Safety control circuit and robot

Abstract

The present application provides a safety control circuit and a robot. The safety control circuit is used for safety control of the robot, the safety control circuit comprises a monitoring circuit and a plurality of safety evaluation circuits, and the monitoring circuit is configured to simultaneously perform obstacle detection on a plurality of different detection areas of the robot, the different detection areas corresponding to different safety control strategies; and the plurality of safety evaluation circuits are connected to the monitoring circuit, the safety evaluation circuits are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of different detection areas, and the safety evaluation circuits output corresponding safety control strategies on the basis of obstacle detection results of the corresponding detection areas, so as to control the robot to execute a safety operation. The safety control circuit provided by the present application can enhance the safety performance of the robot and improve the safety level of the robot.

Description

Safety control circuits and robots

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. CN2025103479302, filed on March 21, 2025, entitled "Safety Control Circuit and Robot", the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] [Technical Field]

[0003] This application relates to the field of robot safety control technology, and in particular to a safety control circuit and a robot.

[0004] [Background Technology]

[0005] With the rapid development of robotics technology, more and more robots are being applied and popularized in industrial and service sectors, and there are increasingly more opportunities for robots to coexist with humans in the same work environment. In order to achieve safe control of robots, safety monitoring is usually required.

[0006] In existing technologies, safety control circuits are slow to detect obstacles in different detection areas of the robot, and the safety control strategies are limited, resulting in a low level of robot safety.

[0007] [Summary of the Invention]

[0008] This application provides a safety control circuit and a robot that can enhance the safety performance and improve the safety level of the robot.

[0009] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a safety control circuit for robot safety control. The safety control circuit includes a monitoring circuit and multiple safety assessment circuits. The monitoring circuit is configured to simultaneously detect obstacles in multiple different detection areas of the robot; each detection area corresponds to a different safety control strategy. Multiple safety assessment circuits are connected to the monitoring circuit, and each safety assessment circuit is configured to correspond one-to-one with a different detection area. Based on the obstacle detection results of the corresponding detection area, the safety assessment circuit outputs a corresponding safety control strategy to control the robot to perform safe operations.

[0010] In one embodiment, the safety control strategy corresponding to at least one detection area includes a torque shutdown signal; the safety control circuit further includes an output circuit connected to a safety assessment circuit corresponding to at least one detection area, and the output circuit is also configured to be connected to the drive circuit of the robot's motor to control the robot to perform torque shutdown.

[0011] In one embodiment, the safety control strategy corresponding to at least one detection area includes a deceleration signal; the safety control circuit further includes a communication circuit connected to a safety assessment circuit corresponding to at least one detection area, and the communication circuit is also configured to be connected to the robot's controller so that the controller controls the robot to decelerate.

[0012] In one embodiment, the safety assessment circuit corresponding to at least one detection area is configured to acquire the robot's speed information, determine whether the robot decelerates abnormally or the deceleration time reaches a preset time based on the speed information, and generate a torque shutdown signal when the deceleration is abnormal or the deceleration time reaches the preset time.

[0013] In one embodiment, the detection area includes at least a first detection area and a second detection area distributed from far to near the robot. The safety control strategy corresponding to the second detection area includes a second torque shutdown signal. The safety control strategy corresponding to the first detection area includes a first deceleration signal and a first torque shutdown signal when deceleration is abnormal.

[0014] In one embodiment, the detection area further includes a third detection area distributed on the side of the first detection area away from the robot. The safety control strategy corresponding to the third detection area includes a second deceleration signal and a third torque cut-off signal when deceleration is abnormal, wherein the deceleration ratio of the second deceleration signal is greater than the deceleration ratio of the first deceleration signal.

[0015] In one embodiment, the detection area further includes a fourth detection area located between the first detection area and the second detection area. The safety control strategy corresponding to the fourth detection area includes a third deceleration signal and a fourth torque cut-off signal after a preset deceleration time.

[0016] In one embodiment, the safety control circuit includes two sets of monitoring circuits and two sets of multiple safety evaluation circuits. One set of monitoring circuits is configured corresponding to one set of multiple safety evaluation circuits, and the other set of monitoring circuits is configured corresponding to the other set of multiple safety evaluation circuits. The safety control circuit also includes a verification circuit, which is connected to the two sets of safety evaluation circuits and is used to verify whether the safety control strategies output by the two sets of safety evaluation circuits are consistent.

[0017] In one embodiment, the monitoring circuit includes a sensing circuit and multiple area monitoring circuits. The sensing circuit is configured to acquire the location information of obstacles. The multiple area monitoring circuits are connected to the sensing circuit and are configured to correspond one-to-one with multiple safety assessment circuits, for outputting obstacle detection results based on different detection areas and location information.

