KR20240137278A - Agricultural worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring, and more specifically, to a farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring, characterized in that it comprises: a loading unit provided on a main body frame; a driving unit provided on a lower part of the main body frame; a control unit for controlling the driving unit; a location information acquisition unit for acquiring location information; and an emergency location transmission unit for transmitting current location information and map data including a movement path to a preset relevant terminal based on the location information acquisition information when the robot does not move for a specific period of time or longer.

Description

{Agricultural worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring}

The present invention relates to a farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring.

Agriculture is a very important industry that is responsible for our food. Agriculture requires a lot of labor after sowing, weeding, and harvesting. In the past, it was done by hand and required a lot of labor, but as it gradually became mechanized, various technologies for agricultural robots that can drive themselves and work instead of manually operating agricultural machinery were developed, which greatly reduced labor.

In order to cultivate and manage crops within farmland using these agricultural robots, an electronic map (farm map) for the agricultural robots is required. However, in the past, the accuracy of the electronic map (farm map) was low, and there was a problem that agricultural robots could not cultivate farmland at a precise level, such as not cultivating the cultivable area near the boundary between farmland areas.

Meanwhile, prior art technologies related to farming guidance for agricultural robots include Korean Patent No. 10-1374802, etc.

Meanwhile, autonomous agricultural robots are equipped with a location recognition system using the Global Positioning System (GPS), an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that measures speed, direction, and acceleration, a monitoring system that displays the direction of movement on a monitor during autonomous driving, and work path generation and tracking technology.

In the case of roads where cars usually drive, there is an electronic map created based on current accurate location information, and route driving is possible through markings such as road lanes. However, in irregular environments such as farmland, there is currently no accurate GPS information for farmland, and furthermore, there are no special markings for recognizing the route when driving agricultural robots.

To solve this problem, conventional technology suggests a method of using a camera to capture images of natural objects such as trees or pre-installed target poles, and then controlling the vehicle to aim at the target based on the captured images.

However, since this conventional technology only uses camera images, it has a problem in that it cannot be applied in environments such as open fields. That is, in open fields, since the vehicle in motion continuously shakes, the object being captured by the camera continuously shakes, making it difficult for the vehicle to continuously move toward the target.

Korean Patent No. 10-2127312 discloses an agricultural work vehicle and a control system thereof. The conventional agricultural work vehicle includes a detector including a sensor installed on a body to detect the current position and posture of the body, and a camera installed on the body to obtain a video image of the surrounding environment of the body; a current state generation unit that generates a current state of the body based on the current position and posture of the body, a driving area generation unit that generates driveable area information of the body based on the video image, a next state determination unit that determines a target position and posture of the body based on the current state of the body and the driveable area information of the body, and a control unit that controls the body based on the target position and posture of the body.

However, since conventional agricultural work vehicles such as this are controlled using only the two-dimensional images of the camera and the vehicle's attitude information, there is a problem in that although they can be applied to environments where the vehicle's driving target can be specified, such as orchards, they cannot be applied to environments where crops are not currently planted, such as open fields.

Republic of Korea registered patent 10-2371433 Republic of Korea Publication Patent No. 10-2022-0027505 Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-1937179

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and according to an embodiment of the present invention, when a worker works in a field or on a mountain on a hot day and the temperature is high and he or she stays in the same place for a long time due to heatstroke, the robot can send an alarm and location to a linked user terminal to make an emergency contact, and can transmit an alarm by linking GPS and a map to the distance moved, current location, and last location in case of power outage, etc., to provide an agricultural worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the purpose is to provide a farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring, which creates a map based on the location information of the robot, derives a moisture/pH map for farmland based on the values measured by a humidity sensor and a pH sensor equipped in the robot, and determines whether the map is suitable for crop cultivation based on the moisture/pH values.

Meanwhile, the technical problems to be achieved in the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a robot that provides a service to assist farmers, comprising: a loading unit provided on a main body frame; a driving unit provided on a lower part of the main body frame; a control unit that controls the driving unit; a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information; and an emergency location transmission unit that transmits current location information and map data including a movement path to a preset relevant terminal based on the location information acquisition information, wherein the robot does not move for a specific period of time or longer, thereby achieving a farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring.

