Self-moving device and method for controlling docking of self-moving device with charging station

Abstract

The present application provides a self-moving device and a method for controlling the docking of a self-moving device with a charging station. The method comprises: determining a region where the self-moving device is currently located; when the self-moving device is not in a transition region, controlling the self-moving device to move to the transition region, wherein a target region is defined in the transition region, and the target region is determined by a visual identifier of the charging station; when the self-moving device is in the transition region but not in the target region, controlling the self-moving device to move so as to enter the target region; and when the self-moving device is in the target region, controlling the self-moving device to move so as to dock with the charging station. In the present application, by dividing the transition region and further subdividing the target region from the transition region, and using the visual identifier for precise positioning, the process of the self-moving device returning to the charging station is improved, significantly increasing the efficiency of low-precision self-moving devices returning to charging stations.

Description

Self-moving device and method for controlling self-moving device to dock with charging station TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of self-moving devices, and in particular to a self-moving device and a method for controlling the self-moving device to dock with a charging station. BACKGROUND

[0002] Currently, the application of self-moving devices and automation technology is increasing. For example, in modern garden maintenance and management, the widespread use of lawn mowing robots provides convenience for the daily maintenance of parks, residential areas and other green spaces. Lawn mowing robots can autonomously complete tasks such as mowing and cleaning, greatly reducing the demand for human resources and management costs.

[0003] However, as the application scenarios become more complex, self-moving devices face new challenges in task execution and self-maintenance, especially in positioning and docking during automatic charging. When returning to the charging station for automatic charging after completing a task, lawn mowing robots usually rely on simple navigation and positioning technologies such as GPS or UWB, which are low-precision positioning technologies. However, the accuracy of these positioning technologies is affected by various factors such as signal interference and environmental changes, which can cause the lawn mowing robot to deviate when returning to the charging station. It needs to keep trying to walk randomly to reach the front of the charging station, affecting the efficiency of the lawn mowing robot returning to the charging station.

[0004] Therefore, the present application provides a self-moving device and a method for controlling the self-moving device to dock with a charging station to improve related technologies. SUMMARY

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to provide a self-moving device and a method for controlling the self-moving device to dock with a charging station, which can improve the efficiency of low-precision self-moving devices returning to the charging station.

[0006] The purpose of the present application is achieved by the following technical solutions:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a method for controlling a self-moving device to dock with a charging station, the method comprising:

[0008] determining the current area of the self-moving device;

[0009] when the self-moving device is not in the transition area, controlling the self-moving device to move to the transition area, wherein the transition area defines a target area, and the target area is determined by a visual identifier of the charging station;

[0010] when the self-moving device is in the transition area but not in the target area, controlling the self-moving device to move to enter the target area;

[0011] controlling the self-moving device to move to dock with the charging station when the self-moving device is in the target area;

[0012] wherein the distance between any position in the target area and the reference position of the charging station is less than a first specified distance, and the included angle between the connecting line direction between any position in the target area and the reference position and the center reference line determined by the visual identifier is less than a first specified angle, and the reference position is located on the center reference line.

[0013] In a second aspect, the present application provides a self-moving device comprising a control module configured to execute the method provided in the first aspect.

[0014] The present application provides a self-moving device and a method for controlling the self-moving device to dock with a charging station. First, the current area where the self-moving device is located is determined, and it is judged whether the self-moving device is located in a transition area. If not, the self-moving device is controlled to move to the transition area. When the self-moving device is in the transition area but not in a target area, the self-moving device is controlled to move into the target area. Once the self-moving device enters the target area, the moving direction of the self-moving device is adjusted to ensure that it moves towards the charging station to dock with the charging station. The present application divides the transition area and further subdivides the target area determined by the visual identifier of the charging station from the transition area, so that when the self-moving device is not in the transition area, the self-moving device is controlled to move to the transition area, and when the self-moving device is in the transition area but not in the target area, the self-moving device is controlled to move into the target area. Therefore, in the case of low positioning accuracy or positioning deviation, the self-moving device can also enter the target area adjacent to the charging station position and easily return to the charging station, and then quickly move towards the charging station along the center reference line determined by the visual identifier in the target area and complete docking, without the need for multiple attempts of random walking to reach in front of the charging station, thereby reducing the time for repeated adjustment and searching for the charging station due to inaccurate positioning, and improving the efficiency of the lawn mower robot returning to the charging station. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling a self-moving device to dock with a charging station according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of area division of a specified area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a straight path from the first side area to the target area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a straight path from the second side area to the target area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an S-shaped path from the first side area to the target area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an arc-shaped path from the first side area to the target area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an S-shaped path from the second side area to the target area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an arc-shaped path from the second side area to the target area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of another embodiment of step S12 in FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a straight path from the first side area to the target area after the mobile device backs up according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0026] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a straight path from the second side area to the target area after the mobile device backs up according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0027] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an S-shaped path from the first side area to the target area after the mobile device backs up according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0028] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an arc-shaped path from the first side area to the target area after the mobile device backs up according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0029] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of an S-shaped path from the second side area to the target area after the mobile device backs up according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0030] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of an arc-shaped path from the second side area to the target area after the mobile device backs up according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0031] FIG. 16 is a picture of the actual field of view of the mobile device in the target area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0032] FIG. 17a is a picture of the actual field of view of the mobile device in the first side area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0033] FIG. 17b is another actual field of view picture of the self-moving device located in the first side area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0034] FIG. 18a is an actual field of view picture of the self-moving device located in the second side area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0035] FIG. 18b is another actual field of view picture of the self-moving device located in the second side area according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described in combination with the drawings in the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by a person skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0037] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "first", "second" are used only for the purpose of description, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the meaning of "multiple" is two or more, unless otherwise specifically limited.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 16, in order to improve the related art and improve the efficiency of the self-moving device returning to the charging station, the present application provides a method for controlling the self-moving device to dock with the charging station, which comprises steps S10-S13.

