Method and apparatus for passage of robot device, and device and storage medium

Abstract

A method (400) for passage of a robot device (110). The method comprises: in response to receiving an instruction for travelling to a destination, determining a path for travelling to the destination; during the process of travelling along the path towards the destination, detecting arrival at a target location; identifying a target object at the target location; and executing a trigger operation on the target object. Thus, a robot device can autonomously take an elevator or pass through entry / exit devices such as turnstiles and access control devices. Further disclosed are an apparatus for passage of a robot device, and an electronic device, a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program product. The method is simple and convenient, improves the passage efficiency of robot devices, and reduces costs.

Description

Method, apparatus, device and storage medium for robot device passage TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Example embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of computers, and more particularly to a method, apparatus, device and computer readable storage medium for robot device passage. BACKGROUND

[0002] In recent years, robot device technology has been rapidly developed and has been widely used in multiple technical fields. For example, more and more robot devices are deployed in buildings. In such application scenarios, robot devices need to pass through the building smoothly. This requires solving the problem of how robot devices autonomously take the elevator, pass through the gate, pass through the access control, etc.

[0003] SUMMARY

[0004] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for robot device passage is provided. The method comprises: in response to receiving an instruction to a destination, determining a path to the destination; detecting a target location during travel along the path to the destination; identifying a target object at the target location; and performing a triggering operation on the target object.

[0005] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for robot device passage is provided. The apparatus comprises: a path determination module configured to determine a path to a destination in response to receiving an instruction to the destination; a location detection module configured to detect a target location during travel along the path to the destination; an object identification module configured to identify a target object at the target location; and an operation execution module configured to perform a triggering operation on the target object.

[0006] In a third aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The device comprises at least one processing unit; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the electronic device to perform the method of the first aspect.

[0007] In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer readable storage medium is provided. The medium has stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements the method of the first aspect.

[0008] In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided. The product comprises a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements the method according to the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0009] It should be understood that the content described in this part of the content is not intended to limit the key features or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become apparent through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent by describing in detail the following embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements, in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an example environment in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented;

[0012] FIG. 2 shows an example of a flow for robot device access according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] FIG. 3 shows an example of a flow for robot device access according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method for robot device access according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0015] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary structural block diagram of an apparatus for robot device access according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0016] FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a computing device in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] It can be understood that, before using the technical solutions disclosed by the embodiments of the present disclosure, the type of personal information involved in the present disclosure, the scope of use, the scenario of use, etc. should be informed to the user and the authorization of the user should be obtained through appropriate means according to relevant laws and regulations.

[0018] For example, in response to receiving the active request of the user, prompt information is sent to the user to explicitly prompt the user that the operation requested to be performed will require obtaining and using the personal information of the user. Thus, the user can voluntarily choose whether to provide personal information to the software or hardware such as electronic devices, application programs, servers or storage media that perform the operation of the technical solutions of the present disclosure according to the prompt information.

[0019] As an optional but non-limiting implementation manner, in response to receiving the active request of the user, the manner of sending prompt information to the user may, for example, be a pop-up window manner, in which the prompt information can be presented in the form of text. In addition, the pop-up window can also carry selection controls for the user to select "agree" or "disagree" to provide personal information to the electronic device.

[0020] It can be understood that the above notification and user authorization obtaining process is only illustrative, and does not limit the implementation of the present disclosure, and other ways that meet the relevant laws and regulations can also be applied to the implementation of the present disclosure.

[0021] It can be understood that the data involved in the technical solution (including but not limited to the data itself, the acquisition or use of the data) should comply with the requirements of the relevant laws and regulations and the relevant provisions.

[0022] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms, and should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but rather, these embodiments are provided to more thoroughly and completely understand the present disclosure. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are only for exemplary purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0023] It should be noted that the titles of any section / subsection provided herein are not limiting. Various embodiments are described throughout this document, and any type of embodiment can be included under any section / subsection. Furthermore, embodiments described in any section / subsection can be combined with any other embodiment described in the same section / subsection and / or in a different section / subsection in any manner.

[0024] In this document, unless explicitly stated otherwise, performing a step “in response to” A does not mean that the step is performed immediately after A, but can include one or more intervening steps.

