JPH0578043B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a guidance device for a mobile robot, in which, for example, a power receiving plug is connected to a power supply outlet installed indoors in order to charge a battery mounted on the mobile robot. It can be used in various cases.

(b) Conventional technology Currently, robots are being developed mainly for industrial use, and robots are fixed in factories and perform specific tasks at that position. However, there are many tasks that require moving robots, such as cleaning floors. Such mobile robots have the advantage that they can be used not only in factories but also in offices and homes.

For such mobile robots, how to guide the mobile robot to a specific location has become an important technical issue.

Regarding autonomous driving of mobile robots, "IEEJ Magazine Vol. 103, No. 2" (published by IEEJ in February 1982)
Pages 19 to 24 show several methods classified according to the sensing method of mobile robots: guidance method, position/direction detection method, state detection method, and environment recognition method.

Examples of induction methods include laying an induction cable on the floor and using electromagnetic induction, laying tape on the floor and using light reflection, and placing metal tape on the wall and using changes in capacitance. However, there are many problems with attaching cables and tape, especially in the home.

As position and direction detection methods, methods have been proposed that use triangulation by setting up three light sources or ultrasonic sources as reference points indoors, and a method that uses slit patterns or marks on the road surface to be recognized using a camera. It becomes complicated, and it becomes expensive if a camera is used.

Condition detection methods include a map reading method, a method that determines the position from the speed of the wheels, and a method that uses a gyro, but these methods are expensive because they use encoders and gyros.

Environmental recognition methods include pattern recognition using an ITV camera and external world recognition using ultrasonic waves and tactile sensors, but using a camera is expensive and requires a complicated configuration for pattern recognition. Furthermore, methods using ultrasonic sensors or tactile sensors provide a small amount of information, and although they are suitable for avoiding obstacles, it is difficult to reach a specific location.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention All of the conventional guidance methods for mobile robots are difficult to apply in homes, etc. When guiding a mobile robot to a specific location, it is necessary to move the mobile robot to a position near that specific location. However, it is difficult to bring the mobile robot into a specific position at a specific location.

The present invention was devised in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a guidance device that can bring a mobile robot into a specific position at a specific location with a simple configuration.

(d) Means for solving the problem In order to solve the problem, the present invention is provided at the guidance point of the mobile robot, has a maximum intensity axis where the directivity is maximum in a predetermined direction, and A radiation source that generates radiation waves having a predetermined directivity angle with respect to the maximum intensity axis, two detection elements that detect the radiation waves from the radiation source, and two detection elements that are arranged on the front left and right sides in the direction of travel. a robot body mounted in a symmetrical position so that the receiving surface of the radiation wave faces outward at a predetermined angle with respect to the traveling direction; and a control circuit for controlling the progression of the robot, the control circuit causing the robot main body to approach the guidance point along the maximum strength axis.

(E) Effect When the maximum intensity axis of the directivity of the radiation wave from the radiation source is on the extension line of the robot body in the traveling direction, the detection outputs of the two detection elements installed at symmetrical positions on the front surface of the robot body are Since they are equal, the robot body moves straight towards the radiation source.

When the direction of movement of the robot body deviates from the maximum intensity axis of the directivity of radiation waves from the radiation source, the output of the detection element farther from the maximum intensity axis is smaller than the output of the detection element closer to it. Therefore, the robot body changes its traveling direction in the direction of the maximum strength axis based on the operation of the control circuit.

At this time, the direction of movement of the robot body changes so that the angle of incidence of the radiated wave on the receiving surface of the detection element farther from the maximum intensity axis approaches 90 degrees, so the output of this detection element increases. On the other hand, since the angle of incidence of the radiation wave on the receiving surface of the detection element closer to the maximum intensity axis becomes smaller, the output of this detection element decreases. In this case, since the wave-receiving surfaces of both detection elements are oriented outward at a predetermined angle with respect to the direction of movement of the robot body, compared to the case where the wave-reception surfaces of both detection elements are parallel, The output difference is large,
Change the direction of movement to the axis of maximum strength.

In this manner, the direction of movement of the robot body changes based on the difference in the outputs of both detection elements, and the direction of movement becomes the composite direction of the vector toward the radiation source and the vector toward the maximum intensity axis. Further, this traveling direction changes depending on the output difference between the two detection elements, and the vector toward the maximum intensity axis gradually becomes smaller. The robot body will thus approach the radiation source along the axis of maximum intensity.

(f) Examples An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the guidance device.