[0039] Step S10: determining the current area of the self-moving device.

[0040] Step S11: when the self-moving device is not in the transition area, controlling the self-moving device to move to the transition area, wherein the target area is defined in the transition area, and the target area is determined by the visual identifier 200 of the charging station 20.

[0041] Step S12: when the self-moving device is in the transition area but not in the target area, controlling the self-moving device to move to enter the target area.

[0042] Step S13: when the self-moving device is in the target area, controlling the self-moving device to move to dock with the charging station.

[0043] Any position in the target area and the reference position of the charging station are less than a first specified distance, and the included angle between the connecting line direction of any position in the target area and the reference position and the center reference line is less than a first specified angle, the center reference line is determined by the visual identifier, and the reference position is located on the center reference line.

[0044] The self-moving device refers to a mechanical device capable of autonomous movement, such as a mobile robot, an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle), etc. The mobile robot is, for example, a mowing robot, a sweeping robot, a washing robot, a sweeping and mopping integrated robot, a delivery robot, a disinfection robot, a security robot, a patrol robot, a service robot, etc. In some embodiments, the self-moving device takes the mowing robot as an example, which works in a specified area (lawn area), and the charging station is located in the specified area. The specified area can be divided into a transition area (A, B, C area) and a non-transition area (N, F area) around the charging station, and each area has a specific control logic to realize the docking of the self-moving device and the charging station. The transition area (A, B, C area) is a specific area set around the charging station, which can be further divided into a target area (A area) and a non-target area (B, C area). The non-target area includes, for example, a first side area (B area) located on both sides of the target area and a second side area (C area) located on the side of the first side area away from the target area, wherein the first side area is adjacent to the target area, and the second side area is not adjacent to the target area. The target area (A area) is a specific area in the transition area, which is determined by the visual identifier of the charging station, for example, can be located in front of the charging station position and directly adjacent to the charging station position, and is a necessary area for the self-moving device to dock the charging station. The visual identifier 200 is a visual feature of the charging station 20, which includes, for example, a color band, a two-dimensional code, etc., and the number can be one or more. As shown in FIG. 16, in the present embodiment, the visual identifier 200 is two color bands arranged at intervals on the bottom plate of the charging station 20, and the self-moving device can locate the charging station 20 by recognizing the visual identifier 200 through the visual module. Wherein, the center reference line is determined by the visual identifier, which can include: obtaining the fitting line 201 of the two color bands in the image containing the visual identifier; extending the two fitting lines 201 to the upper boundary line or the lower boundary line of the image to obtain two intersection points located on the same boundary line; and determining the center reference line of the charging station according to the two intersection points.

[0045] In the above embodiment, by accurately dividing the area around the charging station, and according to whether the self-moving device is in the transition area, the self-moving device is controlled to take different moving modes, and the self-moving device is quickly returned to the docking of the charging station. First, the current area of the self-moving device is determined by visual recognition technology or GPS, UWB positioning technology. For example, it can be determined that the self-moving device is located in which of the A, B, C, N, F areas, and then it can be known whether the self-moving device is located in the transition area (A, B, C area). If not, the self-moving device is controlled to move to the transition area. When the self-moving device is in the transition area but not in the target area (A area), the self-moving device is controlled to move to enter the target area. Once the self-moving device enters the target area, the moving direction of the self-moving device is adjusted to ensure that it moves towards the charging station and successfully docks. For example, the offset amount of the self-moving device deviating from the center reference line determined by the visual identifier can be calculated to adjust and control to ensure that the self-moving device can quickly dock with the charging station.

