Sensor module for transport robot

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sensor module for a transport robot and, more specifically, to a sensor module to be detachably installed in a transport robot and comprising at least one sensor capable of improving the manual driving function or autonomous driving function of the transport robot.

Description

Sensor modules for transport robots

[0001] The present invention relates to a sensor module for a transport robot, and more particularly, to a sensor module characterized by a configuration in which the sensor module is detachably installed on a transport robot and includes at least one sensor capable of improving a manual driving function or an autonomous driving function of the transport robot.

[0002] In general, transport robots are used to transport certain objects in factories, hospitals, restaurants, etc., and examples of such transport robots include electric carts, electric wheelchairs, and serving robots. These transport robots are either manually driven by a driver manipulating the path, or autonomously driven by the transport robot itself detecting the path and driving, and such transport robots are a type of motorized device in a broad sense.

[0003] However, since the sensors included in conventional transport robots that perform manual or autonomous driving are configured in a form in which all sensors are integrated, there are limitations in changing the configuration of the sensors to suit the characteristics of the environment in which the transport robot is used, and since the sensors are provided in an integrated form even though there are some unused sensor functions, there was a problem in that this resulted in an increase in the cost for operating the transport robot.

[0004] Meanwhile, as a prior art related to a transport robot, the technology of a transport assistance robot is known in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-1924493.

[0005] The present invention was created to solve the above-mentioned problems of the related art, and provides a configuration of a sensor module for a transport robot that can additionally expand sensors necessary for operation without structural changes to a conventional transport robot that performs manual or autonomous driving.

[0006] The configuration of a sensor module for a transport robot of the present invention to achieve the above technical task is characterized by a configuration that is detachably installed on the transport robot and includes at least one sensor capable of improving the manual driving function or autonomous driving function of the transport robot.

[0007] The sensor module for the transport robot of the present invention having the above configuration can be detachably mounted on the upper body of a conventional transport robot, thereby achieving the effect of easily expanding the functionality of the conventional transport robot.

[0008] Additionally, various types of sensors included in the sensor module can be additionally utilized, allowing the transport robot to be used in a specific configuration according to operational needs.

[0009] In addition, the autonomous driving function of the transport robot can be expanded through the depth camera and proximity detection sensor included in the sensor module, and communication with other devices can be enabled, thereby enabling the transport robot to perform various types of additional tasks.

[0010] Furthermore, the cost of operating a transport robot can be reduced because it can be configured with only the sensors necessary for the surrounding environment in which the transport robot is used.

[0011] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the head housing of a transport robot in which the sensor module of the present invention is installed.

[0012] Figure 2 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the head housing of a transport robot to show the state in which the sensor module of the present invention is installed.

[0013] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the sensor module of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the sensor module of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the sensor module of the present invention.

[0016] Hereinafter, the configuration of the sensor module for the transport robot of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0017] However, the disclosed drawings are provided as examples to ensure that those skilled in the art can sufficiently convey the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the drawings presented below and may be embodied in other aspects.

[0018] In addition, unless otherwise defined, terms used in the specification of the present invention have meanings commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, and detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention in the following description and accompanying drawings are omitted.

[0019]

[0020] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the head housing of a transport robot in which the sensor module of the present invention is installed.

[0021] Referring to the drawings, the sensor module of the present invention is a sensor module that is detachably installed on a transport robot (1) and includes at least one sensor that can improve the manual driving function or autonomous driving function of the transport robot (1).

[0022] Preferably, the sensor module of the present invention is installed in the internal space of the head housing (10) coupled to the upper body (2) of the transport robot (1).

[0023] A window (11) in the shape of a hole is formed on the front of the head housing (10) to expose the depth sensor (20) to be described later, and the upper surface (12) of the head housing (10) is shielded.

[0024] The sensor module of the present invention configured as described above can add necessary sensors and components in the form of a sensor module to the top of a conventional transport robot performing manual or autonomous driving according to the driving method of the robot, thereby facilitating expansion of the functions of the existing transport robot.

[0025]

[0026] FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the head housing of a transport robot to show a state in which the sensor module of the present invention is installed, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the sensor module of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the sensor module of the present invention.

[0027] First, referring to a partial cutaway perspective view of FIG. 2, the sensor module of the present invention is configured to include a depth camera (20), an RGB camera (30), a proximity detection sensor (40), and a sensor module control unit (50) that controls the depth camera (20), the RGB camera (30), and the proximity detection sensor (40).

[0028] The above depth camera (20) is a sensor used in the fields of computer vision and image processing, and is a sensor that converts the distance between the sensor and the subject into a depth map and stores it.