[0025] In the description of embodiments of the present disclosure, the term “comprising” and its similar terms are understood to be open-ended, i.e., “including but not limited to”. The term “based on” is understood to mean “based, at least in part, on”. The term “one embodiment” or “the embodiment” is understood to mean “at least one embodiment”. The term “some embodiments” is understood to mean “at least some embodiments”. Other explicit and implicit definitions can also be included below. The terms “first”, “second”, etc. can refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions can also be included below.

[0026] In the application scenario of deploying a robot device to a building, the robot device needs to smoothly pass through the building. In order for the robot device to be able to take the elevator, pass through the gate, pass through the access control, etc., traditionally, the elevator, the gate, the access control, etc. need to be modified. For example, a control module and a communication module can be added to the elevator, the gate, the access control, etc. to communicate with the robot device, so that the robot device can take the elevator or pass through the gate, the access control, etc. This modification increases the manufacturing complexity and cost of the access device.

[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure propose a robot device passing scheme. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, after a robot device receives an instruction to a destination, a path to the destination is determined. During the robot device travels to the destination along the path, a target location is detected. Then, the robot device identifies a target object at the target location. For example, the robot device can identify the target object of the target location through an image capturing device. The target object can be a lift button, a card swiping area of a gate or access control, etc. After identifying the target object, the robot device performs a triggering operation on the target object. For example, the robot device can press the lift button through a triggering module similar to a hand, or perform a card swiping operation on the card swiping area of the gate or access control, etc.

[0028] In this way, without installing a control module on the target object or related device, without modifying the target object or related device, the robot device can autonomously take the elevator or pass through the gate, access control, etc. This way is simple and convenient, improves the passing efficiency of the robot device, and reduces the cost.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an example environment 100 in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. In the environment 100, a robot device (also referred to as “robot”) 110 is deployed. In embodiments of the present disclosure, the robot device 110 can be used for various suitable purposes. For example, the robot device 110 can be deployed in a building.

[0030] The robot device 110 can include a control module 115 to control the actions of the robot device 110. In a building application scenario, the control module 115 can be used to plan a moving path of the robot device 110, control the travel and other operations of the robot device 110, etc.

[0031] The control module 115 can be any type of microcontroller, programmable logic controller, industrial computer, single-board computer, field programmable gate array, digital signal processor, multi-core processor, or any combination of the foregoing, including accessories and peripherals of these devices or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the control module 115 can control the robot device 110 based on control instructions generated by itself.

[0032] In some embodiments, the operation of the robotic device 110 can be controlled via a server (not shown). The server can receive relevant data of various tasks and control the operation of the robotic device 110 in a remote manner. In some embodiments, the robotic device 110 can be connected to and communicate with the server via a network. The robotic device 110 can send relevant data of various tasks performed by the robotic device 110 to the server in real time. For example, the control module 115 collects data of the robotic device 110 and communicates with the server via the network to send the data to the server. The server determines control instructions for the robotic device according to the acquired data and sends the control instructions to the control module 115. The control module 115 controls the robotic device 110 based on the received control instructions. The server can be various types of computing systems / servers capable of providing computing power, including but not limited to mainframes, edge computing nodes, computing devices in cloud environments, etc.

[0033] In the environment 100, the robotic device 110 can include an image capturing module, which can capture images in the surrounding environment to identify target locations (e.g., a waiting area of the elevator 120), target objects (e.g., the elevator call button 125), etc. in the environment 100. For example, the eye 130 of the robotic device 110 can be provided with a fisheye camera that increases the field of view angle as the image capturing module.

[0034] The hand 135 of the robotic device 110 can be provided with a triggering module. The triggering module can include a tactile sensor for pressing the elevator call button 125 or a floor button (not shown) in the elevator. Alternatively or additionally, the triggering module can include a card swiping device for performing a card swiping operation on a gate or access control.

[0035] It should be understood that the structure and function of various elements in the environment 100 are described for illustrative purposes only, without implying any limitation on the scope of the present disclosure.

[0036] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, after receiving an instruction to a destination, the robotic device 110 can plan a path and identify target locations and target objects along the way and perform triggering operations on the target objects, e.g., pressing the elevator call button 125 or performing a card swiping operation on a gate or access control. In this way, the robotic device 110 can pass freely and efficiently.

[0037] The method for robot device navigation shown in embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented at the robot device 110. Specifically, the method can be implemented at the control module 115 in the robot device 110. In some embodiments, the method can also be implemented by the robot device 110 / control module 115 in cooperation with a server. For convenience of description, the method is exemplarily described below by taking an example in which the method is implemented at the robot device 110.

[0038] The robot device 110 can receive the instruction via any appropriate manner. For example, the robot device 110 can be configured with an instruction acquisition module, which can include a microphone, a display screen, and the like. The robot device 110 can receive a user input in the form of voice, a user input in the form of text, or a user input in the form of gesture via the instruction acquisition module. The robot device 110 can analyze the received user input to determine the corresponding instruction. For another example, the robot device 110 can generate an instruction for controlling itself based on an environment in which the robot device 110 is located. For yet another example, the robot device 110 can also receive an instruction sent by a server via communication between the robot device 110 and the server. The present disclosure does not limit the specific manner of receiving the instruction.

[0039] The robot device 110 can analyze the received instruction. If the robot device 110 determines that the received instruction is an instruction to a destination, the robot device 110 can determine a path to the destination in response to receiving the instruction. The robot device 110 can determine the path in any appropriate manner. Exemplarily, the robot device 110 can determine the path to the destination based on a location of the robot device 110 (i.e., a start location of the path), information of a physical scene in which the robot device 110 is located, and a location of the destination (i.e., an end location of the path) using any appropriate algorithm (e.g., a fastest shortest path algorithm, a bidirectional search algorithm, a grid algorithm, and the like).

[0040] The information of the physical scene in which the robot device 110 is located includes, but is not limited to, road information in the scene, current navigation information, static obstacle information (e.g., goods placed in the scene) in the scene, and dynamic obstacle information (e.g., pedestrians, other robot devices in the scene) in the scene. If the physical scene in which the robot device 110 is located is inside a building, the information of the physical scene in which the robot device 110 is located can further include structural information of the building, for example. Taking a building as an example, the structural information of the building can indicate a number of floors of the building (i.e., how many floors the building includes), a layout of at least one room in the building (i.e., where each room is located in the building), a location of at least one staircase, a location of at least one elevator, and the like.

[0041] The information of the physical scene where the robotic device 110 is located can be information acquired by the robotic device 110 via its own acquisition device (e.g., can include a camera, a radar, etc.). The information of the physical scene where the robotic device 110 is located can also be information pre-acquired by other devices, which the robotic device 110 can acquire from the other devices via communication between the robotic device 110 and the other devices.

[0042] After determining the path to the destination, the robotic device 110 can travel along the path to the destination. The robotic device 110 can detect whether it reaches a target location during the travel along the path to the destination. The target location can include, for example, an important location in the path. The robotic device 110 can determine the target location based on the target path and the environment where the robotic device 110 is located. For example, if the target path indicates that the robotic device 110 needs to take an elevator, the target location can be a waiting area of the elevator before taking the elevator. During the travel in the elevator, the target location can be inside the elevator, etc. The robotic device 110 can determine that it reaches the target location, for example, in response to a distance between the location where the robotic device 110 is located and the target location being less than a threshold distance. The robotic device 110 can also acquire images of the environment around the robotic device 110 via a camera and recognize the acquired images to determine whether it reaches the target location.

[0043] The robotic device 110 can recognize a target object at the target location and perform a trigger operation on the target object in response to detecting that it reaches the target location. In some embodiments, the destination and the location where the robotic device 110 is located can be located in different floors, and the floor where the destination is located can be determined as a target floor. The robotic device 110 can determine that it needs to take an elevator to the target floor. Before taking the elevator, the target location can include a waiting area of the elevator, and the target object can include a button (also referred to as an elevator button) for requesting taking the elevator. During the travel in the elevator, the target location can include inside the elevator, and the target object can include a button for the target floor. This example is described below in connection with FIG. 2. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a flow 200 for robotic device travel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the robotic device 110 can travel to the target floor along a path (202), which can indicate that the robotic device 110 takes an elevator to the target floor. Before taking the elevator, the robotic device 110 can determine a waiting area of the elevator as the target location, and an elevator button as the target object. The robotic device 110 can recognize the elevator button at the waiting area of the elevator (206) in response to moving to the waiting area of the elevator (204).

[0045] The robotic device 110 may, for example, obtain an image of the target location (e.g., capture an image of the target location via a camera), and identify the elevator call button based on the image. Illustratively, the robotic device 110 may, with the aid of a trained image recognition model, identify the image. The robotic device 110 may provide the image to the image recognition model, and obtain a model output of the image recognition model. The model output may indicate whether the elevator call button is successfully identified. For example, if the image recognition model identifies the elevator call button from the image, the model output may indicate that the elevator call button is successfully identified. If the image recognition model does not identify the elevator call button from the image, the model output may indicate that the elevator call button is not successfully identified.