[0046] The above embodiment improves the process of returning the self-moving device to the charging station by dividing the transition area and further subdividing the target area from the transition area, and accurately positioning by using visual identifiers, which significantly improves the efficiency of the self-moving device returning to the charging station with low accuracy. Through accurate division of the area around the charging station and setting of the corresponding control logic, even in the case of low positioning accuracy or positioning deviation, the self-moving device can enter the target area adjacent to the charging station position and easily return to the charging station, and then quickly find the direction of the charging station in the target area, move towards the charging station and complete docking. On the one hand, it greatly reduces the need for multiple attempts to randomly walk to reach the front of the charging station due to positioning errors, thereby reducing the time for repeated adjustment and searching for the charging station due to inaccurate positioning, effectively improving the efficiency of the self-moving device returning to the charging seat, on the other hand, it can greatly reduce the failure of the charging due to inaccurate positioning, and ensure that the self-moving device can effectively identify the charging station position and return to the charging station in a complex environment, reducing the blindness and uncertainty of the related path planning method, and improving the success rate of returning to the charging station.

[0047] The moving path of the embodiment is not limited, which can be a straight path, an S-shaped path, an arc-shaped path, etc. In some cases, the straight path has the shortest distance, the self-moving device needs to rotate at a smaller angle, and the efficiency of returning to the charging station is higher. In other cases, the S-shaped path or the arc-shaped path facilitates bypassing obstacles or uneven ground. No matter which area (B area or C area) in the non-target area in the transition area the self-moving device is in, a straight path, an S-shaped path, or an arc-shaped path can be used to move to the target area (A area).

[0048] In one of the embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 3-8, in step S12, the controlling the self-moving device to move to enter the target area includes:

[0049] determining a moving path according to the positional relationship between the current location of the self-moving device and the target area;

[0050] controlling the self-moving device to move according to the moving path to enter the target area.

[0051] Specifically, in the embodiment, when the self-moving device is in the transition area but not in the target area, the self-moving device does not make any action (such as advancing or retreating), but only moves according to the moving path determined according to the positional relationship between the current location and the target area.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a straight line path from a first side area to a target area according to one of the embodiments of the present application.

[0053] In order to control the self-moving device 100 in the first side area (B area) to move to the target area (A area), in one of the embodiments, the moving path can be a straight line path, when the self-moving device 100 is in the transition area but not in the target area, in step S12, the controlling the self-moving device to move to enter the target area includes: when the self-moving device 100 is in the first side area, a perpendicular segment is drawn from the current position of the self-moving device 100 to a center reference line of the charging station, and the perpendicular segment is taken as the moving path.

[0054] In the first side area, the distance between any position in the first side area and the reference position is greater than the second specified distance and less than the first specified distance, and the included angle between the line connecting any position in the first side area and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the first specified angle and less than the second specified angle.

[0055] In the first side area, the distance between any position in the first side area and the reference position is greater than the second specified distance and less than the first specified distance, and the included angle between the line connecting any position in the first side area and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the first specified angle and less than the second specified angle.

[0056] The first specified distance is not limited in the embodiments of the present application, and can be determined according to the maximum distance of visual recognition, for example, 1.5, 2, 3 meters, etc. When the self-moving device 100 is in the area limited by the second specified distance but not in the target area (such as the N area), it may collide with the charging station if it directly moves to the target area. The second specified distance is not limited in the embodiments of the present application, and the second specified distance is, for example, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.5 meters. The first specified angle is not limited in the embodiments of the present application, and the value range of the first specified angle is, for example, 0-20 degrees. As an example, the first specified angle is 15 degrees. The second specified angle is not limited in the embodiments of the present application, as long as it is greater than the first specified angle. The value range of the second specified angle is, for example, greater than the first specified angle and less than 75 degrees. As an example, the second specified angle is 70 degrees. In the embodiments of the present application, the included angle between two straight lines is limited to 0-90 degrees (including both end values), so the value range of the included angle between the connecting direction and the center reference line is not greater than 90 degrees.

[0057] In the above embodiments, by setting the specific geometric parameters (distance and angle relative to the reference position) of the target area and the first side area, the self-moving device 100 can intelligently plan its moving path according to the relative position relationship between the area it is in and the target area. When the self-moving device 100 is located in the first side area adjacent to the target area, a perpendicular segment perpendicular to the center reference line of the charging station is constructed, and this perpendicular segment is taken as the moving path. This method accurately plans the moving path according to the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the predetermined geometric parameters, so that the self-moving device 100 can achieve higher positioning accuracy and docking efficiency when performing charging station docking. Through the precisely defined target area and first side area, and the moving path optimized based on these area parameters, the wandering of the self-moving device 100 around the charging station and the false docking attempts are reduced, the docking efficiency is greatly improved, and unnecessary energy consumption is reduced.

[0058] Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a straight line path from the second side area to the target area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0059] To achieve the control of the self-moving device 100 in the second side area (C area) to move to the target area (A area), in some embodiments, the moving path can be a straight line path, the second side area is defined in the transition area, the distance between any position in the second side area and the reference position is greater than the second specified distance and less than the first specified distance, and the included angle between the line direction of any position in the second side area and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the second specified angle and less than the third specified angle. When the self-moving device 100 is in the transition area but not in the target area, in step S12, the control of the self-moving device moving to enter the target area includes: when the self-moving device 100 is in the second side area, a line segment is drawn from the current position of the self-moving device 100 to a specified position in the target area, and the line segment is taken as the moving path; wherein the included angle between the line segment and the current orientation of the self-moving device 100 is α, and α is obtained according to the following expression:

[0060] α=β-γ;

[0061] Wherein, β is a preset angle, and γ is the included angle between the line direction of the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the center reference line.

