JP2006007342A - Robot control program updating method and system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot control program updating method and a system, securing enough safety in updating a robot control program, and conducting the smooth updating processing. <P>SOLUTION: In this method, the robot having a communicating function obtains an updating program for updating the control program of the robot from a server connected thereto through a communication network to perform updating of the control program. The method includes: a moving step of previously registering the updating performing position of the robot, and moving to the updating performing position when the robot receives the updating program; an updating step of updating the control program according to the updating program; and an operation confirming step of carrying out the updated control program in the updating performing position to confirm the operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot that moves autonomously based on a control program mounted on a robot body, and more particularly to a robot control program that connects to a server via a network, receives an update program from the server, and updates the control program The present invention relates to an update method and the system.

Conventionally, various technologies related to autonomously acting robots have been proposed, and such robots have been widely used in various industries for industrial purposes. However, in recent years, indoor and outdoor environments such as general households and various facilities have been proposed. The introduction of robots is also required below. The purpose of such a robot is to coexist with a person, that is, to provide a service that supports a person's useful service and entertainment.
In providing these services, a robot is generally designed to operate according to a control program stored in a memory of the robot body. However, there is a limit to the memory installed in the robot body, and the control program cannot be stored indefinitely, and only limited operations can be realized.

Therefore, there is a method of performing a new function operation by exchanging the memory of the robot body in order to meet the user's request more flexibly. However, in this method, a memory in which a control program corresponding to the robot is stored must be obtained and replaced by the user himself, which takes time and effort.
Therefore, in order to solve this problem, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-131844) proposes a system in which a robot is provided with a wireless LAN function to receive a control program via a network and update the program. Yes. In such a system, the robot is connected to a server that provides a control program via a network such as the Internet and downloads a desired control program. Thereby, the upgraded control program and the new control program can be obtained easily and in real time, and the control program installed in the main body can be updated.

By the way, since such robots act autonomously by the control program as described above, they may take actions that the user does not assume, and ensuring safety is very important in realizing coexistence with the user. It is a problem.
As a safety measure for the robot, there is used a method of providing a sensor for detecting obstacles around the robot and stopping the robot operation when the presence of a person or an obstacle is detected in the robot operation area.

For example, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 3446650) provides an obstacle sensor that detects an obstacle entering into a detection area set in many directions around the robot, and the obstacle sensor detects the obstacle. An apparatus for performing a safety ensuring operation of a robot when being operated is disclosed.
Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-264070) describes a configuration in which an obstacle sensor is provided in a robot as in the above-described apparatus, and the obstacle sensor is used for an obstacle to a detection area set around the robot. It is a distance measurement type area sensor for detecting the intrusion of objects. Further, the area sensor is configured to be able to freely set and switch the obstacle detection area, and when the intrusion of the obstacle into the detection area is detected, the operation of the robot is temporarily stopped to ensure safety.
By providing such a safety function, it is possible to reliably detect obstacles including people and improve safety.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-131884 Japanese Patent No. 3446650 JP 2002-264070 A

As described above, receiving a robot control program via a network and updating the program is an effective method, but in a robot that coexists with humans, it is performed at an inappropriate place when updating the control program. In addition to annoying the user due to the movement of people and work, there is a risk that the robot may collide with the user due to an unexpected movement of the robot. Moreover, there is a risk that the robot itself may collide, fall, or fall due to careless movement. In particular, since the safety of newly obtained control programs has not been confirmed, safety must be emphasized.
Here, if a method of stopping the operation by providing a sensor in the robot as in conventional safety measures and detecting an obstacle is applied to the update of the control program, the update operation will be interrupted and the control program will be interrupted. There is a risk that the robot operation after the update will be hindered.
Therefore, in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a robot control program update method and system capable of ensuring sufficient safety when updating a robot control program and performing smooth update processing. The purpose is to provide.

Therefore, in order to solve this problem, the present invention provides:
In a method in which a robot having a communication function acquires an update program for updating a control program of the robot from a server connected via a communication network, and updates the control program.
A pre-registered update execution position of the robot, and a movement step of moving to the update execution position when the robot receives the update program;
An update step of updating the control program by the update program;
And an operation confirmation step of confirming the operation by executing the updated control program at the update execution position.

