Job management system for a fleet of autonomous mobile robots
First Claim
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1. A method of processing job requests on a job management system in a physical environment comprising the job management system and a fleet of mobile robots, the job management system including a queue manager, a memory and a network interface, the method comprising:
- a) prior to the queue manager receiving a job request, storing in the memory a map that (i) defines a floor plan corresponding to the physical environment, (ii) defines a virtual job location in respect to the floor plan, the virtual job location representing an actual job location in the physical environment, and (iii) associates a virtual job operation with the virtual job location, the virtual job operation representing an actual job operation in the physical environment;
b) after the map is stored in the memory, receiving the job request by the queue manager, the job request including either the virtual job location on the map, or the virtual job operation on the map, but not both the virtual job location and the virtual job operation;
c) with the queue manager, automatically selecting a mobile robot from the fleet to handle the received job request;
d) transmitting one or more commands to the selected mobile robot via the network interface to cause the selected mobile robot (A) to automatically drive to the actual job location represented by the virtual job location, (B) to automatically execute the actual job operation represented by the virtual job operation, or (C) to automatically carry out both (A) and (B);
e) determining the actual job location based on the map and the virtual job operation if the job request does not include the virtual job location; and
f) determining the actual job operation based on the map and the virtual job location if the job request does not include the virtual job operation.
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Abstract
The Job Management System (JMS) of the present invention processes job requests in an automated physical environment, such as a factory, hospital, order processing facility or office building, wherein the job requests are handled by a fleet of autonomously-navigating mobile robots. The JMS includes a map defining a floor plan, a set of virtual job locations and a set of one or more virtual job operations associated with virtual job locations. The JMS automatically determines the actual locations and actual job operations for the job requests, and intelligently selects a suitable mobile robot to handle each job request based on the current status and/or the current configuration for the selected mobile robot. The JMS also sends commands to the selected mobile robot to cause the mobile robot to automatically drive the actual job location, to automatically perform the actual job operations, or both.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. A method of processing job requests on a job management system in a physical environment comprising the job management system and a fleet of mobile robots, the job management system including a queue manager, a memory and a network interface, the method comprising:
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a) prior to the queue manager receiving a job request, storing in the memory a map that (i) defines a floor plan corresponding to the physical environment, (ii) defines a virtual job location in respect to the floor plan, the virtual job location representing an actual job location in the physical environment, and (iii) associates a virtual job operation with the virtual job location, the virtual job operation representing an actual job operation in the physical environment; b) after the map is stored in the memory, receiving the job request by the queue manager, the job request including either the virtual job location on the map, or the virtual job operation on the map, but not both the virtual job location and the virtual job operation; c) with the queue manager, automatically selecting a mobile robot from the fleet to handle the received job request; d) transmitting one or more commands to the selected mobile robot via the network interface to cause the selected mobile robot (A) to automatically drive to the actual job location represented by the virtual job location, (B) to automatically execute the actual job operation represented by the virtual job operation, or (C) to automatically carry out both (A) and (B); e) determining the actual job location based on the map and the virtual job operation if the job request does not include the virtual job location; and f) determining the actual job operation based on the map and the virtual job location if the job request does not include the virtual job operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A job management system for processing job requests in a physical environment comprising a fleet of mobile robots, the job management system comprising:
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a) a memory; b) a microprocessor coupled to the memory; c) a queue manager, operable with the microprocessor and the memory to; (i) prior to the queue manager receiving a job request, store in the memory a map that (A) defines a floor plan corresponding to the physical environment, (B) defines a virtual job location in respect to the floor plan, the virtual job location representing an actual job location in the physical environment, and (C) associates a virtual job operation with the virtual job location, the virtual job operation representing an actual job operation in the physical environment, (ii) after the map is stored in the memory, receive the job request, the job request including either the virtual job operation on the map, or the virtual job location on the map, but not both the virtual job location and the virtual job operation, (iii) automatically select a mobile robot from the fleet to handle the received job request, (iv) automatically determine the actual job location based on the map and the virtual job operation if the job request does not include the virtual job location, and (v) automatically determine the actual job operation based on the map and the virtual job location if the job request does not include the virtual job operation; and d) a network interface to transmit one or more commands from the queue manager to the selected mobile robot to cause the selected mobile robot to (i) automatically drive to the actual job location represented by the virtual job location, (ii) automatically execute the actual job operation represented by the virtual job operation, or (iii) automatically carry out both d)(i) and d)(ii). - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program for processing job requests in a physical environment comprising a fleet of mobile robots, wherein the executable program comprises program instructions to cause one or more microprocessors on a computer system to:
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a) prior to receiving a job request, store in a memory device on the computer system a map that (i) defines a floor plan corresponding to the physical environment, (ii) defines a virtual job location in respect to the floor plan, the virtual job location representing an actual job location in the physical environment, and (iii) associates a virtual job operation with the virtual job location, the virtual job operation representing an actual job operation in the physical environment; b) after storing the map in the in the memory device, receive on the computer system a job request, the job request including either the virtual job operation on the map, or the virtual job location on the map, but not both the virtual job location and the virtual job operation; c) automatically select a mobile robot from the fleet to handle the received job request; d) automatically determine the actual job location based on the map and the virtual job operation if the job request does not include the virtual job location; e) automatically determine the actual job operation based on the map and the virtual job location if the job request does not include the virtual job operation; and f) transmit one or more commands from the computer system to the selected mobile robot to cause the selected mobile robot to (i) automatically drive to the actual job location represented by the virtual job location, (ii) automatically execute the actual job operation represented by the virtual job operation, or (iii) automatically carry out both f)(i) and f)(ii). - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeOmron Corporation
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Original AssigneeOmron Adept Technologies, Inc. (Omron Corporation)
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InventorsVestal, Matthew, LaFary, Matthew, Stopera, Peter
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Primary Examiner(s)Delich, Stephanie Z
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Application NumberUS14/370,383Publication NumberTime in Patent Office2,062 DaysField of SearchNoneUS Class CurrentCPC Class CodesG05D 1/024 in combination with a laser...G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in com...G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g...G05D 1/0274 using mapping information s...G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a c...G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status...G16H 40/20 for the management or admin...Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
