KR101270125B1 - System and Method for power monitoring of mobile robot operated by renewable energy - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a power management device and method for a robot powered by renewable energy, which is capable of providing stable and various driving power to the robot using battery power, fuel power, and solar power as renewable energy. A robot that is started using a plurality of energy sources; configured in the fuselage of the robot to determine the remaining amount of the currently used energy source, to change the energy source used for starting, and to periodically check the remaining energy level of the entire energy source It includes a power measuring device for controlling the robot to move to the automatic charger before the energy of the entire energy source is exhausted; Wireless communication with the power measuring device, the automatic charger for performing the automatic charging of the robot.

Description

System and Method for power monitoring of mobile robot operated by renewable energy}

The present invention relates to power management of a mobile robot, and specifically, is driven by renewable energy to provide stable and various driving power to the robot by using renewable energy such as battery power, fuel power, and solar power. It relates to a power management device and method of the robot.

Robots have been developed for industrial use and as part of factory automation, or have been used to collect or collect information on behalf of humans in extreme environments that humans cannot tolerate. This field of robotics has been developed in recent years as it is used in the cutting-edge space development industry, and until recently, human-friendly home robots have been developed.

Intelligent service robots that provide more specific and practical services to humans are often mobile because of the characteristics of the driving environment.

In order for such a mobile robot to continuously perform various tasks, a technology capable of keeping the robot's energy constant is essential.

Currently, most mobile robots have a built-in battery and guarantee only one to two hours of driving time, which limits their performance.

Therefore, the user needs to charge the robot's battery, drive it again, and give an assignment. This requires additional help from the user, which hinders the robot from developing into an independent and automated system.

In order to overcome this problem, recently, a research has been conducted on automatic charging in which a robot charges a battery by itself and keeps a mission being performed.

Automatic charging is an essential part of the mobile robot.

As robot technology advances, more and more robots with more important and continuous missions will increase, which will make the automatic charging technology an essential component of the robot.

As such, the automatic charging technology, which is an essential technology for the mobile robot to move the designated area by itself, performs a mission, and when the mobile robot does not reach the reference value by identifying the remaining battery level at a predetermined cycle, the charging device installed at the predetermined location of the mission area It will automatically return to charge the battery of insufficient battery power and resume work.

Many robots use various power sources. Recently, the demand for the use of fuel cells as the next generation energy as an alternative energy as a power source that is in the spotlight is increasing.

It is clean energy and can hold energy at high density, but due to the slow start-up and the slow response, battery power must be used together.

In addition, since the energy source that can be mounted on the robot is limited, the mobile robot, which plays the role of reconnaissance, surveillance, navigation, and terrain reconnaissance, requires a new power management technology capable of long-term operation.

Republic of Korea Patent Registration 10-0940189 (2010.01.27) Republic of Korea Patent Publication 10-2005-0051099 (2005.06.01)

The present invention is to solve the power management problem of the mobile robot of the prior art, to provide a stable and various drive power to the robot by using the renewable energy battery power, fuel power, and solar power. An object of the present invention is to provide a power management device and method for a robot driven by renewable energy.

The present invention provides a power management device and method for a robot powered by renewable energy, which enables smooth and efficient management of power for robot startup and flexible handling for switching fuel cells after using the battery at the time of initial operation of the robot. The purpose is to provide.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a power management apparatus and method for a robot which is driven by renewable energy, which enables to smoothly manage the conversion of a solar cell used while using a fuel cell to a battery charging function.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a power management apparatus and method for a robot driven by renewable energy, which can significantly increase the use time of a constantly monitoring robot as a proper countermeasure against movement of a power source.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to achieve the above object, a power management apparatus of a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention includes: a robot which starts using a plurality of energy sources; configured in the fuselage of the robot, the remaining amount of energy source currently being used. A power measurement device for determining and changing an energy source used for starting and periodically checking the remaining energy of all energy sources to move the robot to an automatic charger before the energy of all the energy sources is exhausted; And an automatic charger performing wireless communication with the measuring device and performing automatic charging of the robot.

Here, the energy source for starting the robot is characterized in that it comprises a battery, a fuel cell, a solar cell.