[0062] When it is determined that the self-moving device 100 is in the second side area (C area), the self-moving device 100 can be first controlled to rotate a specific angle α in the direction of the target area (A area), and α is for example a preset angle β minus an included angle γ. The present application embodiment does not limit the preset angle, and the value range thereof is for example 140-200 degrees. In actual application, the preset angle can be for example 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190 degrees, etc. As an example, the preset angle is 170 degrees.

[0063] As described above, the specified position is a position calculated according to the current orientation of the self-moving device 100 and the angle α, and the purpose is to avoid the self-moving device from colliding with the charging station. Wherein α is determined according to the preset angle β and the included angle γ. Specifically, the specified position is the intersection point of the straight line where the self-moving device 100 is located after rotating the angle α and the center reference line. The preset angle β is a pre-set angle value used when planning the moving path, which is used to calculate the angle α that the self-moving device 100 should rotate. The selection range of the preset angle β is flexible, and can be determined according to the actual application scenario.

[0064] In a large-scale or complex environment, due to low-precision self-moving device positioning, etc., when the self-moving device is far away from the charging station, there is a risk that the self-moving device 100 cannot find the charging station in a short time by using low-precision GPS navigation. In order to improve the problem that the self-moving device 100 finds the charging station and quickly moves to the transition area in a large-scale or complex environment, in one of the embodiments, when the self-moving device 100 is not in the transition area, the control of the self-moving device 100 moving to the transition area can include: acquiring a third environment image of the surrounding environment of the self-moving device 100 by using a vision module; when the third environment image contains the charging station, determining a travel direction according to the charging station position corresponding to the third environment image, so that the self-moving device 100 moves to the transition area along the travel direction, wherein the vision module can use an AI vision module or other vision module that can lock the direction of the charging station.

[0065] Specifically, the third environment image can be visually recognized to obtain the charging station position. The non-transition area includes, for example, a near area (N area) and a far area (F area) relative to the transition area. The distance between any position in the near area and the reference position is less than the second specified distance, and the included angle between the line connecting any position in the near area and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the first specified angle; the distance between any position in the far area and the reference position is greater than the first specified distance. When the self-moving device 100 is in the near area (N area), it may collide with the charging station if it directly moves to the target area, so it needs to enter the transition area (including A, B, and C areas) first. The charging station position is, for example, the specific position of the charging station determined by visual recognition technology in the third environment image, which is used as key data to guide the self-moving device 100 to move to the transition area.

[0066] The third environment image captured by the vision module and the visual recognition technology improve the moving accuracy of the self-moving device 100 in a complex environment, and ensure that it can effectively find the charging station position and accurately move to the transition area. The self-moving device 100 first captures the third environment image of the surrounding environment by using its vision module. When the third environment image contains the charging station, the third environment image is visually recognized to determine the specific position of the charging station. Then, according to the charging station position, the travel direction is calculated to guide the self-moving device 100 to move to the transition area along the travel direction. In this process, the self-moving device 100 can further dynamically adjust its travel direction by capturing and analyzing the environment image in real time, so as to efficiently and accurately reach the transition area. Therefore, the ability of the self-moving device 100 to find the charging station and move to the transition area in a complex environment will be greatly improved.

[0067] In some embodiments, the moving path can be an S-shaped path or an arc-shaped path. When the self-moving device 100 is in the transition area but not in the target area, the controlling the self-moving device to move into the target area in step S12 can include: determining a specified position in the target area according to the positional relationship between the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the target area; and planning the moving path according to the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the specified position, the moving path being an S-shaped path or an arc-shaped path.

[0068] The S-shaped path or the arc-shaped path refers to a trajectory followed by the self-moving device 100 when moving. The S-shaped path involves a change in continuous curve, while the arc-shaped path is based on a curve of an arc. The specified position is a specific position in the target area, which is determined according to the positional relationship between the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the target area, and serves as the end point of the moving path.

[0069] The above embodiments intelligently plan the moving path according to the relative positional relationship between the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the target area. First, a specified position in the target area is determined, for example, according to the positional relationship between the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the target area. Then, an S-shaped or arc-shaped moving path is planned according to the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the specified position. This path planning takes into account the need to avoid obstacles, minimize moving distance and time, and optimize energy consumption, so that the self-moving device 100 can reach the target area in a way other than a straight path. By using an S-shaped path or an arc-shaped path, the self-moving device 100 can flexibly avoid obstacles in a complex environment, reducing the number of directional adjustments needed, thereby optimizing moving time and energy consumption. In addition, this path planning strategy enhances the reliability and safety of the self-moving device 100 during task execution (such as charging, mowing, etc.), especially in environments with limited space or complex layout.

