RU2797605C1 - Communicating intelligent self-propelled shopping trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: mechanical engineering.

SUBSTANCE: user-driven trading robots for collecting and dispensing selected products. The machine contains an adaptive control and monitoring subsystem, an executive mobility subsystem, a subsystem for temporary storage and accounting of products and includes wheel propellers, each connected to its own electric motor and powered by battery modules. A central control unit is used to control the propulsors and their synchronous operation. The machine also includes a scale, a payment terminal, a portable computing device with a display, digital video surveillance devices, and communication means.

EFFECT: acceleration of process of purchasing goods.

7 cl, 2 dwg

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to innovative developments in the field of communication and robotics, which are used in trade and market networks as autonomous self-managed tools capable of recognizing products, carrying out trading operations and accompanying the buyer to the place of unloading.

State of the art

A shopping trolley is known from the prior art (see RU 104138, class B62B 3/00, published on May 10, 2011 [1]).

The solution known from the prior art [1] refers to transportation, namely to manual vehicles that are used to purchase goods in supermarkets at all stages of the purchase from the moment the goods are selected on the trading floor to the payment for the selected goods at the checkout.

This shopping trolley [1] provides full control of the goods loaded into it, while technically eliminating the possibility of getting into the basket of goods without scanning its barcode with a scanner.

The shopping trolley [1] for shopping includes a running gear, a basket installed on it and a handle fixed on the basket, while the basket is equipped with a scanner for reading a loaded unit of goods and a purchase control device made with a wireless communication function for data transmission.

The key feature of the well-known shopping trolley [1] is that the scanner is placed in the lid that closes the basket, or rather, in the loading window of the lid, creating the conditions for a single placement of units of goods into the container of the basket.

A notable feature of the known solution [1] should be considered the presence of an information display on the trolley connected to the purchase control device, which displays information about the goods.

It should also be noted that the solution [1] has the ability to transfer information in real time to a portable device for reading information about the product placed in the basket.

The disadvantages of the well-known food trolley [1] should be considered as follows.

The upper cover of the trolley completely covers the entire opening of the basket, while its loading window for goods is made in the central part and is technically adapted only for the passage of small-sized goods, while due to the complete closure of the opening of the basket, access to the purchased goods worsens, as well as their visibility, certifying the commission purchases, in connection with which the operation of the trolley on the trading floor significantly reduces the functional performance of the device, limits and infringes on the consumer's opportunities for the buyer and essentially deprives him of the opportunity to purchase all the product groups presented on the shelves of the store.

The design of this trolley, equipped with the so-called loading window, initially assumes distrust of a respectable buyer, limits its trading and economic opportunities, incline the user's actions to a certain purchase algorithm, which, according to the development plan, excludes unauthorized entry of goods into the basket, while open access to products transported in the basket appears only after the payment is made, which practically creates inconvenience if the buyer wants to inspect or return the goods that have not yet been paid for and is likely to form a negative assessment of the consumer society, whose rights may be violated.

An intelligent shopping trolley for shopping in supermarkets is known from the prior art (see CN 207449949, class B62B 3/00, publ. 06/05/2018 [2]).

The well-known technical solution [2] can be used in automatic mode and has the possibility of smart unmanned operation on the trading floor.

The purpose of creating a smart cart [2] is to facilitate and improve the shopping processes carried out by users in large hypermarkets, where large crowds are currently observed.

The well-known smart trolley is positioned as intelligent and can operate in self-propelled mode, it is intended mainly for supermarkets and is made in the form of a grocery basket equipped with support structures with wheeled means, a handle, an electric motor, a battery with a power module, a control unit and a reader with the ability to exchange data with an external communication server.

For the purpose of facilitating the physical load during management, as well as the purpose of comfortable maneuvering in the supermarket trading floor, the design of the specified intelligent trolley [2] also provides for an electric motor drive, which is connected to the rear wheel group, which performs the corresponding leading function, a motion controller for avoiding obstacles, which is connected to the electric drive and power module, a wireless LAN module, as well as a data receiving and transmitting module for positioning the cart, which interacts with an external positioning system, while processing signals from image collection cameras and optical photo switches installed on the grocery basket.

The well-known grocery trolley [2] has a number of technical advantages, such that the trolley is capable of autopiloting in a busy sales area, and the trolley is also able to successfully independently maneuver and go around obstacles in the sales area, which significantly facilitates the purchase conditions, arouses consumer interest and significantly saves labor costs for buyers, as well as shopping center staff.

However, it should be noted that in engineering terms, the design of the known type of trolley [2] is based on a standard unified manual trolley, and in this regard, it is noticeable how the trolley equipment used, including communication equipment, optical / photo equipment, power components, controls and other equipment are located in open, unprotected areas, i.e. in fact, electronics, communication and control units, as well as power equipment are located with the possibility of open access and external influence, which manifests itself, in particular, from product groups, which, if used carelessly, can lead to wear, abrasion and possible damage to components, and therefore can be observed local and complex failures in the operation of software and/or hardware.

The hardware capabilities of the well-known grocery cart [2] are localized, while the software capabilities are oriented to work in retail chains, the communication equipment of which is reconfigured in advance, passed the security check and adjusted to work in a wireless data transmission environment in accordance with a set of logical level interface agreements, recommended by the manufacturers of communication equipment installed directly on the grocery trolley, thus, an additional disadvantage of the known solution can be considered a narrow technical variability of execution, which does not provide for the use of the trolley without reprogramming outside the scope of the enterprise to which the named trolley belongs or is transferred for operation.

The closest in terms of essence to the proposed invention should be an intelligent trolley capable of automatically following the buyer (see US 10919555, class B62B 3/14, published on February 16, 2021 [3]).

The well-known technical solution [3] is part of the demanded and significant equipment used for retail in small and large retail chains operating on the principle of self-service.

The well-known grocery cart [3] has the ability to count goods and conduct payment transactions, in addition, the cart [3] is technologically advanced and multifunctional, since it has the ability to automatically follow the buyer along the shopping malls of the store, has solar panels for recharging in case of being outdoors, has multimedia entertainment capabilities, and is also equipped with protective means that prevent the trolley from moving beyond the limits of permissible use in the area adjacent to the retail facility.