The power measuring device may include a wireless communication manager that performs wireless communication with the automatic charger to determine a distance and a location of the automatic charger, and determine an amount of energy source currently being used to determine an energy source used for startup. A robot power management unit configured to change and periodically check the remaining energy of the entire energy source so that the robot can move to the automatic charger before the energy of the entire energy source is exhausted, and by the control of the robot power management unit Battery, fuel cell, solar cell and battery, fuel cell, BMS (Battery Management System), FCMS (Fuel Cell Management System), SCMS (Solar) which controls the usage and remaining amount of solar cells. Cell Management System).

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power management method of a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention, which includes a battery, a fuel cell, and a solar cell as an energy source for starting the robot. Selecting an energy source for starting and starting the robot starting signal; in a starting state of the robot, calculating the total remaining energy of all energy sources available to the robot, and calculating the remaining remaining energy Obtaining and comparing the movable distance; if the comparison result is not within the allowable range, moving the robot to an automatic charger for automatic charging; and including determining whether the solar cell can be charged while the robot is in operation. Change the energy source by charging the cell and judging the remaining amount of energy source currently used to start the robot Characterized in that.

Such a power management apparatus and method for a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention has the following effects.

First, it is possible to smoothly and efficiently manage the power for the robot startup.

Second, it is possible to flexibly deal with fuel cell conversion after using the battery at the initial operation of the robot.

Third, it is possible to smoothly manage the transition to the battery charging function of the solar cell used while using the fuel cell.

Fourth, it is possible to significantly increase the use time of the constantly monitoring robot as a proper response to the movement of the power source.

Fifth, it is possible to provide a stable and various driving power to the robot by using the renewable energy, battery power, fuel power, and solar power.

1 is a block diagram showing an automatic charging concept of a mobile robot according to the present invention.
2 is a block diagram of a power management device for a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a flow chart for a power management method of a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a power management device and method for a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention will be described in detail.

Features and advantages of the power management device and method of the robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of each embodiment.

1 is a block diagram showing an automatic charging concept of a mobile robot according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a block diagram of a power management device of a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention.

The present invention is to provide a stable and various driving power to the robot by using the renewable energy, battery power, fuel power, and solar power to greatly increase the use time of the constantly monitoring robot.

The power management device of a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention is largely configured in the body of the robot, as shown in FIG. 1, and is stable to the robot by using renewable energy such as battery power, fuel power, and solar power. And constantly monitoring robot 100 having a power measuring device for providing various driving power, and constantly communicating with the constantly monitoring robot 100 according to the judgment of the power measuring device of the constantly monitoring robot 100. It consists of an automatic charger 200 that performs the automatic charging of the robot (100).

As shown in FIG. 2, the power measuring device of the constantly monitoring robot 100 is used with the wireless communication manager 21 performing wireless communication with the automatic charger 200 in order to determine the distance and the position of the automatic charger 200. By determining the remaining power source of the power source, it is possible to smoothly manage the switching to the battery charging function of the solar cell used during fuel cell control and control of fuel cell switching after using the battery at the initial operation of the robot. The robot power management unit 22 and the robot power management unit which periodically checks the remaining energy of the power source and controls the monitoring robot 100 to move to the automatic charger 200 before the energy of the entire power source is exhausted. 22, the battery 26, the fuel cell 27, the solar cell 28, the battery 26, the fuel cell 27, and the solar cell, which are the power sources used for the start-up of the monitoring robot 100 at all times. Cell (28) The battery management system includes a battery management system (BMS) 23, a fuel cell management system (FCMS) 24, and a solar cell management system (SCMS) 25 that control the use of the remaining amount and the remaining amount judgment.

The power management device for a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention uses three power sources such as a battery, a fuel cell, and a solar cell to start the robot, and manages each of them with a BMS (23). ), FCMS 24 and SCMS 25.

Through the BMS 23, FCMS 24, and SCMS 25, the robot power manager 22 efficiently manages the energy source to maximize the active time, and the robot 100 constantly monitors the charger 200. In order to continuously check the remaining amount in the distance until the arrival, and to obtain the energy required for the optimal distance required before arrival, the wireless communication manager 21 constantly communicates with the automatic charger 200.

