Mobile traveling robot capable of off-road travel, and service method using same

Abstract

The objective of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide a travel mechanism of a wheeled mobile robot, which is a mobile traveling robot capable of off-road travel having a novel travel mechanism provided to maximize obstacle-passing ability of the mobile robot, has three wheels rotated by one motor on each of two sides of the left-right symmetrically-structured robot, can travel off-road upward and downward using a total of 13 links and 17 rotational joints, has a simple structure and is easily controlled, and exhibits excellent energy efficiency during travel.

Description

Mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain and service method using it

[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain and a service method using the same.

[0002] Robots are developed for a variety of purposes and are used in a variety of environments. Recently, a variety of robots, such as AI-powered robot vacuum cleaners, have been developed to perform their functions in a variety of indoor environments.

[0003] For typical robots, driving on flat surfaces is easily achievable with wheels similar to those found on automobiles. However, special driving techniques are required to ensure this on rough terrain, such as stairs, curves, and ramps, which are common in both indoor and outdoor environments.

[0004] Various stair climbing platforms have been developed with special drive modules for performing ascent and descent of these stairs.

[0005] However, when climbing and descending these stairs, in addition to the simple driving task of climbing and descending the stairs, the task of ensuring appropriate stability remains depending on the environment of the stairs.

[0006] The driving mechanisms of mobile robots can be broadly categorized into wheeled, tracked, and legged types.

[0007] Wheeled mobile robots have the advantage of excellent driving performance on flat terrain and simple mechanical structure and control mechanism. However, wheeled mobile robots with a fixed axle distance have the disadvantage of having extreme difficulty passing through various obstacles such as stairs, puddles, and steep slopes.

[0008] To overcome these shortcomings, a wheeled mobile robot equipped with a driving mechanism that can adjust the distance between the axles of the driving wheels was manufactured, giving it the ability to overcome various obstacles such as stairs. However, it has the problem of being heavy due to the complex driving mechanism and mechanical elements, and requiring a complex control system.

[0009] Multi-legged mobile robots excel at adapting to diverse terrain, such as stair climbing. However, they are relatively slow, have complex driving mechanisms, and are difficult to control.

[0010] In the case of track-type mobile robots, since the driving mechanism can be easily configured without considering the spacing between wheels, they are widely used as robots that can overcome various obstacles such as stairs. However, even in the case of these track-type robots, the obstacles that can be overcome are inevitably limited depending on the height or overall length of the track. If the track is made larger than necessary to maximize the obstacle-overcoming ability, there is a problem that the overall weight of the mobile robot increases and excessive power is consumed, resulting in a decrease in energy efficiency.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need to provide a driving mechanism for a mobile robot that is capable of climbing or passing through rugged terrain such as indoor and outdoor stairs, has a simple structure, is easy to control, and has excellent energy efficiency during operation. To meet these needs,

[0012] A four-section link mechanism driving system of a six-wheeled driving robot was constructed by connecting three wheels (100, 200, 300) independently driven on each of the left and right sides of a mobile robot body (4) having a left-right symmetrical structure as shown in Fig. 1 to the body (4) using three links (1, 2, 3) and a rotary joint (31, 32, 33), connecting the body and the first link (1), and using a joint mechanism (50) that limits the rotation angle of the first link (1).

[0013] In the case of these six-wheeled driving robots, they can pass through tall obstacles even with small wheels, can move while minimizing the shaking of the body (4) even on terrain with large left-right differences in steps, can turn in place and move on narrow terrain, and have the advantage of higher energy efficiency when driving compared to track-type ones. However, as shown in Fig. 2, it can be seen that there are limitations in overcoming all of the various types of obstacles that we commonly encounter in our daily lives.

[0014] Additionally, in the case of indoor robots, the robot size (overall height) must be small to ride elevators and move through complex spaces, so the wheel size must also be reduced, and this causes problems in overcoming rough terrain when driving outdoors.

[0015] And because indoor robots are short in height, most of them have a tower-type structure that increases in height to load loads, so there are problems when driving on slopes.

