Crop cultivation management robot platform having variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
Smart Images
Figure KR2026001874_13082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Crop cultivation management robot platform with variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function
[0001] The present invention relates to a crop cultivation management robot platform having a variable width and height structure and a furrow-following autonomous movement function. More specifically, the invention relates to a crop cultivation management robot platform having a variable width and height structure and a furrow-following autonomous movement function that can adjust the width and height of the robot platform to actively respond to changes in the furrow width and the height of crops in farmland, and further includes a function to automatically recognize the centerline of the furrow and precisely follow the furrow to drive autonomously.
[0002] As the aging population and labor shortages in the global agricultural sector intensify, the demand for agricultural robot technology capable of automatically performing various farming tasks is surging.
[0003] In particular, the need for an intelligent, autonomous crop management robot platform to automate agricultural tasks such as weeding, fertilization, pest detection and control, and harvesting is being emphasized.
[0004] In the case of the domestic agricultural market, the total number of farm households is estimated at approximately 1.022 million as of 2023 (KOSIS statistics). Assuming the price of one agricultural robot is approximately 50 million won and that 3% of these farm households are expected to purchase weeding and cultivation management robots, the size of the domestic market is estimated to be approximately 1.5 trillion won (= 1.022 million x 0.03 x 0.5 million won).
[0005] In the case of overseas markets, demand is projected to be at least 150 times greater than that of the domestic market, and this sector is evaluated as having a global market potential of approximately $17.3 billion (USD) annually.
[0006] As related prior art, Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2238680 (published April 8, 2021) discloses a 'terrain-sensing variable agricultural robot capable of changing width,' Korean Registered Patent Publication No. 10-2227167 (published March 12, 2021) discloses a 'terrain-sensing variable agricultural robot capable of changing height,' and Korean Published Patent Publication No. 10-2023-0021244 (published February 14, 2023) discloses a 'modular variable robot capable of adjusting wheel spacing.'
[0007] However, all of these conventional technologies utilize separate cylinders or actuators for varying width or height, which results in a complex overall system structure, increased manufacturing costs, and difficulties in maintenance.
[0008] In addition, conventional technologies lack the ability to autonomously recognize, precisely track, and move along the centerline of a furrow in farmland using artificial intelligence, making it difficult to flexibly respond to changes in furrow width and ridge height in actual farming environments, and they have limitations in terms of precision, repeatability, and efficiency of operations.
[0009] The present invention has been devised to solve the limitations of the prior art described above, and its main purpose is to provide a crop cultivation management robot platform having a width and height variable structure capable of actively varying the width, while simultaneously simplifying the structure of the entire system and reducing manufacturing costs and maintenance burdens by controlling the left and right expansion structure of the robot platform solely through the driving force and steering function of the driving wheels without the need for a separate cylinder engine or electric motor.
[0010] In addition, another objective of the present invention is to provide a crop cultivation management robot platform having a furrow-following autonomous movement function that can perform repetitive and precise farming tasks by enabling the robot platform to recognize the centerline of a furrow in farmland in real time using a plurality of image sensors and an artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network, and to move autonomously while precisely following the furrow based on this, thereby actively adapting to changes in furrow width, crop height, and ridge width.
[0011] A crop cultivation management robot platform having a variable width and height structure and a furrow-following autonomous movement function according to the present invention comprises: a robot body whose width is variable by the driving force of a driving wheel, and which provides a mounting space capable of mounting a plurality of electrical or electronic devices; four robot vertical axes, each installed corresponding to a driving wheel to support the robot body and capable of height adjustment; a wheel steering unit for controlling the direction of the driving wheel; a driving unit installed at the bottom of each robot vertical axis to drive the driving wheel; a sensor unit including a multi-mode camera installed on the robot body or the robot vertical axis to acquire a plurality of image information; and an electrical energy supply unit housed and protected within the robot body and supplying power to each component of the robot platform. It is characterized by including an intelligence, control, and communication unit that controls the furrow-following autonomous movement function of a robot platform, comprising hardware including a GPU, CPU, and internal / external communication devices, and software that performs artificial intelligence-based image analysis functions for furrow recognition and centerline extraction, weed-crop identification, pest identification, and obstacle recognition, control functions for the robot vertical axis, wheel steering unit, and driving unit, and communication functions with external devices.
[0012] Here, the robot body is formed to be separable into a main body and an extension body based on the main driving direction, and the main body and the extension body are connected by a single or multiple variable connecting shafts of variable length, thereby having a structure in which the width of the robot body is variable, and the length of the variable connecting shaft is adjusted by moving forward or backward using the driving force of the driving wheel while the driving wheel is steered in a direction perpendicular to the main driving direction, and the width of the robot body changes accordingly.
[0013] Here, the robot body, which can be separated left and right and expanded, is characterized in that its shape before expansion is formed as an octagon, a quadrilateral, or other polygon.
[0014] Here, the left and right separation surfaces of the robot body are set along the outermost line of the bottom surface of the robot body to avoid the placement location of electrical or electronic devices installed inside the robot body and to prevent the connection lines between the electrical or electronic devices from being severed, and a dustproof screen is installed on the outer edge of the separation surface of the robot body so that when the robot body is separated, the electrical or electronic devices inside the robot body are not exposed to external dust.
[0015] Here, the single or multiple variable connecting shafts are composed of a connecting rod and a connecting tube that is larger than the connecting rod and hollow inside, the connecting rod is inserted into the interior of the connecting tube and is slidably coupled, the connecting rod and the connecting tube have mutually corresponding guide protrusions formed along the longitudinal direction to improve alignment and contact upon insertion, the connecting rod and the connecting tube are each fixedly installed on either an extension body or a main body constituting the robot body, and the width of the entire robot body is varied according to the depth to which the connecting rod is inserted into the connecting tube.
[0016] Here, when the variable connecting shaft is configured as a single unit, the connecting rod and the connecting pipe are characterized by being formed in a plate shape with a rectangular cross-section to improve structural rigidity.
[0017] Here, the connecting rod and the connecting pipe constituting the variable connecting shaft are formed of a metal material, and a dustproof corrugated cloth is installed in the portion of the connecting rod that is not inserted into the connecting pipe and is exposed to the outside to prevent the ingress of external dust.
[0018] Here, the contact surface between the connecting rod and the connecting pipe constituting the variable connecting shaft has a plurality of lubricant injection holes formed on the upper surface of the connecting pipe to allow lubricant to be injected, and the width fixing stopper is characterized by being composed of a manual width fixing pin installed between the connecting rod (131) and the connecting pipe or an electric width fixing latch installed between the main body and the extension body to maintain the position where the connecting rod is inserted into the connecting pipe when the width of the robot body is varied to a target width.