The power management method in the power management device of the robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention is as follows.

3 is a flow chart for a power management method of a robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention.

First, the robot power manager 22 sets the battery 26 as an energy source for starting the constantly monitoring robot 100. (S301)

When the robot start signal is input in this state (S302), the robot 100 starts up at all times using the energy source according to the set mode to perform the task (S303).

The distance from the automatic charger 200 is obtained through the wireless communication manager 21 while the robot 100 is started as described above, and the robot power manager 22 determines the BMS 23, the FCMS 24, and the SCMS 25. The total energy remaining amount that can be used by the current monitoring robot 100 can be calculated, and the moving distance of the constantly monitoring robot 100 can be calculated and compared with the calculated total energy remaining amount (S304).

If the result of comparing the distance between the automatic charger 200 and the calculated distance of the total energy is always within the allowable range (S305), the continuous monitoring robot 100 is continuously activated to perform a task, or Always monitor the robot 100 is moved to the automatic charger 200 for automatic charging. (S310)

If it is not the movement to the automatic charger 200, it is determined whether the solar cell can be charged (S306), and the constant monitoring robot 100 is activated while charging the solar cell (S307).

In addition, it is determined whether the amount of energy remaining in the state of charge of the cell or the state of not charging the cell is within the allowable range.

If the energy source currently being used is the battery 26 and the allowable range, the battery 26 is continuously used to start the constantly monitoring robot 100, and if not, the energy source use mode is changed (S309).

The energy source use mode is basically performed in the order of the battery 26-> fuel cell 27-> solar cell, but it can be changed in a different order depending on the starting situation of the constantly monitoring robot 100. Do.

Such a power management device and method of the robot driven by renewable energy according to the present invention is to use the power more efficiently when using a variety of fuel cells (battery, fuel cell, solar).

As such, the wireless communication manager 21 constantly manages energy sources to increase the active time as much as possible and to obtain the energy required for the optimal distance required until the constantly monitoring robot 100 arrives at the automatic charger 200. Communicate with the automatic charger 200.

The present invention can provide a stable and various driving power to the robot by using the renewable energy battery power, fuel power, and solar power.

It will be understood that the present invention is implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential features of the present invention as described above.

It is therefore to be understood that the specified embodiments are to be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense and that the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and that all such differences falling within the scope of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein It should be interpreted.

100. Always-on surveillance robot 200. Auto charger

Claims (4)

A robot maneuvering using a plurality of energy sources;
A wireless communication management unit configured in the fuselage of the robot to perform a wireless communication with the automatic charger to determine the distance and the location of the automatic charger, and determine the remaining amount of the energy source currently being used to determine the energy source used for starting. And a robot power management unit for managing the energy source so as to periodically check the remaining energy of the entire energy source and move the robot to the automatic charger before the energy of the entire energy source is exhausted, and by the control of the robot power management unit. Battery, fuel cell, solar cell and battery, fuel cell, BMS (Battery Management System), FCMS (Fuel Cell Management System), SCMS (Solar) which controls the usage and remaining amount of solar cells. A power measurement device including a Cell Management System;
And a wireless charger performing wireless communication with the power measuring device and performing automatic charging of the robot. delete delete In the energy management method of the robot including a battery, a fuel cell, a cell as an energy source for starting the robot,
Selecting an energy source for starting the robot and starting when the robot starting signal is input;
In a startup state of the robot, the wireless communication manager performing wireless communication with the automatic charger to determine a distance and a position between the robot and the automatic charger;
In the robot starting state, the robot power manager periodically calculates the total energy remaining amount of all energy sources available to the robot, and calculates and compares the distance that the robot can move with the calculated total energy remaining amount;
If the comparison result is not within the allowable range, moving the robot to an automatic charger for automatic charging; and
During operation of the robot, it is determined whether the solar cell can be charged, and the solar cell is charged, and the remaining energy of the energy source currently used to start the robot is determined to change the energy source. How to manage.

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