[0046] The robotic device 110 may, for example, determine whether the elevator call button is successfully identified based on the received model output (208). If it is determined that the elevator call button is not successfully identified, the robotic device 110 may re-obtain an image of the target location, and re-identify the elevator call button based on the image. If it is determined that the elevator call button is successfully identified, the robotic device 110 may, for example, determine a location of the elevator call button based on the model output. The robotic device 110 may, for example, control the hand 135 of the robotic device 110 to perform a triggering operation on the elevator call button (210) to activate the elevator call button based on the location of the elevator call button. It is to be understood that the robotic device 110 may employ any suitable manner to determine whether the elevator call button is successfully identified, in addition to with the aid of a model.

[0047] In some embodiments, the elevator call button may have been previously activated by another user or another robotic device, and the robotic device 110, after successfully identifying the elevator call button, may determine whether the elevator call button has been activated. For example, the robotic device 110 may obtain an image of the elevator call button, and determine whether the elevator call button is activated based on a state of the elevator call button in the image. The robotic device 110 may employ any suitable manner to determine the state of the elevator call button. If the elevator call button is in a lighted state in the image, the robotic device 110 may determine that the elevator call button has been activated, and may determine that the elevator call button does not need to be activated again. If the elevator call button is in a darkened state in the image, the robotic device 110 may determine that the elevator call button has not been activated. The robotic device 110 may, in response to determining that the elevator call button has not been activated, control the hand 135 of the robotic device 110 to activate the elevator call button based on the location of the elevator call button. The robotic device 110 may, for example, press the button with a first pressure to activate the elevator call button.

[0048] After the robot device 110 performs the triggering operation on the call button, the robot device 110 can detect (212) whether the call button is successfully activated. For example, after performing the triggering operation on the call button, if the robot device 110 determines that the call button is in the lighted state, the robot device 110 can determine that the call button is successfully activated. After performing the triggering operation on the call button, if the robot device 110 determines that the call button is still in the dark state, the robot device 110 can determine that the call button is not successfully activated. If the call button is successfully activated, the robot device 110 can store the value of the first pressure (216). The robot device 110 can subsequently perform the triggering operation on the call button at the first pressure based on the stored value of the first pressure. If the call button is not successfully activated, the robot device 110 can increase the pressure at which the call button is pressed (214). The robot device 110 can press the call button at a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure to perform the triggering operation on the call button again. It can be appreciated that after the robot device 110 performs the triggering operation on the call button at the second pressure and the call button is successfully activated, the robot device 110 can store the value of the second pressure to subsequently perform the triggering operation on the call button at the second pressure.

[0049] After the call button is successfully activated, the robot device 110 can detect (218) whether the elevator has arrived. The robot device 110 can detect whether the elevator has arrived in any manner. For example, the robot device 110 can determine that the elevator has arrived in response to the elevator door opening. If it is detected that the elevator has not arrived, the robot device 110 can continue to detect until it is detected that the elevator has arrived. If it is detected that the elevator has arrived, the robot device 110 can detect whether a free area in the elevator is sufficient to accommodate the robot device 110. The free area should be a relatively complete area that allows the robot device 110 to stay safely.

[0050] The robot device 110 can detect whether the free area in the elevator is sufficient to accommodate the robot device 110 in any manner. For example, the robot device 110 can capture images in the elevator and model the space in the elevator based on the images. The robot device 110 can determine whether the free area in the elevator is sufficient to accommodate the robot device 110 based on the modeling result of the space in the elevator.

[0051] The robotic device 110 can continue to stay in the waiting area of the elevator to wait (222) for the next elevator in response to determining that the free area within the elevator is not sufficient to accommodate the robotic device 110. The robotic device 110 can enter (224) the elevator in response to determining that the free area within the elevator is sufficient to accommodate the robotic device 110. In some embodiments, the robotic device 110 can also detect whether there is an obstacle on the path from the entrance of the elevator to the free area of the elevator. The robotic device 110 can issue an avoidance prompt in response to detecting that there is an obstacle on the path from the entrance of the elevator to the free area of the elevator. The avoidance prompt can be any suitable type of prompt, such as a voice type, a video type, a text type, etc. For example, the robotic device 110 can issue an avoidance voice in response to detecting that there is a user on the path from the entrance of the elevator to the free area of the elevator, which can instruct the user to move position to let the robotic device 110 go to the free area.