[0019] Herein, the intelligence, control, and communication unit is characterized by controlling the variable connecting axis to contract by steering each driving wheel toward the centerline of the robot body when the width of the robot body is reduced while the robot platform is stationary, and driving the driving wheels toward the centerline. When the width of the robot body is expanded while the robot platform is stationary, the driving wheel is steered toward the centerline, and driving the driving wheels toward the outside to extend the variable connecting axis.
[0020] Here, the intelligence, control, and communication unit is characterized by steering each driving wheel in a direction away from the centerline of the robot body and controlling the driving wheel so that the width of the robot body gradually expands when the width of the furrow gradually widens while the robot platform is in motion, and steering each driving wheel in a direction closer to the centerline and controlling the driving wheel so that the width of the robot body gradually contracts while the robot platform is in motion.
[0021] Here, the wheel steering unit generates high-speed, low-torque steering power through a steering motor installed at the uppermost end of each robot vertical axis, and the steering power is converted into low-speed, high-torque steering power through one or more steering reduction gears, then transmitted to the upper end of an iron core located inside the robot vertical axis, and transmitted along the iron core to a driving wheel on the lower side to control the direction of the driving wheel.
[0022] Here, the wheel steering unit is characterized by having a potentiometer installed on the upper extension line of the robot vertical axis, so that the rotation angle of the robot vertical axis can be measured based on the magnitude of the output voltage of the potentiometer.
[0023] Here, the robot vertical axis includes a steel core for transmitting steering force transmitted from the wheel steering unit to the bottom, and includes an upper fixing member and a lower fixing member provided at the top and bottom of the robot body, respectively, to support the robot vertical axis, and a height adjustment member is provided at the middle of the robot vertical axis to adjust the height of the robot body from the ground, and a swing bearing is installed between the bottom of the robot vertical axis and the robot body to enable rotation of the bottom of the robot vertical axis and the driving unit connected thereto.
[0024] Here, the height adjustment unit is characterized by including a DC motor type or hydraulic lifter capable of withstanding the load, taking into account the maximum load of the robot body.
[0025] Here, the driving unit comprises an independent driving motor for each driving wheel to generate driving force, and the driving force is converted into low speed and high torque through one or more driving reduction gears and transmitted to the corresponding driving wheel, and the direction of movement of the driving wheel is controlled according to the steering force transmitted through the robot vertical axis.
[0026] Here, the electric energy supply unit comprises: a battery that supplies power to the entire robot platform; a charger that converts AC power to DC power for charging the battery; a steering motor driver installed corresponding to the wheel steering unit; a driving motor driver installed corresponding to the driving unit; and a lifter driver installed corresponding to the robot vertical axis.
[0027] Herein, the software of the intelligence, control, and communication unit is characterized by including intelligent processing and decision functions including autonomous driving following farmland furrows and object recognition; a function for generating control signals for the robot vertical axis, the wheel steering unit, and the driving unit; and an operating system (OS) of the robot platform, remote control based on external control signals, and self-fault diagnosis and monitoring functions.
[0028] Here, the multi-mode camera of the sensor unit is composed of a multi-mode camera including a color camera, a depth camera, and a thermal camera, and is characterized by having one or more multi-mode cameras installed at the front and rear respectively for forward and rearward movement, and one or more multi-mode cameras installed on the left and right respectively for lateral recognition or lateral movement.
[0029] In addition, the crop cultivation management robot platform having a variable width and height structure and a furrow-following autonomous movement function according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the case of farmland where the width of the furrows is constant, a multi-mode camera for forward and backward movement is installed above a designated reference wheel among a plurality of driving wheels to capture the front thereof, and images of various modes acquired from each multi-mode camera are processed by a designated artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network to extract a reference furrow centerline corresponding to the reference wheel and another furrow centerline located to the left or right of the reference wheel together, and when the reference furrow centerline is successfully extracted, the reference wheel is controlled to drive along the reference furrow centerline, and the wheels other than the reference wheel are steered by controlling the steering angle of the reference wheel to an angle calculated according to the Ackermann-Jantoud condition.
[0030] Here, if the reference furrow centerline corresponding to the reference wheel is not properly extracted by the artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network, the reference furrow centerline is generated or supplemented by utilizing other furrow centerlines located to the left or right of the reference wheel or reference furrow centerlines extracted from the previous frame.
[0031] Here, in the case of farmland where the width of the furrows is not uniform, the two front driving wheels of the robot platform are each set as independent reference wheels, and each independent reference wheel extracts a corresponding reference furrow centerline and independently controls the driving direction to vary the width of the robot platform while driving, and the rear wheel passively follows the driving path of the corresponding front reference wheel or applies only driving driving force without steering driving force.
[0032] Here, the artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network comprises: an encoder neural network composed of a plurality of convolutional networks corresponding to each of the color image, depth image, and thermal image acquired from the color camera, depth camera, and thermal camera; a feature fusion neural network that fuses output feature information of equal size with that of each encoder neural network to output feature information of the same size as the input image; and a neural network structure composed of a plurality of decoder neural networks that output furrow centerline and furrow region segmentation images based on the output of the feature fusion neural network.
[0033] The crop cultivation management robot platform according to the present invention, having a variable width and height structure and a furrow-following autonomous movement function, can automatically adjust the width and height of the robot to match the furrow width of the farmland and the height of the crops through the variable width and height structure, thereby enabling stable and efficient driving and work performance in various farmland environments. In particular, it has the advantage of enabling effective width variation with a simple structure without separate width adjustment motors by utilizing the independent driving and steering functions of the driving wheels.
[0034] In addition, the crop cultivation management robot platform having a variable width and height structure and a furrow-following autonomous movement function according to the present invention can improve the accuracy and consistency of the work path by precisely recognizing the furrow centerline through an artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network and driving autonomously along it. Furthermore, since it can compensate by utilizing surrounding furrows or previous frame information even when the furrow centerline is temporarily not recognized, it has the advantage of being able to drive stably even in complex environments with changes in illumination or obstacles where the furrow centerline is temporarily not extracted.
[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an octagonal crop cultivation management robot platform according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part illustrating the internal structure of an octagonal crop cultivation management robot platform according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0037] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the main part of an octagonal crop cultivation management robot platform according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0038] FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating the connection relationships of a sensor unit, an electric energy supply unit, and an intelligence, control, and communication unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 5 is a combined perspective view of a robot vertical axis, a wheel steering unit, and a driving unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 6 is a structural perspective view of a wheel steering unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0041] FIG. 7 is a structural perspective view of a height adjustment unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 8 is a structural perspective view of a driving unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the width adjustment operating state of an octagonal crop cultivation management robot platform according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0044] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a width-extended portion of an octagonal crop cultivation management robot platform according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in a state protected by a vibration-damping pleated cloth.