[0018] In one embodiment, the sensing circuit includes a lidar.

[0019] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a robot comprising a carrier, a main body, the aforementioned safety control circuit, a drive circuit, and a controller. The main body is mounted on the carrier and performs motion control in conjunction with the carrier. The drive circuit is connected to the safety control circuit and is used to receive the safety control strategy output by the safety control circuit and execute safety operations. The controller is connected to the drive circuit and the safety control circuit and is used to transmit the safety control strategy output by the safety control circuit to the drive circuit, so that the drive circuit controls the robot's motors based on the safety control strategy.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: The safety control circuit of this application includes a monitoring circuit and multiple safety evaluation circuits. The monitoring circuit simultaneously detects obstacles in multiple different detection areas of the robot, which can accelerate the robot's obstacle detection speed. In addition, different detection areas correspond to different safety control strategies. The safety evaluation circuit is set one-to-one with multiple different detection areas. Each safety evaluation circuit can output a corresponding safety control strategy for the corresponding detection area, which can increase the robot's safety control strategies. Therefore, it can accelerate the robot's speed in dealing with obstacles in different detection areas, enhance the robot's safety performance, and improve the robot's safety level.

[0021] [Attached Image Description]

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the safety control circuit provided in this application;

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the safety control circuit provided in this application;

[0025] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the robot provided in this application.

[0026]

Detailed Implementation Methods

[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] The terms "first" and "second" in this application are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly defined. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices. The term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0029] This application provides a safety control circuit for robot safety control. Referring to FIG1, FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the safety control circuit provided in this application. The safety control circuit 100 includes a monitoring circuit 110 and multiple safety assessment circuits 120.

[0030] The monitoring circuit 110 is configured to simultaneously detect obstacles in multiple different detection areas of the robot; each detection area corresponds to a different safety control strategy. For example, different detection areas can be areas of increasing distance from the robot along its forward direction; or different areas of increasing distance around the robot. The obstacles can be stationary relative to the ground or moving relative to the ground; they can be objects, people, etc., without limitation. In this embodiment, the monitoring circuit 110 simultaneously detects obstacles in multiple different detection areas of the robot, which can accelerate the robot's obstacle detection speed. Furthermore, the different safety control strategies corresponding to different detection areas allow the robot to perform different safety operations for different detection areas, making the robot's safe operation smoother and safer.

[0031] For example, different safety control strategies could include torque shutdown, deceleration, deceleration anomaly monitoring, and deceleration followed by torque shutdown.

[0032] Multiple safety assessment circuits 120 are connected to the monitoring circuit 110. Each safety assessment circuit 120 corresponds to a different detection area, and each safety assessment circuit 120 outputs a corresponding safety control strategy based on obstacle detection results in its respective detection area to control the robot to perform safe operations. The term "multiple" in "multiple safety assessment circuits 120" refers to at least two circuits, with the number determined by factors such as the detection area range or the precision of area division. In essence, one safety assessment circuit 120 corresponds to one detection area. When the monitoring circuit 110 detects an obstacle in a detection area, the corresponding safety assessment circuit 120 can output a corresponding safety control strategy, thereby enhancing the robot's safety control capabilities.

[0033] The safety control circuit 100 in this embodiment can accelerate obstacle detection speed by simultaneously detecting obstacles in multiple different detection areas of the robot through the monitoring circuit 110. In addition, different detection areas correspond to different safety control strategies, enabling the robot to perform different safety operations for different detection areas, making the robot's safety operation smoother. Furthermore, the safety evaluation circuit 120 is set up one-to-one with multiple different detection areas, and each safety evaluation circuit 120 can output a corresponding safety control strategy for the corresponding detection area, which can increase the robot's safety control strategies. Therefore, it can speed up the robot's response to obstacles in different detection areas, enhance the robot's safety performance, and improve the robot's safety level.

[0034] In one embodiment, the detection area includes at least a first detection area and a second detection area distributed from farthest to near the robot. The safety control strategy corresponding to the second detection area includes a torque shutdown signal; the safety control strategy corresponding to the first detection area includes a first deceleration signal and a torque shutdown signal for a first deceleration anomaly. The shape of the detection area can be rectangular, annular, circular, etc., and is not limited thereto. When the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs the safety assessment strategy corresponding to the first detection area, it first outputs the first deceleration signal and monitors whether the robot experiences a deceleration anomaly. If so, it outputs the torque shutdown signal; otherwise, it does not output the torque shutdown signal. When the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs the safety assessment strategy corresponding to the second detection area, it directly outputs the torque shutdown signal. The deceleration anomaly can be caused by the robot's speed exceeding a threshold after a preset time, or the robot failing to stop after a preset time.

[0035] The detection area in this embodiment includes at least two detection areas distributed from far to near the robot, and the two detection areas correspond to different safety control strategies, which can expand the protection range of the robot and enhance its safety performance. In addition, when an obstacle is detected in the first detection area which is farther away from the robot, the robot is slowed down first, and the robot torque is shut off when the deceleration is abnormal, which can improve the robot's efficiency while ensuring its safety.

[0036] To further enhance robot safety, in one embodiment, the detection area also includes a third detection area distributed on the side of the first detection area away from the robot, thereby expanding the robot's protection range. The safety control strategy corresponding to the third detection area includes a second deceleration signal and a torque shutdown signal for a second deceleration anomaly, wherein the deceleration ratio of the second deceleration signal is greater than the deceleration ratio of the first deceleration signal. Since the distance between the third detection area and the robot is greater than the distance between the first detection area and the robot, the time required for the distance between the obstacle and the robot to shorten is longer, giving the robot more reaction time. Therefore, the robot's deceleration ratio when the obstacle is in the third detection area can be greater than the robot's deceleration ratio when the obstacle is in the first detection area. When the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs the safety assessment strategy corresponding to the third detection area, it first outputs the second deceleration signal to monitor whether the robot experiences a deceleration anomaly. If so, it outputs the torque shutdown signal; otherwise, it does not output the torque shutdown signal.

[0037] The detection area in this embodiment also includes a third detection area distributed on the side of the first detection area away from the robot, which can expand the protection range of the robot and enhance the safety of the robot; by setting at least two deceleration ratios in the first detection area and the third detection area, the robot can operate more smoothly and efficiently while meeting safety standards.

[0038] In other embodiments, the third detection area may be the side of the first detection area away from the robot, that is, the first detection area is further divided.

[0039] In one embodiment, the detection area further includes a fourth detection area located between the first and second detection areas. The safety control strategy corresponding to the fourth detection area includes a third deceleration signal and a torque shutdown signal after a preset time. When an obstacle enters the first detection area, the robot begins to decelerate. If the robot does not have any deceleration anomalies, when the obstacle enters the fourth detection area, the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs the safety assessment strategy corresponding to the fourth detection area. First, it outputs a third deceleration signal to make the robot continue to decelerate. If the robot has not reached the torque shutdown point after a preset time, it outputs a torque shutdown signal; or it makes the robot continue to decelerate and outputs a torque shutdown signal after a preset deceleration time to shut off the robot's torque, thus ensuring the robot's safety.

[0040] The detection area in this embodiment further includes a fourth detection area located between the first and second detection areas, and the safety control strategy corresponding to the fourth detection area is to first decelerate and then shut off the torque, which makes the robot run more smoothly and efficiently while meeting safety standards.

[0041] In one embodiment, the reduction ratio of the third deceleration signal is less than that of the first deceleration signal. Therefore, the robot can switch from different deceleration ratios to torque shutdown, making the robot operation smoother and more efficient. At the same time, it can reduce the impact of the robot switching from a high-speed motion state to torque shutdown on the robot motor.

[0042] In one embodiment, the safety control circuit 100 further includes an output circuit 130, which is connected to a safety assessment circuit 120 corresponding to at least one detection area. The output circuit 130 is also configured to connect to the robot's motor drive circuit to control the robot to perform torque shutdown. The safety control strategy corresponding to at least one detection area includes a torque shutdown signal. That is, when the safety control strategy for the detection area corresponding to the safety assessment circuit 120 includes a torque shutdown signal, the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs a torque shutdown signal to the robot's motor drive circuit through the output circuit 130 to control the robot to perform torque shutdown.

[0043] In this embodiment, the safety control circuit 100 includes a torque shutdown signal as part of the safety control strategy for at least one detection area, and an output circuit 130 connected to the robot's motor drive circuit is provided. When the safety control strategy for the detection area corresponding to the safety assessment circuit 120 includes a torque shutdown signal, the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs a torque shutdown signal to the robot's motor drive circuit through the output circuit 130, controlling the robot to perform torque shutdown. In other words, the safety control circuit 100 can directly control the robot to perform torque shutdown, thereby enhancing the robot's safety.

[0044] For example, when the safety control strategies for multiple different detection areas of the robot all include a torque shutdown signal, the safety evaluation circuit 120 corresponding to each detection area is connected to the output circuit 130. If the safety control strategy corresponding to the robot's first detection area includes other safety signals or strategies besides the torque shutdown signal, and the safety control strategy corresponding to the second detection area includes a torque shutdown signal, then the safety evaluation circuit 120 corresponding to the second detection area is connected to the output circuit 130, while the safety evaluation circuit 120 corresponding to the first detection area does not need to be connected to the output circuit 130.