[0052] After the robotic device 110 enters the elevator, the robotic device 110 can determine that the current target location includes within the elevator and that the target object includes a button for the target floor. The robotic device 110 can identify (226) the button for the target floor in response to itself currently being within the elevator. The robotic device 110 can determine whether the button for the target floor is successfully identified (228) in a similar manner as identifying the boarding button. The robotic device 110 can continue to capture images within the elevator to identify the button for the target floor in response to the button for the target floor not being successfully identified. The robotic device 110 can determine the location of the button for the target floor in response to the button for the target floor being successfully identified. The robotic device 110 can perform a triggering operation (230) on the button for the target floor based on the location of the button to activate the button. Similarly, the robotic device 110 can also detect (232) whether the button for the target floor is activated. In the case that the button is successfully activated, the robotic device 110 can determine that the elevator will stop at the target floor.

[0053] The robotic device 110 can detect (234) the floor information in response to detecting that the elevator stops. The floor information can indicate the floor that the elevator currently stops at. Illustratively, the robotic device 110 can determine the floor that the elevator currently stops at by identifying which of the plurality of buttons within the elevator that was previously activated is deactivated through an image capturing device (e.g., a camera). For example, if the buttons within the elevator corresponding to a first floor, a second floor, and a third floor are in an activated state, the robotic device 110 can determine that the elevator currently stops at the first floor in response to detecting that the elevator stops and detecting that the button corresponding to the first floor is deactivated.

[0054] Exemplarily, the robotic device 110 can also identify the floor identification through the image capturing device. A display screen can be provided in the elevator, which presents the floor identification indicating the current floor of the elevator. Alternatively or additionally, the elevator can open the elevator door in response to being in the stopped state. A floor indicator can be provided at the entrance of the elevator at each floor, which presents the identification of the current floor (e.g., a number indicating the current floor). Thus, the robotic device 110 can determine the current floor of the elevator by identifying the floor identification.

[0055] The robotic device 110 can detect (236) whether the elevator reaches the target floor. For example, the robotic device 110 can determine the current floor of the elevator in response to the elevator being stopped. The robotic device 110 can determine that the elevator does not reach the target floor in response to the current floor of the elevator being different from the target floor. The robotic device 110 can continue to stay in the elevator and keep detecting whether the elevator reaches the target floor. The robotic device 110 can determine that the elevator reaches the target floor in response to the current floor of the elevator being the same as the target floor. The robotic device 110 can exit (238) the elevator after the door of the elevator is opened to reach the target floor in response to determining that the elevator reaches the target floor.

[0056] In some embodiments, there can also be an access device between the destination and the location where the robotic device 110 is located, and the target location can include the location where the access device is located if the path for the robotic device 110 to reach the destination indicates that the robotic device 110 needs to pass through the access device, and the target object can include, for example, the card swiping area of the access device. The access device can include, for example, a turnstile, a gate, etc. An example of this is described below in connection with FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a flow 300 for robotic device access according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0057] The robotic device 110 can move (304) to the access device in the process of reaching the destination along the path. The robotic device 110 can identify the card swiping area of the access device. The robotic device 110 can identify the card swiping area of the access device in any suitable manner, similar to identifying the elevator button as described above. The robotic device 110 can determine whether the card swiping area is successfully identified (308). The robotic device 110 can determine that the identification is successful in response to identifying the card swiping area, and determine that the identification fails in response to not identifying the card swiping area.

[0058] The robotic device 110 can continue to acquire images of the target location and continuously identify the card swiping area of the access device based on the images in response to the identification failing. The robotic device 110 can control the hand of the robotic device 110 to perform (310) a card swiping operation on the card swiping area to perform the triggering operation on the target object in response to the identification succeeding. The hand of the robotic device 110 can be configured with a pass card for indicating the access device to be opened. For example, the pass card can be fixedly installed on the hand of the robotic device 110.

[0059] The robotic device 110 can further detect (312) whether the card swiping operation succeeds. For example, the robotic device 110 can emit a prompt information (e.g., a prompt sound) in response to the card swiping operation succeeding, and the robotic device 110 can determine that the card swiping operation succeeds in response to detecting the prompt information. In some embodiments, the robotic device 110 can pass through the access device in response to the card swiping operation succeeding. For example, if the access device is a gate, the robotic device 110 can directly pass (314) through the access device in response to the card swiping operation succeeding.