[0016] Accordingly, the present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and according to an embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain, which can maximize the obstacle-passing ability of the mobile robot by providing a new driving mechanism.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, three wheels are rotated by one motor on each side of a robot having a bilaterally symmetrical structure, and a total of 13 links and 17 rotary joints are used to provide a driving mechanism of a wheeled mobile robot capable of climbing and descending rugged terrain, having a simple structure, simple control, and excellent energy efficiency during driving.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain, which applies a space exploration robot mechanism so that the lower connecting link rotates and each wheel moves up and down according to the curvature of the road surface to overcome and adapt to rough terrain, and is configured symmetrically front and rear so that the robot can drive flexibly forward and backward depending on the situation.

[0019] And according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain, which has a driving mechanism capable of securing rough terrain driving performance despite its small size, a link structure that acts like a lever so that the wheels can effectively overcome rough terrain, a first wheel and a second wheel connected to the first wheel via a belt rotate with one motor, and thus can simultaneously secure the advantages of cost reduction and overcoming rough terrain with a four-wheel drive with a total of two motors, and solves the backlash phenomenon that occurs in conventional bevel gears by connecting both sides with a link instead of a complex differential gear, and the body can move insensitively to the movement of the left and right driving units.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a service method using a mobile driving robot, which can search and confirm service-capable robots through a user terminal and receive information, receive driving status upon arrival at the user's location and destination, share status of loading goods into a loading box and collecting goods from a loading box in real time, and make a reservation request when there is no service-capable robot.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a service method using a mobile driving robot that can transmit a waiting list and waiting time instead of showing the number of available vehicles when requesting use, and can notify of a delay and the reason for the delay and transmit a modified arrival time when the expected arrival time has passed, and can notify the next waiting user of availability when another user requests cancellation of service while waiting after making a reservation, thereby enabling efficient operation.

[0022] And, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a service method using a mobile driving robot that can safely and quickly collect items at the request of a user while moving, and can operate the service safely and efficiently by judging the user's non-collection of items at the service type stage.

[0023] The first object of the present invention is to provide a mobile robot that moves by wheel drive, comprising: a housing; And a rough terrain adaptive driving unit having a plurality of link structures that are installed on each side of the housing, each of which has wheels on each of the rotating joints, and each of which rotates so that each of the wheels moves up and down according to the curvature of the ground, and a driving unit that rotates at least one of the wheels based on the rotating joint; wherein each of the rough terrain adaptive driving units installed on both sides of the lower end of the housing comprises: a second wheel installed on a second rotating joint at one end of a first lower link; a second lower link having one end connected to a first rotating joint at the other end of the first lower link; a first wheel installed on the first rotating joint; a third wheel installed on a third rotating joint at the other end of the second lower link; a first lower connecting link having a lower end connected to a fourth rotating joint at one middle side of the first lower link; and a second lower connecting link having a lower end connected to a fifth rotating joint at one middle side of the second lower link. Including, each of the above rough terrain adaptive driving parts is connected to each of the connecting links whose longitudinal direction is positioned along the transverse direction of the housing at the sixth rotating joint in which the upper end of the first lower connecting link and the upper end of the second lower connecting link are connected to each other, and can be achieved as a mobile driving robot capable of rough terrain driving.

[0024] And it may be characterized by including a frame having a ninth rotation joint provided between the housing and the connecting link and having an upper side connected to the center end of the connecting link.

[0025] In addition, it may be characterized in that it includes an upper link whose lower end is hingedly connected to the sixth rotation joint, an upper connecting link whose one end is hingedly connected to the upper end of the upper link at the seventh rotation joint, and the other end of the upper connecting link is hingedly connected to the eighth rotation joint at one end of the connecting link.

[0026] And, it can be characterized in that the rotation axis direction of the first to eighth rotation joints is the left-right direction of the robot, and the rotation axis direction of the ninth rotation joint is the vertical direction.

[0027] Additionally, it may be characterized in that it includes a driving motor that drives the first wheel or the second wheel, and the first wheel and the second wheel are connected by a connecting belt and rotate together.

[0028] According to a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention, a new driving mechanism is provided to have the effect of maximizing the obstacle-passing ability of the mobile robot.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, three wheels are rotated by one motor on each side of a robot having a bilaterally symmetrical structure, and a total of 13 links and 17 rotary joints are used to provide a driving mechanism of a wheeled mobile robot capable of climbing and descending rugged terrain, having a simple structure, simple control, and excellent energy efficiency during driving.

