JP4528648B2 - Self-propelled robot system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a self-propelled robot system that enables a self-propelled robot to receive a charge supply from a charging terminal.

  Conventionally, a robot that senses a floor surface by using an optical sensor that comes into contact with or is very close to the floor surface has already been proposed. The self-propelled cleaner of Document 1 has two optical movement distance sensors on the floor and measures a two-dimensional movement distance. The amount of movement and rotation of the vacuum cleaner body is measured based on the movement distance. As countermeasures against dust adhering to the lens of the camera, the dust adhesion is reduced by forming a surface (the lower surface of the lens cover) with respect to the floor surface of the imaging means as a smooth concave surface.

  In the robot observing the floor surface represented by Document 1, the sensor is attached at a position close to or in contact with the floor surface. For this reason, depending on the running surface, dirt may adhere to the sensor unit, and sensing cannot be satisfied.

A system for automatically cleaning the lens portion of the optical sensor has also been proposed. The invention of Document 2 relates to an automatic lens cleaning mechanism provided in an objective head of an optical reader. According to this automatic lens cleaning mechanism, when a cleaning case containing a rotary brush is loaded instead of a disk case containing a reading disk, the rotary brush is rotated using the driving force of disk rotation, and the reading is performed. Clean the dust adhering to the surface of the objective lens attached to the optical head.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-180586 (paragraph [0027], FIG. 3) JP-A-60-73517 (Page 2, lower right column, line 6 to page 3, upper left column, line 7, FIGS. 1 and 2)

  In the automatic cleaning device for optical sensors represented by Document 2, the sensor unit and the cleaning unit must be considered as a set. For this reason, when it applies to a self-propelled robot, when cleaning is not performed, there is a problem that a cleaning device that becomes a dead weight must always be incorporated.

  It is recognized that in a self-propelled robot, it is not necessary to always clean the optical sensor. Therefore, in self-propelled robots, paying attention to the charging of the rechargeable battery as a common point that does not need to be performed at all times, it is time to return to the charging terminal and clean the optical sensor. There are issues to be solved in terms of enabling.

  The object of the present invention is to capture the time when the self-propelled robot returns to the charging terminal for charging the rechargeable battery, so that the self-propelled robot can be contaminated with dust or the like without providing a cleaning device on the robot side. It is to provide a self-propelled robot system that makes it possible to clean a flexible optical sensor.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, a self-propelled robot system according to the present invention has a self-propelled robot having an optical sensor for sensing a floor surface, and the self-propelled robot can be docked by its own traveling. and a charging terminal, the charging terminal, contamination of the optical sensor based on the optical sensor an image photographed by the imaging device and an imaging device for capturing the optical sensor of the self-propelled robot in the docking state an image processing unit can recognize the attachment of, has a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the optical sensor, wherein the cleaning mechanism, in addition to confirmation of the docking to the charging terminal of the self-propelled robot On the condition that the dirt of the optical sensor recognized by the image processing unit is determined to be a certain amount or more of dirt, the optical type Is made from the fact that the cleaning of the capacitor.

According to this self-propelled robot system, when the self-propelled robot returns to the charging terminal and docks by its own traveling for charging, the cleaning mechanism cleans the optical sensor that senses the floor surface. When the self-propelled robot returns to the charging terminal and docks, the optical sensor occupies a certain position because it occupies a specific return position at the charging terminal. Therefore, the optical sensor can be cleaned by arranging a cleaning mechanism corresponding to the certain position. Therefore, the self-propelled robot does not need to have a built-in cleaning mechanism, and accordingly, the weight can be reduced and the operation time can be extended. In addition, the optical sensor cleans the optical sensor at an appropriate interval approximately proportional to the travel distance or cleaning time, such as when the self-propelled robot runs out of charge and returns to the charging terminal for docking. The dirt can be cleaned regularly.

  In this self-propelled robot system, the cleaning mechanism can be a rotary brush or an air blower. When the cleaning mechanism is a rotary brush, dust attached to the optical sensor can be swept away by the rotary brush. When the cleaning mechanism is an air blower, dust adhering to the optical sensor can be blown away by the air flow ejected from the air blower.

