Channel configuration methods and devices for robots

{
  "publication_number": "US10469321B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Channel configuration methods and devices for robots",
  "abstract": "The present disclosure relates to a channel configuration method for communication between the main controller of the robot and the at least one node of the robot, including: receiving at least one description message transmitted from at least one node via a broadcast channel, confirming a channel according to the description message of the node, wherein a main controller communicates with the node via the channel, and transmitting at least one channel configuration message via the broadcast channel. The channel configuration message carries the description message of the node and a description message of the channel. The main controller may communicate with the node via the channel.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A channel configuration method for communication between a main controller of a robot and at least one node of the robot, comprising: receiving, by the main controller, a serial number of the at least one node via a broadcast channel; determining, by the main controller, a channel bonded with the at least one node as the channel for communicating with the node based on the serial number, wherein the main controller communicates with the node via the channel; transmitting, by the main controller, at least one channel configuration message via the broadcast channel for configuring the channel for communicating with the node, wherein the channel configuration message carries the serial number of the node and a description message of the channel.",
    "2. The channel configuration method for communication between the main controller of the robot and the at least one node of the robot according to claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises: assigning, by the main controller, an un-occupied channel to the node, and bonding the un-occupied channel with the the node upon determining the node is not bonded with the channel.",
    "3. The channel configuration method for communication between the main controller of the robot and the at least one node of the robot according to claim 2, wherein the transmitting step further comprises: transmitting, by the main controller, a configuration-start notification via the broadcast channel for configuring the channel for communicating with the node, wherein the configuration-start notification carries a description message of the node comprising the serial number; transmitting, by the main controller, the channel configuration message via the broadcast channel for configuring the channel for communicating with the node, wherein the channel configuration message carries the description message of the node and the description message of the channel; wherein the configuration-start notification further comprises: a frame-mode indication sub-field configured to indicate a frame analytical method; a channel identification field configured to indicate the channel between the main controller and the node; and a flag field.",
    "4. The channel configuration method for communication between the main controller of the robot and the at least one node of the robot according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises: transmitting at least one attribute reporting request via the channel, wherein the main controller communicates with the node via the channel; receiving at least one attribute reported from the node; conducting an initialization process on the node according to the attribute; wherein the attribute comprises: a constant portion configured with a product identity (PID), an upgrade indicator, and a secondary instruction.",
    "5. The channel configuration method liar communication between the main controller of the robot and the at least one node of the robot according to claim 3, wherein the description message of the node further comprises at least one of a product ID, a vender ID, and a production date, and the description message of the channel comprises a channel indicator.",
    "6. The channel configuration method for communication between the main controller of the robot and the at least one node of the robot according to claim 4, wherein the channel configuration method further comprises: receiving a status message of the node via the channel before transmitting the attribute reporting request, wherein the main controller communicate with the node via the channel.",
    "7. A channel configuration device for a main controller of a robot, comprising: a receiver configured to receive a serial number of at least one node of the robot via a broadcast channel; a processor configured to determine a channel bonded with the at least one node as the channel for communicating with the node based on the serial number, wherein the main controller communicates with the node via the channel; a transmitter configured to transmit at least one channel configuration message via the broadcast channel for configuring the channel for communicating with the node, wherein the channel configuration message carries the serial number of the node and a description message of the channel.",
    "8. The channel configuration device for controlling robots according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to: assign, by the main controller, an un-occupied channel to the node, and bonding the un-occupied channel with the the node upon determining of the node is not bonded with the channel.",
    "9. The channel configuration device for controlling robots according to claim 8, wherein the transmitter is further configured to: transmit a configuration-start notification via the broadcast channel for configuring the channel for communicating with the node, wherein the configuration-start notification carries a description message of the node comprising the serial number; transmit the channel configuration message via the broadcast channel, wherein the channel configuration message carries the description message of the node and the description message of the channel; wherein the configuration-start notification further comprises: a frame-mode indication sub-field configured to indicate a frame analytical method; a channel identification field configured to indicate the channel between the main controller and the node; and a flag field.",
