Patent Publication Number: US-2018043536-A1

Title: Intelligent motion control system and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201610650548.X, filed on Aug. 10, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD 
     The subject matter herein generally relates to intelligent motion control system and method. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Moving Paths for intelligent motion bodies (for example, robot) are planned for each intelligent motion body. When a locality where the intelligent motion body moves is changed, the moving path should be updated in the body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an intelligent motion control system. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the intelligent motion control system in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of an intelligent motion control method according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of an intelligent motion control method according to another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. 
     A definition that applies throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
     The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series, and the like. 
     The instant disclosure provides an intelligent motion control system  100 .  FIG. 1  illustrates the intelligent motion control system  100  including a number of intelligent motion bodies  10  and a server  30 . The server  30  communicates with the intelligent motion bodies  10 . The server  30  is configured to control the intelligent motion body  10  to move. The intelligent motion body  10  can be a robot. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the server  30  as including a storage module  32 , a task allocation module  34 , a path planning module  36 , and a first communication module  38 . The storage module  32  stores a map of a locality where the intelligent motion body is located. The storage module  32  further stores a path planning rule. The task assigning module  34  is configured to assign a movement or series of movements (motion task) to each intelligent motion body  10 . The motion task includes a motion start point and a motion end point. In another embodiment, the motion task further includes a moving start time and a moving end time. The path planning module  36  is configured to plan a moving path for each intelligent motion body  10  according to the map, the task assigned to the intelligent motion body  10 , and the path planning rule. The moving path includes a moving direction, a moving distance in each moving direction, a moving speed in each moving direction, and an order of the moving directions. In an embodiment, the path planning rule is that none of the intelligent motion bodies  10  should collide with each other. In another embodiment, the path planning rule is that the intelligent motion body  10  completes the task in the shortest moving path or the shortest time. The first communication module  38  is configured to transmit the moving path to an intelligent motion body  10 . 
     The server  30  includes a map replacing module  40 . The map updating module  40  is configured to replace the existing map with a new map. Thus, the path planning module  36  plans the moving path according to the new map. 
     The intelligent motion body  10  includes a second communication module  12  and a motion controlling module  14 . The second communication module  12  is configured to receive the moving path from the server  30 . The motion controlling module  14  is configured to control the intelligent motion body  10  to move according to the moving path. 
     The intelligent motion body  10  further includes a path detecting module  16 . The path detecting module  16  is configured to detect whether there is an obstacle in the moving path and if so a position of the obstacle. In detail, the path detecting module  16  in real time detects whether there is an obstacle at the present direction and within a certain distance before changing direction. The second communication module  12  is further configured to transmit the position of the obstacle to the server  30 . 
     The server  30  further includes a map updating module  42 . The map updating module  42  is configured to update the map according to the position of the obstacle. The path planning module  36  is further configured to re-plan the moving path according to the updated map. The first communication module  38  is further configured to transmit the re-planned moving path to the relevant intelligent motion body  10 . The motion controlling module  14  controls the intelligent motion body  10  to move according to the re-planned moving path. When there is an obstacle, the path detecting module  16  further identifies the nature of the obstacle. For example, the path detecting module  16  may identify an obstacle as being a flowerpot. The map updating module  42  is further configured to label a marker corresponding to the obstacle at the corresponding position in the updated map. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an intelligent motion control method according to an embodiment. The order of blocks in  FIG. 3  illustrative only and the order of the blocks can change. Additional blocks can be added or fewer blocks may be utilized without departing from this disclosure. The exemplary method begins at block  302 . 
     At block  302 , the task assigning module  34  assigns a motion task to each intelligent motion body  10 , wherein the motion task includes a motion start point and a motion end point. 
     At block  304 , the path planning module  36  plans a moving path for each intelligent motion body  10  according to a map of a locality where the intelligent motion body is located. The motion task assigned to the intelligent motion body  10  is planned according to a path planning rule, wherein the moving path includes a moving direction, a moving distance in each moving direction, and a moving speed in the moving direction. In another embodiment, the moving path includes a number of moving directions and an order of the moving directions. 
     In an embodiment, the path planning rule requires that none of the intelligent motion bodies  10  should collide with each other. In another embodiment, the path planning rule is that the intelligent motion body  10  completes the task in the shortest moving path. 
     At block  306 , the first communication module  38  transmits the moving path to the relevant intelligent motion body  10  for controlling the intelligent motion body  10  to move according to the moving path. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an intelligent motion control method according to another embodiment. The intelligent motion control method further includes following blocks. 
     At block  308 , the first communication module  38  receives a communication from the intelligent motion body  10  indicating an obstacle in the moving path and the position of the obstacle. 
     At block  310 , the map updating module  42  updates the map to include the position of the obstacle. 
     At block  312 , the path planning module  36  re-plans the moving path according to the updated map. 
     At block  314 , the first communication module  38  transmits the re-planned moving path to the relevant intelligent motion body  10  for controlling the intelligent motion body  10  to move according to the re-planned moving path. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, comprising in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims.