Abstract:
A power plate for driving a robot is provided herein. The power plate is capable of driving the robot in a stable manner. This stable drive of the robot is achieved by preventing a whole system paralysis phenomenon, which is caused by a local short-circuit occurring in a certain part of the power plate. The whole system paralysis is prevented by selectively breaking power supplied to a power supply pattern in association with the part where the short-circuit occurs.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0057867, filed on Jun. 19, 2008, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a power plate for driving a robot, and more particularly, to a method of driving a robot. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    When driving a battle robot by using a battery, there occurs a problem of frequently exchanging or charging the battery. To solve the problem, there is provided technology of driving a robot by using a power plate. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a configuration diagram illustrating a general power plate  100 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the power plate  100  includes an insulator  110 , an upper electrode  120  and a lower electrode  130 , formed on a top and a bottom of the insulator  110 , respectively. The upper electrode  120  and the lower electrode  130  respectively include first conductors  121  and  131  for supplying (+) power and respectively include second conductors  122  and  132  electrically insulated from the first conductors  121  and  131  for supplying (−) power. 
         [0007]    The first conductor  121  of the upper electrode  120  is electrically connected to the first conductor  131  of the lower electrode  130 . The second conductor  122  of the upper electrode  120  is electrically connected to the second conductor  132  of the lower electrode  130 . When two electrodes of a robot (not shown) are in contact with the first conductor  121  and the second conductor  122  formed on the upper electrode  120 , power inputted via the lower electrode  130  is supplied to the robot, thereby driving the robot. 
         [0008]    Generally, to drive a robot, a plurality of the power plates  100  are connected to one another. When the robot tumbles over and there occurs a short circuit on a certain power plate  100  since a part of a metal body of the robot is in contact with the first conductor  121  and the second conductor  122  formed on the upper electrode  120  or an electrode of an irregular robot of one&#39;s own manufacturing is in contact with the first conductor  121  and the second conductor  122  formed on the upper electrode  120 , the short circuit has an effect on the all power plates  100  to paralyze the whole system, thereby also paralyzing other robots driven by the power plates  100  where there is no short circuit. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, the present inventor has researched technology of preventing the paralysis of all power plates, which occurs from a short circuit locally occurring in a certain part of the whole plates. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The present invention provides a power plate for driving a robot, the power plate capable of preventing the paralysis of the whole system, caused by a local short circuit occurring in a certain part of the power plate. 
         [0011]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power plate for driving a robot, the power plate capable of preventing the paralysis of the whole system, caused by a local short circuit occurring in a certain part of the power plate, by detecting whether a power supply pattern formed on a power plate unit and electrically insulated from those of other power plate units is short-circuited and breaking power supplied to the short-circuited power supply pattern of the power plate unit. 
         [0012]    According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power plate for driving a robot, the power plate capable of preventing the paralysis of the whole system, caused by a local short circuit occurring in a certain part of the power plate, by detecting whether one of a plurality of power supply patterns formed on one power plate and electrically insulated is short-circuited and breaking power supplied to the one of the plurality of power supply patterns, which is short-circuited. 
         [0013]    The present invention provides an effect of more stably driving a robot by preventing the paralysis of the whole system, caused by a local short circuit occurring in a certain part of a power plate for driving the robot by locally breaking power supplied to a power supply pattern of the part where the short circuit occurs. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a configuration diagram illustrating a general power plate; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a configuration diagram illustrating a power plate for driving a robot, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a configuration diagram illustrating a power plate for driving a robot, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating a switch and a short-circuit detector of the power plate according to the embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram illustrating the switch and the short-circuit detector of the power plate according to the embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by explaining preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the attached drawings to be easily known and reproduced by those skilled in the art. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a configuration diagram illustrating a power plate for driving a robot, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the power plate is formed of a plurality of power plate units  200 , each of which includes an upper electrode  210 , a lower electrode  220 , and a power controller  230 . An electrical nonconductor is formed between the upper electrode  210  and the lower electrode  220  via an insulator (not shown). 
         [0022]    The upper electrode  210  includes power supply patterns  211  and  212  for driving the robot. The power supply pattern  211  of one side supplies (+) power while the power supply pattern  212  of another side supplies (−) power, wherein the former and the latter are electrically insulated from each other. 
         [0023]    In this case, the power supply patterns  211  and  212  of the upper electrode  210  of the respective power plate units  200  may be electrically insulated from those of an adjacent power plate unit. 
         [0024]    For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the power supply patterns  211  and  212  of the upper electrode  210  of the respective power plate units  200  may be separated from those of the adjacent power plate unit not to be electrically connected thereto. 
         [0025]    The lower electrode  220  includes power supply lines  221  and  222 . The power supply line  221  of one side supplies (+) power while the power supply line  222  of another side supplies (−) power, wherein the former and the latter are electrically insulated from each other. 
