KR20120069510A - Unmanned apparatus method for driving thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An unmanned device and a driving method thereof are provided to establish a driving path using communication quality and traffic information for each point, thereby rapidly and accurately performing work in an optimized communication environment. CONSTITUTION: An unmanned device(100) comprises an information providing device(110) and a driving device(120). The information providing device measures wireless communications and a position. The information providing device provides communication quality and traffic information for each position. The driving device operates the unmanned device. The information providing device comprises a communications unit(111), a position detection part(112), a controller(113), a geographical information database(114), and a measurement information database(115).

Description

Unmanned device and driving method thereof {UNMANNED APPARATUS METHOD FOR DRIVING THEREOF}

The present invention relates to an unmanned apparatus and a driving method thereof, and more particularly, to a method for setting a driving route so as to perform a task quickly and accurately in an optimal communication environment.

Unmanned systems are being steadily researched for applications in disaster prevention, facility monitoring, reconnaissance, and defense.

When the unmanned system transmits an event that occurs during the operation of surveillance or reconnaissance to the operator, the operator handles the incident by remotely controlling or dispatching the unmanned system. At this time, when real-time information transfer between the unmanned system and the operator is necessary, seamless communication connection must be guaranteed for reliability and stability of the unmanned system. If the real-time communication connection is not possible, the information should be delivered in the form of a follow-up report after completing the mission or moving to an area where communication is possible.

The methods of communication of unmanned systems, such as unmanned reconnaissance planes, unmanned ground automatic navigation and autonomous driving devices, vary depending on the scope of operation and mission.

Unmanned systems often use robots in terms of extended surveillance and autonomous situation handling. Since such unmanned robots are generally operated at a remote location, when entering a communication shadow area, communication may be interrupted or traffic throughput may be reduced, thereby making it difficult to transmit information such as image transmission.

Although unmanned robots are equipped with a program that can automatically switch to emergency mode in case of communication breakdown or system error, and return the unmanned robot safely to a certain point, the unmanned robot moves autonomously in poor communication quality. There can be many risks to letting.

In addition, the conventional GPS (Global Positioning System) or DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System) system used for positioning is to receive signals from satellites in GPS receivers and measure the geographical coordinates of the current location. In addition to military applications, it is applied to various fields such as leisure, vehicle navigation, and road traffic information display. The principle of GPS is to determine the current position by receiving the radio signals of 204 satellites operating at an altitude of about 20,183Km, and calculating the time difference of the radio waves received from each satellite. In the case of, the coordinate error is within the maximum error of 100m and usually within 30m.

However, since the GPS receiver receives the radio wave from the satellite to determine the location, when the satellite signal is weak or cannot receive the satellite signal, accurate positioning is difficult. In other words, while the unmanned robot is traveling underground or passing high-rise buildings, the reception of satellite signals is interrupted and blocked so that the position of the actual unmanned robot does not match the position displayed on the map.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an unmanned device and a driving method thereof that enables secure information transmission and communication between the unmanned device and the operator.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an unmanned device for performing a task while driving is provided. The unmanned apparatus includes an information providing apparatus and a traveling apparatus. The information providing device transmits and receives a control signal and a data signal to obtain communication quality and traffic information, obtains a location of the unmanned device according to movement, maps the communication quality and traffic information at each location to geographic information, Display. The driving device sets a driving route using an electronic map displaying communication quality and traffic information at each location.

The driving device may set a driving route based on past driving information, and change the driving route by using communication quality and traffic information at each location.

In addition, the driving device may exclude a location in which a communication state is less than a predetermined reference value from the driving path from the communication quality and traffic information.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a driving method of a moving unmanned apparatus is provided. The driving method may include acquiring communication quality and traffic information of a communication signal of a corresponding communication method while transmitting and receiving a control signal and a data signal, acquiring a location of the unmanned device according to movement, and communication quality and traffic at each location. Synchronizing the information, mapping communication quality and traffic information at each location to geographic information and displaying it on an electronic map, and setting a driving route using an electronic map displaying communication quality and traffic information at each location. Steps.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by setting the driving route using the communication quality and traffic information of each point based on the precise location information, the operation can be performed quickly and accurately in the optimal communication environment, and also the control of the unmanned device And collect information securely to the operator.

1 is a view showing an unmanned device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method of measuring communication quality and traffic information performed by the communication unit of FIG. 1.
3 is a diagram illustrating a method of acquiring position information performed by the position detector of FIG. 1.
4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the controller illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a traveling method of the traveling device illustrated in FIG. 1.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention, and like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification and claims, when a section is referred to as "including " an element, it is understood that it does not exclude other elements, but may include other elements, unless specifically stated otherwise.

Now, an unmanned device and a driving method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view showing an unmanned device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the unmanned apparatus 100 may be an unmanned robot, which is a machine that performs work automatically and manually, regardless of its shape and size, land, sea, underwater, aviation, or any other scope of operation. Means a machine capable of performing a mission.