[0045] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a crop cultivation management robot platform with an octagonal structure having a single variable connecting axis in an expanded width state according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0046] FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which guide protrusions are formed on a single variable connecting shaft according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0047] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a crop cultivation management robot platform with a rectangular structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0048] FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of an artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0049] FIG. 15 is an illustrative diagram explaining the centerlines of furrows extracted when a multi-mode camera according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed on the upper side of a reference wheel to photograph farmland, and a method for supplementing the centerlines of a reference wheel using the same.
[0050] FIG. 16 is an example diagram of a color (RGB) image and a depth (DEPTH) image of farmland captured by a multi-mode camera installed above a reference wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0051] FIG. 17 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a state in which a crop cultivation management robot platform according to an embodiment of the present invention travels through farmland where the width of the furrows changes.
[0052] The present invention may include a robot body whose width is variable by the driving force of a driving wheel, and which provides a mounting space capable of mounting a plurality of electrical or electronic devices; four robot vertical axes that are height-adjustable and are installed one by one corresponding to each driving wheel to support the robot body; a wheel steering unit that controls the direction of the driving wheel; a driving unit installed at the bottom of each robot vertical axis to drive the driving wheel; a sensor unit including a multi-mode camera installed on the robot body or the robot vertical axis to acquire a plurality of image information; an electrical energy supply unit that is housed and protected within the robot body and supplies power to each component of the robot platform; and hardware including a GPU, a CPU, and an internal / external communication device, and software that performs an artificial intelligence-based image analysis function for furrow recognition and centerline extraction, weed-crop identification, pest identification, and obstacle recognition, a control function for the robot vertical axes, the wheel steering unit, and the driving unit, and a communication function with an external device, thereby controlling the furrow-following autonomous movement function of the robot platform.
[0053] Hereinafter, a crop cultivation management robot platform having a variable width and height structure and a furrow-following autonomous movement function according to the present invention will be described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings.
[0054] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a crop cultivation management robot platform (1) having a variable width and height structure and a furrow-following autonomous movement function according to the present invention includes a robot body (10), a robot vertical axis (20), a wheel steering unit (30), a driving unit (40), a sensor unit (50), an electric energy supply unit (60), an intelligence, control, and communication unit (70), and an artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80).
[0055] The robot body (10) is configured to form the outer shape of the crop cultivation management robot platform (1) according to the present invention and to provide a mounting space (111) of FIG. 2 capable of mounting a plurality of electrical or electronic devices, and is formed such that its width varies according to the driving force of the driving wheel (41).
[0056]
[0057] The robot body (10) may be formed with an octagonal structure before expansion as shown in FIG. 1, or with a quadrilateral or other polygonal structure as shown in FIG. 13.
[0058] A robot body (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention is composed of a main body (11) and an extension body (12) as shown in FIG. 9.
[0059] The main body (11) has a structure in which a mounting space (111) capable of accommodating a plurality of electrical or electronic devices is provided inside. As shown in FIG. 3, the mounting space (111) of FIG. 2 may be equipped with a battery (61), a charger (62), a steering motor driver (63), a driving motor driver (64), etc., which constitute an electric energy supply unit (60), and may also accommodate an intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) that integrally controls each component of the robot platform (1).
[0060] The mounting space (111) of Fig. 2 above is preferably formed as a sealed structure with dustproof and waterproof functions to protect the internal device from external dust, moisture, etc. and to ensure stable operation of the device.
[0061] In addition, the main body (11) may be equipped with a wired or wireless communication device that allows the operation status of the platform to be checked in real time and control commands to be entered using an external computer or remote control, and may include a hitch device that allows various agricultural tools to be easily attached and detached, and may also be provided with a loading space for transporting crops or agricultural materials.
[0062] The extension body (12) is formed to be expandable to the left and right (in the X-axis direction) on one side of the main body (11), and is connected to the main body (11) through a single or multiple variable connecting shafts (13) of variable length, thereby allowing the width of the robot body (10) to be varied.
[0063] It is preferable that the extension body (12) be formed to have the same material and structural strength as the main body (11).
[0064] At this time, the variable connecting shaft (13) is configured to extend or retract solely by controlling the steering direction and driving force of the driving wheel (41), thereby providing the advantage of being able to actively adjust the width of the robot platform (1) without a separate actuator, engine, or cylinder.
[0065] In addition, the left and right separation surfaces of the robot body (10) are set along the outermost line of the bottom surface of the robot body (10) so as to avoid the placement locations of multiple electrical or electronic devices installed inside the main body (11) and to prevent disconnection of the connection lines between the devices. This ensures ease of maintenance and reliability.
[0066] The left and right separation surfaces of the robot body (10) are set along the outermost line of the bottom surface of the robot body (10) so as not to be disconnected during the separation process, by avoiding the placement locations of a plurality of electrical or electronic devices mounted inside the main body (11).
[0067] In addition, when the robot body (10) is separated, a dustproof film (15) is installed along the separation surface to protect the internal device from the ingress of external dust or moisture, and this performs a protective function even when expanded as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11.
[0068] Through this configuration, the robot body (10) can realize a variable width structure that can flexibly respond to changes in the width of the furrows of the farmland, while simultaneously ensuring the stability of the internal device and system reliability.
[0069] In addition, the robot body (10) according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a variable connecting axis (13).
[0070] The variable connecting shaft (13) is configured with at least one other member to interconnect the main body (11) and the extension body (12) in the left-right direction (X-axis), and is formed to allow length adjustment by an external force using the steering and driving force of the driving wheel (41).
[0071] As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the variable connecting shafts (13) may be installed in parallel in multiple numbers according to the embodiment, or may be configured as a single large variable connecting shaft (13) as illustrated in FIG. 11. In this case, the width variable function can be implemented more efficiently through structural simplification.
[0072] In one embodiment of the present invention, the variable connecting shaft (13) is composed of a connecting rod (131) and a connecting pipe (132).
[0073] The connecting rod (131) is a metal member having a fixed cross-section and is fixedly installed on one side of the main body (11) or the extension body (12).
[0074] The connecting tube (132) is a metal tubular member having a larger diameter than the connecting rod (131) and a hollow interior, and is fixed to the main body (11), and the connecting rod (131) is slidably inserted into it.