  In this self-propelled robot system, the cleaning mechanism preferably starts cleaning the optical sensor after the docking of the self-propelled robot to the charging terminal is confirmed. Whether or not the optical sensor occupies a certain position and can be cleaned by the cleaning mechanism provided in the charging terminal depends on whether or not the self-propelled robot is docked at the correct position in the charging terminal. Therefore, after confirming that the self-propelled robot has returned to the charging terminal and docked, that is, after confirming that the optical sensor has occupied a certain position, cleaning of the optical sensor is started.

In this self-propelled robot system, the charging terminal can include a stage on which the self-propelled robot can ride and a docking sensor for confirming docking with the self-propelled robot that has climbed the stage . The charging terminal further includes a control device that receives a detection signal from the docking sensor and controls the operation of the charging terminal. The control device receives the detection signal from the docking sensor and determines whether docking is successful. It is preferable. As a mode of confirming that the self-propelled robot has occupied a specific return position at the charging terminal, the self-propelled robot will take a special action of getting on the stage, and the self-propelled robot will be docked on the stage It is possible to adopt a method in which the docking sensor confirms. The control device receives the detection signal from the docking sensor and determines whether docking is successful.

  In this case, the docking sensor is further arranged at the return position of the self-propelled robot set on the stage and outputs a detection signal in response to measuring the pressure due to the weight of the self-propelled robot. It can be set as a pressure-sensitive sensor. By configuring the docking sensor in this way, if the self-propelled robot that has landed on the stage takes the correct return position, the pressure-sensitive sensor placed at that position will cause the pressure due to the weight of the self-propelled robot to Measure and output a detection signal indicating that docking has been established.

  In this self-propelled robot system, the cleaning mechanism starts cleaning the optical sensor on the condition that a predetermined time has passed since the previous cleaning of the optical sensor, in addition to confirmation of docking. Can do. When the self-propelled robot returns to the charging terminal, it is wasteful to clean the optical sensor when the predetermined time has passed since the last time the optical sensor was cleaned. This makes it possible to efficiently perform the necessary cleaning without unnecessary cleaning.

  When cleaning of the optical sensor is started after the docking to the charging terminal is confirmed, the cleaning mechanism cleans the optical sensor on the condition that the set timer time has been reached in addition to the confirmation of docking. Can start. The time of the timer can be set as a regular time such as once a week or once a day.

In this self-propelled robot system, the charging terminal includes an image sensor that captures the optical sensor and an image processing unit that can recognize adhesion of dirt on the optical sensor based on the image of the optical sensor captured by the image sensor. , cleaning mechanism, in addition to confirmation of docking, on condition that the contamination of the optical sensor that is recognized by the image processing unit is determined to be a fixed amount or more soil, to clean the optical sensor. That is, when an optical sensor is photographed with an image sensor, the image processing unit recognizes adhesion of dirt on the optical sensor from the image, and when it is determined that the dirt on the optical sensor is greater than a certain amount, Start cleaning the sensor.

According to the self-propelled robot system according to the present invention, the charging terminal to which the self-propelled robot automatically returns is provided with a sensor cleaning mechanism, so that the mechanism can be used periodically without bothering human hands. In addition, the sensor can be cleaned. Further, by utilizing the fact that the self-propelled robot needs to be docked to the charging device periodically, the cleaning device is separated from the lens by providing the charging device with a cleaning device, that is, with the self-propelled robot. Since it can be provided separately, the robot body including the optical sensor and the lens can be miniaturized, and the reliability can be further improved. Furthermore, when the optical sensor is photographed by the image sensor, the image processing unit recognizes the adhesion of the optical sensor from the image, and when the optical sensor is determined to be more than a certain amount of dirt, the optical sensor Since the optical sensor is cleaned, it is possible to automatically determine the degree of contamination of the optical sensor under the same conditions, and to perform the cleaning when the cleaning is required without bothering humans.

Embodiments of a self-propelled robot system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [Example 1]
FIG. 1 is an overhead view showing a main part of a self-propelled robot used in the self-propelled robot system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the self-propelled robot shown in FIG. 1 when viewed obliquely from below. A self-propelled robot (hereinafter abbreviated as “robot” for simplicity) 1 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is for detecting the amount of movement by looking at the driving wheels 2 and 3 including the driving mechanism and the traveling floor surface. It has an optical sensor 4, a rechargeable battery 5, a control device 6, and a ball caster 7, and can act independently in response to a command from the control device 6. Further, the robot 1 can identify its own position using the detection signal from the optical sensor 4 within the action region. The optical sensor 4 is a floor surface such as an optical mouse or a CCD camera that captures the floor surface with a built-in image sensor at a certain period, or an infrared distance measuring sensor that measures the distance from the floor surface to prevent falling from a step. It is possible to provide a sensor using an optical technique, and usually has a lens portion 8 at a position facing the floor surface. The lens unit 8 includes a transparent cover made of glass or resin that covers the lens itself or the outside of the lens, and has a surface that is easily exposed to dirt from the floor or the like.

