention presents an AR glasses-based, field-centric mobile robot control system. This technology utilizes AR glasses to enable effective on-site mobile robot control during the development or testing phase of a mobile robot or during the inspection phase of a mobile robot deployed in service.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a mobile robot service system to which an embodiment of the present invention can be applied. As illustrated, the mobile robot service system to which an embodiment of the present invention can be applied is configured to include mobile robots (10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-n) and a mobile robot control system (100).

[0024] Mobile robots (10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-n) perform missions to provide services while moving autonomously in the service target area.

[0025] The mobile robot control system (100) is a system for monitoring the status of mobile robots (10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-n) performing a task and controlling the operation of the mobile robots (10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-n).

[0026] A detailed configuration of a mobile robot control system (100) that performs such a function is illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the configuration of a mobile robot control system (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] As shown, the mobile robot control system (100) is constructed by connecting AR glasses (110) and an Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC, 120) so that they can communicate with each other.

[0028] Since the AR glasses (110) and UMPC (120) that constitute the mobile robot control system (100) are wearable devices and mobile devices, the manager can wear / carry the mobile robot control system (100) and go to the site where the mobile robots (10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-n) are located to control the mobile robots.

[0029] To this end, the UMPC (120) generates various control screens for the mobile robots (10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-n), and the AR glasses (110) display these control screens. In addition, the UMPC (120) receives control commands from the manager through the joystick and transmits them to the mobile robots (10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-n).

[0030] The process of UMPC (120) generating and providing various control screens for mobile robots (10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-n) is described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a flowchart provided to explain a mobile robot control method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] In order to control a mobile robot, as shown in the drawing, the manager first moves to the site where the 'mobile robot (10-1, 10-2, ..., 10-n) to be controlled' (hereinafter referred to as 'mobile robot (10)') is located, and then wears AR glasses (110) and connects them to the UMPC (120) that the manager is carrying (S210).

[0032] Then, the UMPC (120) receives the information that the mobile robot (10) possesses and generates for performing its mission (S220), and uses the received information to generate a control screen for the mobile robot (S230 to S280). The generated control screen can be set by the administrator and is classified into dashboard mode, AR mode, and control mode.

[0033] When set to dashboard mode (S230-Y), the UMPC (120) generates a control screen (S240) in which situation information of the mobile robot (10) is displayed across the entire display area of ​​the AR glasses (110). The situation information of the mobile robot (10) includes status information, mission information, captured images, location on a map, etc. of the mobile robot (10).

[0034] Figure 4 illustrates a control screen in dashboard mode. As illustrated, the control screen displays detailed situational information about the mobile robot (10). Furthermore, the control screen is created large enough to cover the entire display area of ​​the AR glasses (110).

[0035] Meanwhile, when set to AR mode (S250-Y), the UMPC (120) generates a control screen in which situation information of the mobile robot (10) is displayed on both the left and right sides of the AR glasses (110) (S260).

[0036] Figure 5 illustrates an example of a control screen in AR mode. As illustrated, the control screen is displayed only on the left and right areas of the AR glasses (110) and not in the center, allowing the manager to directly observe the mobile robot (10) on site through the center.

[0037] The number of situational information about the mobile robot (10) that can be provided on the control screen in AR mode is smaller than that on the control screen in dashboard mode, and the detail of the situational information is also lower.

[0038] Meanwhile, when set to control mode (S270-Y), the UMPC (120) generates a control screen that displays control means for controlling the operation of the mobile robot (10) in addition to the situation information of the mobile robot (10) (S280).

[0039] Figure 6 illustrates an example of a control screen in control mode. As illustrated, the control screen differs from the dashboard mode or AR mode in that control means are displayed.

[0040] Because the control means must be displayed, the number of situational information of the mobile robot (10) that can be provided on the control screen in the control mode is smaller than that on the control screen in the dashboard mode, and the detail of the situational information is also low.

[0041] Afterwards, the UMPC (120) transmits the control command input by the manager through the control screen to the mobile robot (10) to control the movement of the mobile robot (10) (S290).

[0042] So far, a preferred embodiment of an AR glass-based field-centered robot control system has been described in detail.

[0043] In the above embodiment, by providing various control screens such as an AR-based dash mode screen, an AR screen, and a control screen, effective control of a mobile robot with a wide and free range of movement is possible in a field where a mobile robot is present.

[0044] Meanwhile, the mobile robot in the above embodiment is mentioned as an example of an autonomous mobile body, and can be replaced or expanded with other types of mobile bodies such as drones, mobile vehicles, etc., and the technical idea of ​​the present invention can be applied even in this case.

[0045] Furthermore, all of the modes and configurations of the control screen mentioned in the above embodiment are exemplary and various changes are possible, and even in such cases, they can be included in the scope of the present invention.

[0046] Meanwhile, it goes without saying that the technical idea of ​​the present invention can also be applied to a computer-readable recording medium containing a computer program that performs the functions of the device and method according to the present embodiment. In addition, the technical idea according to various embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in the form of computer-readable code recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium can be any data storage device that can be read by a computer and store data. For example, the computer-readable recording medium can be a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical disk, a hard disk drive, etc. In addition, the computer-readable code or program stored on the computer-readable recording medium can be transmitted through a network connected between computers.

[0047] In addition, although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical idea or prospect of the present invention.

Claims

1. A computer that receives information that a mobile robot possesses and generates to perform a mission, and creates a control screen for the mobile robot using the received information; A mobile robot control system, characterized by including a display worn by a manager and displaying a control screen generated by a computer.

2. In claim 1, The computer, A mobile robot control system characterized in that, when set to the first mode, a control screen is generated in which situation information of the mobile robot is displayed across the entire display.

3. In claim 2, The situation information of the mobile robot is, A mobile robot control system characterized by including status information, mission information, captured images, and map locations.

4. In claim 2, The computer, A mobile robot control system characterized in that, when set to the second mode, it generates a control screen in which situation information of the mobile robot is displayed divided on both sides of the display.

5. In claim 4, The display is, A mobile robot control system featuring AR glasses.

6. In claim 4, The computer, A mobile robot control system characterized in that, when set to the third mode, a control screen is generated that displays situation information of the mobile robot and control means of the mobile robot.

7. In claim 6, The number of situational information displayed on the control screen generated in Mode 2 and Mode 3 is: A mobile robot control system characterized by having a smaller number of situational information displayed on a control screen generated in the first mode.

8. A step in which the computer receives information that the mobile robot possesses and generates for performing a task; A step in which a computer creates a control screen for a mobile robot using the received information; A method for controlling a mobile robot, characterized in that it includes a step of displaying a control screen generated in a generation step, wherein a display worn by a manager is displayed.

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