[0045] In other embodiments, the safety assessment circuit 120 is connected to the output circuit 130. When the torque shutdown signal is added to modify the safety control strategy, the connection between the safety assessment circuit 120 and the output circuit 130 is not limited, which can reduce the hardware development cycle and reduce costs.

[0046] In one embodiment, the safety control circuit 100 further includes a communication circuit 140, which is connected to a safety assessment circuit 120 corresponding to at least one detection area. The communication circuit 140 is also configured to connect to the robot's controller. The safety control circuit 100 sends a deceleration signal to the controller via the communication circuit 140, thereby controlling the robot to decelerate. Specifically, the safety control strategy corresponding to at least one detection area includes a deceleration signal. That is, when the safety control strategy for the detection area corresponding to the safety assessment circuit 120 includes a deceleration signal, the safety assessment circuit 120 communicates with the robot's controller via the communication circuit 140 to notify the controller to decelerate the robot.

[0047] In this embodiment, the safety control circuit 100 includes a deceleration signal as part of the safety control strategy for at least one detection area, and a communication circuit 140 for communicating with the robot's controller. When the safety control strategy for the detection area corresponding to the safety assessment circuit 120 includes a deceleration signal, the safety assessment circuit 120 communicates with the robot's controller through the communication circuit 140 and notifies the controller to decelerate the robot. This enriches the safety control strategy and reduces the probability of robot motor damage.

[0048] For example, the safety control strategy corresponding to the robot's detection area A includes a torque shutdown signal, and the safety control strategy corresponding to the detection area B includes a torque shutdown signal and a deceleration signal. The safety evaluation circuit 120 corresponding to detection area B is connected to the output circuit 130 and the communication circuit 140, and the safety evaluation circuit 120 corresponding to detection area A is connected to the output circuit 130. Alternatively, the safety control strategy corresponding to the robot's detection area A includes a torque shutdown signal, and the safety control strategy corresponding to the detection area B includes a deceleration signal. The safety evaluation circuit 120 corresponding to detection area B is connected to the communication circuit 140, and the safety evaluation circuit 120 corresponding to detection area A is connected to the output circuit 130.

[0049] In one embodiment, all safety assessment circuits 120 are connected to the communication circuit 140. When the safety control strategy is modified to add a deceleration signal, the connection between the safety assessment circuit 120 and the communication circuit 140 is not restricted, which can reduce the hardware development cycle and reduce costs.

[0050] When the communication circuit 140 is connected to the robot's controller, it can be a wired communication connection or a wireless communication connection; there is no limitation on this. For example, the communication circuit 140 communicates with the controller via CANopen.

[0051] In one embodiment, the communication circuit 140 may be a dual-channel communication circuit 140, which communicates with the controller in a dual-channel manner, thereby improving the communication security between the safety control circuit 100 and the controller and enhancing the safety of the robot.

[0052] In one embodiment, the communication circuit 140 may include a plurality of sub-communication circuits 140, each sub-communication circuit 140 being configured to be connected to a safety assessment circuit 120 and a controller. Therefore, the safety assessment circuit 120 can directly communicate with the controller through its corresponding sub-communication circuit 140, and its safety control strategy can be directly sent to the controller, which can speed up the robot's execution of safety operations and improve the robot's safety.

[0053] In other embodiments, the communication circuit 140 may be set in the security assessment circuit 120.

[0054] In one embodiment, the communication circuit 140 is further configured to prioritize the safety control strategies corresponding to different safety assessment circuits 120 and output the safety control strategy with higher priority. For example, when the monitoring circuit 110 simultaneously detects obstacles in different detection areas, the communication circuit 140 simultaneously or within a preset time receives deceleration signals corresponding to different safety control strategies. The communication circuit 140 prioritizes the safety control strategies corresponding to the deceleration signals and may prioritize or only output the deceleration signal corresponding to the safety control strategy with higher priority; or, if a higher priority deceleration signal is received within the period of outputting the deceleration signal, the communication circuit 140 interrupts the ongoing output and outputs the deceleration signal with higher priority.

[0055] In one embodiment, the safety control circuit 100 further includes a processor (not shown in the figure). The processor is configured to prioritize the safety control strategies corresponding to different safety assessment circuits 120 and output the safety control strategy with higher priority. For example, when the monitoring circuit 110 simultaneously detects obstacles distributed in different detection areas, the processor simultaneously or within a preset time receives deceleration signals corresponding to different safety control strategies. The processor prioritizes the safety control strategies corresponding to the deceleration signals and can prioritize or only output the deceleration signals corresponding to the higher priority safety control strategies to the communication circuit 140.

[0056] In one embodiment, the robot's controller prioritizes different safety control strategies and controls the robot to perform safe operations according to the higher-level safety control strategy.

[0057] For example, since the third detection area is farther from the robot than the first detection area, the priority of the second deceleration signal in the safety control strategy corresponding to the third detection area is lower than the priority of the first deceleration signal in the safety control strategy corresponding to the first detection area. When obstacles are detected in both the third and first detection areas at the same time, the first deceleration signal is output first or only.

[0058] In one embodiment, the monitoring circuit 110 performs obstacle detection in real time or periodically. If, during a safe operation, the robot's controller receives a new safety control strategy, the controller can either interrupt the current safe operation and execute the new safety operation based on the priority of the safety control strategy, or wait for the current safe operation to end and prioritize the execution of the higher-level safety control strategy.

[0059] In one embodiment, a safety assessment circuit 120 corresponding to at least one detection area is configured to acquire the robot's speed information, determine whether the robot is decelerating abnormally or whether the deceleration duration has reached a preset duration based on the speed information, and generate a torque shutdown signal when deceleration is abnormal or the deceleration duration reaches the preset duration. At this time, the safety assessment circuit 120 is connected to the output circuit 130 and the communication circuit 140. For example, the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs a deceleration signal, acquires the robot's speed information after an interval, and if the robot's speed is greater than a threshold, it considers the robot decelerating abnormally and generates a torque shutdown signal to control the robot's torque shutdown, ensuring the robot's safety. Alternatively, the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs a deceleration signal, acquires the robot's speed information after an interval, and if the robot has not yet reached torque shutdown due to deceleration when the preset duration is reached, it generates a torque shutdown signal to control the robot's torque shutdown, ensuring the robot's safety.

[0060] The safety assessment circuit 120 in this embodiment determines whether the robot is decelerating abnormally or whether the deceleration time has reached a preset time by acquiring the robot's speed information. When the deceleration is abnormal or the deceleration time reaches the preset time, a torque shutdown signal is generated to ensure that the robot's torque can be shut off when the deceleration is abnormal, thereby improving the robot's safety.

[0061] In one embodiment, referring to FIG2, which is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the safety control circuit provided in this application, the safety control circuit 100 includes two sets of monitoring circuits 110 and two sets of multiple safety evaluation circuits 120. One set of monitoring circuits 110 is correspondingly arranged with one set of multiple safety evaluation circuits 120, and the other set of monitoring circuits 110 is correspondingly arranged with the other set of multiple safety evaluation circuits 120. Furthermore, the two sets of monitoring circuits 110 have the same detection area, and the safety control strategy corresponding to the detection area is the same. That is, the safety control circuit 100 of this embodiment is designed for dual-channel area detection and safety evaluation output. When one set fails, the other set can continue to monitor and output the safety control strategy, thereby enhancing the safety performance of the safety control circuit 100.

[0062] In one embodiment, the safety control circuit 100 further includes a verification circuit 150, which is connected to two sets of safety evaluation circuits 120 to verify whether the safety control strategies output by the two sets of safety evaluation circuits 120 are consistent. That is, the dual-channel area detection and safety evaluation outputs monitor each other for faults and also monitor whether the safety control strategy outputs are executed. The dual-channel safety architecture of the area detection and safety evaluation outputs in this embodiment meets the CAT3 architecture of ISO13849-1, achieving PLd / SIL2 level.

[0063] The verification circuit 150 can be set in one or more security evaluation circuits 120 in any group, or the verification circuit 150 can be set independently, without any restrictions.

[0064] In one embodiment, the monitoring circuit 110 includes a connected sensing circuit 111 and multiple area monitoring circuits. The sensing circuit 111 is used to acquire the robot's position information. The position information may include the distance and orientation between the robot and obstacles. The sensing circuit 111 can determine the obstacle's position information through image information, infrared information, etc., which is not limited here.

[0065] In one embodiment, the sensing circuit 111 includes a lidar (not shown), a laser scanner, or a camera. For example, the sensing circuit 111 includes a laser scanner. A laser scanner is a photoelectric sensor, wherein the transmitter is a light emitter and the receiver is a light receiver, for transmitting a light beam into a detection area and detecting the light beam reflected back by obstacles within the detection area. The laser scanner is an optical time-of-flight sensor, i.e., a laser scanner or optical time-of-flight camera based on optical time-of-flight evaluation. In particular, the laser scanner is a security laser scanner.

[0066] Multiple area monitoring circuits 112 are connected to the sensing circuit 111 and are configured one-to-one with multiple safety assessment circuits 120 to output obstacle detection results based on the corresponding detection area and location information. That is, one area monitoring circuit 112 monitors one detection area and notifies its corresponding safety assessment circuit 120 to output a safety control strategy corresponding to that detection area when an obstacle enters the detection area. Therefore, each area monitoring circuit 112 and safety assessment circuit 120 outputting a safety control strategy forms a safety path. Thus, the safety control circuit 100 in this embodiment includes multiple safety paths, and each safety path has a different safety strategy.

[0067] This embodiment uses a sensing circuit 111 to acquire obstacle location information and multiple area monitoring circuits 112 to simultaneously detect obstacles in different detection areas, which can speed up obstacle detection. In addition, each area monitoring circuit 112 and safety assessment circuit 120 outputs a safety control strategy to form a safety path. Therefore, the safety control circuit 100 in this embodiment contains multiple safety paths, and each safety path has a different safety strategy, which can enhance the safety of the robot.

[0068] For example, the monitoring circuit 110 includes two area monitoring circuits 112. One area monitoring circuit 112 is configured to detect a first detection area, and the other area monitoring circuit 112 is configured to detect a second detection area. One area monitoring circuit 112 determines whether an obstacle is in the first detection area based on the obstacle's location information and the parameter information of the first detection area. If so, it sends a signal to the safety assessment circuit 120 corresponding to the area monitoring circuit 112, and the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs a safety control strategy corresponding to the first detection area. The other area monitoring circuit 112 determines whether an obstacle is in the second detection area based on the obstacle's location information and the parameter information of the second detection area. If so, it sends a signal to the safety assessment circuit 120 corresponding to the area monitoring circuit 112, and the safety assessment circuit 120 outputs a safety control strategy corresponding to the second detection area. The parameter information can be one or more of the location, distance, and orientation information of the detection area.

[0069] In one embodiment, multiple area monitoring circuits 112 and multiple security assessment circuits 120 are implemented in the same processor using functional modules. This allows the area monitoring circuits 112 and security assessment circuits 120 to be connected via internal processor signals, eliminating the need for external wiring harnesses. This reduces the need for signal harnesses, common peripheral circuits, and isolation circuits, thereby lowering the cost of the security control circuit 100. For example, signal connections within a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) can be utilized.

[0070] In one embodiment, multiple area monitoring circuits 112 and sensing circuits 111 can be housed in one processor, and multiple security assessment circuits 120 can be housed in another processor. The two processors are electrically connected via printed circuit boards. This reduces the wiring harness setup for the monitoring circuits and the multiple security assessment circuits 120, and also allows them to share the same peripheral circuitry, thereby reducing the cost of the security control circuit 100.

[0071] This application provides a robot. Referring to FIG3, FIG3 is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the robot provided in this application. The robot 10 includes a carrier (not labeled), a main body (not labeled), a safety control circuit 100, a motion state monitoring circuit 200, a drive circuit 400, and a controller 300. The main body is mounted on the carrier and performs motion control in conjunction with the carrier. The motion state monitoring circuit 200 is connected to the safety control circuit 100 and is used to monitor the motion state of the main body to monitor the movement data of the main body. The drive circuit 400 is connected to the safety control circuit 100 and is used to receive the safety control strategy output by the safety control circuit 100 and execute safety operations. The controller 300 is connected to the drive circuit 400 and the safety control circuit 100 and is used to transmit the safety control strategy output by the safety control circuit 100 to the drive circuit 400 so that the drive circuit 400 controls the motor of the robot 10 based on the safety control strategy. The safety control circuit 100 includes any of the above-described embodiments of the safety control circuit 100.

[0072] The main body can be installed on the carrier and its motion can be controlled in conjunction with the carrier.

[0073] Optionally, at least one of the robot's controller 300, drive circuit 400, etc., may be mounted on the carrier.

[0074] The main body or some of its components are movable; the movement of the main body includes rotation and / or movement; the movement data includes rotation data and / or movement data.

[0075] The motion state monitoring circuit 200 is used to monitor the motion state of the main body, specifically the movement data of the robot 10. For example, when the robot 10's movement device (not shown in the figure) consists of a left wheel and a right wheel, it is necessary to monitor the rotational speed and direction of the left and right wheels. The current state of the robot 10 can be determined by monitoring the rotational speed and direction of the left and right wheels. Alternatively, when the movement device is a lifting device, it is necessary to monitor the lifting height and rotation angle of the lifting device. The current state of the robot 10 can be determined by monitoring the lifting height and rotation angle of the lifting device. The safety assessment circuit 120 monitors the robot 10's movement data, i.e., its speed information, to determine whether the robot 10 is decelerating abnormally. This enables the monitoring of the robot's safe speed. When the robot 10 is decelerating abnormally, a torque cut-off signal is output to control the torque cut-off of the robot 10.

