Nesting Negotiation for Self-Mobile Devices

• US 20110082583A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumhyr, David Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 8,326,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/248
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/005 using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Disparate robotic devices can be automatically recharged and reprogrammed by self-scheduling individual time slots for the available recharging area(s) of a charging station. These charging stations provide a nest to which each robot must return periodically for power. These nests can also provide new tasking or patches for the robotic devices. The charging station and the robotic devices are both provided with communications capabilities and a protocol by which they can negotiate to find a time slot in which the device can be recharged, as well as determining a correct connector and a battery type.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A recharging station, comprising:

a first connector for a self-mobile device, said first connector being configured in such a manner that self-mobile devices can self-position into a position for charging;

a first communications device capable of carrying on two-way communications with a plurality of self-mobile devices;

a processor connected to said first connector and said first communications device, said processor connected to negotiate with the plurality of self-mobile devices according to a first protocol in order to administer time slots for charging the plurality of self-mobile devices.

12. The recharging station of claim 11, further comprising a second protocol for automatically providing new instructions or updates to basic programming to ones of the plurality of self-mobile devices.

13. The recharging station of claim 11, wherein said first connector comprises a first flat plate connected to form a negative contact and a second flat plate connected to form a positive contact.

14. The recharging station of claim 13, wherein said first and second flat plates are mounted horizontally and a self-mobile device positions over said first and said second plates for charging.

15. The recharging station of claim 13, wherein said first and second flat plates are mounted vertically and a self-mobile device positions over said first and said second plates for charging.

16. The recharging system of claim 11, further comprising a second connector configured in such a manner that self-mobile devices can self-position into a position for charging.

17. The recharging system of claim 16, wherein said first connector and said second connector are identical.

18. The recharging system of claim 16, wherein said first connector and said second connector work with different types of self-mobile devices.

19-35. -35. (canceled)