[0060] Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, if the access device includes a door, the robotic device 110 can further detect (316) whether the door is automatically opened in response to the card swiping operation succeeding. The robotic device 110 can employ any suitable manner to detect whether the door is automatically opened. For example, the robotic device 110 can acquire a plurality of door images within a predetermined time period (e.g., 3 seconds, 5 seconds, etc.) after the card swiping succeeds, and determine whether the door is automatically opened based on a position change of the door in the plurality of door images. The robotic device 110 can directly pass (318) through the door in response to detecting that the door is automatically opened.

[0061] The robotic device 110 can further identify (320) a handle of the door in response to detecting that the door is not automatically opened. The robotic device 110 can likewise employ any suitable manner to identify the handle. For example, the robotic device 110 can acquire an image of the door, and identify the handle of the door based on the image. The robotic device 110 can control (322) the handle of the door to open the door after identifying the handle of the door. The robotic device 110 can further determine a type of the door, for example, and determine a corresponding opening manner based on the type of the door. For example, if the door is a door that can be horizontally pulled, the robotic device 110 can control the hand to horizontally pull the handle of the door to open the door. If the door is a push-pull type door, the robotic device 110 can control the hand to press the handle and push or pull the door to open the door. Thus, the robotic device 110 can control the hand to perform a corresponding operation to open the door. The robotic device 110 can pass (324) through the access device, i.e., the door, in response to the door being opened.

[0062] In summary, the robotic device can autonomously take an elevator or pass through a gate, access control, etc. This way is simple and convenient, improves the passing efficiency of the robotic device, and reduces the cost.

[0063] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method 400 for robotic device passing, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, the method 400 can be implemented at the robotic device 110. By way of example only, the method 400 is described with respect to the control module 115.

[0064] At block 410, the control module 115 determines a path to a destination in response to receiving an instruction to the destination.

[0065] At block 420, the control module 115 detects a target location during travel along the path to the destination.

[0066] At block 430, the control module 115 identifies a target object at the target location.

[0067] At block 440, the control module 115 performs a triggering operation on the target object.

[0068] In some embodiments, the target location includes a waiting area of an elevator, and the target object includes a button for requesting to take the elevator.

[0069] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: in response to detecting that the elevator arrives, detecting whether a free area within the elevator is sufficient to accommodate the robotic device; and in response to detecting that the free area is sufficient to accommodate the robotic device, entering the elevator.

[0070] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: in response to detecting that there is an obstacle on a path from an entrance of the elevator to the free area of the elevator, issuing an avoidance prompt.

[0071] In some embodiments, the target location includes within an elevator, and the target object includes a button for a target floor.

[0072] In some embodiments, performing the triggering operation on the target object includes: pressing the button with a first pressure.

[0073] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: in response to detecting that the button is not activated, pressing the button with a second pressure greater than the first pressure.

[0074] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: in response to detecting that the button is activated, storing a value of the first pressure.

[0075] In some embodiments, the method 400 further includes: detecting arrival at the target floor; and exiting the elevator after a door of the elevator is opened.

[0076] In some embodiments, detecting reaching the target floor comprises, in response to detecting that the elevator stops, identifying, by the image capturing device, at least one of the following: a floor identification indicating the target floor or a button for the target floor being deactivated.

[0077] In some embodiments, the target location comprises an access device, and the target object comprises a card swiping area of the access device, and performing the triggering operation on the target object comprises performing a card swiping operation on the card swiping area.

[0078] In some embodiments, the method 400 further comprises, in response to the card swiping operation being successful, passing through the access device.

[0079] In some embodiments, the access device comprises a gate, and the method 400 further comprises, in response to the card swiping operation being successful, detecting whether the gate is automatically opened; in response to detecting that the gate is not automatically opened, identifying a handle of the gate; and controlling the handle of the gate to open the gate.

[0080] Embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a corresponding apparatus for implementing the above method or process. FIG. 5 shows an exemplary structural block diagram of an apparatus 500 for robot device access, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The apparatus 500 can be implemented as or included in the robot device 110. Various modules / components in the apparatus 500 can be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 5, the apparatus 500 includes a path determination module 510 configured to determine a path to a destination in response to receiving an instruction to the destination. The apparatus 500 further includes a location detection module 520 configured to detect reaching a target location in the process of traveling along the path to the destination. The apparatus 500 further includes an object identification module 530 configured to identify a target object at the target location. The apparatus 500 further includes an operation execution module 540 configured to perform a triggering operation on the target object.