         [0026]    In this case, the lower electrode  220  of the respective power plate units  200  may further include a connector  223  to electrically connect the power supply lines  221  and  222  of the lower electrode  220  of the power plate unit  200  to those of an adjacent power plate unit. 
         [0027]    For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , each of the power supply lines  221  and  222  of the lower electrode  220  of the power plate unit  200  may be extended to form the connector  223  on a side of the power plate unit  200  in such a way that each of the power supply lines  221  and  222  of the lower electrode  220  of the power plate unit  200  can be electrically connected to those of the adjacent power plate unit via the connector  223 . 
         [0028]    The power controller  230  includes a switch  231  and a short-circuit detector  232 . The switch  231  supplies or breaks power to the power supply pattern  211  of the upper electrode  210 . 
         [0029]    For example, the switch  231  may be formed by electrically connecting the power supply pattern  211  of the upper electrode  210  of the power plate unit  200  to the power supply line  221  of the lower electrode  220  of the power plate unit  200  and employing a switching device such as a transistor between the power supply pattern  211  and the power supply line  221 , which are electrically connected to each other. 
         [0030]    Then, when power is inputted to the power supply line  221  of the lower electrode  220  of the power plate unit  200  electrically connected, the power is supplied or broken to the power supply pattern  211  of the upper electrode  210  according to turning on/off operation of the switch  231  formed between the power supply pattern  211  and the power supply line  221 , which are electrically connected to each other. 
         [0031]    That is, since the power supply lines  221  of the lower electrodes  220  of the respective power plate units  200  are electrically connected to one another, the power is supplied to the whole lower electrode  220 . However, since the power supply patterns  211  of the upper electrodes  210  of the respective power plate units  200  are electrically insulated from one another and the power supplied from the power supply line  221  of the lower electrode  220  may be turned on/off via the switch  231 , it is possible to control the power for each power plate unit  200  without an effect on the whole power plate. 
         [0032]    For example, when a robot tumbles over while driven and a part of a metal body thereof is in contact with the power supply pattern  211  of one side of the upper electrode  210  and the power supply pattern  212  of another side thereof or when an electrode of an irregular robot of one&#39;s own manufacturing is in contact with the power supply pattern  211  of the one side of the upper electrode  210  and the power supply pattern  212  of another side thereof in such a way that a short circuit occurs in one of the power plate units  200 , the power plate unit  200  where the short circuit occurs is electrically insulated from other power plate units  200  without an effect on the whole power plate by breaking the power to the corresponding power plate unit  200  by turning off the switch  231  formed between the power supply pattern  211  and the power supply line  221  of the corresponding power plate unit  200 , which are electrically connected. 
         [0033]    The short-circuit detector  232  detects whether the power supply pattern  211  of the upper electrode  210  is short-circuited and outputs a control signal to the switch  231  according to a result thereof. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating switch  231  or  331  and short-circuit detectors  232  or  332  of power plates according to embodiments of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the short-circuit detector  232  may be embodied as to output a control signal to break power supply to the power supply pattern  211  of the upper electrode  210  when a feedback voltage from the power supply pattern  211  is a reference voltage or less. Also, the short-circuit detector  232  may electrically insulate the power plate unit  200  where a short circuit occurs from other power plate units without an effect on the whole power plate by outputting the control signal to the switch  231 . 
         [0035]    In this case, when the feedback voltage from the power supply pattern  211  is greater than the reference voltage, the short-circuit detector  232  may output a control signal to supply the power to the power supply pattern  211  and output the control signal to the switch  231 , thereby normally using the power plate unit  200  where a short circuit is solved and a state thereof returns to normal. 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 4 , a full-up resistor turns  6 n the switch  231  to supply the power to the power plate unit  200  when initially supplying the power and raises a voltage of the power plate unit  200  greater than the reference voltage to turn on the switch  231  to supply the power to the power plate unit  200  when getting rid of a cause of the short circuit. 
         [0037]      FIG. 5  is a circuit diagram illustrating the switch  231  or  331  and the short-circuit detector  232  or  332 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the short-circuit detector  232  includes a comparator comparing a feedback voltage from the power plate unit  200  with a reference voltage and a transistor TR 1 , whose base is connected to an output terminal of the comparator, turned on/off according to an output value of the comparator. 
         [0038]    On the other hand, the switch  231  includes a transistor TR 2  whose base is connected to a collector of the transistor TR 1  of the short-circuit detector  232 . When the feedback voltage is smaller than the reference voltage as a result of the comparison of the comparator of the short-circuit detector  232 , that is, when a short circuit occurs, a voltage applied to the base of the transistor TR 1  is a threshold or less and the transistor TR 1  of the short-circuit detector  232  is turned off. Accordingly, a voltage applied to the base of the transistor TR 2  of the switch  231  becomes the reference voltage or less in such a way that the transistor TR 2  is also turned off, thereby breaking power supplied to the power plate unit  200 . 