And the location information acquisition unit may be characterized by being configured with a GPS receiver or an ultrasonic sensor that acquires location information of the service robot by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves with each of a plurality of reference ultrasonic sensors installed at specific distances in the space where the service robot runs.

In addition, the service robot may be characterized by including a soil information sensing unit that measures soil information of the soil while the robot is driving in real time; and a soil information map derivation unit that maps the soil information on a map generated using the location information.

And the service robot may include a display unit that displays measured soil information in real time, and the soil information sensing unit may be characterized by being composed of a moisture sensor and a pH sensor.

In addition, it can be characterized by including a cultivation area recommendation unit that stores the appropriate moisture range and pH range for each type of cultivated crop and recommends crops to be cultivated for each area based on the soil information map derived from the soil information map derivation unit.

According to a farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring according to an embodiment of the present invention, when a worker is working in a field or on a mountain on a hot day and suffers from heatstroke due to high temperatures and stays in the same place for a long time, the robot can send an alarm and location to a linked user terminal to make an emergency contact, and can transmit an alarm by linking GPS and a map to the distance traveled, current location, and last location in case of a power outage.

According to a farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring according to an embodiment of the present invention, a map is created based on the location information of the robot, a moisture/pH map for the farmland is derived based on the values measured by the humidity sensor and pH sensor equipped in the robot, and based on these moisture/pH values, it is possible to determine whether or not the farmland is suitable for crop cultivation.

Meanwhile, the effects obtainable from the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention; therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to matters described in such drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a farm worker service robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a block diagram of a system using a farm worker service robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of farm worker service robots driving in a cluster link according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram of a farm worker service robot showing the execution of a return mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram of position recognition of a robot using an ultrasonic sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is an example of a current location and movement distance map transmitted through an emergency location transmission helper function according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a conceptual diagram of a soil moisture and pH measurement mapping system for farmland according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The above objects, other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be easily understood through the following preferred embodiments related to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided so that the disclosed contents can be thorough and complete and so that the spirit of the present invention can be sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art.

In this specification, when it is mentioned that a component is on another component, it means that it can be formed directly on the other component, or a third component can be interposed between them. Also, in the drawings, the thickness of the components is exaggerated for the effective explanation of the technical contents.

The embodiments described herein will be described with reference to cross-sectional and/or plan views, which are ideal examples of the present invention. In the drawings, the thicknesses of the films and regions are exaggerated for effective explanation of the technical contents. Accordingly, the shapes of the examples may be modified due to manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific shapes shown, but also include changes in shapes created according to the manufacturing process. For example, the regions shown at right angles may be rounded or have a shape with a predetermined curvature. Accordingly, the regions illustrated in the drawings have properties, and the shapes of the regions illustrated in the drawings are intended to illustrate specific shapes of regions of the device and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Although the terms first, second, etc. have been used to describe various components in various embodiments of the present invention, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. The embodiments described and illustrated herein also include complementary embodiments thereof.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. In this specification, the singular also includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. The words "comprises" and/or "comprising" as used herein do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements mentioned.

In describing the specific embodiments below, various specific contents have been written to explain the invention more specifically and to help understanding. However, a reader who has knowledge of this field enough to understand the present invention can recognize that it can be used without these various specific contents. In some cases, it is mentioned in advance that parts that are commonly known but not greatly related to the invention are not described in order to prevent confusion without any reason in describing the present invention.

Below, the configuration, function, and service provision method of a farm worker service robot according to an embodiment of the present invention through the service robot are described.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a farm worker service robot according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a system using a farm worker service robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 1, it can be seen that the farm worker service robot (100) according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured to include a loading part (11) provided on a main body frame (10) and a driving part (20) provided on the bottom of the main body frame (10).

In addition, the driving unit (20) according to the embodiment of the present invention may be applied with a two-wheeled caterpillar driving method. In addition, a shock absorbing unit (21) may be provided between the driving unit and the main body frame to absorb shock during driving.

And, a lifting unit that can control the height of the loading unit (11) can be installed between the loading unit (11) and the main body frame (10) so that the farmer can work by adjusting the height when working on fruits hanging from a tree or in a slightly high place.