[0030] According to a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention, a space exploration robot mechanism is applied so that the lower connecting link rotates and each wheel moves up and down according to the curvature of the road surface to overcome and adapt to rough terrain, and the robot is configured symmetrically front and rear, so that it has the effect of being able to drive flexibly forward and backward depending on the situation.

[0031] And according to the mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention, despite its small size, it has a driving mechanism capable of securing driving performance on rough terrain, and the link structure acts like a lever so that the wheels can effectively overcome rough terrain, and the first wheel and the second wheel connected to the first wheel through a belt rotate with one motor, so that the advantages of cost reduction and overcoming rough terrain can be secured at the same time with four-wheel drive with a total of two motors, and the backlash phenomenon occurring in the conventional bevel gear is solved by connecting both sides with a link instead of a complex differential gear, and the body can move insensitively to the movement of the left and right driving units.

[0032] According to a service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, in the service of autonomous or remotely controlled loading-carrying robots, the user can search and confirm service-capable robots through a user terminal and receive information, receive driving status upon arrival at the user's location or destination, share status of loading goods into a loading box and collecting goods from a loading box in real time, and have the effect of being able to make a reservation request when there is no service-capable robot.

[0033] According to a service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a service method using a mobile driving robot that can transmit a waiting list and waiting time instead of showing the number of available vehicles when requesting use, can notify of a delay and the reason for the delay and transmit a modified arrival time when the expected arrival time has passed, and can notify the next waiting user of availability when another user requests cancellation of service while waiting after making a reservation, thereby enabling efficient operation.

[0034] And, according to a service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a service method using a mobile driving robot that can safely and quickly collect items at the request of a user while moving, and can operate the service safely and efficiently by judging the user's non-collection of items at the service type stage.

[0035] Figure 1 is a drawing showing the structure of a conventional six-wheeled driving robot.

[0036] Figure 2 is a drawing showing the obstacle overcoming limits of a conventional 6-wheeled driving robot.

[0037] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 is a link structure diagram of a rough terrain adaptive driving unit of a mobile driving robot capable of rough terrain driving according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 is a plan view of a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 6 is a front view of a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 7 is a side view of a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 8 illustrates a rear view of a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 9 is a conceptual diagram of a service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 10 is a flowchart of a service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 11 is a flowchart of a mobile driving robot service method according to an embodiment of the present invention based on a mobile driving robot.

[0046] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a mobile driving robot service method according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the signal flow between a user terminal, a management server, and a driving robot.

[0047] Figure 13 is a flowchart of a mobile driving robot service method according to an embodiment of the present invention based on a user terminal.

[0048] Figure 14 is a flowchart when there is no available robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 15 is a flowchart when the expected arrival time has elapsed according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 16 is a flowchart of a case of waiting after reservation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 17 is a flowchart of a case in which an item is collected at the request of a user while moving according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 18 illustrates a flowchart of a case in which a user's goods are not collected in a service termination step according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] <Explanation of symbols>

[0054] 11: Upper link 12: 7th rotation joint 14: Upper connecting link

[0055] 15: 8th rotary joint 20: Housing 30: Rough terrain wheel drive unit

[0056] 40: Connecting link 41: 9th rotating joint 50: Frame

[0057] 60: Connecting belt 100: First wheel 101: First rotating joint

[0058] 110: First lower link 120: Second lower link 130: First lower connecting link

[0059] 131: 4th rotation joint 140: 2nd lower connecting link 141: 5th rotation joint

[0060] 150: 6th rotation joint 200: 2nd wheel 201: 2nd rotation joint

[0061] 300: Third wheel 301: Third rotating joint 400: Drive motor

[0062] 1000: A driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain

[0063] Below, the configuration, function, and driving method of a mobile driving robot capable of rough terrain driving according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0064] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a mobile driving robot capable of rough terrain driving according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a link structure diagram of a rough terrain adaptive driving unit of a mobile driving robot capable of rough terrain driving according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 5 illustrates a plan view of a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] Figure 6 illustrates a front view of a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] FIG. 7 is a side view of a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] Figure 8 illustrates a rear view of a mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0069] A mobile driving robot (1000) capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention is basically configured to include a housing (20), a frame (50), and a driving unit adapted for rough terrain (30).

