DISTRIBUTED MULTI-ROBOT SYSTEM

• US 20090198376A1
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Original Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Inventors: Moravec, Hans Peter, Friedman, Scott Justin-Marl
• Granted Patent: US 8,755,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/248
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

A system is provided that includes at least one manager and one or more robots configured to communicate wirelessly. The manager can include certain functions that generate data, instructions, or both used by one or more robots. The manager can also facilitate communications among several robots, or robots could also be configured to communicate directly.

Claims

1. A distributed multi-robot system, comprising:

a robot manager having a wireless communication module that transmits and receives robot information; and

a plurality of robots, each having a wireless communication module configured to communicate with the robot manager in conjunction with performance of a robot service function.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot manager comprises a mapping and navigation module configured to generate and update a map of an environment within which the plurality of robots operate.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the mapping and navigation module tracks movement of the plurality of robots within the environment.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the mapping and navigation module provides information and data to at least one robot that is used by the robot to navigate within the environment.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the robot manager uses information provided by at least one of the plurality of robots to generate and update the map of the environment.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the robot manager uses information provided by a wireless transceiver to generate and update the map of the environment.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the map of the environment includes a map of at least one of an office building;

a warehouse;

a shopping mall, a residential complex, and a house.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot manager and the plurality of robots each include a Bluetooth communication subsystem.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot manager further comprises an Internet communication subsystem configured to enable the robot manager to communicate with remote systems.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the robot manager further comprises an application framework configured to download software from a remote system and to update the robot manager using the downloaded software.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the robot manager further comprises an application framework configured to download software from a remote system and to provide enhanced or different functions to one or more of the plurality of robots using the downloaded software.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein multiple robots are configured to share the same information stored at the robot manager.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein multiple robots are configured to update similar information stored at the robot manager.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot manager further comprises a scheduler configured to schedule operations of at least one robot from the plurality of robots.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least two robots from the plurality of robots are configured to communicate with each other.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least two robots are configured to communicate with each other through the robot manager.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of robots includes at least one of a cleaning robot, a security robot, and an entertainment robot.

18. A distributed multi-robot system, the system comprising:

a robot manager having a wireless communication module that transmits and receives robot information, the robot manager comprising;

a mapping and navigation module configured to generate and update a map of an environment within which the plurality of robots operate;

an Internet communication subsystem configured to receive information and data used to monitor and control the plurality of robots; and

an application framework configured to download software from a remote system and to update the robot manager using the downloaded software and to provide enhanced or different functions to one or more of the plurality of robots using the downloaded software; and

a plurality of robots, each having a wireless communication module configured to communicate with the robot manager in conjunction with performance of a robot service function.

19. A method of controlling a plurality of robots in an environment, comprising:

providing a robot manager having a wireless communication module that transmits and receives robot information; and

the robot manager communicating with each of a plurality of robots within the environment in conjunction with performance of a robot service function.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating and updating a map of the environment within which the plurality of robots operate.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising navigating at least one of the plurality of robots through the environment using the map.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising scheduling operations of at least one robot from the plurality of robots using the robot manager.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising downloading software from a remote system via the Internet and updating the robot manager using the downloaded software.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising downloading software from a remote system via the Internet and providing enhanced or different functions to one or more of the plurality of robots using the downloaded software.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising multiple robots sharing the same information stored at the robot manager.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising multiple robots updating similar information stored at the robot manager.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising at least two robots from the plurality of robots communicating with each other.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least two robots communicate with each other through the robot manager.