  FIG. 3 is an overhead view of a charging terminal used in the self-propelled robot system according to the present invention. 4 is a rear perspective view of the charging terminal shown in FIG. The robot 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the charging terminal shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 constitute a self-propelled robot system according to the present invention. The charging terminal 14 shown in FIG. 3 plays the role of the origin in the action area of the robot 1. The robot 1 returns to the charging terminal 14 and charges the rechargeable battery 5 by receiving power supply from the charging terminal 14 based on an external operation or movement amount information obtained from the optical sensor 4 provided in the robot 1. Can do.

  3 and 4, the charging terminal 14 includes a power connector 12 that can be connected to the power supply port of the charging terminal 14, a rotating brush 9 that can clean the optical sensor 4 as a cleaning mechanism described later, and a rotating brush 9. Motor 13, a control device 15, an information input device (not shown), an external interface (not shown), and pressure-sensitive sensors 10 and 11. Control of charging the rechargeable battery 5 and rotation control of the rotating brush 9 are performed by the control device 15. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 16 indicates a stage of the charging terminal 14 to which the robot 1 returns. In FIG. 4, an arrow 21 indicates an example of the rotation direction of the rotating brush 9.

  FIG. 5 is an overhead view showing a docked state of the self-propelled robot that has returned to the charging terminal shown in FIG. 3. For the docking, the robot 1 that finally reached the stage 16 (FIG. 3) on the charging terminal 14 uses an odometry that identifies the travel distance, travel direction, current position, and the like based on the amount of wheel rotation. Is determined by using the pressure sensitive sensors 10 and 11 (FIG. 3) to determine whether or not has reached an appropriate position / posture. On the stage 16 on the charging terminal 14, pressure-sensitive sensors 10 and 11 are respectively arranged at positions corresponding to the ball caster 7 and the drive wheels 2 and 3 of the robot 1. The pressure acting on the pressure sensitive sensors 10, 11 is monitored by the control device 15 by sending detection signals from the pressure sensitive sensors 10, 11 to the control device 15 in the charging terminal 14. The control device 15 determines that the docking between the robot 1 and the charging terminal 14 has been successful when all the pressures detected by the pressure sensors 10 and 11 have reached appropriate values, and the lens portion of the optical sensor 4. 8 starts cleaning. In addition, instead of or in addition to the above odometry, docking may be performed using movement amount information by an optical sensor and position information by GPS.

  Cleaning of the lens unit 8 of the optical sensor 4 is performed by rotation of the rotating brush 9 attached in the charging terminal 14. The rotary brush 9 is a brush with resin hairs radiating from the central axis. The rotary brush 9 starts to rotate in the direction of the arrow 21 after the start of cleaning. Repeatedly, stop after a certain amount of rotation.

  The control device 15 also has a clock function, and the lens unit 8 of the optical sensor 4 is cleaned once a week, once a day, or 24 hours after the previous cleaning. It is also possible to schedule at. In this case, the cleaning of the lens unit 8 is started when both the docking condition based on the pressure-sensitive sensors 10 and 11 and the time condition for cleaning are satisfied. These time conditions can be arbitrarily set by an information input device built in the charging terminal 14 or via an external interface (including a condition that if docking is performed, it is always cleaned regardless of time).

[Example 2]
6A and 6B are diagrams showing another embodiment of the self-propelled robot system according to the present invention, in which FIG. 6A is a perspective view with a part removed, and FIG. 6B is an external perspective view. The robot 1 itself is the same as the robot of the first embodiment. The robot 1 can be docked to the charging terminal 20 in FIG. 6, and the docking method and the confirmation method are the same as those in the first embodiment. An opening 24 is formed in the charging terminal 20 at a position corresponding to the position of the optical sensor 4 when the robot 1 is docked, and a blower 17 and a motor 18 are provided below the opening 24. Cleaning of the lens unit 8 is performed by an airflow 19 generated by the blower 17. The blower 17 starts to rotate after the docking of the robot 1 and the charging terminal 20 is completed. When the blower 17 rotates for a certain time, it is determined that the cleaning is finished and is stopped.