[0075] The above connecting rod (131) and connecting pipe (132) suppress shaking in the rotational direction, and it is preferable to have a square cross-section so that sufficient rigidity can be secured even when in a single configuration as shown in FIG. 11, and an iron pipe or high-strength alloy material may be used to secure rigidity.
[0076]
[0077] The length of the variable connecting shaft (13) is adjusted by steering the driving wheel (41) in a direction perpendicular to the main driving direction, and moving the robot platform (1) forward or backward using the driving force of the said driving wheel (41), thereby actively changing the overall width of the robot body (10).
[0078] Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 12, the connecting rod (131) and the connecting pipe (132) may have corresponding guide protrusions (133) formed along the longitudinal direction, which improve alignment and closeness when inserted, thereby minimizing shaking during driving and improving structural rigidity.
[0079] As shown in FIG. 10, a dustproof corrugated cloth (134) is installed in the section where the connecting rod (131) is not inserted into the connecting pipe (132) and is exposed to the outside to prevent the entry of external foreign matter and dust.
[0080] The anti-vibration pleated cloth (134) is formed of a material that can be folded and stretched, and wraps around the sliding part even during width-variable operation, performing a sealing protection function.
[0081] In addition, a lubricant injection hole (135) is formed on the upper side of the connecting pipe (132), so that by injecting lubricant into the sliding part, movement resistance can be reduced and wear due to friction can be prevented.
[0082] Through this configuration, the variable connecting shaft (13) of the present invention provides the technical effect of being able to simply and firmly adjust the width of the robot platform (1) without a separate actuator or cylinder, and enables the implementation of an autonomous agricultural robot capable of adapting to the furrow widths of various farmlands.
[0083] In addition, the robot body (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a width fixing stopper (14).
[0084] The width fixing stopper (14) is configured to fix the robot body (10) so that it stably maintains the state after the width of the robot body (10) has been varied to a target width, and may be composed of a manual width fixing pin (141) installed between a connecting rod (131) and a connecting pipe (132) or an electric width fixing latch (142) installed between a main body (11) and an extension body (12).
[0085] The manual width fixing pin (141) is configured to be tightened from the outside to maintain the length of the connecting rod (131) inserted into the connecting pipe (132) as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, and the user can easily fix the length of the variable connecting shaft (13) by fastening the manual width fixing pin (141) at the desired width.
[0086] As another example, the electric width fixing latch (142) is composed of a latch (142a) provided on the side of the main body (11) as shown in FIG. 11 and latch grooves (142b) formed at regular intervals on the side of the extension body (12).
[0087] This structure allows the expansion body (12) to be expanded or contracted stepwise at regular intervals and then automatically fixed at the corresponding position, and provides the advantage of being able to repeatedly adjust the width and fix it with simple operation when necessary.
[0088] The above-mentioned electric width fixing latch (142) can be automatically fixed when the width of the robot body (10) reaches a desired width through electric operation, thereby allowing the width adjustment of the robot body (10) to be automated.
[0089] The width fixing stopper (14), composed of such a manual width fixing pin (141) or an electric width fixing latch (142), prevents the width of the robot platform (1) from changing unnecessarily while driving, thereby improving the stability of furrow-following driving and contributing to ensuring precision during operation.
[0090] In FIGS. 2 and 7, a total of four robot vertical axes (20) are installed on the robot body (10), one for each driving wheel (41), and are configured to support the robot body (10) while simultaneously allowing the height of the robot platform (1) to be adjusted.
[0091] Each robot vertical axis (20) includes a core (21) for transmitting steering force generated from a wheel steering unit (30) to the bottom as shown in FIG. 6, and the core (21) transmits rotational force generated through a steering motor (31) and a steering reduction gear (32) to the bottom of the robot vertical axis (20) to enable steering of the driving wheel (41).
[0092] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 5, the robot vertical axis (20) is stably supported by an upper fixing member (22) and a lower fixing member (23) installed at the upper and lower parts of the robot body (10), respectively, and a height adjustment part (24) is mounted in the middle part to adjust the height of the robot platform (1) from the ground.
[0093] The height adjustment unit (24) is designed to sufficiently withstand the total weight and working load of the robot platform (1), and includes a DC motor type or hydraulic lifter (241) as one embodiment.
[0094] The lifter (241) can be configured in various shapes depending on the working environment, and in particular, the DC motor type lifter (241) can be precisely controlled in height so as to be able to respond quickly to changes in the terrain of the farmland.
[0095] As shown in FIG. 7, the DC motor lifter (241) consists of a linear actuator (241a), an external lift (241b), and an internal lift (241c).
[0096] The outer lift (241b) and the inner lift (241c) are configured to be slidably stacked in the longitudinal direction and adjust the overall height of the robot body (10) by extending or contracting in the height direction according to the operation of the linear actuator (241a).
[0097] A dust cover (242) is provided on the outside of the above lifter (241) to prevent the entry of dirt, dust, moisture, etc. and to extend the lifespan of the equipment.
[0098] A fastening flange (243) is provided at the top and bottom, respectively, so as to be stably connected to the wheel steering part (30) and the driving part (40).
[0099] In addition, a swing bearing (25) is installed between the lower part of the robot vertical axis (20) and the driving part (40), so that the lower part of the robot vertical axis (20) and the driving part (40) can rotate when steering, thereby enabling flexible steering movement.
[0100] The robot vertical axis (20) and height adjustment unit (24) configured in this way allow for precise adjustment of the platform height according to the elevation difference of the farmland terrain or the type of crop, and provide a technical effect of ensuring horizontal stability and driving stability even during autonomous driving.
[0101] As shown in FIG. 6, the wheel steering unit (30) is configured to control the direction of the driving wheel (41) and is installed at the top of each robot vertical axis (20) to perform steering operations of the robot platform (1).
[0102] The above wheel steering unit (30) first generates high-speed, low-torque steering power through a steering motor (31).
[0103] The steering motor (31) performs a rotational movement under the control of the steering motor driver (63) included in the electric energy supply unit (60).
[0104] The steering power generated in this way is converted into a low-speed, high-torque form through a steering reduction gear (32).
[0105] The steering reduction gear (32) may be composed of a primary reduction gear (321) and a secondary reduction gear (322), and converts high-speed rotation into more precise and powerful rotational torque, providing sufficient power required for lower steering.
[0106] Meanwhile, if the distance between the output end of the steering reduction gear (32) and the iron core (21) of the robot vertical axis (20) is far, making direct connection by gear difficult, power can be transmitted using a chain (323) as shown in FIG. 6.
[0107] The chain (323) enables flexible distance correction while maintaining a constant rotation ratio, thereby performing the role of transmitting stable steering force even in a structure subject to space constraints.