[0070] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an S-shaped path for moving from a first side area to a target area according to an embodiment of the present application, and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an arc-shaped path for moving from a first side area to a target area according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0071] The embodiments of the present application do not limit the way of determining the specified position, for example, different rules can be adopted to determine the corresponding specified position according to whether the current region of the self-moving device 100 and the target region are adjacent, which can refer to the rules of the straight line moving path described above. In some embodiments, when the self-moving device 100 is in the first side region adjacent to the target region, the specified position in the target region is determined according to the positional relationship between the current region of the self-moving device 100 and the target region, which includes: drawing a perpendicular line segment from the current position of the self-moving device 100 to the center reference line, and taking the intersection point of the perpendicular line segment and the center reference line as the specified position.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an S-shaped path for moving from the second side region to the target region according to an embodiment of the present application, and FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an arc-shaped path for moving from the second side region to the target region according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0073] In some embodiments, when the self-moving device 100 is located in the second side region, the specified position in the target region is determined according to the positional relationship between the current region of the self-moving device 100 and the target region, which includes: taking the intersection point of the straight line where the self-moving device is located after rotating the current orientation of the self-moving device by an angle a and the center reference line as the specified position; a is obtained according to the following expression:

[0074] a = β - γ;

[0075] wherein β is a preset angle, and γ is the included angle between the direction of the line connecting the current position of the self-moving device and the reference position and the center reference line.

[0076] In the above embodiments, when the self-moving device 100 is located in the transition region and adjacent to the first side region of the target region (for example, located in the B region), the specified position is determined by drawing a perpendicular line segment perpendicular to the center reference line. If the self-moving device 100 is not adjacent to the second side region of the target region (for example, located in the C region), a rotation angle a is determined according to a preset angle β and an included angle γ. Then, the orientation of the self-moving device 100 is rotated by the angle a, and the intersection point of the rotated orientation and the center reference line is calculated as the specified position. This process flexibly determines the appropriate specified position, and further plans the S-shaped or arc-shaped moving path, so that the self-moving device 100 can reach the specified position in the target region along the S-shaped or arc-shaped moving path, improves the moving accuracy and efficiency of the self-moving device 100 in complex environment, and makes the self-moving device 100 more flexible to cope with various space layouts.

[0077] Referring to FIGS. 9-15, in another embodiment of the present application, in order to further improve the success rate of the mowing robot returning to the charging base, the present application makes the following improvements on the basis of the above embodiment: before moving according to the movement path, the self-moving device is controlled to retreat, so as to improve the success rate of the mowing robot returning to the charging base. Specifically, in another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, in step S12, the control of the self-moving device moving to enter the target area includes:

[0078] S121: controlling the self-moving device to retreat. As shown in FIGS. 10-15, the self-moving device 10 retreats a preset distance before moving according to the movement path to reach a retreat position.

[0079] S122: determining the movement path according to the positional relationship between the current area where the self-moving device is located and the target area after the self-moving device retreats the preset distance. The size of the preset distance is set to ensure that the self-moving device will not move out of the current area.

[0080] S123: controlling the self-moving device to move according to the movement path to enter the target area.

[0081] By controlling the self-moving device to retreat to the retreat position before moving according to the movement path, the self-moving device has sufficient distance from the reference position after moving to the target area according to the movement path, so as to ensure that the self-moving device can adjust the pose during the movement to the reference position, thereby improving the success rate of returning to the charging base.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 10, FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a straight line path for moving from the first side area to the target area according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0083] In order to realize the control of the self-moving device 100 in the first side area (B area) moving to the target area (A area), in another embodiment, in step S122, the determination of the movement path according to the positional relationship between the current area where the self-moving device is located and the target area includes: when the self-moving device is in the first side area, drawing a perpendicular segment through the current position of the self-moving device perpendicular to the center reference line of the charging station, and taking the perpendicular segment as the movement path. The current position of the self-moving device 100 is the position of the self-moving device after retreating the preset distance. Specifically, when it is determined that the self-moving device is in the first side area, a perpendicular segment is drawn through the position of the self-moving device after retreating the preset distance perpendicular to the center reference line of the charging station, to form the straight line path.

[0084] The first side area is located in the transition area, and a distance between any position in the first side area and the reference position is greater than the second specified distance and less than the first specified distance, and an included angle between a line direction of any position in the first side area and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the first specified angle and less than the second specified angle.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 11, FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a straight line path from a second side area to a target area according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0086] In order to realize the control of the self-moving device 100 in the second side area (C area) moving to the target area (A area), in another embodiment, in step S122, the determining of the moving path according to the positional relationship between the current area of the self-moving device and the target area further includes: when the self-moving device 100 is in the second side area, making a line segment connecting the current position of the self-moving device 100 and a specified position in the target area as the moving path; wherein the current position of the self-moving device 100 is the position after the self-moving device 100 retreats by the preset distance, and an included angle between the line segment and the current orientation of the self-moving device 100 is α, and α is obtained according to the following expression:

[0087] α = β - γ;

[0088] Wherein, β is a preset angle, and γ is an included angle between a line direction of the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the reference position and the center reference line. The second side area is located in the transition area, and a distance between any position in the second side area and the reference position is greater than the second specified distance and less than the first specified distance, and an included angle between a line direction of any position in the second side area and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the second specified angle and less than the third specified angle.