Further, in a method in which a robot having a communication function acquires an update program for updating a control program of the robot from a server connected via a communication network, and updates the control program.
When the robot receives the update program, a search step of detecting a distance to an obstacle existing around and searching for an update execution position where the distance from the obstacle is equal to or greater than a preset distance;
A movement step of moving to the searched update execution position;
An update step of updating the control program by the received update program;
And an operation confirmation step of confirming the operation by executing the updated control program at the update execution position.

  According to these inventions, sufficient safety can be ensured when the robot control program is updated, and smooth update processing can be performed. In other words, when the control program is updated, an update execution position in which no obstacle is present is set or searched in advance, and the update process is performed after moving to the update execution position. It is possible to avoid the danger of colliding with the user due to unintentional movements and the danger of collision, overturning and dropping of the robot against obstacles, and smooth update processing can be performed.

In addition, a safety confirmation step for detecting whether or not an obstacle exists in the operation range of the robot drive system device before performing the operation check,
The operation confirmation step is performed only when no obstacle is detected in the safety confirmation step. Thereby, safety can be ensured even when an obstacle enters the update execution position.
Furthermore, in the update step, it is preferable to stop the other functions except the update function of the robot and notify the user of the update state, so that even when a failure occurs in the update process, The robot can be prevented from running out of control, and the user can cope with it quickly.

As a system invention, in a control program update system in which a robot having a communication function is connected to a server that distributes an update program for updating the control program of the robot via a network,
The robot includes an update execution position storage unit in which an update execution position is pre-registered, a drive unit that moves to the update execution position when the update program is received, and an update that updates the control program using the update program. Means for confirming operation by executing the updated control program, and
The update unit and the operation check unit are activated at an update execution position registered in the update execution position storage unit.

At this time, it is preferable that the update execution position is a charging station for charging the robot. As a result, it is possible to avoid running out of battery and communication error during update.
In addition, the robot has detection means for detecting surrounding obstacles,
The update execution position storage means sets the update execution position in a space where no obstacle exists based on the obstacle information acquired by the various sensors. This eliminates the need for the user to manually set the update execution position, improving operability.

Further, in a control program update system in which a robot having a communication function is connected via a network to a server that distributes an update program for updating the control program of the robot,
The robot includes a detecting unit that detects a distance from an obstacle existing around the robot, an update execution position searching unit that searches for an update execution position at which the distance from the detected obstacle is equal to or greater than a preset distance, Driving means for moving to the searched update execution position when receiving the update program, update means for updating the control program by the update program, and operation check for executing operation check by executing the updated control program Means, and
The update means and the operation confirmation means are activated at the update execution position searched by the update execution position search means.
Furthermore, in these inventions, the updating means updates the control program, stops other functions other than the updating function of the robot, and notifies the user of the updated state.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to ensure sufficient safety when updating the robot control program and to perform smooth update processing. That is, when the control program is updated, an update execution position in which no obstacle is present is set or searched in advance, and the update process is performed after moving to the update execution position. It is possible to avoid the danger of collision with the user due to inadvertent movements and the danger of collision, overturning, and dropping of the robot against obstacles, ensuring safety and performing smooth update processing. It becomes like this.
Further, since the surrounding safety is confirmed before the robot operation is confirmed, safety can be ensured even when an obstacle enters the update execution position.
In addition, during the update of the control program, other functions except the robot update function are stopped and the update status is notified to the user, so that even if a problem occurs in the update process, the robot may run away. In addition, the user can deal with it promptly.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specified, but are merely illustrative examples. Not too much.
Examples of the operating environment of the robot according to the present embodiment include a general home and various facilities. In particular, the robot provides various services such as assistance, support, and care for the user's life in the general home. A robot is preferable, and in this embodiment, a case where a general home is used as a traveling environment will be described as an example.

FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a system according to the first embodiment. As shown in the figure, in the system according to the present embodiment, an autonomously moving robot 100 and a program update service server 300 are connected via a network 200 such as the Internet to construct a network system.
The robot 100 stores a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 that controls various devices of the robot and calculates data, a network communication unit 12 that performs data communication with external devices, and an update execution position that will be described later. An update execution position storage memory 13, a control program storage memory 14 for storing a control program for controlling the operation of the robot, a memory 15 for writing, erasing and rewriting various data, and an operation stop for stopping the operation of the robot 100 A circuit 16, an actuator drive circuit 17 for controlling a robot drive system device such as a traveling motor 18, a right arm axis motor 19, a left arm axis motor 20, a neck motor 21, and the like; an ultrasonic sensor 23; an infrared distance sensor 24; A sensor control circuit 22 that controls sensors such as a direction camera 25 and a microphone 2 that collects sound. Includes a speech interface 26 which performs sound processing are connected to the speaker 28 which emits a sound, a display control circuit 29 for controlling the display unit such as a status display LED 30, a.

Note that the robot 100 does not have to include all of the above-described components, and may be any configuration that includes a minimum necessary functional module capable of executing a service provided by the robot 100.
The CPU 11 is a device that calculates each input data. For example, the CPU 11 updates a control program stored in the control program storage memory 14 by an update program received by the network communication unit 12 or updates the control program. At this time, it has a main control function such as starting the actuator drive circuit 17 and controlling the traveling motor 18 so that the robot 100 moves to the update execution position stored in the update execution position storage memory 13.
The network communication unit 12 has a function of performing data communication by connecting to a network through a wireless line or a wired line by a wireless LAN or the like. At this time, a router or a host terminal provided separately from the robot 100 You may make it communicate via a communication relay apparatus.

  Further, in this embodiment, the robot 100 is a humanoid robot and has a structure having a head 101, a chest 102, an arm 103, a torso 104, and driving wheels (legs) 105, as shown in FIG. As an example of the configuration, an omnidirectional camera 25 is provided on the head 101, an ultrasonic sensor 23 is provided on the chest 102, and an infrared distance sensor 24 is provided on the torso 104. The detection range of these sensors is the actuator drive circuit. 17, the travel motor 18, the neck motor 21, etc. are controlled and adjusted. The omnidirectional camera 25 is a camera that captures 360 ° surroundings with a single camera. For example, the omnidirectional camera 25 captures surrounding images and performs image processing to detect obstacles and grasp the surrounding environment. . The ultrasonic sensor 23 and the infrared sensor 24 are sensors that detect the distance between the robot 100 and an obstacle existing around the robot 100, and these sensors are controlled by the sensor control circuit 22.

In FIG. 1, a microphone 27 collects a user's voice and surrounding sounds, and is processed as an input signal after unnecessary noise and the like are removed from the voice waveform by the voice interface 26. The speaker 28 synthesizes a voice that follows the interactive function with the user at the CPU 11 and outputs it externally from the speaker 28 via the voice interface 26 to establish a conversation according to the voice input from the microphone 27. In this embodiment, when updating the control program is started or when the confirmation operation after the update is executed, the user is notified by voice from the speaker 28. It is also preferable to change the volume, intonation, voice pitch, etc. of the speaker 28 according to the degree of progress of the safety check in the update process so that the user can recognize the step of the safety check audibly. is there. Furthermore, when the control program is updated, in order to prevent the user from entering, the operating range of the drive system device may be notified to the user through the speaker 28 by voice.
One or a plurality of the status display LEDs 30 are arranged around the robot body, and light emission is controlled by the display control circuit 29 based on signal outputs such as alerting the user and display of an update status by the CPU 11. At this time, it is preferable that the user can distinguish a plurality of processing states by changing the emission color or blinking according to the processing state.

The update execution position storage memory 13 is a memory for storing an update execution position set in advance. The update execution position is preferably a position having a space around the robot that does not hinder the operation of the robot when the control program is updated, and is a place that avoids a place that hinders the user's movement or work.
An operating range of the drive system is set around the update execution position. At this time, the operation range is a value obtained by multiplying the operation range of each drive unit of the robot 100 by a predetermined safety factor, or a braking distance at the standard speed of the robot 100, with the update execution position as a base point. Any one of the multiplied values is preferred.
The setting of the update execution position may be set by user input, the surrounding environment may be acquired by the sensors, and may be automatically set based on the environment, or the environment map of the travel area that the robot 100 has You may make it set based on.
It is also preferable to set the update execution position in the charging station. Thereby, it is possible to avoid running out of battery and communication error during the update.