  Further, FIG. 7 shows an example of a charging terminal that photographs the dirt of the optical sensor 4 with an image sensor and determines the degree of dirt by image processing. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the charging terminal in this configuration. The image sensor is used to recognize the dirt of the optical sensor 4 built in the robot 1 by image processing, and the control device 15 determines the degree of the dirt. 8 is cleaned. At the time of cleaning, the optical sensor 4 is cleaned by the wind 23 generated by the rotation of the blower 17. As described above, the dirt is determined after the docking state is reached. Cleaning of the lens unit 8 is started when both the docking condition based on the pressure-sensitive sensors 10 and 11 and the condition that the dirt amount calculated by the image processing is equal to or greater than the threshold value are satisfied.

  FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a docking state of the self-propelled robot to the charging terminal. The vertical cross section of FIG. 8 is set to a cross section at a position passing through the opening 24 formed in the charging terminal. When the opening 24 is viewed from the direction of the image sensor 22, the inside and outside of the opening 24 can be easily distinguished, and thus the image in the opening 24 can be easily extracted. The inside of the opening 24 is sealed with an optical sensor unit 25 including the optical sensor 4 and accessories such as a cover for covering the optical sensor 4 when viewed from the outside of the charging terminal 20. In addition, an illumination LED (not shown) is built in the charging terminal 20, and the image sensor 22 can take an image of the inside of the opening 24 with a constant light amount. Further, almost simultaneously with reaching the docking state, the optical sensor unit 25 comes into the opening 24. Therefore, the opening 24 can be photographed under substantially the same conditions in the docked state.

  Cleaning based on the amount of dirt is performed as follows. First, an image in the direction of the opening 24 is taken from the image sensor 22, and an image in the opening 24 is extracted. Here, as a parameter for evaluating the amount of dirt, the image is grayscaled and the average gradation of the image in the opening 24 is used. When the gradation of the pixels in the opening 24 is averaged and this is lower than a preset threshold value (close to black), the blower 17 rotates for a certain period of time for cleaning. FIG. 8 is a side view (cross section) of a charging terminal for realizing this method.

The overhead view which shows an example of the principal part of the self-propelled robot used for the self-propelled robot system by this invention. The back surface perspective view when the self-propelled robot shown in FIG. 1 is viewed from obliquely below. The overhead view of the charging terminal used for the self-propelled robot system by this invention. The back surface perspective view of the charging terminal shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an overhead view showing a docked state of the self-propelled robot that has returned to the charging terminal shown in FIG. 3. The perspective view which shows another Example of the self-propelled robot system by this invention. Sectional drawing of the charging terminal of the self-propelled robot system shown in FIG. The longitudinal section which shows the docking state of the self-propelled robot to the charge terminal shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Self-propelled robot 2, 3 Drive wheel 4 Optical sensor 5 Rechargeable battery 6 Control apparatus 7 Ball caster 8 Lens part 9 Rotating brush 10,11 Pressure sensor 12 Power supply connector 13 Motor 14 Charging terminal 15 Control apparatus 16 Stage 17 Blower 18 Motor 19 Airflow 20 Charging terminal 21 Rotating brush rotation direction 23 Wind 24 Opening 25 Optical sensor unit

Claims (2)

A self-propelled robot having an optical sensor for sensing the floor surface, and a charging terminal that the self-propelled robot can be docked by its own traveling,
The charging terminal, which can recognize the adhesion of dirt of the optical sensor based on the optical sensor an image photographed by the imaging device and an imaging device for capturing the optical sensor of the self-propelled robot in the docking state an image processing unit has a cleaning mechanism for cleaning said optical sensor,
In the cleaning mechanism, in addition to the confirmation of the docking of the self-propelled robot to the charging terminal, it is determined that the dirt of the optical sensor recognized by the image processing unit is a certain amount or more of dirt. A self-propelled robot system comprising cleaning the optical sensor on the condition of The charging terminal includes a stage on which the self-propelled robot can ride and a docking sensor for confirming docking with the self-propelled robot that has landed on the stage, and the docking sensor is on the stage. And a pressure-sensitive sensor that outputs the detection signal in response to measuring the pressure due to the weight of the self-propelled robot. The self-propelled robot system according to claim 1.

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