[0089] Referring to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an S-shaped path from a first side area to a target area according to another embodiment of the present application, and FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of an arc-shaped path from a first side area to a target area according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0090] In the above another embodiment, in step S122, the determining of the moving path according to the positional relationship between the current area of the self-moving device and the target area includes:

[0091] According to the positional relationship between the current area of the self-moving device and the target area, a specified position in the target area is determined.

[0092] According to the current position of the self-moving device and the specified position, the moving path is planned, and the moving path is an S-shaped path or an arc-shaped path.

[0093] When the self-moving device 100 is in the first side area adjacent to the target area, in step S122, the specified position in the target area is determined according to the positional relationship between the current area of the self-moving device 100 and the target area, including: when the self-moving device is in the first side area, a perpendicular line segment is drawn through the current position of the self-moving device and perpendicular to the center reference line, and the intersection of the perpendicular line segment and the center reference line is taken as the specified position. Wherein, the current position of the self-moving device is the position of the self-moving device after retreating the preset distance, and the moving path is an S-shaped path as shown in FIG. 12 or an arc-shaped path as shown in FIG. 13 formed between the current position and the specified position.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, FIG. 14 is a schematic view of an S-shaped path for moving from a second side area to a target area according to another embodiment of the present application, and FIG. 15 is a schematic view of an arc-shaped path for moving from a second side area to a target area according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0095] When the self-moving device 100 is in the second side area not adjacent to the target area, in step S122, the specified position in the target area is determined according to the positional relationship between the current area of the self-moving device and the target area, including:

[0096] When the self-moving device is in the second side area, the intersection of the straight line where the self-moving device is located after rotating the current orientation of the self-moving device by an angle α and the center reference line is taken as the specified position; α is obtained according to the following expression:

[0097] α=β-γ;

[0098] Wherein, β is a preset angle, and γ is the included angle between the direction of the line connecting the current position of the self-moving device and the reference position and the center reference line.

[0099] Wherein, the current orientation of the self-moving device is the orientation of the self-moving device after retreating the preset distance, and the moving path is an S-shaped path as shown in FIG. 14 or an arc-shaped path as shown in FIG. 15 formed between the current position and the specified position.

[0100] Referring to FIGS. 16-18, FIG. 16 is a picture of the actual field of view of the self-moving device 100 when located in the target area (i.e., area A), FIG. 17a is a picture of the actual field of view of the self-moving device 100 when located in the first side area (i.e., area B), FIG. 17b is another picture of the actual field of view of the self-moving device 100 when located in the first side area (i.e., area B), FIG. 18a is a picture of the actual field of view of the self-moving device 100 when located in the second side area (i.e., area C), and FIG. 18b is another picture of the actual field of view of the self-moving device 100 when located in the second side area (i.e., area C).

[0101] When the self-moving device 100 is located in area A, the self-moving device can adjust the angle relative to the center reference line while moving toward the charging station to achieve docking with the charging station. When the self-moving device 100 is located in area B, it can quickly move to area A along a direction perpendicular to the center reference line, and then adjust the angle relative to the center reference line while moving toward the charging station in area A to achieve docking with the charging station. When the self-moving device 100 is located in area C, if it moves toward area A along a direction perpendicular to the center reference line, it is easy to collide with the charging station, so it quickly moves from area C to area A along a direction inclined to the center reference line (to avoid the charging station), and then adjusts the angle relative to the center reference line while moving toward the charging station in area A to achieve docking with the charging station.

[0102] It should be noted that in FIGS. 16-18, for each bar-shaped mark (e.g., color band), a plurality of (2 or more) blue straight lines are shown. As described above, in some embodiments of the present application, each bar-shaped mark corresponds to a fitting line, i.e., in actual application, for each bar-shaped mark, one of the plurality of blue straight lines corresponding to the bar-shaped mark can be taken as the fitting line 201 corresponding to the bar-shaped mark, or a new straight line can be calculated based on the plurality of blue straight lines corresponding to the bar-shaped mark as the fitting line.

[0103] In the charging docking process, the auxiliary positioning module used in the related art can not accurately identify the relative position between the self-moving device 100 and the charging station, especially in the case of changing environmental conditions or blocked vision. The present application can use the vision module and vision recognition technology to obtain position information (including the first position information and the second position information below), thereby realizing the positioning function of the self-moving device 100 when returning to the charging station.