In this drawing, 1 is a radiation light source, and a power supply part (for example, an outlet) connected to a commercial power supply
It is installed on the indoor wall surface 2 where the power supply unit is installed, at a position above the power supply unit. Directional radiation is emitted from this radiation source as shown in FIG. 2, and its maximum intensity axis is indicated by . Further, this radiation light source has a directivity of ±10 degrees with respect to the maximum intensity axis at point O.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a robot body, and two light receiving elements 4 and 5 are attached at symmetrical positions on the front surface in the direction of movement. In this case, the light receiving surfaces 6 and 7 of each light receiving element
Each light-receiving element is attached so that each faces outward by a predetermined angle with respect to the direction of travel. The robot body 3 is equipped with a control circuit 8 that controls the movement of the robot body 3 so that the outputs of both light receiving elements 4 and 5 are equal.
It is equipped with This control circuit includes a comparison circuit 9 and a drive circuit 10, and outputs an output to the drive circuit to control the wheel 11.
to drive and control.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained based on FIGS. 3 to 5. In these drawings, the robot body 3 is omitted, only two light-receiving elements 4 and 5 are shown, and the direction of the robot body 1 is indicated by a chain line.

When the robot main body 3 is within the reach of the light from the light source 1 in the positional relationship shown in FIG. The output of this light receiving element is larger than the output of the other light receiving elements 4 because the light receiving element 4 is close to the angle . Therefore, the direction of the robot body 3 is changed in the direction of the arrow A by the operation of the control circuit 8. In order to change this direction, the front or rear wheels of the wheels 11 may be driven via a differential gear, or the driving speeds of the left and right wheels 11, 11 may be individually controlled. Good too.

Assume that the direction of the robot body 3 changes in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3, and the robot body 3 faces the light source 1, as shown in FIG. In this case as well, since the light has the directivity shown in FIG. 2, the output of the light-receiving element 5 closer to the maximum intensity axis OP is larger than the output of the other light-receiving elements 4, which is different from the case of FIG. Similarly, as shown by arrow B, the direction of the robot body is further changed.
At this time, since the incident angle of the light to the light receiving surface 7 of the light receiving element 5 becomes small, the output of this light receiving element 5 becomes small. On the other hand, since the incident angle of light to the light receiving surface 6 of the other light receiving elements 4 approaches 90 degrees,
Its output becomes larger. Therefore, the direction of the robot body changes to the state shown in FIG. 5 so that the outputs of both light receiving elements 4 and 5 are equal, and the direction approaches the maximum intensity axis OP more quickly. FIG. 6 shows the direction in which the outputs of the light receiving elements 4 and 5 at different points are equal.

In this way, the robot body 3 reaches the maximum intensity axis OP, and thereafter moves straight along this maximum intensity axis to approach the light source 1. When approaching the light source 1, braking is applied by the output of the proximity detector provided in the robot body 3, and the robot body is stopped while engaging the power receiving part (for example, a plug) 12 of the robot body 3.

The direction control of the robot main body 3 may be performed each time the robot main body 3 moves a certain distance, or may be performed while the robot main body 3 moves at a predetermined speed. Further, the radiation light source 1 is not limited to being fixed as in the embodiment, but may be moved and the robot body 3 may follow it.

According to experiments, the directivity of the light-receiving elements 4 and 5 was set to ±65 degrees, which is larger than the directivity of the radiation light source by ±10 degrees, and when the directivity of the radiation light source was ±10 degrees, As a result, it was found that using a light receiving element with a high light-directing property caused the light to travel on the maximum intensity axis OP more quickly.

In the above explanation, a light source was used as the radiation source and a light receiving element was used as the detection element, but the radiation source may be any radiation wave that has directionality, or it may be one that emits radio waves. A coil that detects radio waves can be used as the element.

(G) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the robot body is guided onto the maximum strength axis and the robot body is brought closer to the guidance point along the maximum strength axis, so that the guidance point can always be reached with a simple configuration. It becomes possible to approach the mobile robot with the posture of the mobile robot in a specific state.

Furthermore, if the detection element has a directivity wider than the directivity width of the radiation wave, the robot main body can be moved more quickly on the maximum intensity axis.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a guidance device, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the directivity of radiation waves from a radiation source, and Figs. 3 to 5 show the operation of the robot body. The explanatory diagram, FIG. 6, is a diagram showing the direction in which the outputs of two light-receiving elements at different positions become equal. 1... Synchrotron radiation source, 3... Robot body, 4,5
... Light receiving element, 6, 7 ... Wave receiving surface, 8 ... Control circuit, 11 ... Wheel, 12 ... Power receiving section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Provided at the guiding point of the mobile robot, generating a radiation wave having a maximum intensity axis with maximum directivity in a predetermined direction and having a predetermined directivity angle with respect to the maximum intensity axis. a radiation source that detects a radiation wave from the radiation source, two detection elements that detect radiation waves from the radiation source, and the two detection elements are placed at symmetrical positions in front in the direction of travel, so that the receiving surface of the radiation waves is at a predetermined position with respect to the direction of travel. A robot body mounted so as to face angularly outward; and a control circuit provided on the robot body for controlling the advancement of the robot body so that the outputs of the two detection elements are equal, the control circuit A guidance device for a mobile robot, characterized in that the robot main body approaches a guidance point along the maximum strength axis. 2. The guiding device for a mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the detection element has a directivity wider than a directivity angle of the radiation wave from the radiation source.