And, a cooling holder can be installed on the main body frame (10) to allow the user to drink a cool or warm beverage when working under the sun on a hot or cold day.

In addition, one or more loading boxes can be installed in the loading section (11) so that they can be used when necessary.

And, in the main frame (10) of the farm worker service robot (100) according to the embodiment of the present invention, an agricultural machinery loading module (90) is installed so that various agricultural machinery such as a weeder, a plow, a rotary, a harvester, and a snow remover can be mounted, so that not only loading but also various uses can be made with just one robot.

In addition, since there are many slopes in the countryside, if the top is open, there is a risk of the contents spilling out, and if the depth of the loading box is made deep, it may be difficult for the elderly to take out items, so a three-dimensional cover that can be easily opened and closed can be installed on the loading section (11).

And, when setting up and fixing on a slope, if there is a brake on the driving part, the user must bend over to fix it, so a brake operating part (80) can be provided so that the brake can be operated without bending over.

Below, the tracking and group driving functions using smart tags in an agricultural service robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the farm worker service robot (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention, a slave smart tag (50) connected to a master smart tag mounted on a farm worker's user terminal (smartphone, etc.) is installed.

And the control unit (30) controls the driving unit (20) so that the service robot (100) follows the farmer and drives at a set distance from the slave smart tag (50) and the master smart tag (50).

It also includes a short-range communication module (51) that connects communication within a specific distance between a user terminal (1) and a service robot, and between the service robots.

Accordingly, the farmer's user terminal can be connected to a service robot (100) located within a certain distance via short-range communication (e.g., Wifi), and the service robots (100) can also be connected via short-range communication.

In addition, each smart tag (50) has its own unique ID, and after communication between smart tags (50), the distance between smart tags (50) and the driving direction and driving speed of the service robot (100) being followed are calculated. Then, based on the distance, driving direction, and driving speed, driving information is derived and shared with the user terminal (1) through the short-range communication module (51).

And in the setting section of the user terminal (1), at least one slave smart tag to follow the master smart tag and a safety distance can be set, and the control section (30) of the service robot (100) to be followed controls the driving section (20) so that the set safety distance is maintained based on the calculated distance between the smart tags (50).

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of farm worker service robots driving in a cluster link according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a farm worker service robot showing a return mode execution according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As mentioned above, multiple slave smart tags (50) that will follow the farm worker can be set through the setting section of the user terminal (1). When each farm worker service robot (100) equipped with multiple slave smart tags (50) is connected to the user terminal (1) through short-distance communication, multiple farm worker service robots (100) will drive while following the farm worker carrying the user terminal (1). At this time, the safety distance can be set differently for each slave smart tag (50).

And as shown in Fig. 3, links and columns can be created and cluster driving can be enabled.

The farmer can set the first slave smart tag to follow the master smart tag, the second slave smart tag to follow the first slave smart tag, and the nth slave smart tag to follow the n-1th slave smart tag through the setting section of the user terminal (1). Once the setting is complete, the service robot equipped with the first slave smart tag follows the user terminal, the service robot equipped with the second slave smart tag follows the service robot equipped with the first slave smart tag, and the service robot equipped with the nth slave smart tag follows the service robot equipped with the n-1th slave smart tag.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, in the case where multiple service robots are used in a large-scale farm, for example, the master smart tag of the user terminal is assigned a unique ID of ID0, and a service robot having an ID1 smart tag follows a farmer (ID0), a service robot having an ID2 smart tag follows the ID1 smart tag, and a service robot having an ID3 smart tag follows the ID2 smart tag.

In addition, the driving information of the service robot is stored in the DB (70), and when the return mode is executed for the service robot in the setting section of the user terminal (1) having the master smart tag, the control section controls the driving section (20) to drive in reverse along the driving path based on the driving information, thereby allowing the robot to return to the starting point.

Below, the emergency location transmission function and the farmland monitoring function of the farm worker service robot (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Fig. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating position recognition of a robot using an ultrasonic sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a current position and movement distance map transmitted through an emergency position transmission helper function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A service robot (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured to include a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information.

In an embodiment of the present invention, based on such location information acquisition information, if the service robot does not move for a certain period of time or longer, an emergency location transmission unit (110) may be configured to transmit current location information and map data including the movement path to a preset relevant terminal (such as a family member, manager, or medical institution).