Referring to FIG. 1, the unmanned apparatus 100 includes an information providing apparatus 110 and a traveling apparatus 120.

The information providing device 110 measures remote communication and location in an area in which the unmanned device 100 is operated, and displays communication quality and traffic information for each location on an electronic map.

The traveling device 120 drives the unmanned device 100 by utilizing the information provided from the information providing device 110. In particular, the driving device 120 sets a driving route to a destination by using an electronic map on which communication quality and traffic information are displayed.

The information providing apparatus 110 includes a communication unit 111, a position detection unit 112, a control unit 113, a geographic information database 114, and a measurement information database 115.

The communication unit 111 performs communication by a communication method such as wired communication and wireless communication, and transmits and receives communication quality and traffic information of the communication signal of the corresponding communication method while transmitting and receiving an unmanned device control signal and a data signal. The quality and traffic information is transmitted to the control unit 113. Here, the communication quality and traffic information may include signal strength, throughput, throughput, error rate, and the like of the communication. In addition, the communication unit 111 performs a function of providing the user with the control and remote monitoring information of the unmanned apparatus 100.

The position detector 112 may acquire the position of the unmanned apparatus 100 from the satellite signal from the satellite, and may also use an unmanned apparatus (eg, a geomagnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a steering angle sensor, a gyro sensor, or a gravity sensor). The position of 100 may be obtained. The location detector 112 transmits the location information of the unmanned apparatus 100 to the controller 113.

The control unit 113 synchronizes the communication quality and traffic information transmitted from the communication unit 111 with the location information obtained from the location detection unit 112, and maps the communication quality and traffic information at each location to the geographic information so that the unmanned apparatus ( It is displayed on the electronic map of the area where 100) is operated. That is, the control unit 113 displays the communication quality and traffic information for each point on the electronic map by using the position obtained by the location detector 112, and transmits the communication quality and traffic information for each point to the measurement information database 115. Save it.

In addition, the controller 113 transmits the electronic map displaying the communication quality and the traffic information for each point to the driving device 120.

The geographic information database 114 stores electronic maps created based on actual area information. In particular, the geographic information database 114 stores an electronic map displaying geographic information of an area in which the unmanned apparatus 100 operates.

The measurement information database 115 stores communication quality and traffic information for each location and / or an electronic map displaying communication quality and traffic information for each location of an area where the unmanned apparatus 100 operates.

The traveling device 120 controls the driving of the unmanned device 100 automatically and manually based on the electronic map displaying communication quality and traffic information for each point transmitted from the control unit 113.

In addition, the driving device 120 sets a driving path of the unmanned device 100 by using an electronic map displaying communication quality and traffic information for each point. In this case, the driving device 120 may set a driving path that may avoid the communication shadow area and may travel to a destination in an optimal communication environment. That is, when it is determined that the communication state is not good from the current communication quality and traffic information, the driving device 120 sets the communication shadow area and does not travel.

As a result, the unmanned apparatus 100 may be driven in a stable communication environment, thereby stably delivering the information collected in the course of operation to the operator.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method of measuring communication quality and traffic information performed by the communication unit of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the unmanned apparatus 100 starts to travel, the communication unit 111 measures the communication quality and the traffic information of the communication signal for each communication scheme while transmitting and receiving the unmanned apparatus control signal and the data signal ( S210 ~ S220).

In this way, after obtaining the communication quality and traffic information, the communication unit 111 transmits the communication quality and traffic information to the control unit 113, and stores in the measurement information database 114 (S230).

3 is a diagram illustrating a method of acquiring position information performed by the position detector of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, the position detector 112 receives a satellite signal from a satellite (S310). In this case, if the strength of the satellite signal is less than the threshold value (S320), the position detector 112 measures the position of the unmanned apparatus 100 using an internal sensor (S330), and if the strength of the satellite signal is greater than the threshold value (S320). In operation S320, the position of the unmanned apparatus 100 is measured by calculating the longitude and latitude using the satellite signal (S340).

The position detector 112 transmits the measured position information to the controller 113 and stores the measured position information in the measurement information database 114 (S350).

As such, the position detector 112 may measure the position of the unmanned apparatus 100 even when the satellite signal is weak or cannot receive the satellite signal.

4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the controller illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the unmanned apparatus 100 starts driving, the control unit 113 obtains communication quality and traffic information from the communication unit 111 (S410), and the control unit 113 further includes a position detection unit 112. In operation S420, location information of the unmanned apparatus 100 is acquired.

The control unit 113 searches whether there is an electronic map of the area currently driving in the geographic information database 114 (S430).

If there is an electronic map of the area currently driving in the geographic information database 114, the control unit 113 synchronizes the location information with the communication quality and traffic information, and maps the synchronized communication quality and traffic information for each location to the geographic information. The electronic map information is displayed on the electronic map (S440 to S450) and the communication quality and traffic information for each location and the communication quality and traffic information for each location are stored in the measurement information database 115 (S460). In addition, the information providing apparatus 110 may further include an image capturing unit (not shown) for capturing an image. In this case, the controller 113 synchronizes the captured image with the location information and displays the image on the corresponding electronic map. You may.