[0070] Overall, a rough terrain adaptive driving section (30) is provided at both ends of the housing (20), and two driving motors (400) are installed on the housing (20).

[0071] And these pair of left-right symmetrical rough terrain adaptive driving parts (30) are connected by a connecting link (40).

[0072] Additionally, a frame (50) is installed between the connecting link (40) and the housing (20), and the connecting link (40) is configured to be hingedly connected to the ninth rotating joint (41) on the upper part of the frame (50).

[0073] The connecting link (40) is configured to be rotatable based on the ninth rotation joint (41), and the rotation axis of the ninth rotation joint (41) is vertical.

[0074] Therefore, by connecting both sides with a connecting link (40) instead of a complex differential gear, the backlash phenomenon occurring in the conventional bevel gear is resolved, and the frame (50) and housing (20) can move insensitively to the movement of the left and right rough terrain adaptive driving parts (30).

[0075] And the rough terrain adaptive driving unit (30) according to the embodiment of the present invention is installed on each side of the housing (20), has a wheel on each of the rotating joints, has a plurality of link structures that rotate so that each of the wheels moves up and down according to the curvature of the ground, and is configured to include a driving motor that rotates at least one of the wheels based on the rotating joint.

[0076] Specifically, it can be seen that the rough terrain adaptive driving part according to the embodiment of the present invention can be configured to include a first wheel (100), a second wheel (200), a third wheel (300), a first lower link (110), a second lower link (120), a first lower connecting link (130), a second lower connecting link (140), an upper link (11), and an upper connecting link (14).

[0077] The first lower link (110) is configured in a convex semi-arc shape upwards, and a second wheel (200) is installed on a second rotation joint (201) at one end.

[0078] The second lower link (120) is configured in a semi-arc shape convex upward, and one end is connected to the first rotation joint (101) of the other end of the first lower link (110).

[0079] And the first wheel (100) is installed on the first rotation joint (101). The third wheel (300) is installed on the third rotation joint (301) at the other end of the second lower link (120).

[0080] And the lower end of the first lower connecting link (130) is connected to the fourth rotation joint (131) on the middle side of the first lower link (110). In addition, the lower end of the second lower connecting link (140) is connected to the fifth rotation joint (141) on the middle side of the second lower link (120).

[0081] Accordingly, the robot, which has a bilaterally symmetrical structure, has three wheels on each side using six links and eight rotary joints, and is capable of climbing and descending on rugged terrain. The structure is simple, the control is simple, and the energy efficiency is excellent during operation. When the first wheel (100) rises, the second and third wheels (200, 300) descend in conjunction, and when the first wheel (100) descends, the second and third wheels (200, 300) rise in conjunction.

[0082] And each of the rough terrain adaptive driving sections (30) has an upper link (11) connected to the upper and lower sides of the sixth rotating joint (150) in which the upper end of the first lower connecting link (130) and the upper end of the second lower connecting link (140) are connected.

[0083] That is, the lower end of the upper link (11) is hinged at the sixth rotation joint (150), and the upper end is hinged at the front end of the upper connecting link (14) and the seventh rotation joint (12). In addition, the rear end of the upper connecting link (14) is hinged at the eighth rotation joint (15), which is the opposite end of the connecting link.

[0084] The rotation axis direction of the first to eighth rotary joints according to the embodiment of the present invention is the left-right direction of the robot, and the rotation axis direction of the ninth rotary joint (41) is the vertical direction.

[0085] Additionally, the second wheel (200) and the third wheel (300) of the driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured as omni-wheels.

[0086] And in the embodiment of the present invention, the drive motor (400) is configured to drive only the first wheel (100). And the first wheel (100) and the second wheel (200) in front are connected by a connecting belt (60), so that when the first wheel (100) is driven, the second wheel (200) is driven in conjunction.

[0087] In addition, a driving robot (1000) capable of driving on rough terrain may include a map DB in which topographic information of the space in which the driving robot will drive is stored, and a topographic measurement unit including a Lidar sensor, VIO (Visual Inertial Odometry), etc. may be provided on one side of the driving robot to obtain topographic information ahead in real time. In addition, the map DB is continuously updated using topographic information obtained from the topographic measurement unit.

[0088] And the control unit controls the operation of each drive motor (400) of the rough terrain adaptive driving unit (30) based on the terrain information of the driving space stored in the map DB, the slope measured by the slope measurement unit, and the terrain information measured in real time by the terrain measurement unit.

[0089] Therefore, according to the mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention, despite its small size, it has a driving mechanism capable of securing driving performance on rough terrain, and the link structure acts like a lever so that the wheels can effectively overcome rough terrain, and the first wheel and the second wheel connected to the first wheel via a belt rotate with one motor, so that the two motors in total can simultaneously secure the advantages of cost reduction and overcoming rough terrain by achieving four-wheel drive, and the backlash phenomenon occurring in the conventional bevel gear is resolved by connecting both sides with a link instead of a complex differential gear, and the body can move insensitively to the movement of the left and right driving units.

[0090] As an application example of a mobile driving robot capable of navigating rough terrain according to an embodiment of the present invention, the driving robot can be equipped with a loading platform on top and can be used to transport items, etc. In other words, a service is possible in which the robot is called from a specific location, and the item is transported and then moved to a desired location. The user can designate a specific location where the item is loaded through a user terminal, and the driving robot can arrive at the specific location, load the item, and then drive to the transport destination designated by the user.

[0091] In addition, the following examples are possible as service forms of these goods transport robots.

[0092] Below, a service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0093] First, the mobile driving robot is capable of autonomous driving and is equipped with a loading platform to load and collect items. Furthermore, multiple mobile driving robots used in the service are configured to receive control signals from the management server and transmit their driving and status information to the management server. Subscribed driving robots are connected to the network by the management server, and subscribed user terminals are configured to receive real-time service usage information and driving robot status through an app.

[0094] Figure 9 illustrates a conceptual diagram of a service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0095] A service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention basically comprises a first step in which, after a user terminal requests a service (mission) to a server, the server searches for a driving robot that can use the service, verifies information about the available driving robot, and transmits the information to the user terminal; a second step in which the robot moves to a specific location loaded with goods; a third step in which, after arriving at the specific location, the loading box door opens and goods are loaded into the loading box; a fourth step in which the robot moves to a destination location set by the user; and a fifth step in which, after arriving at the destination, the goods are collected.

[0096] In this first step, information on arrival time at a specific location and travel time to the destination is provided, and if the service is unavailable, the service is reserved and notifications of service availability, arrival time, and travel time are provided.

[0097] In the first step, when the server requests robot information from the driving robots, the driving robots transmit robot information regarding service progress, current location, and remaining battery level to the server, and the server determines whether the service is being used and transmits available robot information such as robot current location, robot destination, and expected arrival time to the user terminal. In the third step and the fifth step, the loading door is opened and closed after user approval and authentication.

[0098] Additionally, in the first step, if there is no available driving robot, queue information is transmitted to the user terminal. The queue information includes the number of people waiting, the expected waiting time, and whether or not a reservation is made. Based on the queue information, a service reservation request can be made through the user terminal.

[0099] In the second phase, the robot moves via user remote control or autonomous driving, allowing the user to check the arrival time and current location via the user terminal. If the arrival time is delayed beyond the set travel time, the arrival time is revised and transmitted. Furthermore, if the arrival time at a specific location is delayed in the second phase, information about the delay and the expected elapsed time is transmitted to the user terminal.

[0100] Additionally, in the third step, after opening the door, the presence or absence of goods is checked, and if the loading condition is poor, the door is not closed, and if there is no response, a robot return notification is sent.

[0101] In the fourth stage, the robot moves via user remote control or autonomous driving, allowing the user to check the arrival time and current location via the user terminal. If the arrival time is delayed compared to the set travel time, the arrival time is revised and transmitted. In this fourth stage, if the arrival time at the destination is delayed, the reason for the delay and the expected elapsed time are transmitted to the user terminal.

[0102] And in the fourth step, when there is a request for collecting goods from the user terminal, the server checks the loading status information with the driving robot to determine whether there is an item, moves the driving robot to the stopping position, and then the server transmits robot information to the user terminal. When the user terminal requests to open the door, after approval, the door is opened, the item is collected, and the collection is completed and approval is given before the service is terminated.

[0103] And in step 5, after the door opens, it checks whether the item has been collected, and if there is no response, it sends a notification that the robot has returned.

