Sentry robot system
First Claim
1. A robot system comprising:
- at least one first-type functional robot with one or more environmental sensors, the at least one first-type functional robot configured to perform one or more repetitive tasks within an area, the one or more repetitive tasks including collection and transmission of environment data associated with at least a portion of the area; and
at least one navigator/controller platform configured to receive environment data transmitted by the at least one first-type functional robot, direct overall movement of the at least one first-type functional robot within the area, and control the at least one first-type functional robot during performance of the one or more repetitive tasks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sentry robot system and method for operating the system is provided. In one embodiment, the robot system includes at least one functional robot with one or more environmental sensors and at least one navigator/controller platform. In another embodiment, the robot system includes one or more functional robots, one or more environmental sensors associated with at least one of the functional robots, and one or more navigator/controller platforms. The navigator/controller platform in this embodiment includes a receiver, a controller, a memory, and a transmitter. In one embodiment, the method includes creating an image map of the environment from environment data, periodically moving the functional robot to predetermined locations, collecting new environment data using the optical image sensor at each predetermined location, and comparing the new environment data to corresponding locations in the image map, and periodically determining if intervention is required due to changed conditions within the environment.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A robot system comprising:
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at least one first-type functional robot with one or more environmental sensors, the at least one first-type functional robot configured to perform one or more repetitive tasks within an area, the one or more repetitive tasks including collection and transmission of environment data associated with at least a portion of the area; and
at least one navigator/controller platform configured to receive environment data transmitted by the at least one first-type functional robot, direct overall movement of the at least one first-type functional robot within the area, and control the at least one first-type functional robot during performance of the one or more repetitive tasks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A robot system operating within an area and comprising:
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one or more functional robots that are responsible for performing functional tasks;
one or more environmental sensors associated with at least one of the one or more functional robots for collecting environment data associated with the area, wherein the functional tasks performed by the at least one of the one or more functional robots include collection and transmission of the environment data; and
one or more navigator/controller platforms that localize themselves and the one or more functional robots within the area using the environment data, plan the functional tasks to be performed by the one or more functional robots, and control the one or more functional robots during performance of the functional tasks, wherein each navigator/controller platform comprises;
a receiver for receiving the environment data transmitted by the at least one of the one or more functional robots;
a controller for generating maps of the area from the environment data and for controlling operations of the one or more functional robots;
a memory for storing the maps of the area; and
a transmitter for transmitting control signals to the one or more functional robots. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A robot system operating within an environment and comprising:
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one or more first-type functional robots with one or more environmental sensors, the one or more first-type functional robots are responsible for collecting environment data using the one or more environmental sensors, for transmitting the environment data, and for performing functional tasks; and
one or more navigator/controller platforms that control the one or more first-type functional robots during collection of the environment data, receive the environment data, use the environment data to localize themselves and the one or more first-type functional robots within the environment, plan the functional tasks to be performed by the one or more first-type functional robots, and control the one or more first-type functional robots during performance of the functional tasks. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for operation of a sentry robot system within an environment, the sentry robot system including at least one functional robot with one or more environmental sensors and at least one navigator/controller platform, the one or more environmental sensors including at least one optical image sensor, the method comprising the following steps:
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a) collecting environment data in an area of the environment surrounding the at least one functional robot using the at least one optical image sensor;
b) transmitting environment data from the at least one functional robot to the at least one navigator/controller platform;
c) transmitting control signals from the at least one navigator/controller to the at least one functional robot to move the at least one functional robot to another area of the environment;
d) repeating steps a) through c) until an initial set of environment data for the environment is collected and transmitted;
e) creating an image map of the environment from the environment data;
f) periodically moving the at least one functional robot to one or more predetermined locations within the environment, collecting new environment data using the at least one optical image sensor at each predetermined location; and
g) periodically comparing the new environment data to corresponding locations in the image map and determining if intervention is required due to changed conditions within the environment. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification