Mobile Robot Entry Control for Speed-Matched Moving Walkways
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile robots face difficulties in navigating and stabilizing on moving walkways due to differences in relative speed with the step belt, leading to potential loss of balance and passenger discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A method for a mobile robot to communicate with a moving walkway to adjust its speed and the step belt speed, ensuring synchronized entry and exit without passenger inconvenience, using a communication unit and processor to control the robot's movement and speed matching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mobile robot enters the moving walkway without speed adjustment, then the entry process is simple, but the robot loses balance and causes passenger discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives information about the moving walkway's operation state and adjusts the robot's wheel speed accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures the robot maintains balance by continuously adapting its speed to match the moving walkway's speed, resolving the stability issue while managing system complexity through intelligent control.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot dynamically changes its movement parameters (wheel speed) based on the moving walkway's operation state. By adjusting the speed parameter in real-time, the robot adapts to the moving environment, ensuring stable entry and movement without requiring complex mechanical modifications.
2Ease of operation
If the mobile robot adjusts speed to match moving walkway, then passenger comfort is maintained, but movement time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot dynamically adjusts its speed based on real-time conditions. When the moving walkway is operational, the robot matches its speed to maintain comfort; when the walkway is stationary or not in use, the robot can move at higher speeds. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between comfort and time efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit determines the moving walkway's operation state in advance before the robot enters. By knowing the walkway's status beforehand, the robot can plan its speed adjustment strategy, ensuring smooth transitions and minimizing unnecessary delays while maintaining passenger comfort.
3Manufacturing precision
If the mobile robot uses communication with moving walkway, then entry precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that receives operation state information from the moving walkway and translates it into appropriate speed control commands. This intermediary approach enables precise coordination between the robot and moving walkway without requiring direct complex mechanical coupling or overly sophisticated communication protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a method of causing a mobile robot to enter a moving walkway, the method including setting a movement path including a moving walkway, recognizing, by the mobile robot, to enter the moving walkway included in the movement path, adjusting at least one of a speed of the mobile robot and a speed of a step belt of the moving walkway via communication between the mobile robot and the moving walkway, and moving the mobile robot onto the step belt of the moving walkway based on the adjusted speed.