Structurally, the intelligent trolley [3] contains a grocery basket installed on the load-bearing frame, which has compartments for storage and transportation, as well as a control device with a control electronic unit equipped with a display, while in the lower part of the load-bearing frame contains wheeled means of movement, and also contains an equipped under a basket base with a platform where the power supply, electric motor, transmission, steering components and control central processor are located, connected with electronic means of communication with external systems and navigation equipment, including motion sensors, optical sensors and other means.

The considered smart trolley [3] is made on the basis of a standard shopping trolley with mechanical control, however, the trolley has a reinforced structure of the load-bearing frame, the control handle is part of the frame, and the indicated frame base with a platform occupies the working space directly under the basket and essentially plays the role of a focal point equipment management and communication with external systems.

The ability to follow the trolley after the customer is ensured by the connection between the customer's smartphone and the control processor, while the software components of the latter interact with the components of the smartphone, determining its location and processing positional information, including constantly changing coordinates of the customer moving within the shopping facility and adjacent to it. territory.

The well-known retail product [3] is, in fact, the flagship embodiment of a modern shopping cart that combines the functionality of the direct purpose of a grocery basket and an auxiliary purpose that facilitates and increases the interest in shopping.

However, the known solution [3], which is similar in content to the proposed invention, has a number of significant drawbacks, which can be said as follows.

The considered shopping trolley [3] is outwardly practically indistinguishable from a conventional standard manual trolley, however, visually it still looks more bulky and has a significantly greater weight, so the control and maneuvering of this trolley in a possible "manual mode" will be somewhat more difficult and will be especially difficult. elderly customers who may not have a modern smartphone with them, and due to the external similarity of the devices (trolley [3] and standard cart), it is possible to take the smart cart [3] as a regular (classic type) and test in this regard when managing increased physical exertion and related difficulties when turning and other maneuvering in a dense stream of customers.

The design taken as a basis when creating a well-known robotic cart [3] has a classic relatively simple structure and content, functionally not adapted and actually not intended for the installation of the latest type of complex and expensive components, which, in particular, include an electronic control unit, central processing unit, specialized electric drive, multi-link independent steering systems, specialized communications and communications equipment, as well as electronic navigation equipment, in addition, the installation and configuration of the listed components must be carried out in the appropriate factory conditions certified for working with information technologies and communications, which, in its turn, will be associated with increased costs and reorientation of the developers of this category of commercial equipment, so an additional disadvantage should be considered noticeably high and unjustified production risks and increased costs when establishing mass-scale large-scale production of this kind of shopping carts [3].

Disclosure of invention

The technical problem of the proposed invention is the creation of a multifunctional commercial commercial vehicle that is able to work autonomously, accompanying the buyer on the route within the territory of the shopping facility, significantly enhancing and activating consumer activity while providing a significant improvement in the conditions for making retail purchases.

The technical result of the proposed invention, which solves the existing technical problem, is the implementation of the purpose of creating a high-speed service and improved ergonomics of a robotic system designed to support the full cycle of the purchasing process, realizing the possibility of temporary storage, movement and release of selected goods to the buyer.

The specified technical result and the existing technical problem are achieved due to the fact that a user-driven trading robot for collecting and dispensing selected products contains an adaptive control and monitoring subsystem, an executive mobility subsystem and a subsystem for temporary storage and accounting of products that communicate with each other, while the equipment of these subsystems adapted for economic and purchasing activities is divided into compatible, separate, as well as integrative and, depending on the functional affiliation of the components, is physically distributed over three distinctive mechanized engine rooms, the combination of which forms a robotic unit that accompanies the user, supporting the procurement process in the retail selection mode, temporary storage and delivery of products to the required unloading area within the trade enterprise, and the first distinguishing engine room is the lower base in the unit and is mainly equipped with the equipment of the executive subsystem of mobility and the adaptive subsystem of command and control, which include movers, as a rule, wheeled, each of which are connected to their electric motor, for which a battery module is provided, and for their control and synchronous operation, a central control unit is used, located in the second distinctive engine room, which occupies an intermediate position, while the said first engine room and the second engine room are located within the protective shell, which on the outside has a contour restrictive chipper conditionally delimiting the specified engine rooms, and the third distinctive mechanized engine room is located above the second intermediate one and consists of a fenced cargo block that combines a combination of the main equipment of the temporary storage subsystem and product accounting with part of the equipment of the adaptation subsystem control and monitoring, and the said combination includes a scale connected to the central control unit to control purchases by weight, a payment terminal, a portable computing device with a display, digital video surveillance devices, as well as communication means in the form of a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module and a GPS modem / Glonass, moreover, scales for controlling purchases are located at the bottom of the cargo block, a payment terminal and a portable computing device are placed in the area of the front upper part of the cargo block, digital video surveillance devices are divided into control devices, which are located on the side walls of the cargo block, recognizing the cargo, and route, which are placed on the contour external limiter of the third engine room, recognizing the route, and the listed communication means of communication are placed on a separate elevation installed on one of the walls of the cargo block.

According to a particular embodiment of the proposed invention, the design of the cargo unit provides for the presence of a charger for a smartphone.

It is expedient in the implementation of the invention that the design of the cargo block is equipped with additional scales for the control weighing of products by the user.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the contour conditionally delimiting restrictive bumper and the contour external limiter are made of an elastic wear-resistant material.

The design of the invention is permissible if there is an open compartment for objects in the front part on the outside of the cargo block.

It is possible if part of the usable volume of the cargo block is occupied by a separate closed-type chamber with a hinged top cover.

In accordance with the best embodiment of the invention, a digital video camera is connected to the central control unit, which is designed to monitor the emotional state of the user during periods of product selection.

It is the most preferred embodiment of the invention, if auxiliary equipment in the form of a fenced stand for storing items is installed at the interface between the first engine room and the second engine room.

Attention is drawn to a new high-tech design of mobile trading equipment for conducting mainly retail purchases on the territory of a shopping facility, while the proposed design is a mobile robot car that has the ability to both manual control and control in the "autopilot" mode, while transporting selected groups of goods, as well as their purchase and delivery to the place of direct withdrawal for the purpose of subsequent disposal, as a result of which the technology is embodied in the form of a mobile robotic unit that is able to independently move around the trading floor and actually structurally combines the processes of transportation and a one-time purchase of goods, thus accompanying the buyer on the route within the territory of trade enterprises, as a result of which consumer activity can significantly increase, and user interest and high ergonomics of the purchasing process will certainly contribute to the development and improvement of retail trade and market relations.

The basic features of the proposed invention are the structural presence of a control and monitoring subsystem, an executive mobility subsystem and a subsystem for temporary storage and accounting of products, which are actually combined in one mobile robotic structure and are separated and dispersed among the components in this structure in its three distinctive engine rooms, thus creating an operational production unit whose compatible, separate and integrated equipment is technologically verified and thought out, creating conditions for high operational manufacturability, which practically excludes incorrect or erroneous operation of the system, since all working components, including hardware, are located in protected engine rooms, which prepared initially for the appropriate mode of operation of the equipment, passed the appropriate tests and certification.

Essential from the point of view of the concept of the invention and the achieved technical result is that one of the distinguishing engine rooms, which is called the first, is made in the mobile unit as a supporting component and is equipped mainly with the equipment of the executive mobility subsystem and the equipment of the adaptive subsystem of command and control, while The main components of this equipment should be considered movers, each of which has its own electric motor, which is controlled by a central control unit, which, in turn, in the conditions of retail premises, including those with a dense flow of people, ensures high maneuverability of the robot trading machine, realizing, if necessary, blocking or, for example, synchronous rotation or synchronization of the operation of a part of the propellers, which will be especially effective when bypassing static and moving obstacles, in addition, not all engines may be involved in the work, but, in particular, drives of the rear propellers or front ones, which will be positive influence the energy consumption and significantly save the operational life of motors and drive components.

A significant design feature of the proposed invention should be considered the combination of the specified first engine room with the second intermediate engine room, in which the central control unit is actually located, while auxiliary equipment in the form of a stand for storing items is installed at the interface between the said first engine room and the second engine room, moreover the indicated combination of compartments consists in the location of key equipment within the containment, the compartments of which are actually functionally separated from each other, thereby forming conditions for the manufacturability of the placement of components, each of which is protected from external influences and has a modern "machine" structure that ensures balance and reliability operation of systems in the resulting single functional unit, which is actually separated from the user's third distinctive engine room, which creates the possibility of efficient and reliable operation of equipment of combined compartments, the components of which are installed in a protective shell in designed locations and interact in accordance with the established circuitry bases used to control and monitor the work, in particular, drive, transmission and moving parts of the trading machine-robot.

Also, an important feature of the proposed invention should be considered the design of the third engine room, which is actually separated from the second intermediate one and is made in the form of a cargo block, which is essentially formed by a combination of equipment for the temporary storage and accounting subsystem with part of the equipment for the adaptive control and monitoring subsystem, which creates an ergonomic and a multifunctional part that has a convenient balanced space for storing selected product groups and, for example, personal belongings, while the control equipment used is located in direct access to the user, and the control components of the specified equipment and communication equipment are physically mainly separated from the places of temporary storage of goods, which creates conditions for unimpeded collection and quick transportation of the selected product, its one-time purchase, without putting it on the cash register tape, and the next delivery to a convenient place of the outlet for unloading from the robot trading machine in order to further move the goods outside the trading facility in the interests of the buyer.

Thus, the presented user-driven robotic machine for collecting and dispensing selected products, taking into account its characteristics and technical features, forms a set of features sufficient to achieve the desired technical result, which consists in realizing the purpose of creating a high-speed service and improved ergonomics of a robotic a system designed to support the full cycle of the purchasing process, realizing the possibility of temporary storage, movement and release of selected goods to the buyer, as well as to solve the specified technical problem of directly obtaining a multifunctional automated truck for economic and commercial purposes, which is able to work autonomously, accompanying the buyer on the route following within the territory of a retail facility, including its parking lot, significantly increasing and activating consumer activity while ensuring a significant improvement in the conditions for making retail purchases.

Brief description of the drawings

In FIG. 1 is a side view of the proposed robot trading machine;

In FIG. 2 is a top view of the proposed robot trading machine.

Implementation of the invention

The proposed user-driven trading robot for collecting and dispensing selected products is illustrated with specific examples of implementation and implementation, which, however, are not the only possible ones, but clearly demonstrate the achievement of the specified set of essential features of the desired technical result, as well as the solution of the specified technical problem. .

In FIG. 1-2 indicate the following parts and elements of the proposed user-driven robotic vending machine for collecting and dispensing selected products:

1 - wheeled vehicles with electric motors;

2 - electric storage battery (battery module);

3 - central control unit;

4 - the first engine room;

5 - second engine room;

6 - third engine room;

7 - compartment for items;

8 - protective shell;

9 - restrictive chipper;

10 - cargo block;

11 - scales to control purchases;

12 - payment terminal;

13 - portable computing device with a display;

14 - control digital means of video surveillance;

15 - route digital video surveillance equipment;

16 - external limiter;

17 - isolated elevation;

18 - WiFi module;

19 - serial number of the robot machine;

20 - GPS/Glonass module;

21 - Bluetooth module;

22 - lidar;

23 - digital camera for monitoring the emotional state of the user;

24 - handle;

25 - additional scales;

26 - smartphone charger;

27 - open compartment for items;

28 - a separate storage room of a closed type;

29 - closed chamber cover;

30 - cover of the closed storage compartment.

31 - UWB module;

32 - portable NFC tag module.

So, the proposed user-driven trading robot for collecting and dispensing selected products contains an adaptive command and control subsystem, an executive mobility subsystem, and a subsystem for temporary storage and accounting of products that communicate with each other.

The equipment of the listed subsystems adapted for economic and procurement purposes is divided into compatible, separate, and integrative, and, depending on the functional affiliation of the components, is physically distributed over three distinctive mechanized engine rooms.

In this case, compatible equipment is understood as equipment that can be reconfigured at a programmable level to interact with the hardware components of the used subsystems of various functionality, in particular, such equipment, according to the concept of the present invention, should include a payment terminal 12, a portable computing device 13 and 11 scales to control purchases and other means.

The portable computing device 13 is in the form of a touch screen for transmitting information to the customer.

Separate equipment is understood as separate parts and components that are not related to the rest of the equipment in essence of the tasks performed and are capable of autonomously performing their tasks, and such parts and components should include a protective shell 8, a restrictive chipper 9, a compartment for objects 7, a separate elevation 17 and others.

Moreover, a separate elevation 17 is made in the form of a bracket.

As integrative equipment, parts and elements are meant that are combined and form a single whole unit or assembly that solves the tasks, so this type of equipment should include most of the devices of the third engine room 6, which are located on it and essentially form an integral cargo block 10, on which there are many control elements and parts, in particular, control digital video surveillance 14, route digital video surveillance 15, emotional state digital camera 23, as well as communication components, which include WiFi module 18, GPS / GLONASS module 20, module Bluetooth 21, UWB 31 module, NFC 32 portable tag module and others.

The combination of engine rooms forms a robotic unit that accompanies the user, which supports the procurement process in the mode of retail selection, temporary storage and delivery of products to the required unloading area within the trading enterprise.

It should be noted that the adaptive command and control subsystem includes a central control unit 3, an electric battery 2 (battery module), digital video surveillance devices, which are divided into control 14 and route 15, as well as communication means in the form of a WiFi module 18, GPS/Glonass 20 module, Bluetooth 21 module, UWB 31 module, portable NFC 32 tag module and other equipment.

Moreover, the control 14 video surveillance devices are designed to recognize the cargo, and route 15 video surveillance devices are designed to recognize the route.

Executive mobility subsystem includes wheeled vehicles 1 with electric motors, electric drives, running gear components and other executive components.

The subsystem for temporary storage and accounting of products may contain, in particular, such parts and components as a cargo block 10, scales for controlling purchases 11, a payment terminal 12, a portable computing device 13 made in the form of a touch screen, compartments for storing purchased items and personal things, such as the useful space of the cargo block 10, the closed compartment for bags (compartment for objects 7), the open compartment for objects 27 and a separate storage room 28.

The first engine room 4 is the base and lower in the robot car and is mainly equipped with the equipment of the executive subsystem of mobility and the adaptive subsystem of command and control, which include movers, as a rule, wheeled means of movement 1, each of which is connected to its own electric motor.

To power each electric motor, an electric storage battery 2 (battery module) is provided, and to control the operation of the electric motors, in this case four electric motors, as well as for their joint interaction, the central control unit 3 is used, which is located in the second distinctive engine room 5.

The second distinctive engine room 5 occupies an intermediate position, while at the interface between the first engine room 4 and the second engine room 5, auxiliary equipment is installed in the form of a fenced compartment for storing items 7, which can be used as a closed compartment for bags.

The specified first 4 and second 5 mechanized engine rooms are located within the protective shell 8, which on the outside has a contour restrictive chipper 9 that conventionally delimits the indicated engine rooms.

The third mechanized engine room 6 is located above the second intermediate engine room 5 and actually consists of a fenced cargo block 10, which combines a combination of the main equipment of the temporary storage and product accounting subsystem with part of the equipment of the adaptive control and monitoring subsystem.

Said combination includes a scale connected to the central control unit 3 for controlling purchases 11 by weight, a payment terminal 12, a portable computing device with a display 13 made in the form of a touch screen, digital video surveillance devices, as well as communication means.

The indicated scales for controlling purchases 11 are located in the bottom part of the cargo block 10, and the payment terminal 12 and the portable computing device 13, made in the form of a touch screen, are placed in the area of the front upper part of the cargo block 10.

Moreover, digital video surveillance tools are divided into control 14, which are located on the side walls of the cargo block 10 and control the cargo, and route 15, which are located on the contour external limiter 16 of the third engine room 6.

Mentioned communication means of communication are placed on a separate elevation 17, namely on a bracket that is installed on one of the walls of the cargo block 10, while these communication means include WiFi module 18, GPS/Glonass modem 20, Bluetooth module 21, UWB module 31, portable NFC 32 tag module and lidar 22.

In a specific embodiment, the design of the cargo block 10 provides for the presence of a charger 26 for a smartphone, there are also additional scales 25 for the control weighing of products by the user.

In front of the outer side of the cargo block 10 there is an open compartment for objects 27, while part of the usable volume of the cargo block 10 is occupied by a separate closed chamber 28 with a hinged top cover.

A digital video camera 23 can be connected to the central control unit 3, designed to monitor the user's emotional state during periods of product selection.

The proposed user-driven robot vending machine for collecting and dispensing selected products is implemented as follows.

It should be noted that the purpose of the presented description of the present invention is not to limit it to a specific execution and implementation option, but rather to cover all possible additions that do not go beyond the scope of the presented claims.

The buyer can set the trading machine in motion manually or automatically using the autopilot.

In the manual mode of use, the buyer must hold the robot by the handle 24 and independently move it around the trading floor in order to purchase goods and pay for them.

During use, the selected products should be folded inside the cargo block 10. For temporary storage of your own things, you can use the open compartment 27 or a separate storage room 28.

You can also use the storage compartment 7 in the form of a fenced stand and put there, for example, outerwear or other personal items for a more comfortable shopping experience.

In front of the buyer on the cargo block 10 in the front part there is a portable computing device 13, which can be used as a screen for transmitting information about the selected goods to the buyer, and the specified touch screen is preferably with a multi-touch component.

As information entered on the screen of the computing device 13, the following is proposed:

- route of movement;

- shopping list;

-properties of purchases (mass, cost);

- other information about purchases;

- advertising.

The software allows the user, through a logical interface displayed on the screen of the computing device 13, to select specific operating modes of the robot machine.

So, there are three options for operation, and the first option involves using the robot car only for "manual" transportation of goods with subsequent payment at the checkout, the second option involves the use of "manual" transportation with payment using the equipment of the robot machine, and the third option involves the use all the capabilities of the robot machine, including autopilot, following the buyer through the rows, transporting and one-time payment for selected goods directly using the equipment of the machine-work.

As indicated above, the interface of the computing device 13, which is made in the form of a screen for transmitting information to the buyer, allows the latter to select modes of operation, while nothing is required to activate the first (simple) mode of operation, and for the second (intermediate) or third (full) ) you need to select the appropriate sections in the menu and run the applications.

To use the robot car in the first simple mode, i.e. exclusively for manual transportation of the necessary goods, it is necessary to hold the machine by the handle 24 and move it at your own discretion around the territory of the trading facility, followed by placing the goods on the conveyor belt of the cash register for subsequent purchase using payment equipment (barcode scanner, electronic scales, payment terminal etc.), which is in the arsenal of the cashier, after which the purchased goods can be picked up.

The second operation option (intermediate), which involves "manual" transportation and automatic payment for selected goods, can be used at will or in case of a crowded trading floor, when automatic control is inefficient and slows down the shopping process.

To start the purchasing process at the first stage, it is necessary to provide, through the payment terminal 12, the identification data of the account that will be involved in paying for the services provided by the trading facility. Next, the account is activated and the list and cost of the selected goods will be displayed on the screen of the portable computing device 13.

In this case, the payment will take place by the user's consent with prior informing of the transaction being made, both through the screen of the portable computing device 13, and in the form of an information bank notification about the readiness of the debit, which will be sent to the user's smartphone.

In this case, the selected goods are placed in the space of the cargo block 10, while at the moment of entry they are recorded by control digital video surveillance means 14 and are finally transferred to the scales 11 to control purchases. Data from video surveillance equipment 14, as well as from scales 11, are sent to the central control unit 3. In this control unit 3, information is processed.

The processed information is sent via communication channels to an external information processing server and this is supported, in particular, by the WiFi module 18.

After completing the selection of all the goods of interest, the interface of the screen of the portable computing device 13 allows you to complete the purchase procedure, as a result of which the final invoice (amount) that needs to be paid is formed, after which, through the means of payment (bank card, smartphone), which is brought to the payment terminal 12, it is provided payment for the selected product.

Upon completion of the process, the buyer can go within the trading area of the trading enterprise with a robot car to the place of the intended shipment and pick up the goods belonging to him.

In this case, there is no need to put the goods on the checkout conveyor belt, since the goods are automatically recognized and identified, which allows you to determine the total cost of purchases, and therefore there is a significant acceleration of the shopping process.

It should also be noted that the used robot machine in the presented version in the form of a single mobile trading unit formed by three interconnected engine rooms 4, 5 and 6 allows achieving high ergonomic indicators, in particular, due to the ease of layout and the possibility of using technical equipment. and software functionality.

Features of the second variant of operation of the trading machine-robot are as follows.

As indicated above, the selected goods are placed in the space of the cargo block 10, while at the moment of entry they are recorded by the control digital video surveillance equipment 14. At the time of fixing the entry of a new product into the cargo block 10, the video/photo signal from the digital video surveillance equipment 14 is sent to the central unit control 3. Thanks to the specialized software installed in the central control unit 3, the goods placed in the space of the cargo block 10 are identified and accounted for. determine the barcode of the placed goods, as well as identify and take into account the goods themselves. Also, the control digital video surveillance tools 14, through the operation of the software, create a 3D image of the goods placed in the cargo block 10, which is compared with 3D images of all goods of this product group of a particular trading facility, entered in advance in the software database of the central control unit 3. Additionally, after after a new product is placed in the cargo block 10, data on the change in the weight of purchases from the scales 11 for control of purchases are sent to the central control unit 3, in which the software, according to a certain algorithm of operation, compares the weight of the identified and accounted for goods with the weight of the currently processed goods. moment of the goods, entered in the data warehouse of the same software. In the event that the identification of the product has not been made, the central control unit 3 displays information about this on the portable computing device 13, while it is additionally duplicated through an audio message, about the need for the buyer to bring the new product close to the video surveillance control 14 to identify it through a barcode. After identifying the goods, information about the name of the goods, its quantity, weight and cost is displayed for the convenience of the buyer on a portable computing device 13. Also, the portable computing device 13 displays information about the total cost of all selected goods located in the cargo block 10.

In the event that later, the buyer wants to remove the previously added product from the cargo block 10, all operations are performed in the same order - digital video surveillance 14 creates a 3D image of the product removed from the cargo block 10, which is compared with 3D images of all goods of a certain product group of a given trade facility, entered in the software database of the central control unit 3. Additionally, after the new product is removed from the cargo block 10, data on the change in the weight of purchases from the scales 11 to control purchases are sent to the central control unit 3, in which the software compares the weight of the identified item with the weight of the item entered into the database of the same software. After identifying the goods, it is removed from the list of goods placed in the cargo block 10, and the total cost of the goods placed in the cargo compartment 10 is also reduced, which is reflected for the convenience of the buyer on a portable computing device 13.

Payment for the selected goods can be made by the buyer in two ways - using payment (debit, credit, etc.) bank cards and without using them, through pre-registration of these cards in the software of the central server of the shopping center.

In the first case, upon completion of the selection of goods, the buyer makes a payment by contacting payment (debit, credit, etc.) bank cards with a payment terminal 12. After paying the amount indicated on the portable computing device 13, information about this comes from the central control unit 3 via the WiFi module 18 to the central server of the retail facility, which allows the buyer to freely leave the territory of the retail facility together with the selected and paid for goods, without the need to interact with the sales staff, wait in line in the checkout area of the retail facility, put the selected goods on the cash register, reload them, etc. .

In the second case, payment can be made in the absence of payment (debit, credit, etc.) bank cards from the buyer at the moment in the trading facility.

To do this, you must first "link" the account or bank card details on the website of the trading facility to your account. When interacting with the robot car, the identification of the buyer and, accordingly, his account and his account data or bank card data for subsequent payment is carried out in several ways - through the buyer’s smartphone, which interacts with the robot car through the Bluettoth 21 module, and after connection, the login password is entered into the system and identifying the buyer, or by entering the buyer's login and password on the portable computing device 13, with the possibility of additional verification of the buyer, by sending a CMC with a secret code to the buyer's smartphone for subsequent input of this secret verification code on the portable computing device 13.

Upon completion of the selection of goods, the buyer makes payment by agreeing with the purchase amount on the screen of the portable computing device 13, without using payment (debit, credit, etc.) bank cards. To increase the security and reliability of the payment transaction, it is possible to send a CMC with a secret code to the customer's smartphone for subsequent input of this secret verification code on a portable computing device 13.

Upon completion of the process, the buyer can go within the trading area of the trading enterprise with a robot car to the place of the intended shipment and pick up the goods belonging to him.

In this case, there is also no need to put the goods on the checkout conveyor belt, since the goods are automatically recognized and identified, which allows you to determine the total cost of purchases, and therefore there is a significant acceleration of the shopping process.

It should also be noted that the robot machine used in the presented design in the form of a single mobile trading unit formed by three interconnected engine rooms 4, 5 and 6 allows achieving high ergonomic indicators, in particular, due to the ease of layout and the ability to use software available technical and software functionality.

The third operation option (full), which involves the use of autopilot and following the buyer, as well as automatic payment for selected goods, can be used at will and in the case of a relatively free trading floor from buyers. And in this case, the use of automation will be most effective.

To start the process, as well as in the second option, you need to use the payment terminal 12 to provide identification data about the account that will be used when paying for the services provided by the trading facility. Next, the account is activated and the list and cost of the selected goods will be displayed on the screen of the portable computing device 13.

In this case, the payment will take place by the consent of the user with preliminary information of the transaction being made, both through the display of the portable computing device 13, and in the form of an information bank notification about the readiness of the debit, which will be sent to the user's smartphone.

Further, the user menu, which is displayed on the display of the portable computing device 13, allows you to make a choice and activate the "full" mode of operation of the robot machine, for which you need to put the user's smartphone in location mode and then through the data transfer protocol Bluetooth UWB, WiFi, etc. "combine" a smartphone and a robot car for joint movement around the trading floor and beyond, established by the trading enterprise (object).

An alternative option for using the full operating mode of a trading machine-robot is the following. The user picks up a portable NFC 32 tag attached to the stand with a double-sided magnet. Thus, the NFC tag module 32 is activated, and the signal from it, through the UWB 31 module or the Bluetooth module 21, is sent to the central control unit 3. After that, the central control unit 3 begins to constantly monitor the distance to the portable NFC tag module 32 and its location, by constant switching with this module through the UWB 31 module or the Bluetooth 21 module. At the same time, the current location of the robot trading machine on the territory of the trade network/enterprise is determined through the communication modules of the GPS/Glonass 20 module, the UWB 31 module or the Bluetooth 21 module. Thus, the central control unit 3 constantly has online information about two locations - the current location of the portable NFC tag module 32 and the current location of the robot vending machine on the territory of the trading network/enterprise. In case of exceeding the distance set by the program between two given points i.e. between the portable NFC module 32 and the robot machine, the central control unit 3 sends a command to the wheeled vehicles with electric motors 1 via wires and turns them on, as a result of which the robot vending machine starts moving towards the portable NFC tag module 32, reducing the distance between data dots, i.e. between the portable NFC 32 module and the robotic machine up to the software installed. At the same time, the central control unit 3 uses information from the lidar 22, as well as the scheme of the trading facility pre-loaded into the central control unit 3, in particular, in order to avoid the robot vending machine colliding with other users or trading equipment of the trading facility during movement. If the central control unit 3 receives a signal from the lidar 22 about the occurrence of an obstacle in the trajectory of the robot trading machine, the central control unit 3 sends a command to the wheeled vehicles with electric motors 1 and turns them on, as a result of which the robot trade machine goes around the obstacle.

This mode of operation ensures consistent operation in the form of continuous following of the buyer.

The use of wheeled vehicles 1, each of which is equipped with its own electric motor, provides good handling and mobility, in addition, energy savings occur, since not all motors can be connected, but only part of the motors.

Under the conditions of the third mode of operation, as well as in the second variant (intermediate), the selected goods are placed in the space of the cargo block 10, while at the moment of entry they are recorded by the control digital means of video surveillance 14 and subsequently transferred to the scales 11 to control purchases. Data from video surveillance equipment 14, as well as from scales 11, are immediately sent to the central control unit 3. Information is processed in this control unit 3.

Further, the processed information through communication channels with the support of the WiFi module 18 is sent to the central server of the trading facility, which is configured in a certain way with the possibility of data transmission.

After completing the selection of all the goods of interest, the display interface of the portable computing device 13 allows you to complete the purchase procedure, as a result of which the final invoice (amount) is formed, which must be paid in the future, after which, by means of a payment method (bank card, smartphone), which is brought to the payment terminal 12, payment for the selected product is provided.

Upon completion of the process, the buyer can go within the trading area of the trading enterprise with a robot car to the place of the intended shipment and pick up the goods belonging to him.

In the operation of the third (full) mode, the following should be taken into account.

As it was indicated, in order to launch the third option, the buyer, before using the robot machine, pairs his smartphone through the software of the trading facility installed on it with the robot trading machine of his choice using WiFi 18 modules, the UWB 31 module and Bluetooth 21. After that, the buyer makes a choice of the operation option for the robot machine - and accordingly selects the third mode (full). The choice of the mode is made either in the software on the buyer's smartphone, or on the display of the portable computing device 13. When the third mode of operation is selected, the robot vending machine goes into the "following" state and moves independently behind the buyer on the software chosen by him in the software on the buyer's smartphone, or on the display of a portable computing device 13 distance. At the same time, the robot vending machine is guided by the signal received from the buyer’s smartphone using the portable NFC 32 tag module, WiFi 18 module, UWB 31 module and Bluetooth 21, determining the buyer’s coordinates on the territory of the trading facility. At the same time, a complete scheme of the trading facility with all obstacles, such as trading racks, shelves, chests, cash desks, passages between them, is entered in advance in the central control unit 3, which allows the robot trading machine to move around the territory of the trading facility without contact with stationary (fixed) objects . This is achieved due to the fact that while driving, the central control unit 3 constantly receives information from the WiFi 18, Bluetooth 21, UWB 31 and GPS/Glonass 20 modules about the current location of the trading robot on the territory of the trading facility. When moving, the robot trading machine uses lidar 22, as well as route digital video surveillance 15, which transmit information about stationary (stationary) and moving objects to software that controls the movement of the robot machine and is installed in the central control unit 3. Lidar 22 is located on a separate elevation 17 (on the bracket), which allows it to determine all emerging obstacles 360 degrees around the robot trading machine. At the same time, route digital video surveillance equipment 15 is specially located at a lower level (on the contour external limiter 16 of the third engine room 6), which allows them to determine online all obstacles at the level from the floor of the shopping facility to the upper level of the robot car.

The software that controls the movement of the robot car and is installed in the central control unit 3, based on the information received, determines the route and speed of the robot vending machine required to follow the buyer’s smartphone paired with it. After that, the central control unit 3 transmits commands to the wheeled means of movement with electric motors 1, determining the speed of their rotation, due to which the robot car moves around all the obstacles identified by the lidar 22 and route digital video surveillance 15.

Moreover, the use of wheeled vehicles 1, each of which has its own electric motor, which can rotate at different speeds, regardless of other wheeled vehicles 1, provides good controllability and mobility, in addition, there is energy savings, since not all motors can be connected, but only some of the motors.

As in the second variant of operation (second mode), the selected goods by the buyer are placed in the space of the cargo block 10, while at the time of entry they are recorded by control digital means of video surveillance 14. video surveillance equipment 14 enters the central control unit 3. Thanks to the software installed in the central control unit 3, the goods placed in the space of the cargo unit 10 are identified and recorded. Identification and accounting occur due to the fact that digital video surveillance equipment 14 is located around the entire perimeter of the block 10, which allows you to reliably determine the barcode of the placed product and identify the product itself. Also, digital video surveillance tools 14 create by means of software a 3D image of the goods placed in the cargo compartment 10, which is compared with 3D images of all goods of the product group of this trading facility, entered in the software database of the central control unit 3. Additionally, after the new product is placed in the cargo block 10, data on the change in the weight of purchases from the scales 11 for controlling purchases are sent to the central control unit 3, in which the software compares the weight of the identified product with the weight of this product entered in the database of the same software.

If the identification of the product has not been made, the central control unit 3 displays information about this on the screen of the portable computing device 13, while it is additionally duplicated through an audio message about the need for the buyer to bring the new product close to the video surveillance equipment 14 to identify it through the bar code. After identifying the goods, information about the name of the goods, its quantity, weight and cost is displayed for the convenience of the buyer on the screen of the portable computing device 13. Also, the screen of the portable computing device 13 displays information about the total cost of all selected goods located in the cargo block 10. If subsequently the buyer wants to remove the previously added product from the cargo block 10, then all operations are performed in the same order - digital video surveillance tools 14 create a 3D image of the goods removed from the cargo block 10, which is compared with 3D images of all goods of a certain product group of this shopping facility, entered into the database software installed in the central control unit 3.

Additionally, after the new product is removed from the cargo block 10, data on the change in the weight of purchases from the scales 11 for control of purchases are sent to the central control unit 3, in which the software compares the weight of the identified product with the weight of this product entered in the database of this same software. After identifying the goods, it is removed from the list of goods placed in the cargo block 10, and the total cost of the goods placed in the cargo block 10 is also reduced, which is reflected for the convenience of the buyer on the screen of the portable computing device 13.

Payment for the selected goods, as well as in the second version of work, can be made by the buyer in two ways - using payment (debit, credit, etc.) bank cards and without using them - through pre-registration of these cards in the software of the shopping center.

In the first case, upon completion of the selection of goods, the buyer makes a payment by contacting payment (debit, credit, etc.) bank cards with a payment terminal 12. After paying the amount indicated on the screen of a portable computing device 13, information about this via the WiFi module 18 comes from the central control unit 3 to the central server of the retail facility, which allows the buyer to freely leave the territory of the retail facility together with the selected and paid for goods, without the need to interact with the sales staff, waiting in line at the cash register area of the retail facility, laying out the selected goods on the cash register, and loading them back etc.

In the second case, payment can be made in the absence of payment (debit, credit, etc.) bank cards from the buyer at the moment in the trading facility.

To do this, you must first "link" the account or bank card details on the website of the trading facility to your account. When interacting with the robot car, the identification of the buyer and, accordingly, his account and his account data or bank card data for subsequent payment is carried out in several ways - through the buyer’s smartphone, which interacts with the robot car through the Bluettoth 21 module, and after connection, the login password is entered into the system and identifying the buyer, or by entering the buyer's login and password on the portable computing device 13, with the possibility of additional verification of the buyer, by sending a CMC with a secret code to the buyer's smartphone for subsequent input of this secret verification code on the portable computing device 13.

Upon completion of the selection of goods, the buyer makes payment by agreeing with the purchase amount on the screen of the portable computing device 13, without using payment (debit, credit, etc.) bank cards. To increase the security and reliability of the payment transaction, it is possible to send a CMC with a secret code to the customer's phone for subsequent input of this secret verification code on a portable computing device 13.

Upon completion of the process, the buyer can go within the trading area of the trading enterprise with a robot car to the place of the intended shipment and pick up the goods belonging to him. At the end of the process of picking up goods, the scales for controlling purchases 11 determine the absence of the weight of goods in the cargo block 10, which is also confirmed by the data of digital video surveillance 14, after which the central control unit 3 asks the buyer whether the purchase process is completed, whether he needs more services and presence robot machines. This request is transmitted to the screen on the portable computing device 13 and is simultaneously duplicated by an audio question through the speakers located on the portable computing device 13.

Also, the central control unit 3 transmits this request via the WiFi module 18 to the central server of the trading facility, through which it is transmitted via the Internet to the software installed on the customer's smartphone. If the buyer responds on the screen of the portable computing device 13 or in the application that the presence of the robot car is still necessary, the robot car remains in close proximity to the buyer's smartphone. In the event that the buyer's response is received on the screen on the portable computing device 13 or in the application that the presence of the robot car is no longer required, the robot car returns back to the shopping mall. To do this, after receiving this signal, the central control unit 3, through the modules WiFi 18, Bluetooth 21 and GPS / Glonass 20, receives data on the current location of the robot car in the parking lot of the shopping facility. After receiving these coordinates, the central control unit 3 compares them with the predetermined coordinates of the entrance to the trading facility and determines the optimal route of movement. After determining this route, the central control unit 3 transmits commands to the wheeled means of movement with electric motors 1, determining the speed of their rotation, due to which the robot car moves around all the obstacles identified by the lidar 22 and route digital video surveillance 15 in the direction of the entrance to the trading facility.

The presented third option (full) operation allows you to use the robot car in full and the main feature is the ability to follow the buyer in the "autopilot" mode, which significantly increases the speed and convenience of service, saves the buyer's strength and time, organizing the purchase process in a high-tech and high-quality manner , which can significantly increase interest in the shopping process and thereby improve purchasing readiness.

Also in this case, it is not required to lay out the goods on the checkout conveyor belt, since the goods are automatically recognized and identified, which makes it possible to determine the total cost of purchases, and therefore there is a significant acceleration of the shopping process.

It should also be noted that the robot machine used in the presented design in the form of a single mobile trading unit formed by three interconnected engine rooms 4, 5 and 6 allows achieving high ergonomic indicators, in particular, due to the ease of layout and the ability to use software available technical and software functionality.

The presence of a command and control subsystem, an executive mobility subsystem, and a temporary storage and accounting subsystem, which are combined in one mobile robotic structure, and separated and dispersed by components in said structure in its three distinctive engine rooms, creates an operational production unit that is compatible, separate and the integrated equipment of which is technologically verified and thought out, creating conditions for high operational manufacturability, which practically excludes incorrect or erroneous operation of the system, since all working components, including hardware, are located in protected engine rooms, which are initially prepared for the appropriate mode of operation of the equipment .

One of the distinguishing engine rooms, which is referred to as the first 4, is made in the mobile unit as a supporting component and is equipped mainly with equipment for the executive subsystem of mobility and equipment for the adaptive subsystem of command and control, while the main components of this equipment should be considered propulsors, each of which has its own electric motor , which is controlled by the central control unit 3, which, in the conditions of retail premises, ensures high maneuverability of the trading robot, realizing, if necessary, blocking or, for example, synchronous rotation or synchronization of the operation of some of the movers, which is especially effective when bypassing static and moving obstacles.

Combining the first 4 engine room with the second 5 intermediate engine room, according to the plan, with the formation of an interface with the installed main and auxiliary equipment, actually within the containment 8, creates conditions for the manufacturability of the placement of components, each of which is protected from external influences and has a modern "machine "a structure that ensures the balance and reliability of the systems in the thus obtained single functional unit, which is actually separated from the user's third distinctive engine room 6, which creates the possibility of efficient and reliable operation of the equipment of the combined compartments, the components of which are installed in the protective shell 8 in the designed places and interact in accordance with the established circuitry fundamentals used to control and monitor the operation, in particular, drive, transmission and moving parts of machines.

The design of the third engine room 6, which is actually separated from the second intermediate 5 and is made in the form of a cargo block 10, creates an ergonomic and multifunctional part that has a convenient balanced space for storing selected product groups and, for example, personal belongings, while the control equipment used located in direct access for the user, and the control components of the specified equipment and equipment for communication are physically mainly separated from the places of temporary storage of goods, which creates conditions for unhindered selection and quick transportation of the selected product, its one-time purchase, without putting it on the cash register tape, and the next delivery to a convenient place of the outlet for unloading from the robot trading machine in order to further move goods outside the trading facility in the interests of the buyer.

The proposed invention can find wide application in the industry in the field of robotics, and can be most successfully used on the territory of large shopping facilities as a trading robot that accompanies the buyer within the territory of the shopping facility, significantly enhancing and activating consumer activity while providing a significant improvement in conditions. making retail purchases.

Claims (8)

1. A user-driven trading robot for collecting and dispensing selected products, containing an adaptive command and control subsystem, an executive mobility subsystem and a subsystem for temporary storage and accounting of products that communicate with each other, while the equipment of these subsystems adapted for economic and procurement actions is subdivided into compatible, separate, as well as integrative and, depending on the functional affiliation of the components, it is physically distributed in three distinctive mechanized engine rooms, the combination of which forms a robotic unit accompanying the user, supporting the procurement process in the mode of retail selection, temporary storage and delivery of products to the required unloading area in within the trade enterprise, and the first distinguishing engine room is the lower base in the unit and is mainly equipped with the equipment of the executive subsystem of mobility and the adaptive subsystem of command and control, which include movers, usually wheeled, each of which is connected to its own electric motor, for power supply of which a battery is provided module, and for their control and synchronous operation, the central control unit is used, located in the second distinctive engine room, which occupies an intermediate position, while the said first engine room and the second engine room are located within the protective shell, which on the outside has a contour conditionally delimiting the indicated engine rooms, a restrictive fender, and the third distinctive mechanized engine room is located above the second intermediate one and consists of a fenced cargo block that combines a combination of the main equipment of the temporary storage and product accounting subsystem with part of the equipment of the adaptive command and control subsystem, moreover, the mentioned combination includes those connected to the central control unit, a scale for controlling purchases by weight, a payment terminal, a portable computing device with a display, digital video surveillance devices, as well as communication means in the form of a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module and a GPS / Glonass modem, moreover, the scales for controlling purchases are located in the bottom part of the cargo block, a payment terminal and a portable computing device are located in the area of the front upper part of the cargo block, digital video surveillance devices are divided into control devices, which are located on the side walls of the cargo block, recognizing the cargo, and route devices, which are located on the contour external limiter of the third engine room, recognizing the route, and the listed communication means of communication are placed on a separate elevation installed on one of the walls of the cargo block. 2. A user-driven robot trading machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the design of the cargo unit provides for a charger for a smartphone. 3. A user-driven robot vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the design of the cargo block is equipped with additional weights for the control weighing of products by the user. 4. A user-driven trading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that the contour conditionally delimiting restrictive bump and the contour external limiter are made of an elastic wear-resistant material. 5. A user-driven robot vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that there is an open compartment for objects in the front part on the outside of the cargo block. 6. A user-driven trading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that part of the useful volume of the cargo block is occupied by a separate closed-type chamber with a hinged top cover. 7. A user-driven trading robot according to claim 1, characterized in that a digital video camera is connected to the central control unit, designed to monitor the user's emotional state during periods of product selection. 8. A user-driven robot vending machine according to claim 1, characterized in that auxiliary equipment in the form of a fenced stand for storing items is installed at the interface between the first engine room and the second engine room.

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