Guidance system for a robot
First Claim
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1. A guidance system for a robot, comprising:
- a main monitoring station;
an unmanned movable base station which is in communication with the main monitoring station;
a robot adapted to operate within a predetermined radius of the base station; and
means for dynamically determining the distance and orbital positioning of the robot relative to the base station.
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Abstract
A guidance system for a robot includes a main monitoring station and an unmanned movable base station, which is in communication with the main monitoring station. A robot is provided which is adapted to operate within a predetermined radius of the base station. Either an umbilical cord connection or a wireless communication link can be provided for dynamically determining the distance and orbital positioning of the robot relative to the base station.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A guidance system for a robot, comprising:
a main monitoring station;
an unmanned movable base station which is in communication with the main monitoring station;
a robot adapted to operate within a predetermined radius of the base station; and
means for dynamically determining the distance and orbital positioning of the robot relative to the base station.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A guidance system for a robot, comprising:
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a main monitoring station;
an unmanned movable base station which is in communication with the main monitoring station;
a robot adapted to operate within a predetermined radius of the base station;
a reel mounted extendible and retractable umbilical cord which extends between the robot and the base station, the reel having a drive motor;
a tension sensor adapted to sense the tension in the umbilical cord, the tension sensor being connected to the drive motor for the reel, the drive motor feeding the umbilical cord out when tension in the umbilical cord is sensed and reeling the umbilical cord in when slack in the umbilical cord is sensed;
a first sensing assembly to determine a length of the umbilical cord which has been extended from the base station including a plurality of interval activation devices and waypoints activation electronics being positioned at spaced intervals along the umbilical cord, the robot being programmed to navigate between waypoints, the waypoint activation electronics initiating macroinstructions upon the robot reaching the waypoints; and
a second sensing assembly being provided to determine an orbital position of the robot relative to the base station, including a swivel coupling on the base station with an orbital encoder and software in communication with the orbital encoder which is adapted to perform relative orbital displacement encoding. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification