System, device and method for detecting connection of connecting structure

{
  "publication_number": "US12000907B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "System, device and method for detecting connection of connecting structure",
  "abstract": "A system for detecting a connection between two devices includes a first device and a second device. The first device includes a first connection terminal and a first reactance element connected to the first connection terminal. The second device includes a second connection terminal; a first resistance element, and a first frequency generator for allowing a signal to pass through the first resistance element and be applied to the first device via the second connection terminal. The second device further includes a first comparator having both input terminals connected to both ends of the first resistance element, and comparing and outputting a signal of both ends of the first resistance element, and a first control unit for determining whether or not the first connection terminal of the first device is connected to the second connection terminal by means of the output signal of the first comparator.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for detecting a connection, comprising: a first device including a first connection terminal having a 1-1 contact point and a 1-2 contact point and a first reactance element connected to the first connection terminal; and a second device including, a second connection terminal having a 2-1 contact point and a 2-2 contact point corresponding to the 1-1 contact point and the 1-2 contact point, a first resistance element, a first frequency generator connected to a first end of the first resistance element and configured to apply a signal having a frequency varying a predetermined range to the first device through the second connection terminal via the first end of the first resistance element, a second end of the first resistance element being connected to the second connection terminal, a first comparator having a first input terminal connected to the first end of the first resistance element and a second input terminal connected to the second end of the first resistance element and configured to compare signals at the first end and the second end of the first resistance element, and a first controller configured to determine whether the first connection terminal is connected to the second connection terminal by using an output signal of the first comparator.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first comparator is a phase comparator configured to compare phases of the signals at the first end and the second end of the first resistance element, and the first controller is configured to detect a first frequency of a phase delay between the first end and the second end of the first resistance element by using an output signal of the phase comparator, the phase delay being out of a predetermined range according to an increase in the frequency of the first frequency generator, and calculate an element value of the first reactance element by using the first frequency and determine whether the first connection terminal of the first device is connected to the second connection terminal.",
    "3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first controller is configured to detect a second frequency of a size change between the signals at the first end and the second end of the first resistance element, the size change being output of a predetermined range according to an increase in the frequency of the first frequency generator, and verify whether the first frequency is accurate by using the second frequency.",
    "4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first connection terminal comprises a 1-3 contact point, the second connection terminal comprises a 2-3 contact point corresponding to the 1-3 contact point, and the first controller is configured to detect the connection between the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal and then perform control to apply power to the first device through the 2-3 contact point.",
    "5. The system of claim 2, wherein the first frequency generator is configured to apply the signal while changing the frequency within the predetermined range, based on a predicated value of the first frequency according to the first reactance element.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a third connection terminal having a 3-1 contact point and a 3-2 contact point, a second resistance element, a second frequency generator configured to apply a signal having a frequency varying in a predetermined range to a third device through the third connection terminal via the second resistance element, a second comparator having both input terminals connected to both ends of the second resistance element and configured to compare and signals at both ends of the second resistance element, and a second controller configured to determine whether a fourth connection terminal of the third device is connected to the third connection terminal by using an output signal of the second comparator.",
    "7. The system of claim 6, wherein the third connection terminal has a 3-3 contact point, and the second controller is configured to detect the connection between the third connection terminal and the fourth connection terminal and then perform control to apply power to the third device through the 3-3 contact point.",
    "8. An apparatus for detecting a connection to detect whether there is a connection with a first device having a first connection terminal including a 1-1 contact point and a 1-2 contact point and a first reactance element connected to the first connection terminal, the apparatus comprising: a second connection terminal having a 2-1 contact point and a 2-2 contact point corresponding to the 1-1 contact point and the 1-2 contact point; a first resistance element; a first frequency generator connected to a first end of the first resistance element and configured to apply a signal having a frequency varying in a predetermined range to the first device through the second connection terminal via the first end of the first resistance element, wherein a second end of the first resistance element is connected to the second connection terminal; a first comparator having a first input terminal connected to the first end of the first resistance element and a second input terminal connected to the second end of the first resistance element and configured to compare signals at the first end and the second end of the first resistance element, and a first controller configured to determine whether the first connection terminal of the first device is connected to the second connection terminal by using an output signal of the first comparator.",
    "9. A method of detecting a connection by which a second device detects whether there is a connection with a first device, the first device including a first connection terminal having a 1-1 contact point and a 1-2 contact point and a first reactance element connected to the first connection terminal, the method comprising: a signal application operation in which the second device generates, using a first frequency generator connected to a first end of a first resistance element, a signal having a frequency varying in a predetermined range and applies the signal to the first device through a second connection terminal having a 2-1 contact point and a 2-2 contact point corresponding to the 1-1 contact point and the 1-2 contact point via the first end of the first resistance element, a second end of the first resistance element being connected to the 2-1 contact point or the 2-2 contact point; a signal comparison operation in which the second device compares signals at the first end and the second end of the first resistance element; and a connection determination operation in which the second device determines whether the first connection terminal of the first device is connected to the second connection terminal by using a result of the comparison between the signals at the first end and the second end of the first resistance element."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The disclosure relates to a system, an apparatus, and a method for detecting a connection for a connecting structure and, more particularly, to a system, an apparatus, and a method for automatically detecting the connection of a device and identifying the connected device.\n\nRecently, applications for applying robot technologies such as logics/production automation have rapidly expanded. In connection with this, examples of applying a connection structure for attaching a slave device having various functions to a master device such as a robot body to link the slave device with the master device have increased.\n\nFurther, the connecting structure is not limited to a robot field but is widely used for various devices. However, in the conventional connecting structure, when the master device always supplies power and signals without recognizing whether the slave device is connected, noise or sparks may be generated at a connection terminal if a conductive foreign material comes into contact with the connection terminal.\n\nA method is also known in which, when the slave device has in advance a predetermined size of resistance and the slave device is connected to the master device, a connection terminal measures the resistance of the slave device and the master device detects whether the slave device is connected. Even in this case, if a foreign material having a resistance value similar to the resistance of the slave device comes into contact with the connection terminal, a problem may occur in that it is determined erroneously as if the slave device were connected, when it is not.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01R 31/66",
    "B25J 15/0061",
    "B25J 15/0408",
    "G01R 1/203",
    "G01R 23/02",
    "G01R 23/15",
    "G01R 31/2837",
    "G01R 31/54",
    "G01R 31/68",
    "G06F 1/1632",
    "G06F 1/266",
    "H03K 5/26"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G01R 23/02",
    "G01R 31/66",
    "H03K 5/26"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Naver Labs Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Sungyong CHUNG",
    "Jaeryang LEE",
    "Eungyo Jung",
    "Seong-Jun Lee",
    "Junghoon CHEON",
    "Joonseo PARK"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-08-04",
  "publication_date": "2024-06-04",
  "grant_date": "2024-06-04",
  "priority_date": "2020-02-04",
  "application_number": "US-202217817432-A",
  "family_id": "75918324",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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}