[0082] In some embodiments, the target location comprises a waiting area of an elevator, and the target object comprises a button for requesting to take the elevator.

[0083] In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 further includes a region detection module configured to, in response to detecting that the elevator arrives, detect whether a free region in the elevator is sufficient to accommodate the robot device, and an entering module configured to, in response to detecting that the free region is sufficient to accommodate the robot device, enter the elevator.

[0084] In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 further includes a prompting module configured to, in response to detecting that there is an obstacle on a path from an entrance of the elevator to the free region of the elevator, issue an avoidance prompt.

[0085] In some embodiments, the target location comprises inside an elevator, and the target object comprises a button for a target floor.

[0086] In some embodiments, the operation execution module 540 is further configured to press the button with a first pressure.

[0087] In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 further comprises a pressing module configured to press the button with a second pressure greater than the first pressure in response to detecting that the button is not activated.

[0088] In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 further comprises a pressure value storage module configured to store a value of the first pressure in response to detecting that the button is activated.

[0089] In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 further comprises a floor detection module configured to detect arrival at a target floor, and a leaving module configured to leave the elevator after a door of the elevator is opened.

[0090] In some embodiments, the floor detection module is further configured to, in response to detecting that the elevator stops, identify, by the image capturing device, at least one of: a floor identification indicating the target floor or the button for the target floor is deactivated.

[0091] In some embodiments, the target location comprises an access device, and the target object comprises a card swiping area of the access device, and the operation execution module 540 is further configured to perform a card swiping operation on the card swiping area.

[0092] In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 further comprises a first device passing module configured to pass through the access device in response to the card swiping operation being successful.

[0093] In some embodiments, the access device comprises a gate, and the apparatus 500 further comprises a gate detection module configured to detect whether the gate is automatically opened in response to the card swiping operation being successful, a handle identification module configured to identify a handle of the gate in response to detecting that the gate is not automatically opened, and a gate opening module configured to control the handle of the gate to open the gate.

[0094] The units and / or modules included in the apparatus 500 can be implemented utilizing various means including software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, one or more units and / or modules can be implemented using software and / or firmware, e.g., machine executable instructions stored on a storage medium. In addition to or alternatively, some or all of the units and / or modules in the apparatus 500 can be implemented at least partially by one or more hardware logic components. As an example and not by way of limitation, example types of hardware logic components that can be used include field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), system-on-a-chip (SOCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), etc.

[0095] It should be appreciated that one or more steps in the above methods can be performed by a suitable electronic device or combination of electronic devices. Such electronic device or combination of electronic devices can include, for example, the robotic device 110 of FIG. 1.

[0096] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of an electronic device 600 in which one or more embodiments of the disclosure can be implemented. It should be understood that the electronic device 600 illustrated in FIG. 6 is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the functionality and scope of the embodiments described herein. The electronic device 600 illustrated in FIG. 6 can be used to implement the robotic device 110 of FIG. 1 or the apparatus 500 of FIG. 5.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 6, the electronic device 600 is in the form of a general electronic device. Components of the electronic device 600 can include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 610, a memory 620, a storage device 630, one or more communication units 640, one or more input devices 650, and one or more output devices 660. The processing unit 610 can be a real or virtual processor and capable of performing various processes according to programs stored in the memory 620. In a multi-processor system, multiple processing units perform computer-executable instructions in parallel to improve parallel processing capabilities of the electronic device 600.

[0098] The electronic device 600 typically includes a plurality of computer storage media. Such media can be any available media that is accessible by the electronic device 600 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. The memory 620 can be volatile (such as register, cache, RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, EEPROM, flash memory), or some combination of the two. The storage device 630 can be a removable or non-removable media, and can include machine-readable media, such as flash drives, magnetic disks, or any other media that can be used to store information and / or data and that can be accessed by the electronic device 600.

[0099] The electronic device 600 can further include additional removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile storage media. Although not shown in FIG. 6, a disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non- volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a "floppy disk"), and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk (e.g., a CD-ROM) can be provided. In such instances, each drive can be connected to the bus (not shown) by one or more data media interfaces. The memory 620 can include a computer program product 625 having one or more program modules configured to carry out the various methods or actions of the various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0100] The communication unit 640 enables communications with other electronic devices over a communication medium. Additionally, the functionality of the components of the electronic device 600 can be implemented in a single computing cluster or a plurality of computer machines that are capable of communicating with one another over a communication connection. As such, the electronic device 600 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more other servers, network personal computers (PCs), or another network nodes.