[0108] The steering force transmitted in this manner is transmitted downward along the iron core (21) located inside the robot vertical axis (20), and the lower end of the iron core (21) is connected to the driving wheel (41), so the direction of the driving wheel (41) is controlled according to the steering force.
[0109] This structure enables precise control of the steering of each wheel during forward, backward, and sideways driving of the robot platform (1), thereby performing a key function in maintaining an autonomous driving path including following the furrow centerline.
[0110] Additionally, the wheel steering unit (30) may include a potentiometer (33) on the upper extension line of each robot vertical axis (20).
[0111] The potentiometer (33) generates an output voltage proportional to the rotation angle of the robot's vertical axis (20), and the steering angle is measured in real time through the voltage value, and feedback control is possible through the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70). Through this, the direction of each driving wheel (41) is precisely corrected, and it is possible to flexibly respond to changes in furrow curvature or driving deviations.
[0112] The configuration of the wheel steering unit (30) in this manner plays an essential role in enhancing the maneuverability and autonomous driving stability of the entire robot platform (1), and provides a foundation for implementing precise and repeatable work paths in various agricultural conditions.
[0113] The driving unit (40) in Fig. 8 is a key component that performs the movement of the robot platform (1), and is installed at the bottom of each robot vertical axis (20) to drive the driving wheel (41).
[0114] The driving wheel (41) rotates around the wheel rotation axis (411), and through this rotational movement, the robot platform (1) can move forward and backward.
[0115] In addition, in the present invention, since the robot body (10) has a variable width in such a way that the extension body (12) is pushed or pulled from the main body (11) by the driving force of the driving wheel (41), the driving part (40) also performs a key function in implementing the width variable structure.
[0116] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the driving unit (40) is configured to include an independent driving motor (42) for each driving wheel (41) to provide individual driving force to each wheel.
[0117] The high-speed rotational force generated by the driving motor (42) is converted into a low-speed, high-torque form through one or more driving reduction gears (43), and the driving reduction gear (43) may be composed of a first reduction gear (431) and a second reduction gear (432).
[0118] In cases where the physical distance between the output end of the driving reduction gear (43) and the driving wheel (41) is far, making direct connection by gear difficult, power can be transmitted using a chain (433) instead of a gear. Since the chain (433) can stably transmit rotational force while maintaining a constant rotation ratio even over long distances, it is easy to apply even in complex machine structures.
[0119] The direction of the driving wheel (41) is controlled by a steering force transmitted through the robot vertical axis (20), which is achieved by the rotational force generated in the wheel steering unit (30) being transmitted downward through the iron core (21). Accordingly, the driving wheel (41) can achieve precise direction control even on curved furrows or sloped terrain during autonomous driving.
[0120] Additionally, a mounting part (44) is provided on one side of the upper part of the driving part (40) so that a fastening flange (243) provided at the bottom of the height adjustment part (24) can be mounted. This mounting part (44) is designed to stably fix the driving part (40) through coupling with the height adjustment part (24) and to effectively support vibrations and loads during driving.
[0121] The driving unit (40) with such a configuration satisfies both the driving stability and autonomous adjustment functions of the robot platform (1), and plays an essential role in simultaneously realizing variable width operation and precise furrow-following autonomous driving.
[0122] The sensor unit (50) is configured to recognize the driving path and surrounding environment of the robot platform (1) and to collect image data for extracting the furrow centerline, and is installed on the robot body (10) or the robot vertical axis (20).
[0123] The sensor unit (50) includes a multi-mode camera (51) capable of acquiring multiple image information, and the multi-mode camera (51) is composed of a color camera, a depth camera, and a thermal camera. Through this multi-mode configuration, various agricultural environments that are difficult to recognize with a single image means can be recognized more precisely.
[0124] A multi-mode camera (51) is installed at an appropriate location according to the driving direction of the robot platform (1), and one or more multi-mode cameras (51) are installed at the front and rear of the robot body (10) respectively to acquire images for forward and rearward movement.
[0125] In addition, one or more multi-mode cameras (51) may be installed on each of the left and right sides to perform tasks that require lateral recognition or lateral movement.
[0126] Each multi-mode camera (51) collects color images, depth images, and thermal images in real time, and the acquired multi-mode image data is precisely analyzed through an artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80) in a subsequent processing step.
[0127] More specifically, FIG. 15 shows an example in which a multi-camera (51) is installed on a robot vertical axis (20) corresponding to a reference wheel, and the multi-camera (51) captures images of not only the furrow at the reference wheel position but also the furrows located to the left and right of the reference wheel.
[0128] When the video captured in this way is input to an artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80), the groove centerline extraction function of the neural network (80) extracts and presents lines corresponding to the centerlines of each groove (dotted lines within each groove).
[0129] Since the robot platform is controlled based on the centerline of the furrow corresponding to the reference wheel among the centerlines of the extracted furrows and follows it, the centerline of the furrow corresponding to the reference wheel becomes the most important centerline.
[0130] To ensure the accuracy and robustness of the centerline of the furrow corresponding to the above reference wheel, centerline information of the left and right furrows can be utilized, and centerline information of the reference wheel's furrow from the previous video frame can also be utilized.
[0131] The specific details regarding the extraction processing of the above-mentioned standard furrow centerline and other furrow centerlines, and the autonomous driving control based thereon, will be covered in detail in the description of the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) and the artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80) described later.
[0132] The electric energy supply unit (60) is configured to stably supply power to each component of the robot platform (1) and is installed in a manner that is housed inside the robot body (10) and protected from external shocks and environmental factors.
[0133] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the electric energy supply unit (60) performs the basic power supply function for the operation of the entire system and may include a battery (61), a charger (62), a steering motor driver (63), a driving motor driver (64), and a lifter driver (not shown).
[0134] The battery (61) is configured to supply power to the entire robot platform (1) and may be composed of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery or other high-energy-density secondary battery, and supplies primary power for driving, steering, height adjustment, sensor operation, and computational control of the robot.
[0135] The charger (62) is configured to receive 220V AC power from an external power source and convert it into direct current (DC) power to charge the battery (61), and can be configured as a smart charging circuit including overcurrent protection, overcharge protection, and temperature detection functions.
[0136] The steering motor driver (63) is a driving circuit for supplying appropriate voltage and current to each steering motor (31) of the wheel steering unit (30). Since there are four robot vertical axes (20) in the robot platform (1), a total of four sets of steering motor drivers (63) are included in correspondence. Each driver controls the steering motor (31) based on a PWM control method or a constant current control circuit.
