METHODS FOR REPURPOSING TEMPORAL-SPATIAL INFORMATION COLLECTED BY SERVICE ROBOTS

• US 20090198381A1
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• 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 8,433,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

Robots and methods implemented therein implement an active repurposing of temporal-spatial information. A robot can be configured to analyze the information to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the primary service function that generated the information originally. A robot can be configured to use the information to create a three dimensional (3D) model of the facility, which can be used for a number of functions such as creating virtual tours of the environment, or porting the environment into video games. A robot can be configured to use the information to recognize and classify objects in the facility so that the ensuing catalog can be used to locate selected objects later, or to provide a global catalog of all items, such as is needed for insurance documentation of facility effects.

Claims

1. A method of servicing a facility with at least one service robot that obtains temporal-spatial information, the method comprising:

navigating a robot through an environment using automatic self-control by the robot;

sensing the temporal-spatial information while performing a primary service function; and

storing the temporal-spatial information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the temporal-spatial information via a wireless network to a control system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising at least one other service robot accessing the temporal-spatial information from the control system via the wireless network.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising at least one other autonomous control system accessing the temporal-spatial information from the control system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the service robot directly communicating the temporal-spatial information via a wireless network to at least one other service robot.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the service robot performing a secondary service using the temporal-spatial information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the service robot analyzing the temporal-spatial information to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the primary service that originally generated the temporal-spatial information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a three dimensional (3D) model of the environment using the temporal-spatial information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising creating virtual tours from the 3D model.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising porting the 3D model of the environment to another system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising recognizing and classifying objects in the environment using the temporal-spatial information.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a catalog of objects and using the catalog to subsequently locate selected objects in the environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one service robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.

14. A service robot system, comprising:

a platform supporting a servicing subsystem;

a navigation controller coupled to a drive mechanism and configured to navigate the platform through an environment;

one or more sensors configured to sense collect temporal-spatial information while performing a primary service; and

a storage media on which the temporal-spatial information is stored.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a communication module configured to communicate the temporal-spatial information via a wireless network to a control system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one other service robot is configured to access the temporal-spatial information from the control system via the wireless network.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a communication module configured to directly communicate the temporal-spatial information via a wireless network to at least one other service robot.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the service robot is configured to perform a secondary service using the temporal-spatial information.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the robot is further configured to analyze the temporal-spatial information to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the primary service that originally generated the temporal-spatial information.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the robot is further configured to create a three dimensional (3D) model of the environment using the temporal-spatial information.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the robot is further configured to recognize and classify objects in the environment using the temporal-spatial information.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the robot is further configured to generate a catalog of objects and to use the catalog to subsequently locate selected objects in the environment.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the service robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.

24. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least one other autonomous control system configured to access the temporal-spatial information from the control system.