[0076] In some embodiments, the carrier may include a moving device for moving the robot 10 along a horizontal direction or the direction of gravity. In this embodiment, the robot 10 is an integral mobile robot, and its specific working structure and control can be found in the above embodiments.

[0077] In some embodiments, the carrier may include a base, which can be fixed to a workbench or similar surface during robot 10 operation to ensure stability. In this embodiment, robot 10 is a partially movable robot, and its main body or some components thereof can move relative to the base. For example, the main body may include a robotic arm that can move relative to the base, or some joints of the robotic arm may move relative to the base, and so on. The moving components of the main body may also include at least one of a cargo telescopic frame, an extension shaft, an end effector, and a motor.

[0078] In one embodiment, the safety control circuit 100 includes a monitoring circuit 110, four safety assessment circuits 120, an output circuit 130, and a communication circuit 140. The monitoring circuit 110 includes a sensing circuit 111 and four area monitoring circuits 112. The four area monitoring circuits 112 are connected to the sensing circuit 111 and correspond one-to-one with the four safety assessment circuits 120. The safety assessment circuits 120 are also connected to the output circuit 130 and the communication circuit 140, and to the motion state monitoring circuit 200 to obtain the speed information of the robot 10. The detection areas include a third detection area, a first detection area, a fourth detection area, and a second detection area, distributed from farthest to closest to the robot 10. The third detection area is on the outermost side, and the second detection area is on the innermost side. The sensing circuit 111 calculates the distance and orientation of objects within a 360-degree radius in real time. The area monitoring circuits 112 perform logical calculations based on obstacle position information and the information of the corresponding detection areas. When an obstacle is within a preset detection area, a safety signal is output.

[0079] The motion state monitoring circuit 200 includes an encoder (not shown in the figure). The safety assessment circuit 120 calculates the speed and direction of the robot 10 using the encoder's encoded signal. The output circuit 130 is connected to the drive circuit 400, which drives the motor of the robot 10. A low torque shutdown signal can shut off the motor torque. The communication circuit 140 is connected to the controller 300, which outputs control signals to the drive circuit 400. The drive circuit 400 controls the overall movement of the robot 10 based on the control signals. For example, the safety assessment circuit 120 sends a deceleration signal to the controller 300 via the communication circuit 140. In response to the deceleration signal, the controller 300 issues a deceleration command to the drive circuit 400, or the controller 300 controls the drive circuit 400 to decelerate in response to the deceleration signal.

[0080] First, different detection areas are preset into the corresponding area monitoring circuit 112, and the safety control strategies corresponding to the detection areas are preset into the safety evaluation circuit 120. The safety control strategies can be safety parameters. For example, safety parameter 3 corresponding to the third detection area is SSM-S2, where SSM is for safe speed monitoring and S2 is for a speed threshold; a safety signal will be issued when the threshold is exceeded. Safety parameter 1 corresponding to the first detection area is SSM-S1, and safety parameter 4 corresponding to the fourth detection area is SS1, where SS1 is for issuing a torque cut-off signal after a preset deceleration time. Safety parameter 2 corresponding to the second detection area is STO, where STO is a torque cut-off signal.

[0081] When an object is detected to have entered the third detection area, the OSSD3 signal goes low. At this time, the SSM-S2 function is activated. The safety assessment circuit 120 will notify the controller to decelerate immediately through the communication circuit 140. At the same time, the speed of the robot 10 is monitored to determine whether the robot 10 is decelerating. When the speed is higher than the threshold S2, it indicates that the robot 10 is decelerating abnormally, and a torque shutdown signal will be output to shut off the motor torque. If the deceleration is normal, no torque shutdown signal will be output.

[0082] When an object is detected to have entered the first detection area, the OSSD1 signal goes low. At this time, the SSM-S1 function is activated. The safety assessment circuit 120 will notify the controller 300 to decelerate immediately through the communication circuit 140. At the same time, the speed of the robot 10 will be monitored to determine whether the robot 10 is decelerating. When the speed is higher than the threshold S1, it indicates that the robot 10 is decelerating abnormally, and a torque shutdown signal will be output to shut off the motor torque. If the deceleration is normal, no torque shutdown signal will be output.

[0083] Generally speaking, thresholds S1 and S2 are equivalent to the deceleration ratio of robot 10. Because the third detection area is on the outermost side and farther from robot 10, the deceleration ratio is larger, allowing for gradual deceleration. Detection areas closer to the robot require a smaller deceleration ratio and faster deceleration; therefore, threshold S2 is greater than threshold S1. Thus, this embodiment sets multiple deceleration ratios, making the robot 10 operate more smoothly and efficiently.

[0084] When an object is detected intruding into the fourth detection area, the OSSD4 signal goes low. At this time, the SS1 function is activated, and the safety assessment circuit 120 notifies the controller 300 to immediately decelerate via the communication circuit 140. After a certain delay, a torque shutdown signal is output to shut off the motor torque. Since the fourth detection area is already close to the robot 10, speed monitoring is no longer required, and the motor torque is directly shut off after a certain delay.

[0085] When an object is detected intruding into the second detection area, the OSSD2 signal goes low, and the safety assessment circuit 120 directly outputs a torque shutdown signal to shut off the motor torque. Because the second detection area is very close to the robot 10, the robot should stop immediately upon the intrusion of an object.

[0086] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A safety control circuit, characterized in that, For safety control of a robot, the safety control circuit includes: The monitoring circuit is configured to simultaneously detect obstacles in multiple different detection areas of the robot; wherein different detection areas correspond to different safety control strategies. Multiple safety assessment circuits are connected to the monitoring circuit. Each safety assessment circuit is configured to correspond one-to-one with a different detection area. The safety assessment circuit outputs a corresponding safety control strategy based on the obstacle detection results of the corresponding detection area to control the robot to perform safe operations.

2. The safety control circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The safety control strategy corresponding to at least one of the detection areas includes a torque shutdown signal; The safety control circuit further includes an output circuit connected to a safety assessment circuit corresponding to at least one of the detection areas, and the output circuit is also configured to be connected to the drive circuit of the robot's motor to control the robot to perform torque shutdown.

3. The safety control circuit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The safety control strategy corresponding to at least one of the detection areas includes a deceleration signal; The safety control circuit further includes a communication circuit connected to a safety assessment circuit corresponding to at least one of the detection areas, and the communication circuit is further configured to be connected to the robot's controller to control the robot to decelerate via the controller.

4. The safety control circuit according to claim 3, characterized in that, The safety assessment circuit corresponding to at least one of the detection areas is configured to acquire the robot's speed information, determine whether the robot decelerates abnormally or the deceleration time reaches a preset time based on the speed information, and generate a torque shutdown signal when the deceleration is abnormal or the deceleration time reaches the preset time.

5. The safety control circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection area includes at least a first detection area and a second detection area distributed from far to near the robot. The safety control strategy corresponding to the second detection area includes a second torque shutdown signal. The safety control strategy corresponding to the first detection area includes a first deceleration signal and a first torque shutdown signal when deceleration is abnormal.

6. The safety control circuit according to claim 5, characterized in that, The detection area also includes a third detection area distributed on the side of the first detection area away from the robot. The safety control strategy corresponding to the third detection area includes a second deceleration signal and a third torque cut-off signal when deceleration is abnormal, wherein the deceleration ratio of the second deceleration signal is greater than the deceleration ratio of the first deceleration signal.

7. The safety control circuit according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The detection area also includes a fourth detection area located between the first detection area and the second detection area. The safety control strategy corresponding to the fourth detection area includes a third deceleration signal and a fourth torque cut-off signal after a preset deceleration time.

8. The safety control circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The safety control circuit includes two sets of monitoring circuits and two sets of multiple safety assessment circuits. One set of monitoring circuits is configured to correspond to one set of multiple safety assessment circuits, and the other set of monitoring circuits is configured to correspond to the other set of multiple safety assessment circuits. The safety control circuit also includes: A verification circuit, connected to the two sets of security evaluation circuits, is used to verify whether the security control strategies output by the two sets of security evaluation circuits are consistent.

9. The safety control circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The monitoring circuit includes: The sensing circuit is configured to acquire the position information of the obstacle; Multiple area monitoring circuits are connected to the sensing circuit and are configured to correspond one-to-one with the multiple safety assessment circuits, for outputting obstacle detection results based on different detection areas and location information.

10. The safety control circuit according to claim 9, characterized in that, The sensing circuit includes a lidar.

11. A robot, characterized in that, include: Carrier; The main body is installed on the carrier and its movement is controlled in conjunction with the carrier. The safety control circuit according to any one of claims 1-10; A driving circuit, connected to the safety control circuit, is used to receive the safety control strategy output by the safety control circuit and execute safety operations; The controller is connected to the drive circuit and the safety control circuit, and is used to send the safety control strategy output by the safety control circuit to the drive circuit, so that the drive circuit controls the robot's motor based on the safety control strategy.

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