[0137] The driving motor driver (64) supplies power to each driving motor (42) of the driving unit (40), and likewise, a total of four sets of driving motor drivers (64) are included, corresponding to each of the four driving wheels (41) of the robot platform (1). Each driver includes speed control and torque control functions, enabling precise driving control.
[0138] The lifter driver (not shown) is a circuit that supplies power to the lifter (241) of the height adjustment unit (24), and includes a total of 4 sets of lifter motor drivers corresponding to each of the four robot vertical axes (20). Each lifter driver can perform functions such as forward / reverse control and position feedback reception in accordance with the driving characteristics of the linear actuator (241a).
[0139] The electric energy supply unit (60) configured in this manner enables stable operation of the entire robot by integrally supplying power required for the autonomous driving, width and height variable functions, sensor system, communication system, etc. of the robot platform (1). Each component of the electric energy supply unit (60) is placed in a sealed structure within the mounting space (111) and is safely protected from external shocks, moisture, dust, etc.
[0140] The intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) is a core control unit that controls the overall operation, including autonomous driving of the robot platform (1), and is composed of hardware and software.
[0141] In an embodiment of the present invention, the hardware is composed of a GPU, a CPU, and internal / external communication devices, etc., enabling stable high-speed computation and multi-channel data processing, and allowing real-time communication and remote control with external devices.
[0142] In an embodiment of the present invention, the software includes an artificial intelligence-based image analysis function for furrow recognition and centerline extraction, weed-crop identification, pest identification, and obstacle recognition, a function for generating control signals for the robot vertical axis (20), the wheel steering unit (30), and the driving unit (40), an operating system (OS) of the robot platform, remote control based on external control signals, and self-fault diagnosis and monitoring functions.
[0143] In particular, the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) is organically linked with the artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80) to realize the furrow-following autonomous driving function of the robot platform (1).
[0144] The artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80) according to an embodiment of the present invention is an artificial intelligence-based image analysis device that processes various image information acquired while the robot platform (1) is driving and performs the function of precisely recognizing the furrow centerline and furrow area of the farmland.
[0145] The above artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80) can receive some or all of the color image, depth image, and thermal image obtained through a multi-mode camera (51) as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16 as inputs, and is composed of a combination of an encoder neural network (81, Encoder), a feature fusion neural network (82, Feature Fusion Network), and a decoder neural network (83, Decoder) so as to receive multiple image data having different characteristics and output an image including a furrow center line (L; Furrow Center Line) and a furrow region based thereon.
[0146] The operation of the above artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80) first involves each image data being transmitted to a corresponding encoder neural network (81).
[0147] The encoder neural network (81) includes a plurality of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) configured independently for each of the color image, depth image, and thermal image, and extracts unique feature information from each image. The input images used here do not necessarily have to all be color images, depth images, and thermal images; only some of them may be used. Each encoder (81) outputs a feature map that is reduced in stages according to the resolution of the input image, and this feature map is expressed in a condensed form of spatial information such as the contours of furrows and centerlines.
[0148] FIG. 16 illustrates two types of mode images, such as a color image and a corresponding depth image obtained using the multi-mode camera (51), showing various types of furrow images.
[0149] Next, the feature information extracted from each encoder neural network (81) is transmitted to the feature fusion neural network (82) and combined into a single integrated feature map.
[0150] The feature fusion neural network (82) fuses feature information of the same size to enhance complementary information between images and finally generates an integrated feature map having the same resolution as the input image. This process contributes to improving the accuracy and stability of furrow centerline recognition by comparing and complementing features between different image modes.
[0151] The integrated feature map is then passed to the decoder neural network (83).
[0152] The decoder neural network (83) is composed of multiple upsampling layers and restoration layers, and generates an image output result including a furrow center line and a furrow region using an integrated feature map.
[0153] At this time, the output image is provided in a form that can clearly distinguish the center position of the wheel and the center of the furrow in the image installed on the reference wheel of the robot platform, and is transmitted to the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) and used as reference data for generating an autonomous driving path.
[0154] The position of the reference wheel is determined according to the relative position to the reference wheel where the multimode camera (51) is installed. When the multimode camera (51) is installed vertically above the reference wheel tire, the center point of the x-axis in the image becomes the position of the reference wheel in the image. When the multimode camera (51) is installed spaced apart from the vertically above the reference wheel tire, a straight line is drawn on the ground in the robot's direction of travel from the reference wheel tire position, and the position on the x-axis in the image where the straight line appears in the image is determined through initial calibration as the image position on the x-axis of the reference wheel.
[0155] After calculating the error (e) between the position of the x-coordinate of the reference wheel determined in the above image and the x-coordinate of the point where the furrow centerline in the image obtained from the output of the artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80) intersects the x-axis in the image, the steering angle of each wheel is controlled using a PID control method or the like so that the error converges to 0, thereby allowing the robot platform to drive autonomously along the center of the furrow.
[0156] In addition, the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) according to an embodiment of the present invention performs the function of controlling the width variable function of the robot platform (1).
[0157]
[0158] Basically, when the robot platform (1) is in a stationary state and the width of the robot body (10) is reduced, each driving wheel (41) is steered toward the centerline of the robot body (10), and by driving control in the said direction, the variable connecting shaft (13) is controlled to contract.
[0159] Conversely, when the robot platform (1) is stationary and the width of the robot body (10) is expanded, the driving wheel (41) is steered outward and then driven outward so that the variable connecting shaft (13), including the connecting rod (131) and the connecting pipe (132), is extended.
[0160] When the robot platform (1) is in motion, in a situation where the width of the furrow gradually widens, each driving wheel (41) is steered away from the centerline of the robot body (10) and driven in that direction so that the width of the robot body (10) expands during motion.
[0161] Conversely, when the robot platform (1) is in motion, in a situation where the width of the furrow gradually narrows, the driving wheel (41) is steered toward the centerline and the driving is controlled to get closer to the centerline, thereby causing the width of the robot body (10) to be reduced during motion.
[0162] Meanwhile, in farmland where the width of the furrows is constant, the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) recognizes the reference furrow centerline (L1) based on the reference wheel (e.g., the driving wheel on the front left) so that the robot platform (1) can drive stably while maintaining the predetermined width, and performs autonomous driving control based thereon.
[0163] To this end, multi-mode cameras (51) installed at the front and rear of the robot body (10), respectively, are positioned to secure a field of view including a reference wheel in the forward or rear direction of travel.
[0164] The multi-mode camera (51) has a configuration capable of simultaneously acquiring color, depth, and thermal images, and is used to simultaneously extract a reference furrow centerline (L1) and other furrow centerlines (L2 and L3) as shown in FIG. 15.
