Multi-Robot Emergency Stop Control for Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In logistics settings with multiple robots, there is no effective solution to prevent collisions between robots when one robot experiences a fault, leading to potential collisions with others.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that arranges position points with identifiers in the workspace, monitors robot situations, and allocates emergency stop positions based on current positions and speeds, controlling all robots to stop movement to prevent collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If robots operate autonomously along fixed routes in a logistics center, then productivity and service level are improved, but the risk of mutual collision increases when faults occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-arranges multiple position points with identifiers in the workspace before operations begin. When a fault occurs, robots can immediately navigate to pre-defined safe positions without complex real-time calculations, reducing response time and collision risk while maintaining high productivity during normal operations
Solution Approach 2:
The control device acts as an intermediary between robots and the workspace environment. It monitors robot positions, detects faults, and coordinates emergency stop positions for multiple robots, preventing collisions while allowing autonomous operation to continue during normal conditions
2Reliability
If all robots are controlled to emergency stop when a fault occurs, then collision prevention is improved, but system downtime and productivity loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of stopping all robots system-wide, the control device allocates specific emergency stop positions for individual robots based on their current locations and fault conditions. This localized approach prevents collisions at fault points while allowing other robots to continue operating, minimizing overall system downtime
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency stop position allocation is dynamic rather than static. The control device calculates optimal stop positions based on real-time robot positions, speeds, and workspace conditions, enabling robots to stop safely without unnecessary system-wide shutdowns, thus balancing collision prevention with productivity maintenance
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple position points are arranged in the workspace for emergency stop allocation, then robot positioning precision during emergency stop is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using complex physical markers or sophisticated recognition systems, the patent uses simple position identifiers (such as visual markers or coordinate references) that robots can easily detect and locate. This simplifies the overall system while maintaining high positioning precision during emergency stops
Solution Approach 2:
The workspace is segmented into multiple discrete position points with unique identifiers. This segmentation allows the control device to allocate specific stop positions for different robots based on their locations, improving positioning precision while keeping the system manageable through structured spatial division
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a device for controlling a number of robots to emergency stop are provided. The method includes arranging multiple position points in a site where robots work and position identifiers corresponding to the position points, and providing corresponding recognizers at bottoms of the robots; when fault signals reported by the robots are detected, determining, according to the fault signals, whether all the robots in the site need to be controlled to emergency stop, wherein if yes, according to current positions and moving speeds of the robots, position points in the site are allocated to the robots as respective emergency stop positions, the robots are controlled to move to the corresponding emergency stop positions, and thereafter the robots are controlled to stop movement. The device comprises a configuration module, a determination module, an allocation module and a control module.