[0104] In some embodiments, the controlling the self-moving device 100 to move along the moving path to enter the target area comprises: acquiring, by a vision module, a first environment image of the surrounding environment of the self-moving device 100; performing visual recognition on the first environment image to obtain first position information of the self-moving device 100 and first position information of the center reference line; calculating a first distance between the self-moving device 100 and the center reference line according to the first position information of the self-moving device 100 and the first position information of the center reference line; and controlling the self-moving device 100 to travel the first distance along the moving path so that the self-moving device 100 moves to the target area.

[0105] The vision module, for example, includes one or more camera modules, and is capable of acquiring environment images (including the first environment image and the second environment image, the third environment image, etc. below) of the surrounding environment of the self-moving device 100. The first environment image can be a raw image captured by the camera module, a pre-processed image, or an image after specific image processing (such as grayscale, binarization, etc.). Visual recognition identifies specific objects, patterns, or markers, etc. by analyzing environment images, and is used to determine the position information of the self-moving device 100 and the center reference line. The first position information refers to the position data of the self-moving device 100 or the center reference line obtained from the first environment image through visual recognition technology. The first distance refers to the shortest straight-line distance from the current position of the self-moving device 100 to the center reference line.

[0106] In the above embodiment, first, the first environment image is acquired by the vision module, and the position of the self-moving device 100 and the position of the center reference line are identified through visual recognition technology. Then, according to these position information, the vertical distance (i.e. the first distance) from the self-moving device 100 to the center reference line is calculated. Finally, the self-moving device 100 moves along the moving path towards the center reference line according to the calculated first distance, thereby realizing the self-moving device 100 from the first side area (B area) to the target area (A area). This moving control method based on visual recognition and accurate calculation enables the self-moving device 100 to accurately adjust its travel path to achieve precise docking, without the need for the participation of auxiliary positioning modules (such as GPS, UWB modules). In this way, the self-moving device 100 can achieve significant improvement in positioning accuracy and docking efficiency when docking at the charging station. Through the vision module and visual recognition technology, the self-moving device 100 can acquire and analyze image information of the surrounding environment in real time, ensuring that its positioning of the center reference line is more accurate. This method not only reduces the time consumption of the self-moving device 100 in searching for the charging station, but also greatly reduces the risk of docking failure due to positioning errors.

[0107] When the self-moving device 100 is in the second side area (C area), in some embodiments, the controlling the self-moving device to move along the moving path to enter the target area can include: acquiring a second environment image of the surrounding environment of the self-moving device 100 by using a vision module; performing visual recognition on the second environment image to obtain second position information of the self-moving device 100 and second position information of the center reference line; calculating a second distance between the self-moving device 100 and the specified position according to the second position information of the self-moving device 100 and the second position information of the center reference line; and controlling the self-moving device 100 to travel the second distance along the moving path, so that the self-moving device 100 moves to the target area.

[0108] The second distance is the distance between the current position of the self-moving device 100 and the specified position.

[0109] In the above embodiment, first, a second environment image of the surrounding environment is captured by using a vision module on the self-moving device 100, and second position information of the self-moving device 100 and second position information of the center reference line are obtained by using a visual recognition technology. Then, a second distance traveled to reach the specified position is calculated according to the second position information. Finally, the self-moving device 100 travels the second distance along the moving path (here, a straight line path along the connecting segment), so as to quickly reach the target area.

[0110] The above embodiment can make the self-moving device 100 directly and efficiently move to the target area by accurately calculating the rotation angle a and the second distance, and reduce unnecessary movement and adjustment time. In addition, the vision module and the visual recognition technology are used for positioning, and the dependence on an auxiliary positioning module is reduced.

[0111] The embodiments of the present application also provide a self-moving device 100, which comprises a control module (not shown in the figure), and the control module is used for executing any one of the above methods.

[0112] In some embodiments, the self-moving device 100 can also comprise a vision module (not shown in the figure) for acquiring an environment image of the surrounding environment of the self-moving device.

[0113] It should be noted that although some embodiments of the present application take a lawn mowing robot as an example, the present application can be applied to other self-moving devices, and the present application is not limited in this regard.

[0114] It can be understood that the specific examples in the present specification are only used to help those skilled in the art better understand the embodiments of the present application, and do not limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0115] It can be understood that, in various embodiments of the present specification, the size of the sequence number of each process does not mean the order of execution, and the execution order of each process should be determined according to its function and inherent logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the present application.

[0116] It can be understood that the various embodiments described in the present specification can be implemented alone or in combination, and the present application does not limit this.

[0117] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in the present specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present specification belongs. The terms used in the present specification are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present specification. The term "and / or" used in the present specification includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items. The singular forms "a", "an" and "the" used in the present specification and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0118] Those of ordinary skill in the art can realize that the units and algorithm steps of each example described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be realized in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether the functions are performed in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the present specification.