  The control program storage memory 14 is a memory for accumulating a plurality of control programs for controlling the operation of the robot 100, and the control program is updated as needed by the update program provided from the program update service server 300. Can do. The control program is a program in which procedures and instructions for operating the robot 100 are described in a program language. The update program upgrades these control programs, adds new control programs, and the like. . As the update program, for example, in the case of basic software, a program having an upgrade function of the basic software, in the case of application software, an additional function of new application software, an upgrade function of existing application software And the like.

Next, a control program update processing procedure according to the system configuration described above will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the robot 100 receives an update program from the program update service providing server 300 via the network 200 (S1). This is because the robot 100 may browse a list of update programs provided by the program update service providing server 300 and appropriately select and receive the necessary update programs, or periodically. Alternatively, the user may make a contract with the service provider holding the update service providing server 300 and automatically receive the control program version upgrade program of the robot 100 when it is uploaded.
Then, after receiving the update program, the user is confirmed to start updating (S2). For confirmation of the update start, for example, a voice message may be transmitted from the speaker 28, and a user response may be input by the microphone 27 in response thereto.

After detecting the response of the user's update start consent, the actuator drive circuit 17 controls the traveling motor 18 to move to the pre-registered update execution position (S3).
Here, in addition to the method of pre-registering in the update execution position storage memory 13, the update execution position is determined by the ultrasonic sensor 23, infrared distance sensor 24, omnidirectional camera 25, etc. when the update program is received. It may be set by a method of detecting a distance from an obstacle existing around by sensors and searching for an update execution position where the distance from the obstacle is equal to or greater than a preset distance.
FIG. 3 shows the movement operation of the robot 100 to the update execution position. (A) is the state before movement, (b) is the state after movement. Reference numeral 400 denotes a general household indoor that is a traveling environment, 110 denotes the update execution position, and 120 denotes the operation range.

When the movement to the update execution position is completed, an operation stop signal is transmitted from the operation stop control circuit 16 to the actuator drive circuit 17, and other functions other than the function used for the update by the actuator drive circuit 17 are transmitted. Is stopped, and the operation of the robot 100 is stopped (S4). At this time, it is preferable to turn off the power of the drive system of the robot 100.
After the operation of the robot is stopped or simultaneously with the stop, an update state is displayed to notify the user that the robot is in the update state. Examples of the update status display include blinking a red LED by the status display LED 30.
Next, the received update program is started, and the control program stored in the control program storage memory 14 is updated (S6). When the update process is completed, a new control program is activated to prepare for operation check (S7).
Then, the sensors such as the ultrasonic sensor 23, the infrared sensor 24, and the omnidirectional camera 25 determine whether there is an obstacle in the operation range and perform safety confirmation (S8) to determine whether it is safe ( If it is safe, the operation stop control circuit 16 cancels the operation stop and turns on the drive power (S10). When it is determined by the safety check that an obstacle exists in the operation range and it is not safe, a warning is issued to the user through the speaker 28 or the status display LED 30 or the like.

An example of the safety confirmation processing procedure is shown in FIGS. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a safety confirmation operation at the time of updating the robot according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a safety confirmation processing procedure at the time of updating.
When the control program is updated, as a means for securing the space between the robot 100 and the obstacle, the robot 100 cannot detect if there are measurement errors in the sensors only by detecting the presence or absence of people or objects with the sensors. . For this reason, in this embodiment, the robot 100 presents its operating range to the user by visual display by the status display LED 30 and sound by the speaker 28, space is secured by human intervention, and double safety confirmation means To ensure safety.
In this case, unlike the normal voice of the robot 100, each time the safety check procedure proceeds, the volume of the speaker 28, intonation, voice pitch, etc. are changed to allow the user to perform the safety check step. It is preferable to be able to recognize the above, so that an artificial confirmation omission does not occur.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the safety confirmation process, first, the robot 100 announces the safety confirmation start to the user by voice or sound (S11). Next, the operating range of the robot 100 is calculated (S12), and the operating range is notified to the user (S13). The operation range calculation method is as described above. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the operation range 120 is displayed on the floor by a light such as a projector, or in the case of the robot 100 having the arm portion 103, the actuator drive circuit 17 causes each right arm to be notified. The shaft motor 19 and the left arm shaft motor 20 are driven and controlled, and the operation of gradually expanding the arm portion 103 is performed to inform the user of the operation range.
Further, it is confirmed by voice to the user that there is no obstacle within the operation range of the robot 100 (S14), and the robot itself uses the sensors to check that no obstacle such as a person or thing exists within the operation range. After confirming (S15), the safety confirmation is terminated (S16).
Such a double safety check operation further improves the safety of the user and enables a smooth update process.

