Patent Publication Number: US-2019181672-A1

Title: Charging system and charging method for intelligent robot

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The instant disclosure relates to a charging system, and in particular, to a charging system and a charging method for an intelligent robot. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With the development of technology, robots have replaced the need for manual labor in work requiring hard labor, for example, using mechanical arms for heavy lifting or complicated processes. In recent years, domestic robots have been widely accepted by people, and may be used for domestic cleaning and human-robot interaction. However, the charging path of robots generally lacks auto protection mechanisms, which may damage the circuitry. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant disclosure provides a charging system for an intelligent robot. The charging system includes a battery providing electrical energy to the intelligent robot. The charging system includes a central processing unit, a charging base, a base interface, a wireless charging module and a power socket. The central processing unit is configured to control the intelligent robot to receive electrical energy or stop receiving electrical energy. The charging base is configured to charge the intelligent robot and has an arc surface. The base interface is electrically connected to the central processing unit and is configured to connect to the charging base. When the intelligent robot proceeds to the center of the arc surface, the base interface is connected with the charging base, the charging base charges the intelligent robot through the base interface. When the intelligent robot proceeds to the wireless charging module and is electromagnetically coupled to the wireless charging module, the wireless charging module charges the intelligent robot. The power socket is electrically connected to the central processing unit. When the power socket is connected to a domestic power source, the domestic power source charges the intelligent robot through the power socket. The central processing unit is configured to determine whether the intelligent robot receives power from one or more power sources. When the intelligent robot is charged by one charging path of the charging base, the wireless charging module or the power socket, the central processing unit turns on one charging path and turns off the other charging paths. When the intelligent robot is charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base, the wireless charging module or the power socket, the central processing unit controls the earliest connected charging path to receive energy and turns off the other charging path, and a wireless communication module transmits a warning signal to a mobile device. 
     The instant disclosure further provides a charging method for an intelligent robot. A charging system includes a battery that is configured to charge the intelligent robot. The charging system includes a central processing unit, a charging base, a base interface, a wireless charging module and a charging socket. The central processing unit is electrically connected to the charging base, the base interface, the wireless charging module and the charging socket. The charging method includes: controlling the intelligent robot to receive electrical energy or stop receiving electrical energy by the central processing unit; charging the intelligent robot by the charging base which includes an arc surface; charging the intelligent robot through the base interface by the charging base when the intelligent robot proceeds to the center of the arc surface, and the base interface is connected with the charging base; charging the intelligent robot by the wireless charging module when the intelligent robot proceeds to the wireless charging module, and the wireless charging module is electromagnetically coupled to the intelligent robot; and charging the intelligent robot through the power socket by a domestic power source when the power socket is connected to the domestic power source. The central processing unit is configured to determine whether the intelligent robot receives power from one or more power sources. When the intelligent robot is charged by one charging path of one of the charging base, the wireless charging module or the power socket, the central processing unit turns on one charging path and turns off the other charging paths. When the intelligent robot is charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base, the wireless charging module or the power socket, the central processing unit controls the earliest connected charging path to receive energy and turns off the other charging paths, and a wireless communication module transmits a warning signal to a mobile device. 
     For further understanding of the instant disclosure, reference is made to the following detailed description illustrating the embodiments of the instant disclosure. The description is only for illustrating the instant disclosure, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claim. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a charging system for an intelligent robot according to one embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of the charging system for an intelligent robot according to another embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of a charging method for an intelligent robot according to one embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of the charging method for an intelligent robot according to another embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view illustrating an intelligent robot being connected to a charging base according to one embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a charging system for an intelligent robot according to one embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
     The charging system  100  includes an intelligent robot  110 , a charging base  120  and a wireless charging module  130 . More specifically, the intelligent robot  110  includes a battery  111 , a central processing unit  112 , a base interface  113 , a charging socket  114  and a wireless communication module  115 . The central processing unit  112  is electrically connected to the battery  111 , the base interface  113 , the charging socket  114  and the wireless communication module  115 . The battery  111  is configured to provide electrical energy to electronic components of the intelligent robot  110 , and may be a lithium battery cell. The central processing unit  112  is configured to control the intelligent robot  120  to receive electrical energy or stop receiving electrical energy. The intelligent robot  110  may include a plurality of charging paths. The central processing unit  112  may automatically change the charging path according to the charging efficiency of the battery  111 . For example, the central processing unit  112  may automatically switch to another charging path when the charging efficiency of the battery  111  being below 30%. 
     The charging base  120  is configured to charge the battery  111  of the intelligent robot  110 . The charging base  120  includes an arc surface. The base interface  113  is electrically connected to the central processing unit  112 . The base interface  113  is configured to connect with the charging base  120 . When the intelligent robot  110  proceeds to the center of the arc surface, the base interface  113  is connected with the charging base  120 . The charging base  120  charges the intelligent robot  110  through the base interface  113 . More specifically, the arc surface of the charging base  120  has a beneficial effect on the base interface  113  in order to charge the intelligent robot  110 . The intelligent robot  110  may include a camera (not shown) that is configured to detect the curvature on the ground. The intelligent robot  110  proceeds to the charging base  113  when the camera detects that the ground has changed from a flat surface to an arced surface. 
     When the intelligent robot  110  proceeds to the wireless charging module  130 , the wireless charging module  130  is electromagnetically coupled to the intelligent robot  110 . For example, the wireless charging module  130  is able to receive or transmit electromagnetic energy to the intelligent robot  110  by magnetic induction or magnetic resonance, and the wireless charging module  130  charges the intelligent robot  110 . For example, the intelligent robot  110  automatically proceeds to the wireless charging module  130  when the electric quantity of the battery  111  is below 15%. The intelligent robot  110  receives an electromagnetic energy from the wireless charging module  130 , and a converting circuitry (not shown) transforms the electromagnetic energy into electrical energy and stores the same in the battery  111 . When the power socket  114  is connected to a domestic power source, the domestic power source charges the intelligent robot  110  through the power socket  114 . For example, the charging socket  114  may be connected to the intelligent robot  110  via an extensible wire. The charging socket  114  may be retracted to be disposed in the intelligent robot  110  when the electric quantity of the battery  111  is ample. 
     The central processing unit  112  is configured to determine whether the intelligent robot  110  receives power from one or more power sources. In other words, the intelligent robot  110  may receive power from one power source or multiple power sources simultaneously. When the intelligent robot  110  is charged by one charging path of one of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114 , the central processing unit  112  turns on one charging path and turns off the other charging paths. When the intelligent robot  110  is charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114 , the central processing unit  112  controls the earliest connected charging path to receive energy and turns off the other charging paths, and a wireless communication module  115  transmits a warning signal to a mobile device (not shown). The mobile device may be a smartphone, a tablet or a laptop. A user may download software in order to examine the electric quantity of the battery  111 . The wireless communication module  115  transmits the warning signal to the user&#39;s smartphone when the electric quantity is below a predetermined value for informing the user that the intelligent robot  110  is needed to be charged. 
     For example, the charging base  120  may also be referred to herein as “a first charging path”, the wireless charging module  130  may also be referred to herein as “a second charging path”, and the charging socket  114  may also be referred to herein as “a third charging path”. When the first charging path is turned on, the central processing unit  112  turns off the second charging path and the third charging path. When the second charging path and the third charging paths are turned on respectively and sequentially, the central processing unit  112  turns on the first charging path and turns off the second charging path. 
     When the intelligent robot  110  stops receiving power from one charging path of one of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114 , the central processing unit  112  turns off the charging path. For example, when the charging socket  114  stops receiving energy, the central processing unit  112  turns off the second charging path. 
     When the intelligent robot  110  is changed from being charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114  to being charged by one charging path of one of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114 , the central processing unit  112  turns on a charging path. For example, when the intelligent robot  110  is changed from being charged simultaneously by the charging base  120  and the wireless charging module  130  to being charged only by the charging base  120 , the central processing unit  112  turns on the first charging path. 
     When the intelligent robot  110  is changed from being charged by the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  and the power socket  114  to being charged by two charging paths of two of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114 , the central processing unit  112  controls the earliest connected charging path to receive energy and turns off the other charging paths, and the wireless communication module  115  transmits the warning signal to the mobile device. For example, when the intelligent robot  110  is changed from being simultaneously charged by the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  and the charging socket  114  to being sequentially charged by the charging base  120  and the wireless charging module  130 , the central processing unit  112  turns on the first charging path and turns off the second charging path and the third charging path. 
     When the intelligent robot  110  is charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114 , the central processing unit  112  turns off all charging paths, and the wireless communication module  115  transmits the warning signal to the mobile device. For example, when the intelligent robot  110  is charged by the charging base  120  and the wireless charging module  130  simultaneously, the central processing unit  112  turns off the first charging path, the second charging path and the third charging path for power safety. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of the charging system for an intelligent robot according to another embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
     The charging system  200  includes an intelligent robot  210 , a charging base  220  and a wireless charging module  230 . More specifically, the intelligent robot  210  includes a battery  211 , a central processing unit  212 , a base interface  213 , a charging socket  214 , a wireless communication module  215 , a speaker  216  and an illuminating module  217 . The central processing unit  212  is electrically connected to the battery  211 , the base interface  213 , the charging socket  214 , the wireless communication module  215 , the speaker  216  and the illuminating module  217 . When the intelligent robot  210  is charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base  220 , the wireless charging module  230  or the power socket  214 , the speaker  216  emits a sound. For example, when the intelligent robot  210  is charged by the wireless charging module  230  and the charging socket  214  simultaneously, the speaker  216  emits a short sound. When the intelligent robot  210  is charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base  220 , the wireless charging module  230  or the power socket  214 , the illuminating module  217  emits a warning light. For example, when the intelligent robot  210  is charged by the charging base  220  and the charging socket  214  simultaneously, the illuminating module  217  emits a flashing red light. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of a charging method for an intelligent robot according to one embodiment of the instant disclosure. The charging method is applied to a charging system  100 . 
