Wireless Robot Command Control Using Action-Based QoC
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication protocols for industrial automation, such as EtherCAT and ProfiNet, are designed for local wire-based control and fail to effectively manage the uncertainties of wireless command transmission, leading to negative impacts on deterministic behavior and resource usage in robotic device control.
Innovation Solution
A controller that determines a Quality of Control (QoC) level for each action and adjusts transmission parameters accordingly, optimizing wireless resource usage by relaxing Quality of Service (QoS) requirements for less critical commands, while maintaining high QoS for critical actions, and influencing control tolerance settings in feedback loops and PID control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high QoS settings are used to guarantee constantly high quality for wireless command transmission, then reliability of command transmission is improved, but wireless resource usage increases and deterministic behavior deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating QoS requirements for different command types. Critical commands (e.g., safety-related, real-time control) receive high QoS settings with guaranteed transmission reliability, while non-critical commands (e.g., status reports, telemetry) use relaxed QoS settings. This selective approach ensures that only the necessary portion of the system maintains high resource consumption, optimizing overall wireless resource usage while preserving reliability where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes transmission parameters based on command priority and current system state. Transmission parameters such as packet size, retransmission limits, and QoS class identifiers are adjusted according to the specific command being transmitted. This allows the system to adapt wireless resource allocation in real-time, maintaining high reliability for critical commands while reducing resource consumption for less important transmissions.
2Reliability
If high QoS settings are used to guarantee constantly high quality for wireless command transmission, then reliability of command transmission is improved, but deterministic behavior deteriorates due to increased latency and jitter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by assigning different QoS levels to different command categories. Time-critical commands such as real-time control instructions receive high QoS with prioritized transmission to minimize latency, while non-time-critical commands like logging or monitoring data use lower QoS levels. This differentiation ensures that deterministic behavior is maintained for commands requiring it, while allowing flexibility for commands that do not have strict timing requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wireless transmission is used for remote control of robotic devices, then adaptability and remote operation capability are improved, but deterministic behavior and control precision deteriorate compared to wire-based solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by differentiating transmission quality requirements based on control precision needs. Commands requiring high precision (e.g., positioning, trajectory control) are transmitted with high QoS settings ensuring minimal jitter and maximum reliability, while less precision-sensitive commands (e.g., coarse positioning, status queries) use standard QoS settings. This selective approach maintains control precision for critical operations while enabling versatile wireless remote operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller for controlling wireless command transmission to a robotic device is described. The controller is configured to obtain an action that is to be performed by a robotic device and to determine a quality of control, QoC, level that is associated with the action. The controller is further configured to trigger a setting of at least one transmission parameter for a wireless transmission of a command pertaining to the action. The transmission parameter setting is dependent on the QoC level determined for the action.