Capacitive Robot Guard Potential to Prevent Self-Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Capacitive detection electrodes in robots often detect electrical items within the robot itself, leading to self-detection issues that limit operational range and safety functionality, causing the robot to enter degraded modes or freeze unnecessarily.
Innovation Solution
The robot employs capacitive detection electrodes isolated from conductive outer walls and uses a guard potential to electrically guard electrical items, making them invisible to the detection system, thereby preventing self-detection and maintaining operational range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If capacitive detection electrodes are used to detect nearby objects and persons, then safety detection capability is improved, but self-detection of electrical items within the robot occurs causing false detections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies equipotentiality by establishing a guard potential that is identical or substantially identical to the first alternating electrical potential at the working frequency. This creates an equipotential region around electrical items within the robot, making them electrically invisible to the capacitive detection electrodes. The guard potential ensures that electrical items do not create potential differences that would be detected as external objects, thereby eliminating self-detection while preserving the ability to detect actual external objects and persons.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a guard potential as an intermediary electrical state between the general ground potential and the first alternating electrical potential. This guard potential acts as a mediator that shields electrical items within the robot from being detected by the capacitive detection electrodes. By placing electrical items at this intermediate guard potential, the system prevents false detections while maintaining the detection capability for external objects that are not at the guard potential.
2Ease of operation
If electrical items are referenced to general ground potential, then normal electrical operation is maintained, but capacitive detection electrodes detect these items as external objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electrical potential reference system into three distinct levels: general ground potential for normal electrical operation, first alternating electrical potential for capacitive detection electrodes, and guard potential for electrical items that must be shielded from detection. This segmentation allows each component to operate at its appropriate potential level, maintaining normal electrical operation while preventing false detections. The conversion means facilitate safe transitions between these segmented potential levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical potential parameter of electrical items from general ground potential to guard potential. This parameter change makes the electrical items electrically invisible to the capacitive detection system while allowing them to continue operating normally. The conversion means enable this parameter change by providing the necessary potential transformation, thus resolving the conflict between maintaining normal electrical operation and preventing false detections.
3Area of stationary object
If measurement electrodes are placed on conductive outer walls, then detection coverage is improved, but self-detection of the conductive wall occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies equipotentiality by polarizing the conductive outer wall at the guard potential, which is identical or substantially identical to the first alternating electrical potential at the working frequency. This creates an equipotential condition between the outer wall and the capacitive detection electrodes, eliminating potential differences that would cause self-detection. The conductive outer wall can thus serve as a measurement electrode with wide detection coverage without detecting itself, as long as it is maintained at the guard potential.
4Reliability
If guard potential is applied to electrical items, then self-detection is prevented, but additional electrical complexity is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the guard potential system to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it shields electrical items from detection, provides a reference potential for the capacitive detection system, and enables the conductive outer wall to function as both a structural component and a measurement electrode. The conversion means are designed to handle multiple electrical items and potential transformations, reducing overall system complexity despite the introduction of the guard potential.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances detection efficiency by avoiding self-detection, ensuring the robot's operational range is not limited and maintaining safety functionality without interfering with capacitive detection of external objects.
Implementation Method 1
measuring a signal relative to a coupling capacitance, called electrode-object capacitance, between at least one measurement electrode and a nearby object
Implementation Method 2
at least one means of electrical polarization for polarizing said at least one measurement electrode at a first alternating electrical potential different from a general ground potential
Implementation Method 3
said at least one polarization means is also arranged in order to electrically guard at least one electrical item of said fitted-out sub-part, at an alternating electrical potential (VG), called guard potential, identical or substantially identical to said first potential at said working frequency
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a robot including capacitive detection electrodes, at least one means of electrical polarization for polarizing the measurement electrodes at a first alternating electrical potential different from a general ground potential (MG), at a frequency, called working frequency.The robot is characterized in that, for at least one sub-part, called fitted-out the outer wall of which is at least partially non-electrically conductive, said at least one polarization means is also arranged in order to electrically guard the electrical items of said fitted-out sub-part at an alternating electrical potential (VG), called guard potential, identical or substantially identical to said first potential, at said working frequency.