[0029] For example, if the depth camera (20) is an 8-bit depth sensor, the distance between the depth camera and the subject is stored as a depth map having a value of [0,255].

[0030] Therefore, the depth camera (20) measures the distance between the transport robot (1) on which the sensor module is installed and the subject and generates a depth map for the distance, thereby improving the autonomous driving function of the transport robot through recognition of people and objects existing in the direction of travel of the transport robot.

[0031] The above RGB camera (30) is a sensor that detects the color of light by the three primary colors of light, red / green / blue, and outputs it as an analog signal. The RGB camera receives the output signal of the RGB camera and reproduces the corresponding color on the monitor.

[0032] These RGB cameras perform the function of helping the transport robot to move to a specific location on its own by following lines or specific barcodes marked on the floor in an environment where there are no people.

[0033] The above proximity detection sensor (40) is a sensor that detects whether there is an obstacle in the direction in which the transport robot (1) is moving. For example, an infrared sensor can be used. The infrared sensor emits infrared light, and a phototransistor receives and measures the amount of light that the emitted infrared light reflects off an obstacle in front, thereby detecting whether an obstacle is approaching, thereby enabling the transport robot to detect the obstacle and perform an emergency stop and avoidance function.

[0034] The above control unit (50) is formed by mounting an interface for inputting a sensor signal, a memory element, a CPU on which a control program is installed and executed, a power supply, etc. on a substrate (51).

[0035] And, as shown in the exploded perspective view of Fig. 3, the substrate (51) of the control unit (50) is placed on a flat plate (13) supported by a mount (14) attached to the inner wall (3) formed on the upper body (2) of the transport robot (1), and the substrate (51) is fixed to the plate (13) using a fixing bolt (not shown) or the like.

[0036] In addition, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, in a state where the substrate (51) of the control unit (50) of the present invention is fixed to the plate (13), the output terminals of the depth camera (20), RGB camera (30) and proximity detection sensor (40) described above are electrically connected to the input interface formed on the substrate (51) of the control unit (50).

[0037] At this time, it is preferable that the depth camera (20), RGB camera (30), and proximity detection sensor (40) are connected to the substrate (51) of the control unit (50) using a dedicated bracket (not shown) for fixing the corresponding sensors to the substrate (51).

[0038] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the sensor module of the present invention.

[0039] The above sensor module control unit (50) receives and stores a sensor signal generated from a sensor, converts the stored sensor signal into a digital signal through an analog-digital converter, and transmits it to the robot control unit (100) that controls the transport robot (1).

[0040] Specifically, the sensor module control unit (50) receives and stores sensor signals generated from the depth camera (20), the RGB camera (30), and the proximity detection sensor (40), converts the stored sensor signals into digital signals through an analog-to-digital converter, and then creates depth map data on the distance to an object existing in the direction of movement of the transport robot based on the sensor signals received from the depth camera (20), recognizes a line or a specific barcode displayed on the floor in an environment without people based on the sensor signals received from the RGB camera (30), and helps the transport robot move to a specific location on its own, and determines whether an obstacle exists in the direction of movement of the transport robot based on the sensor signals continuously received from the proximity detection sensor (40), and transmits the depth map data, color data, and data on the determination of whether or not there is an obstacle to the robot control unit (100) that controls the transport robot, so that the transport robot (1) is used as information for performing forward, backward, stop, and direction change operations.

Claims

1. It is installed detachably on the transport robot (1), A sensor module characterized by a configuration including at least one sensor capable of improving the manual driving function or autonomous driving function of the above transport robot (1).

2. In paragraph 1, The above sensor is a sensor module characterized by a configuration of a depth camera (20).

3. In paragraph 1, The above sensor is a sensor module characterized by a configuration of an RGB camera (30).

4. In paragraph 1, The above sensor is a sensor module characterized by a configuration of a proximity detection sensor (40).

5. In paragraph 1, A sensor module characterized by a configuration including a sensor module control unit (50) that controls the above sensor.

6. In the fifth paragraph, the sensor module control unit (50) The substrate (51) of the control unit (50) is fixed on a plate (13) supported by a mount (14) installed on the above transport robot (1). A sensor module characterized by a configuration in which the output terminals of the above sensor are electrically connected to an input interface formed on a substrate (51) of the above control unit (50).

7. In paragraph 5, the sensor module control unit (50) Receive and store sensor signals generated from the above sensors, A sensor module characterized by a configuration in which a stored sensor signal is converted into a digital signal through an analog-digital converter and transmitted to a robot control unit (100) that controls a transport robot (1).

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