[0165] When the above reference furrow centerline (L1) is clearly recognized without any issues within the image and extracted normally, steering and speed control are performed by the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) so that the reference wheel drives along the reference furrow centerline (L1).
[0166] At the same time, other driving wheels other than the reference wheel are controlled by steering angles calculated according to the Ackermann-Jantoud condition, thereby steering or driving all wheels to match the trajectory of the reference wheel.
[0167] Meanwhile, if the reference furrow centerline (L1) is not extracted in some video segments as in the example of FIG. 15 or is disconnected, making it difficult to determine the accurate centerline and thus not extracted normally, the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) generates or supplements the reference furrow centerline (L1) by utilizing other furrow centerlines (L2 and L3) or reference furrow centerlines (L1) extracted from the previous frame, thereby enabling the reference trajectory to be continuously maintained.
[0168] This method enables the robot platform (1) to drive autonomously while stably and accurately following the furrows in farmland with constant furrow spacing, and at the same time implements a structure that can respond quickly to changes in the furrow environment.
[0169] Furthermore, in the case of farmland where the width of the furrows is not uniform, the locking state of the manual width fixing pin (141) or the electric width fixing latch (142) is first released, and the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) sets each of the front left and right driving wheels (41a, 41b) as independent reference wheels as shown in FIG. 17, and extracts the reference furrow centerline (L1, L1') for each reference wheel to independently control the driving direction.
[0170] Through this, the width of the robot body (10) can be actively varied according to the furrow shape while driving.
[0171] In contrast, the rear driving wheels (41c, 41d) may be configured to passively follow the path of the corresponding front reference wheel, that is, the front left and right driving wheels (41a, 41b), or to apply only driving power without steering power.
[0172] In addition, the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) performs functions such as receiving external control commands, wireless communication functions, and reporting the operating status of the robot platform (1) to a remote location in real time, and can produce control signals for various agricultural tools to be mounted via a hitch, and supports a worker to monitor and control the driving, stopping, status check, and self-diagnosis of the robot platform (1) in real time even from a remote location.
[0173] In this way, through the interconnected operation of the intelligence, control, and communication unit (70) and the artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network (80), the present invention enables precise driving even in various agricultural environments, such as changes in furrow width and furrow centerline recognition difficulties.
[0174] The crop cultivation management robot platform having a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function described above and illustrated in the drawings is merely one embodiment for implementing the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the technical scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is determined solely by the matters described in the following claims, and embodiments that have been improved and modified without departing from the gist of the present invention shall be deemed to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention insofar as they are obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.
[0175]
[0176] [Explanation of the symbol]
[0177] 1 Robot Platform
[0178] 10 robot bodies
[0179] 11 Main body
[0180] 12 extended bodies
[0181] 13 Variable connecting shaft
[0182] 14 width fixed stopper
[0183] 141 Manual Width Fixing Pin
[0184] 142 Electric Width Fixing Latch
[0185] 15 dust barrier
[0186] 20 Robot Vertical Axis
[0187] 21 iron core
[0188] 22 Upper fixing bracket
[0189] 23 Lower fixing bracket
[0190] 24 height adjustment section
[0191] 25 swing bearings
[0192] 30-wheel steering unit
[0193] 31 Steering motor
[0194] 32 Steering Reducer
[0195] 33 Potentiometers
[0196] 40 driving unit
[0197] 41 driving wheels
[0198] 42 driving motors
[0199] 43 driving reduction gear
[0200] 50 sensor unit
[0201] 51 Multi-mode Camera
[0202] 60 Electric Energy Supply Department
[0203] 70 Intelligence, Control, and Communications Division
[0204] 80 AI-based image processing neural networks
Claims
1. A robot body that provides a mounting space capable of mounting multiple electrical or electronic devices and whose width is variable by the driving force of a driving wheel; Four height-adjustable robot vertical axes, each installed one-to-one corresponding to each driving wheel to support the robot body; Wheel steering unit that controls the direction of the driving wheel; A driving unit installed at the bottom of each of the above-mentioned robot vertical axes to drive the driving wheel; A sensor unit including a multi-mode camera installed on the robot body or the robot vertical axis, capable of acquiring multiple image information; An electric energy supply unit that is housed and protected within the robot body and supplies power to each component of the robot platform; and The robot platform is characterized by including an intelligence, control, and communication unit that controls the furrow-following autonomous movement function of the robot platform, comprising hardware including a GPU, CPU, and internal / external communication devices, and software that performs artificial intelligence-based image analysis functions for furrow recognition and centerline extraction, weed-crop identification, pest identification, and obstacle recognition, control functions for the robot vertical axis, wheel steering unit, and driving unit, and communication functions with external devices. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
2. In Paragraph 1, The above robot body is formed to be separable into a main body and an extension body based on the main driving direction, and The main body and the extension body are connected by a single or multiple variable connecting shafts of variable length, and have a structure in which the width of the robot body is variable. The length of the variable connecting shaft is adjusted by moving forward or backward using the driving force of the driving wheel while the driving wheel is steered in a direction perpendicular to the main driving direction, and the width of the robot body changes accordingly. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
3. In Paragraph 2, The robot body, which is expandable by separating left and right, is characterized in that its shape before expansion is formed as an octagon, a quadrilateral, or other polygon. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
4. In Paragraph 2, The left and right separation surfaces of the robot body are set along the outermost line of the bottom surface of the robot body so as not to disconnect the connection lines between the electrical or electronic devices, while avoiding the placement location of the electrical or electronic devices installed inside the robot body. Characterized by the fact that, when the robot body is separated, a dustproof film is installed on the outer edge of the separation surface of the robot body so that electrical or electronic devices inside the robot body are not exposed to external dust. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
5. In Paragraph 2, The above single or multiple variable connecting shafts are composed of a connecting rod and a connecting tube that is larger than the connecting rod and hollow inside. The above connecting rod is inserted into the interior of the above connecting tube and is slidably connected, and The above connecting rod and the above connecting tube have mutually corresponding guide protrusions formed along the longitudinal direction to improve alignment and tightness upon insertion, and The above connecting rod and the above connecting pipe are each fixedly installed in either the extension body or the main body constituting the robot body, and Characterized by the fact that the width of the entire robot body varies according to the depth to which the connecting rod is inserted into the connecting pipe. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
6. In Paragraph 5, When the above variable connecting shaft is configured as a single unit, Characterized by the fact that the connecting rod and the connecting pipe are formed in a plate shape with a rectangular cross-section to improve structural rigidity, A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
7. In Paragraph 5 or 6, The connecting rod and the connecting pipe constituting the variable connecting shaft are formed of a metal material, and The above connecting rod is characterized by having a dustproof corrugated cloth installed in the portion exposed to the outside without being inserted into the connecting pipe to prevent the inflow of external dust. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