[0104] In this fifth step, when the driving robot sends a notification of completion of arrival at the destination to the server, the server proceeds with the first robot arrival notification and approval request to the user terminal, and if the robot is not collected after the first waiting time has elapsed, the server proceeds with the nth robot arrival notification and approval request, and if the robot is not returned after the nth waiting time has elapsed, the server transmits a robot return notification due to non-response along with the reason for return to the user terminal, and the server requests the driving robot to return.

[0105] Additionally, if a user requests to cancel a service in steps 2 through 5, the server determines whether cancellation is possible by assessing the status of the loading box, and after approving the service cancellation request, it notifies the user terminal that the reservation request or service use request is available for service use.

[0106] Below, a service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail.

[0107] First, Fig. 10 illustrates a flowchart of a service method using a mobile driving robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. And Fig. 11 illustrates a flowchart of a mobile driving robot service method according to an embodiment of the present invention based on a mobile driving robot. In addition, Fig. 12 illustrates a flowchart of a mobile driving robot service method according to an embodiment of the present invention showing signal flow between a user terminal, a management server, and a driving robot. And Fig. 13 illustrates a flowchart of a mobile driving robot service method according to an embodiment of the present invention based on a user terminal.

[0108] First, the user submits a service request to the management server via their terminal. This user information includes their current location and destination. The management server then requests robot information from the driving robots, and the driving robots then transmit their robot information. This robot information includes mission progress, the robot's current location, and remaining battery level.

[0109] The management server, upon receiving the robot information, determines whether the service is available and transmits the robot information to the user's terminal. This information includes the robot's current location, destination, and estimated arrival time. If the service is unavailable, a pop-up window with the waiting time and queue information is displayed. The user can then decide whether to reserve the service. If the reservation is complete, the server notifies the user that the service is available.

[0110] The management server requests the driving robot to move to its destination, and the driving robot begins moving to the user's location. Driving status information is then transmitted to the management server, allowing the user to check the arrival time and the robot's current location via their device. If a delay is expected, the user can receive delay notifications and updated arrival time notifications.

[0111] When the driving robot approaches the user's location, the user will receive a robot arrival notification and approval request.

[0112] The user verifies their identity through their terminal. The verification and user information (e.g., the user's current location and identity verification information) are transmitted to the management server, which then determines whether the door is open. Once verification and approval are complete, a door opening notification is sent to the driving robot, which then notifies the robot of the door's opening.

[0113] When the door is opened, the items are loaded into the loading compartment, and the user terminal requests the management server to complete loading and approve movement.

[0114] The management server determines whether or not items are loaded, and when the waiting time has elapsed, it re-notifies the robot of the loading of items. If the loading is not completed even after the re-notification, it orders the robot to return due to non-response.

[0115] When the management server determines that the loading of goods is complete, a request to close the door and move is sent to the driving robot.

[0116] The robot then moves to the user-specified destination. At this time, movement status and driving robot status information are transmitted to the management server and shared with the user's terminal. Furthermore, the robot's arrival time and current location are determined in real time to determine whether the robot has arrived normally or has been delayed. If delayed, a delay notification is sent, along with a revised arrival time.

[0117] When the driving robot reaches its destination, it issues a destination arrival notification, requests approval, and requests collection. The management server transmits approval and user information (e.g., the user's current location and identity verification information) to determine whether to open the door.

[0118] If identity verification fails, wait for a waiting period, then notify again when purchasing the item, and wait again. If there is no response during the waiting period, the robot is returned as unresponsive and is notified.

[0119] Upon successful identity verification, the door will open and a notification will be sent. The management server will then request item collection and approval from the user's terminal and collect the item.

[0120] Once the user approves the completion of item collection and the end of service, the management server orders the driving robot to close the door and return to its original position. After the driving robot closes the door, it notifies the management server of the door closure and movement, and transmits driving status information to the management server in real time.

[0121] At this time, the management server checks whether the item has been collected, and if collection is not completed during the waiting time, it re-notifies the robot of the item collection, and after the waiting time has elapsed, it orders the robot to return due to non-response.

[0122] Once item collection is confirmed, the user approves the collection and service completion. While approval is pending, the status of the item collection is checked. Once approval is complete, the door closes and the robot returns.