[0119] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of the description, the specific working processes of the above-described embodiments can refer to the corresponding processes in other embodiments, which will not be described here. The above is only a specific implementation of the present specification, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily think of changes or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present specification, which should be covered within the protection scope of the present specification. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the docking of a self-moving device with a charging station, characterized in that, The method comprises: determining a region where the self-moving device is currently located; controlling the self-moving device to move to a transition region when the self-moving device is not in the transition region, wherein a target region is defined in the transition region, and the target region is determined by a visual identifier of the charging station; controlling the self-moving device to move to enter the target region when the self-moving device is in the transition region but not in the target region; controlling the self-moving device to move to dock with the charging station when the self-moving device is in the target region; wherein a distance between any position in the target region and a reference position of the charging station is less than a first specified distance, and an included angle between a line connecting any position in the target region and the reference position and a center reference line determined by the visual identifier is less than a first specified angle, and the reference position is located on the center reference line.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The controlling the self-moving device to move to enter the target region comprises: controlling the self-moving device to move backward; determining a moving path according to a positional relationship between a region where the self-moving device is currently located and the target region after the self-moving device moves backward by a preset distance; controlling the self-moving device to move according to the moving path to enter the target region.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The determining the moving path according to the positional relationship between the region where the self-moving device is currently located and the target region comprises: when the self-moving device is in a first side region, drawing a perpendicular line segment from a current position of the self-moving device to a center reference line of the charging station, and taking the perpendicular line segment as the moving path; wherein the first side region is located in the transition region, and a distance between any position in the first side region and the reference position is greater than a second specified distance and less than the first specified distance, and an included angle between a line connecting any position in the first side region and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the first specified angle and less than a second specified angle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The determining the moving path according to the positional relationship between the region where the self-moving device is currently located and the target region further comprises: when the self-moving device is in a second side region, drawing a line connecting segment from the current position of the self-moving device to a specified position in the target region, and taking the line connecting segment as the moving path; wherein an included angle between the line connecting segment and a current orientation of the self-moving device is α, and α is obtained according to the following expression: α=β-γ; wherein β is a preset angle, and γ is an included angle between a line connecting direction of the current position of the self-moving device and the reference position and the center reference line; wherein the second side region is located in the transition region, and a distance between any position in the second side region and the reference position is greater than the second specified distance and less than the first specified distance, and an included angle between a line connecting direction of any position in the second side region and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the second specified angle and less than a third specified angle.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein, The moving path is determined according to a positional relationship between a current region where the self-moving device is located and the target region, and the moving path comprises: A specified position in the target region is determined according to a positional relationship between a current region where the self-moving device is located and the target region; The moving path is planned according to the current position of the self-moving device and the specified position, and the moving path is an S-shaped path or an arc-shaped path.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The specified position in the target region is determined according to a positional relationship between a current region where the self-moving device is located and the target region, and the specified position comprises: When the self-moving device is in a first side region, a perpendicular line segment is drawn from the current position of the self-moving device and perpendicular to the center reference line, and an intersection point of the perpendicular line segment and the center reference line is taken as the specified position; The first side region is located in the transition region, and a distance between any position in the first side region and the reference position is greater than a second specified distance and less than the first specified distance, and an included angle between a line connecting any position in the first side region and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the first specified angle and less than a second specified angle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The specified position in the target region is determined according to a positional relationship between a current region where the self-moving device is located and the target region, and the specified position comprises: When the self-moving device is in a second side region, an intersection point of a straight line where the self-moving device is located after being rotated by an angle of α and the center reference line is taken as the specified position, and α is obtained according to the following expression: α=β-γ; β is a preset angle, and γ is an included angle between a line connecting the current position of the self-moving device and the reference position and the center reference line; The second side region is located in the transition region, and a distance between any position in the second side region and the reference position is greater than the second specified distance and less than the first specified distance, and an included angle between a line connecting any position in the second side region and the reference position and the center reference line is greater than the second specified angle and less than a third specified angle.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein, The self-moving device is controlled to move according to the moving path to enter the target region, and the controlling comprises: A first environment image of a surrounding environment of the self-moving device is obtained by using a vision module; First position information of the self-moving device and first position information of the center reference line are obtained by performing visual recognition on the first environment image; A first distance between the self-moving device and the center reference line is calculated according to the first position information of the self-moving device and the first position information of the center reference line; The self-moving device is controlled to travel the first distance along the moving path, so that the self-moving device moves to the target region.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein, The self-moving device is controlled to move according to the moving path to enter the target region, and the controlling comprises: A second environment image of a surrounding environment of the self-moving device is obtained by using a vision module; visually recognizing the second environment image to obtain second position information of the self-moving device and second position information of the center reference line; calculating a second distance between the self-moving device and a specified position in the target region according to the second position information of the self-moving device and the second position information of the center reference line; controlling the self-moving device to travel the second distance along the moving path, so as to move the self-moving device to the target region.

10. A self-moving device, characterized in that, A control module is included, and the control module is configured to execute the method in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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