     The charging system  100  includes a battery  111  that is configured to charge the intelligent robot  110 . The charging system  100  includes a central processing unit  112 , a charging base  120 , a base interface  113 , a wireless charging module  130  and a charging socket  114 . The central processing unit  112  is electrically connected to the charging base  120 , the base interface  113 , the wireless charging module  130  and the charging socket  114 . The central processing unit  112  controls the intelligent robot  110  to receive electrical energy or stop receiving electrical energy. 
     In Step S 305  of the charging method, the charging base  120  charges the intelligent robot  110 . The charging base  120  includes an arc surface. The base interface  113  is connected with the charging base  120 . When the intelligent robot  110  proceeds to the center of the arc surface, the base interface  113  is connected with the charging base  120 , and the charging base  120  charges the intelligent robot  110  through the base interface  113 . 
     In Step S 310 , when the intelligent robot  110  proceeds to the wireless charging module  130 , the wireless charging module  130  is electromagnetically coupled to the intelligent robot  110 , and the wireless charging module  130  charges the intelligent robot  110 . 
     In Step S 315 , when the power socket  114  is connected to a domestic power source, the domestic power source charges the intelligent robot  110  through the power socket  114 . 
     In Step S 320 , the central processing unit  112  determines whether the intelligent robot  110  receives power from one or more power sources. If not, the method proceeds to Step S 325 ; but if yes, the method proceeds to Step S 330 , Step S 340 , Step S 355 , Step S 365  or Step S 375 . 
     In Step S 325 , the central processing unit  112  does not control the charging path. 
     In Step S 330 , the intelligent robot  110  is charged by one charging path of one of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the charging socket  114 . 
     In Step S 335 , the central processing unit  112  turns on the charging path. 
     In Step S 340 , the intelligent robot  110  is charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the charging socket  114 . 
     In Step S 345 , the central processing unit  112  controls the earliest connected charging path to receive energy and turns off the other charging paths. 
     In Step S 350 , a wireless communication module  115  transmits a warning signal to a mobile device. 
     In Step S 355 , the intelligent robot  110  stops receiving power from one charging path of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114 . 
     In Step S 360 , the central processing unit  112  turns off the charging path. 
     In Step S 365 , the intelligent robot  110  is changed from being charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114  to being charged by one charging path of one of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114 . 
     In Step S 370 , the central processing unit  112  turns on the charging path. 
     In Step S 375 , the intelligent robot  110  is changed from being charged by the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  and the power socket  114  to being charged by at least two charging path of two of the charging base  120 , the wireless charging module  130  or the power socket  114 , and the method proceeds to Step S 345  and Step S 350 . 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  shows a flow chart of the charging method for an intelligent robot according to another embodiment of the instant disclosure. 
     In Step S 420  of the charging method, the central processing unit  212  determines whether the intelligent robot  210  receives power from one or more power sources. If not, the method proceeds to Step S 425 ; but if yes, the method proceeds to Step S 430  or Step S 440 . 
     In Step S 425 , the central processing unit  220  does not control the charging path. 
     In Step S 430 , the intelligent robot  210  is charged by one charging path of one of the charging base  220 , the wireless charging module  230  or the charging socket  214 . 
     In Step S 435 , the central processing unit  212  turns on one charging path and turns off the other charging paths. 
     In Step S 440 , the intelligent robot  210  is charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base  220 , the wireless charging module  230  or the charging socket  214 . 
     In Step S 445 , the central processing unit  212  turns off all charging paths. 
     In Step S 450 , the wireless communication module  215  transmits a warning signal to a device. 
     In Step S 455 , a speaker  216  emits a sound. 
     In Step S 460 , an illuminating module  217  emits a light. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  shows a perspective view illustrating an intelligent robot being connected to a charging base according to one embodiment of the instant disclosure. When the intelligent robot  510  proceeds to the center of the charging base  520  which includes an arc surface, the charging base  520  charges the intelligent robot  510 . 
     To sum up, the instant disclosure provides a charging system for an intelligent robot. The intelligent robot may be charged by a charging base, a wireless charging module or a charging socket. The charging base, the wireless charging module and the charging socket are taken as a first charging path, a second charging path and a third charging path, respectively. When the intelligent robot is charged by at least two charging paths of two of the charging base, the wireless charging module or the power socket, the central processing unit controls the earliest connected charging path to receive energy and turns off the other charging paths, and a wireless communication module transmits a warning signal to a mobile device. A speaker emits a warning sound and an illuminating module emits a light, so that the functionality of the intelligent robot is enhanced. 
     The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alterations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.