[0123] Figure 14 illustrates a flowchart of a process according to an embodiment of the present invention when no robots are available. As illustrated in Figure 14, when a service request management server receives a request for a robot, the management server notifies the user by popping up queue information. The user then requests a service reservation based on the queue information. The management server then manages the reservation and notifies the user of the reservation completion.

[0124] The service may not be available when all robots are in use, some robots are in use + the remaining robots are charging, some robots are in use + the remaining robots are not in use but need to be charged (when the remaining battery power is insufficient to reach the destination after arriving at the user's location), some robots are in use + the remaining robots are undergoing maintenance, etc. In addition, the queue information includes the number of people waiting, the expected waiting time, and whether or not there is a reservation.

[0125] Figure 15 illustrates a flowchart illustrating a case where the expected arrival time has passed according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 15, if the expected arrival time has passed during the process of the driving robot moving to the user's location after service use has been confirmed, or during the process of the driving robot moving to its destination after loading has been completed, information regarding the cause of the delay (e.g., cause of the delay, revised arrival time) may be provided.

[0126] Figure 16 illustrates a flowchart of a waiting period after reservation according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 16, if a user terminal requests service cancellation while using the service, the management server requests loading status information from the driving robot. The driving robot transmits loading status information and information on the presence of items to the management server, and the management server determines whether cancellation is possible.

[0127] If cancellation is possible, the management server requests the robot to return to the driving robot and requests approval of the service cancellation request from the user terminal.

[0128] Once the service cancellation is complete, the person on the reservation waiting list will be notified that the service is available.

[0129] Figure 17 illustrates a flowchart illustrating a case in which an item is collected at the user's request while the mobile robot is moving, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 17, when a user transmits a request to collect an item to the management server while the mobile robot is moving, the management server requests the mobile robot for loading status information. The mobile robot transmits loading status information and the presence of an item to the management server. The management server then selects a robot stop location and instructs the mobile robot to stop. Upon receiving the instruction, the mobile robot moves to the stop location and notifies the user that the stop has been completed. The management server then transmits robot information and the current location of the robot to the user terminal.

[0130] When the user terminal requests door opening using user information and the user's current location, the management server determines whether the door should be opened and requests the driving robot to open the door.

[0131] The driving robot opens the door in response to a door opening request, notifies the door opening, and the management server requests the user terminal to collect and approve the item.

[0132] After the user collects the item and approves the completion of the item collection and termination of the service, the management server closes the door of the driving robot.

[0133] Figure 18 illustrates a flowchart illustrating a service termination step in the case of non-collection of user items according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 18, when a mobile robot arrives and notifies the management server of its destination, the management server issues a first robot arrival notification and approval request. After the first waiting period has elapsed, a second robot arrival notification and approval request is sent to the user terminal.

[0134] After the second waiting period has elapsed, the robot will return due to non-response, and the user terminal will be notified of the return along with the reason for the return. This reason for the return may include the person responsible for the return and the return location. The management server then requests the driving robot to return, and the driving robot will transmit driving status information to the management server and begin the return journey. Upon completion of the return, a return notification is sent to the management server, which then forwards it to the user terminal.

Claims

1. In a mobile robot that moves by wheel drive, Housing; and A rough terrain adaptive driving unit is installed on each side of the housing, each of the rotating joints is provided with a wheel, and has a plurality of link structures that rotate so that each of the wheels moves up and down according to the curvature of the ground, and includes a driving unit that rotates at least one of the wheels based on the rotating joint; Each of the rough terrain adaptive driving sections provided on both sides of the lower housing above is: A second wheel installed on a second rotation joint at one end of a first lower link, a second lower link having one end connected to a first rotation joint at the other end of the first lower link, a first wheel installed on the first rotation joint, a third wheel installed on a third rotation joint at the other end of the second lower link, a first lower connecting link having a lower end connected to a fourth rotation joint at one middle end of the first lower link, and a second lower connecting link having a lower end connected to a fifth rotation joint at one middle end of the second lower link. A mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain, characterized in that each of the above rough terrain adaptive driving sections is connected to each of the connecting links whose longitudinal direction is positioned along the transverse direction of the housing at the sixth rotating joint in which the upper end of the first lower connecting link and the upper end of the second lower connecting link are connected to each other.