On the other hand, if there is no electronic map of the area currently running in the geographic information database 114, the control unit 113, the unmanned apparatus 100 to the real-time location information and measurement information database 115 in the location detection unit 112 A new electronic map is generated based on the stored communication quality and traffic information (S470), and the communication quality and traffic information for each location synchronized to the generated electronic map is displayed (S440 to S450).

The controller 113 may update and store the latest information if there is already stored information when the communication quality and traffic information at each location is stored in the measurement information database 115.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a traveling method of the traveling device illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 5, before the unmanned apparatus 100 performs automatic and manual tasks, the traveling apparatus 120 pre-searches a driving database (not shown) (S502). That is, by searching for a driving route recorded in the past, it is possible to maintain a range in which communication can be maintained and a real-time operating right.

The traveling device 120 sets the pre-travel route based on the driving information stored in the driving database, and corrects the set route based on the communication quality and traffic information during autonomous driving. In detail, when the communication of the current location is not good from the communication quality and the traffic information during autonomous driving (S504), the driving device 120 does not travel by setting the corresponding location as the communication range region (S506). At this time, the driving device 120 may determine that the communication is not good when the communication quality and traffic information is less than the predetermined reference value, the reference value may be a value that can be changed by the operator.

The driving apparatus 120 determines that the driving route is not changeable, and changes the driving route (S508 to S510). When the traveling route is not possible, after the driving device 120 returns to the previous point (S512), the driving route is changed. It is determined whether it is possible (S508).

The driving device 120 may use communication quality and traffic information or change a driving database in changing the driving route. Meanwhile, the driving device 120 may maintain a communication connection by setting a driving route using communication quality and traffic information even in autonomous driving in an area where no preliminary exploration is performed. As such, when the driving device 120 travels by changing the driving route, or when the communication is good and the vehicle runs as it is based on the past driving information (S514), the driving device 120 may be used after the driving is completed so that the driving plan may be used. The driving route may be stored in the driving database (S516 to S518).

An embodiment of the present invention is not implemented only through the above-described apparatus and / or method, but may be implemented through a program for realizing a function corresponding to the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention or a recording medium on which the program is recorded. Such an implementation can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains based on the description of the above-described embodiments.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, It belongs to the scope of right.

Claims (12)

In an unmanned device that performs a mission while driving,
Transmit / receive control signals and data signals to obtain communication quality and traffic information, and obtain the location of the unmanned device according to the movement to map the communication quality and traffic information at each location to geographic information and provide the information displayed on the electronic map. Device, and
Travel device that sets the driving route using an electronic map showing communication quality and traffic information at each location
Unmanned device comprising a. The method of claim 1,
The traveling device,
An unmanned apparatus for setting a driving route based on driving information and changing the driving route by using communication quality and traffic information at each location. The method of claim 2,
The traveling device,
The unmanned apparatus for excluding from the communication route a position where the communication state is less than a predetermined reference value from the communication quality and traffic information. The method of claim 1,
The information providing device,
It includes a position detector for obtaining the position of the unmanned device,
And the position detecting unit obtains the position from the satellite signal. The method of claim 4, wherein
And the location detector acquires the location of the unmanned device by using an internal sensor when the reception strength of the satellite signal is less than or equal to a preset threshold. The method of claim 1,
Further includes a driving database,
The driving device stores the driving path in the driving database after driving is completed. In the traveling method of the moving unmanned apparatus,
Acquiring communication quality and traffic information for a communication signal of a corresponding communication method while transmitting and receiving a control signal and a data signal;
Acquiring a location of the unmanned device according to movement;
Synchronizing communication quality and traffic information at each location,
Mapping communication quality and traffic information at each location to geographic information to display on an electronic map; and
Setting a driving route using an electronic map displaying communication quality and traffic information at each location;
Driving route setting method comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein
The obtaining step,
Receiving a satellite signal,
If the strength of the satellite signal is greater than a threshold, calculating a position from the satellite signal, and
And calculating the position by using an internal sensor when the strength of the satellite signal is less than or equal to the threshold value. The method of claim 7, wherein
The setting step,
Setting a driving route based on past driving information, and
And changing the driving route using the communication quality and the traffic information at each location. 10. The method of claim 9,
The changing step,
And excluding a position in which a communication state is less than a predetermined reference value from the driving route from the communication quality and traffic information. 10. The method of claim 9,
The changing step,
And returning to a previous position when there is no driving route to be changed at a position where a communication state is less than a predetermined reference value from the communication quality and traffic information. The method of claim 7, wherein
Steps to shoot video while moving
Further comprising:
Synchronizing is,
And synchronizing communication quality and traffic information with the image photographed at each location.

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