         [0039]    On the other hand, when the feedback voltage is greater than as a result of the comparison of the comparator of the short-circuit detector  232 , that is, when it is normal, a voltage applied to the base of the transistor TR 1  is greater than the threshold and the transistor TR 1  of the short-circuit detector  232  is turned on. Accordingly, a voltage applied to the transistor TR 2  of the switch  231  becomes greater than the reference voltage in such a way that the transistor TR 2  is also turned on, thereby supplying power to the power plate unit  200 . 
         [0040]    Therefore, as described above, it is possible to prevent the paralysis of the whole system, caused by a local short circuit, by locally breaking power supplied to a power supply pattern of a power plate unit where the short circuit occurs. Accordingly, it is possible to more stably drive a robot. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  is a configuration diagram illustrating a power plate  300  for driving a robot, according to another embodiment of the present invention. Different from the power plate shown in  FIG. 2 , instead of employing a plurality of power plate units, the power plate  300  includes a plurality of power supply patterns electrically insulated from one another in such a way that it is possible to locally break power supplied thereto. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the power plate  300  includes an upper electrode  310 , a lower electrode  320 , and a power controller  330 . An electrical insulator is formed between the upper electrode  310  and the lower electrode  320  by using a nonconductor (not shown). 
         [0042]    The upper electrode  310  includes a plurality of power supply patterns  311  and  312  electrically insulated from each other. The power supply pattern  311  of one side provides (+) power and the power supply pattern  312  supplies (−) power, which are electrically insulated from each other. 
         [0043]    For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , each of the power supply patterns  311  and  312  of the upper electrode  310  of the power plate  300  may be separated from adjacent power supply pattern not to be electrically connected to each other. 
         [0044]    The lower electrode  320  includes power supply lines  321  and  322 . The power supply line  321  of one side supplies (+) power and the power supply line  322  of another side supplies (−) power, which are electrically insulated from each other. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , each of the power supply lines  321  and  322  of the lower electrode  320  of the power plate  300  may be embodied as a power line or a power pattern. 
         [0045]    The power controller  330  includes a switch  331  and a short-circuit detector  332 . The switch  331  allows power to be supplied or broken to each power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310 . 
         [0046]    For example, the switch  331  may be formed by electrically connecting each power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  to the power supply line  321  of the lower electrode  320  and employing a switching device such as a transistor between the power supply pattern  311  and the power supply line  321  electrically connected to each other. 
         [0047]    Then, when inputting power to the power supply line  321  of the lower electrode  320  of the power plate  300 , the power is supplied or broken to the power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  according to turning on/off operation of the switch  331  formed between the power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  and the power supply line  321 , which are electrically connected to each other. 
         [0048]    That is, when the power is supplied to the power supply line  321  of the lower electrode  320 , since each power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  of the power plate  300  is electrically insulated from one another and it is possible to turn on/off the power supplied to the power supply line  321  of the lower electrode  320  via the switch  331 , it is possible to control the power for each power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  without an effect on the whole power plate  300 . 
         [0049]    For example, when a robot tumbles over while driven and a short circuit occurs in a certain part of the power plate  300  due to a contact between the power supply pattern  311  of one side on a certain part of the upper electrode  310  and the power supply pattern  312  of another side or when a short circuit occurs in a certain part of the power plate  300  due to a contact between an electrode of an irregular robot of one&#39;s own manufacturing and the power supply pattern  311  and the power supply pattern  312  of a certain part of the upper electrode  310 , only the certain part of the power plate  300 , where the short circuit occurs, is electrically insulated without an effect on the whole power plate  300  by breaking power supply to the corresponding part by turning off the switch  331  formed between the corresponding power supply pattern  311  and the power supply line  321 . 
         [0050]    The short-circuit detector  332  detects whether each power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  is short-circuited and outputs a control signal to each switch  331  according to a result thereof. 
         [0051]    In this case, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the short-circuit detector  332  may outputs a control signal to break the power supply to the power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  when a feedback voltage from the power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  is a reference voltage or less as a result of comparison. A part where a short circuit occurs may be electrically insulated without an effect on the whole power plate  300  by outputting the control signal to the switch  331 . 
         [0052]    In this case, the short-circuit detector  332  may output a control signal to supply the power to the power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  when the feedback voltage from the power supply pattern  311  of the upper electrode  310  is greater than the reference voltage as a result of comparison. The control signal may be outputted to the switch  331  to solve the short circuit in such a way that power supply pattern  311  returning to normal may be normally used. Since configurations of the switch  331  and the short-circuit detector  332  are identical to that shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
         [0053]    Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the paralysis of the whole system, caused by a local short circuit occurring in a certain part of a power plate for driving by locally breaking power supplied to a power supply pattern of the power plate, where the short circuit occurs, thereby more stably driving a robot. 
         [0054]    The present invention will be used in the fields of robot driving technology and applied technology thereof. 
         [0055]    While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.