That is, when a worker is working in a field or on a mountain on a hot day, if the temperature is high and something like heatstroke occurs and the worker stays in the same place for a long time, the location and alarm can be sent to a linked user terminal to make an emergency contact, and as shown in Fig. 6, the map can be linked to send an alarm with the distance traveled, current location, and last location in case of power outage.

The location information acquisition unit can use a GPS receiver (42) or an ultrasonic sensor (41).

When applying an ultrasonic sensor (41), as shown in Fig. 5, it can be seen that the location information of the service robot (100) is obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves between each of a plurality of reference ultrasonic sensors (2) installed at specific distances in the space where the service robot (100) runs and the ultrasonic sensor (41).

Figure 7 is a conceptual diagram of a soil moisture and pH measurement mapping system for farmland according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A service robot (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a soil information sensing unit (120) that measures soil information of the soil while driving in real time, and a soil information map generating unit (130) that maps the soil information on a map generated using location information.

The soil information sensing unit (120) according to this embodiment of the present invention may be composed of a moisture sensor (121) and a pH sensor (122).

And, as shown in Fig. 7, it can be seen that the soil information map generation unit (130) generates a soil moisture and pH mapping map of farmland by matching location information with measured humidity, moisture values, and pH values.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the appropriate moisture range and pH range can be stored and classified by type of cultivated crop in the DB. This data can be collected as big data, learned by type of cultivated crop, and continuously classified so that the appropriate range can be updated.

And when a specific crop is to be cultivated, if a specific crop type is set, the appropriate moisture range and pH range are derived, and when the service robot drives, the measured moisture value and pH range can be used to determine whether cultivation is appropriate and derived on a map or displayed on the display unit (131). For example, through LED control, a blue light can be blinked if the appropriate value for the crop is present, and a red light can be blinked if the value is insufficient.

In addition, it can be configured to recommend crops to be cultivated by area based on the soil information map derived from the soil information map generation unit (130), including the cultivation area recommendation unit (132).

In addition, the devices and methods described above are not limited to the configurations and methods of the embodiments described above, and the embodiments may be configured by selectively combining all or part of the embodiments so that various modifications can be made.

1: User terminal
2: Reference ultrasonic sensor
10: Body frame
11: Loading section
12: Lifting section
20: Driving section
21: Shock absorbing part
30:Control section
40: Sensing section
41: Acoustic wave sensor
42:GPS receiver
50: Smart Tag
51: Short-range communication module
60:Battery
61: Solar Panel
70:DB
80:Brake operating part
90: Agricultural machinery mounting module
100: Farm worker service robot
110: Emergency Location Transmission Unit
120: Soil information sensing unit
121:Moisture sensor
122:pH sensor
130: Soil information map creation section
131: Display section
132: Farming Area Recommendation Section

Claims (5)

As a robot that provides services to assist farmers,
It has a loading part provided on the main body frame; a driving part provided on the lower part of the main body frame; and a control part that controls the driving part.
A location information acquisition unit that acquires location information; and
A farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring, characterized by including an emergency location transmission unit that transmits current location information and map data including a movement path to a preset related terminal if the robot does not move for a specific period of time based on the above location information acquisition information.
In paragraph 1,
The above location information acquisition unit,
GPS receiver or,
A farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring, characterized in that it comprises an ultrasonic sensor that obtains location information of the service robot by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves with a plurality of reference ultrasonic sensors installed at specific distances in the space where the service robot runs.
In the second paragraph,
The above service robot,
A soil information sensing unit that measures soil information of the soil being driven in real time while driving;
A farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring, characterized by including a soil information map derivation unit that maps the soil information onto a map generated using the location information.
In the third paragraph,
The above service robot includes a display unit that displays measured soil information in real time,
A farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring, characterized in that the soil information sensing unit above is composed of a moisture sensor and a pH sensor.
In paragraph 4,
The appropriate moisture and pH ranges are stored for each type of crop.
A farm worker service robot capable of emergency location transmission and farmland monitoring, characterized by including a farming area recommendation unit that recommends crops to be cultivated by area based on a soil information map derived from the soil information map derivation unit.