2. In paragraph 1, A mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain, characterized in that it includes a frame having a ninth rotating joint provided between the housing and the connecting link and having an upper side connected to the center end of the connecting link.

3. In paragraph 2, An upper link having a lower end hingedly connected to the sixth rotation joint, and an upper connecting link having one end hingedly connected to the upper end of the upper link at a seventh rotation joint, A mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain, characterized in that the other end of the upper connecting link is hinged to the eighth rotating joint of one end of the connecting link.

4. In paragraph 3, A mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain, characterized in that the rotational axes of the first to eighth rotational joints are in the left-right direction of the robot, and the rotational axis of the ninth rotational joint is in the vertical direction.

5. In paragraph 4, A mobile driving robot capable of driving on rough terrain, comprising a driving motor that drives a first wheel or a second wheel, wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are connected by a connecting belt and rotate together.

6. A method for transporting goods using a plurality of driving robots having a loading box, a management server that controls and communicates with the plurality of driving robots, and a user terminal that can access the management server by downloading a specific application. Step 1: After a service request is made to the management server through the user terminal, the management server searches for and confirms available driving robots and transmits information on available driving robots to the user terminal; The second step is where the management server controls the driving robot to move to a specific location carrying the goods; Step 3: After arriving at a specific location, the loading door opens and items are loaded into the loading compartment; Step 4: The management server controls the driving robot to move to the destination location set by the user; and Step 5: After the driving robot arrives at the destination, it collects the items; In the above first step, the management server further includes a step of transmitting information on arrival time at a specific location and travel time to the destination to the user terminal, reserving the service if the service is unavailable, and providing notification of service availability, arrival time, and travel time. In the above second step, the arrival time and the current location of the robot can be checked by the user through the user terminal, and if it is delayed from the set travel time, the arrival time is modified and transmitted. In the above 3rd step, after opening the door, the management server checks whether the goods are loaded, and if the loading condition is poor, it does not close the door, and if there is no response, it sends a robot return notification. In step 4, the arrival time and the robot's current location can be checked by the user through the user terminal, and if it is delayed from the set travel time, the arrival time is modified and transmitted. A service method using a mobile driving robot, characterized in that in the above 5th step, the management server checks whether the item has been collected after opening the door, and if there is no response, sends a robot return notification.

7. In paragraph 1, In the above first step, when the management server requests robot information from the driving robots, the driving robot transmits robot information about service progress, current location, and remaining battery level to the server, and the management server determines whether the service is used and transmits robot information available to the user terminal, such as robot current location, robot destination, and expected arrival time. A service method using a mobile driving robot characterized in that, in the third and fifth steps, the loading door is opened and closed after the user's approval and authentication.

8. In paragraph 2, A service method using a mobile driving robot, characterized in that in the first step above, if there is no available driving robot, queue information is transmitted to the user terminal, and the queue information includes the number of people waiting, the expected waiting time, and whether or not a reservation is made, and a service reservation request is made through the user terminal based on the queue information.

9. In paragraph 3, In the above second step, if the arrival time at a specific location is delayed, the delay reason information and the expected elapsed time information are transmitted to the user terminal, and in the above fourth step, if the arrival time at the destination is delayed, the delay reason information and the expected elapsed time information are transmitted to the user terminal. A service method using a mobile driving robot, characterized in that, when a user requests to cancel a service in the above steps 2 to 5, the server determines whether cancellation is possible by determining the status of the loading box, and after approving the service cancellation request, a service availability notification is sent to the user terminal that has made the reservation request or service use request.

10. In paragraph 4, In the above 4th step, when there is a request for collecting goods from the user terminal, the server checks the loading status information with the driving robot to determine whether there is an item, moves the driving robot to the stopping position, and then the server transmits the robot information to the user terminal. When the user terminal requests to open the door, after approval, the door is opened, the item is collected, and the collection is completed and the service is terminated. A service method using a mobile driving robot, characterized in that in the above 5th step, when the driving robot sends a notification of completion of arrival at the destination to the server, the server proceeds with a first robot arrival notification and approval request to the user terminal, and if no collection is made after the 1st waiting time has elapsed, the server proceeds with an nth robot arrival notification and approval request, and if no response is made after the nth waiting time has elapsed, the server transmits a robot return notification due to no response to the user terminal along with information on the reason for return, and the server requests the driving robot to return.

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