    "10. The channel configuration device for controlling robots according to claim 9, wherein the transmitter is.further configured to transmit at least one attribute reporting request via the channel, wherein the main controller communicates with the node via the channel; the receiver is further configured to receive at least one attribute reported from the node; the processor is further configured to conduct an initialization process on the node according to the attribute; the attribute comprises: a constant portion configured with a PID, an upgrade indicator, and a secondary instruction.",
    "11. The channel configuration device for controlling, robots according to claim 9, wherein the description message of the node further comprises at least one of a product ID, a vender ID, and a production date, and the description message of the channel comprises a channel indicator.",
    "12. The channel configuration device for controlling robots according to claim 10, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a status message of the node via the channel, before transmitting the attribute reporting request, wherein the main controller communicate with the node via the channel.",
    "13. A channel configuration device for a node of a robot, comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit a serial number of the node via a broadcast channel; a receiver configured receive at least one channel configuration message via the broadcast channel, wherein the channel configuration message carries the serial number of the node and a description message of the channel; a processor; and memory storage configured to: store the description message of the channel upon the processor determining the serial number of the node carried by the channel configuration message is the same with the transmitting serial number of the node; confirm a channel according to the serial number of the node, wherein a main controller of the robot communicates with the node via the channel.",
    "14. The channel configuration device for controlling robots according to claim 13, wherein the receiver is further configured to: receive a configuration-start notification via the broadcast channel for configuring the channel for communicating with the node; receive the channel configuration message via the broadcast channel; the processor is further configured to: determine whether a serial number of the node carried by the configuration-start notification is the same with transmitting serial number; determine whether the serial number of the node carried by the channel configuration message is the same with the transmitting serial number of the node, upon determining the serial number of the node carried by the configuration-start notification is the same with the transmitting serial number; wherein the configuration-start notification further comprises: a frame-mode indication sub-field configured to indicate a frame analytical method; a channel identification field configured to indicate the channel between the main controller and the node; and a flag field.",
    "15. The channel configuration device for controlling robots according to claim 13, wherein the transmitter is further configured to periodically transmitting the serial number of the node via the broadcast channel according to a predetermined time interval upon determining data transmitted form the main controller has not been received over a predetermined time period.",
    "16. The channel configuration device for controlling robots according to claim 13, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive at least one attribute reporting request via the channel, wherein the node communicate with the main controller via the channel; the transmitter is further configured to report attribute of the node; the attribute comprises: a constant portion configured with a PID, an upgrade indicator, and a secondary instruction.",
    "17. The channel configuration device fur controlling robots according to claim 16, wherein the transmitter is further configured to report a status message of the node via the channel before receiving the attribute reporting request, wherein the node communicate with the main controller via the channel.",
    "18. The channel configuration device for controlling robots according to claim 13, wherein the description message of the channel comprises a channel indicator."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Technical Field\n\nThe present disclosure relates to communication field, and more particularly to a channel configuration method for communication between a main controller of a robot and at least one node of the robot and a device for controlling robots.\n\n2. Description of Related Art\n\nController Area Network (CAN) bus is a serial communication protocol for real-time applications, and is a point-to-multipoint mechanism. The CAN has been adopted in a variety of industries, such as, textile machinery, agricultural machinery, robots, CNC machine tools, medical equipment and sensors.\n\nThe demanding of the reliability with respect to the data-processing and the communication system has become higher, as the complexity of the device, the harshness of application environment, and the complexity of the system tasks have been increased. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the communication process of the CAN bus protocol.\n\nFIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a channel configuration method for communication between a main controller of a robot and at least one node of the robot in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.\n\nFIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a channel configuration method for communication between a main controller of a robot and at least one node of the robot in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.\n\nFIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a channel configuration method for communication between a main controller of a robot and at least one node of the robot in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04L 12/1868",
    "B25J 13/006",
    "H04L 12/40",
    "H04L 12/40045",
    "H04L 12/403",
    "H04L 2012/40215",
    "H04L 41/0896",
    "H04L 43/0817",
    "H04L 5/0058",
    "H04L 67/12"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 13/00",
    "H04L 12/18",
    "H04L 12/24",
    "H04L 12/28",
    "H04L 12/40",
    "H04L 29/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ubtech Robotics Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Youjun Xiong",
    "Hailang Zhou",
    "Musen Zhang"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-08-07",
  "publication_date": "2019-11-05",
  "grant_date": "2019-11-05",
  "priority_date": "2016-12-30",
  "application_number": "US-201715669963-A",
  "family_id": "58953015",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US20060023677A1",
    "US20080183835A1",
    "US20160080168A1",
    "US20160078583A1",
    "US20170109309A1"
  ]
}