1 is an overall block diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the update procedure of the control program which concerns on the present Example 1. It is a figure explaining the movement to the update execution position of a robot, (a) shows the state before a movement, (b) shows the state after a movement. It is a figure explaining the safety check operation | movement at the time of the update of the robot which concerns on a present Example. It is a flowchart which shows the safety confirmation process sequence at the time of the update which concerns on the present Example 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10 Robot controller 11 CPU (Central processing unit)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Network communication part 13 Update position storage memory 14 Control program storage memory 16 Operation stop control circuit 17 Actuator drive circuit 18 Traveling motor 22 Sensor control circuit 26 Voice interface 29 Display control circuit 100 Robot 110 Update execution position 120 Robot operation range 200 Network 300 Program update service server

Claims (9)

In a method in which a robot having a communication function acquires an update program for updating a control program of the robot from a server connected via a communication network, and updates the control program.
A pre-registered update execution position of the robot, and a movement step of moving to the update execution position when the robot receives the update program;
An update step of updating the control program by the update program;
An operation confirmation step for confirming an operation by executing the updated control program at the update execution position, and a robot control program update method. In a method in which a robot having a communication function acquires an update program for updating a control program of the robot from a server connected via a communication network, and updates the control program.
When the robot receives the update program, a search step of detecting a distance to an obstacle existing around and searching for an update execution position where the distance from the obstacle is equal to or greater than a preset distance;
A movement step of moving to the searched update execution position;
An update step of updating the control program by the received update program;
An operation confirmation step for confirming an operation by executing the updated control program at the update execution position, and a robot control program update method. Before performing the operation check, there is provided a safety check step for detecting whether there is an obstacle in the operation range of the robot drive system device,
3. The robot control program update method according to claim 1, wherein the operation confirmation step is performed only when no obstacle is detected in the safety confirmation step.   3. The robot control program update method according to claim 1, wherein in the update step, other functions other than the update function of the robot are stopped and the update state is notified to the user. 4. In a control program update system in which a robot having a communication function is connected via a network to a server that distributes an update program for updating the control program of the robot,
The robot includes an update execution position storage unit in which an update execution position is pre-registered, a drive unit that moves to the update execution position when the update program is received, and an update that updates the control program using the update program. Means for confirming operation by executing the updated control program, and
A robot control program update system, wherein the update means and the operation check means are activated at an update execution position registered in the update execution position storage means.   6. The robot control program update system according to claim 5, wherein the update execution position is a charging station for charging the robot. The robot has detection means for detecting surrounding obstacles;
6. The robot according to claim 5, wherein the update execution position storage means sets the update execution position in a space where no obstacle exists based on the obstacle information acquired by the detection means. Control program update system. In a control program update system in which a robot having a communication function is connected via a network to a server that distributes an update program for updating the control program of the robot,
The robot includes a detecting unit that detects a distance from an obstacle existing around the robot, an update execution position searching unit that searches for an update execution position at which the distance from the detected obstacle is equal to or greater than a preset distance, Drive means for moving to the searched update execution position when receiving the update program, update means for updating the control program by the update program, and operation check for executing operation check by executing the updated control program Means, and
A robot control program update system, wherein the update means and the operation check means are activated at the update execution position searched by the update execution position search means. 9. The robot according to claim 5, wherein the update unit updates the control program, stops other functions except the update function of the robot, and notifies the user of the update state. Control program update system.

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