[0101] The input device 650 can be one or more input devices, such as a mouse, a keyboard, a trackball, etc. The output device 660 can be one or more output devices, such as a display, a speaker, a printer, etc. The electronic device 600 can also communicate with one or more external devices (not shown) such as a storage device, a display device, etc. through the communication unit 640, as needed, one or more devices that enable a user to interact with the electronic device 600, or any devices (e.g., a network card, a modem, etc.) that enable the electronic device 600 to communicate with one or more other electronic devices. Such communication can be carried out via an input / output (I / O) interface (not shown).

[0102] According to an example implementation of the present disclosure, a computer readable storage medium is provided having computer executable instructions stored thereon, where the computer executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method described above. According to an example implementation of the present disclosure, a computer program product is also provided that is tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and includes computer executable instructions, where the computer executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method described above.

[0103] The computer readable program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks.

[0104] The computer readable program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks.

[0105] The computer readable program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block or blocks.

[0106] The computer program product of the present disclosure can have a signal including said computer program. This signal can be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or any other suitable type of signal. Such a signal can be provided through a communication connection, such as electrical wiring, optical fiber, wireless interface, etc. Examples of computer program products include computer program implemented on a personal computer, server, or other networked device. A non-transitory computer readable medium, such as a floppy disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Blu-ray disk, hard disk, or other memory, can store the computer program.

[0107] Having described several implementations of the present disclosure, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the described implementations. Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present disclosure can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. While the present disclosure has been described with reference to the above examples, it is to be understood that modifications and variations of the examples can be configured and that it is therefore intended to cover any and all modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A method for robot device passage, comprising: determining a path to a destination in response to receiving an instruction to the destination; detecting a target location during travel along the path to the destination; identifying a target object at the target location; and performing a triggering operation on the target object. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the target location comprises a waiting area of an elevator, and the target object comprises a button for requesting a ride on the elevator. 3.The method of claim 2, further comprising: detecting whether a free area within the elevator is sufficient to accommodate the robot device in response to detecting arrival of the elevator; and entering the elevator in response to detecting that the free area is sufficient to accommodate the robot device. 4.The method of claim 3, further comprising: issuing an avoidance prompt in response to detecting an obstacle on a path from an entrance of the elevator to the free area of the elevator. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein the target location comprises within an elevator, and the target object comprises a button for a target floor. 6.The method of claim 2 or 5, wherein performing the triggering operation on the target object comprises: pressing the button with a first pressure. 7.The method of claim 6, further comprising: pressing the button with a second pressure greater than the first pressure in response to detecting that the button is not activated. 8.The method of claim 6, further comprising: storing a value of the first pressure in response to detecting that the button is activated. 9.The method of claim 5, further comprising: detecting arrival at the target floor; and leaving the elevator after a door of the elevator is opened. 10.The method of claim 9, wherein detecting arrival at the target floor comprises: identifying, by an image capturing device, at least one of: a floor identification indicating the target floor or the button for the target floor is deactivated in response to detecting that the elevator stops. 11.The method of claim 1, wherein the target location comprises an access device, and the target object comprises a card swiping area of the access device, and performing the triggering operation on the target object comprises: performing a card swiping operation on the card swiping area. 12.The method of claim 11, further comprising: passing through the access device in response to the card swiping operation being successful. 13.The method of claim 12, wherein the access device comprises a gate, and the method further comprises: detecting whether the gate is automatically opened in response to the card swiping operation being successful; identifying a handle of the gate in response to detecting that the gate is not automatically opened; and controlling the handle of the gate to open the gate. 14.An apparatus for robot device passage, comprising: a path determination module configured to determine a path to a destination in response to receiving an instruction to the destination; ​ ​ ​ ​ a location detection module configured to detect a target location during travel along the path toward the destination; an object identification module configured to identify a target object at the target location; and an operation execution module configured to perform a trigger operation on the target object.

15. An electronic device, comprising: at least one processing unit; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions for execution by the at least one processing unit, the instructions when executed by the at least one processing unit cause the electronic device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-13.

16. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, the computer program being executable by a processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 1-13.

17. A computer program product tangibly stored in a computer storage medium and comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-13. ​ ​

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