8. In Paragraph 5 or 6, A plurality of lubricant injection holes are formed on the upper surface of the connecting pipe to allow lubricant to be injected into the contact surface between the connecting rod and the connecting pipe constituting the variable connecting shaft. Characterized by including a width fixing stopper composed of a manual width fixing pin installed between the connecting rod (131) and the connecting pipe, or an electric width fixing latch installed between the main body and the extension body, so as to maintain the position in which the connecting rod is inserted into the connecting pipe when the width of the robot body is varied to a target width. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
9. In Paragraph 2, The above-mentioned intelligence, control, and communication unit is, When the robot platform is in a stationary state and the width of the robot body is reduced, each driving wheel is steered toward the centerline of the robot body, and then the driving wheels are driven in a direction closer to the centerline to control the variable connecting axis to contract. Characterized by controlling the variable connecting axis to extend when the width of the robot body is expanded while the robot platform is in a stationary state, by steering each driving wheel in a direction away from the centerline, and then driving the driving wheels outward. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
10. In Paragraph 2, The above-mentioned intelligence, control, and communication unit is, When the width of the furrow gradually widens while the robot platform is in motion, each driving wheel is steered in a direction away from the centerline of the robot body, and then the driving wheels are driven to control the width of the robot body to gradually expand. Characterized by, when the width of the furrow gradually narrows while the robot platform is in motion, steering each driving wheel in a direction closer to the centerline, and then driving the driving wheels to control the width of the robot body to gradually decrease. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
11. In Paragraph 1, The above-mentioned wheel steering unit is, High-speed, low-torque steering power is generated through a steering motor installed at the top of each of the vertical axes of the robots mentioned above, and The above steering power is converted into low-speed, high-torque steering power through one or more steering reduction gears, and then It is transmitted to the top of the iron core located inside the vertical axis of the robot, and Characterized by being transmitted to the lower driving wheel along the above iron core to control the direction of the driving wheel. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
12. In Paragraph 11, The above wheel steering unit, A potentiometer is installed on the upper extension line of the vertical axis of the robot, Characterized by being able to measure the rotation angle of the robot's vertical axis based on the output voltage magnitude of the potentiometer. A crop cultivation management robot platform with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
13. In Paragraph 1, The vertical axis of the robot mentioned above is, It includes a steel core for transmitting steering force transmitted from the above-mentioned wheel steering unit to the lower part, and It includes an upper fixing member and a lower fixing member, respectively provided at the upper and lower parts of the robot body to support the robot's vertical axis, and In the middle of the vertical axis of the robot, a height adjustment unit for adjusting the height of the robot body from the ground is provided, and A swing bearing is installed between the lower end of the robot vertical axis and the robot body to enable rotation of the lower end of the robot vertical axis and the driving unit connected thereto, characterized in that A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
14. In Paragraph 13, The height adjustment unit above is, Characterized by including a DC motor type or hydraulic lifter capable of withstanding the load, taking into account the maximum load of the robot body. A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
15. In Paragraph 1, The above driving unit is, It generates driving force by including an independent driving motor for each driving wheel, and The above driving force is converted into low speed and high torque through one or more driving reduction gears and transmitted to the corresponding driving wheel, and The direction of movement of the above driving wheel is characterized by being controlled according to the steering force transmitted through the robot's vertical axis. A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
16. In Paragraph 1, The above electric energy supply unit is, A battery that supplies power to the entire robot platform; A charger that converts AC power for charging the above battery into DC power; A steering motor driver installed corresponding to the above-mentioned wheel steering unit; A driving motor driver installed corresponding to the above-mentioned driving unit; and Characterized by including a lifter driver installed corresponding to the vertical axis of the robot above. A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
17. In Paragraph 1, The software of the above-mentioned intelligence, control, and communication unit is, Intelligent processing and decision-making functions including autonomous driving following farmland furrows and object recognition; A function for generating control signals for the robot vertical axis, the wheel steering unit, and the driving unit; and Characterized by including an operating system (OS) of a robot platform, external control signal-based remote control, and self-fault diagnosis and monitoring functions, A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
18. In Paragraph 1, The multi-mode camera of the sensor unit above is, It is composed of a multi-mode camera including a color camera, a depth camera, and a thermal camera, and For forward and backward movement, one or more multi-mode cameras are installed at the front and rear, respectively, and Characterized by installing one or more multi-mode cameras on each side for lateral recognition or lateral movement, A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
19. In Paragraph 18, In the case of farmland with a uniform furrow width, a multi-mode camera for forward and backward movement is installed above a designated reference wheel among multiple driving wheels to capture the front thereof, and Images of various modes acquired from each multi-mode camera are processed by a defined artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network to extract a reference furrow centerline corresponding to the reference wheel and another furrow centerline located to the left or right of the reference wheel. Characterized in that when the above reference furrow centerline is extracted normally, the reference wheel is controlled to drive along the reference furrow centerline, and wheels other than the reference wheel are steered to an angle calculated according to the Ackermann-Jantoud condition of the steering angle of the reference wheel. A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
20. In Paragraph 19, If the centerline of the reference groove corresponding to the reference wheel is not properly extracted by the above artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network, Characterized by generating or supplementing the reference groove centerline by utilizing other groove centerlines located to the left or right of the reference wheel or reference groove centerlines extracted from a previous frame. A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
21. In Paragraph 18, In the case of farmland with uneven furrow widths, the two front driving wheels of the robot platform are each set as independent reference wheels, and Each of the above independent reference wheels extracts a corresponding reference groove centerline and independently controls the driving direction to vary the width of the robot platform during driving, and The rear wheels are characterized by passively following the driving path of the corresponding front reference wheel, or by applying only driving driving force without steering driving force. A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.
22. In any one of paragraphs 19 through 21, The above artificial intelligence-based image processing neural network is, An encoder neural network composed of a plurality of convolutional networks corresponding to each of the color image, depth image, and thermal image acquired from the color camera, depth camera, and thermal camera; A feature fusion network that fuses the output features of each encoder neural network with equal sizes to output feature information of the same size as the input image; and Characterized by including a neural network structure composed of a plurality of decoder neural networks that output furrow centerline and furrow region segmentation images based on the output of the above feature fusion neural network. A crop cultivation management robot platform equipped with a variable width and height structure and furrow-following autonomous movement function.