WIRELESS TAG DETECTION AND LOCALIZATION BY A MOBILE ROBOT

• US 20190329421A1
• Filed: 07/11/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2016
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Cobalt Robotics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cobalt Robotics, Inc.
• Inventors: Deyle, Travis J., Schluntz, Erik
• Application Number:
  US16/508,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20190329421A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/002 Manipulators for defensive or military tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/008 Manipulators for service tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/086 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1679 characterised by the tasks executed
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/10 Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers by reflection from the object G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45103 Security, surveillance applications
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 : Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 : Sensing device

Abstract

A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The robot can patrol one or more routes within a building, and can detect violations of security policies by objects, building infrastructure and security systems, or individuals. In response to the detected violations, the robot can perform one or more security operations. The robot can include a removable fabric panel, enabling sensors within the robot body to capture signals that propagate through the fabric. In addition, the robot can scan RFID tags of objects within an area, for instance coupled to store inventory. Likewise, the robot can generate or update one or more semantic maps for use by the robot in navigating an area and for measuring compliance with security policies.

Claims

1. A mobile robot, comprising:

a motorized base configured to move and rotate the mobile robot;

a power source configured to provide power to the motorized base;

a housing body coupled to the motorized base;

an antenna array coupled to the housing body, the antenna array configured to detect wireless tags within a proximity of the mobile robot; and

a controller configured to;

select a route through a retail environment including a set of wireless tags;

navigate the mobile robot along the selected route using the motorized base;

detect a wireless tag of the set of wireless tags using the antenna array while navigating along the selected route;

identify an object coupled to the detected wireless tag; and

perform an operation associated with the identified object selected based on the detected wireless tag.

2. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the route is selected to minimize an amount of time it takes to navigate the route.

3. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the route is selected to optimize a number of wireless tags detected along the route.

4. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the route is selected based on historical foot traffic within the retail environment.

5. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the route is selected based on historical wireless tag locations within the retail environment.

6. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the route is selected based on an unrelated operation being performed by the mobile robot.

7. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the antenna array comprises an RFID antenna array.

8. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the antenna array comprises a direction of arrival antenna array.

9. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein a portion of the set of wireless tags are coupled to items located on a rack, and wherein the selected route circumnavigates a threshold percentage around the rack.

10. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to localize the detected wireless tag within the retail environment, and wherein the operation is selected based on the localization of the detected wireless tag.

11. The mobile robot of claim 10, wherein localizing the detect wireless tag comprises detecting the wireless tag from multiple locations and extrapolating a location of the wireless tag based on the multiple locations from which the wireless tag is detected.

12. The mobile robot of claim 10, wherein localizing the detect wireless tag comprises correlating the detected wireless tag with historical locations of the detected wireless tag.

13. The mobile robot of claim 10, wherein localizing the detect wireless tag comprises detecting the wireless tag from multiple locations and extrapolating a location of the wireless tag based on the multiple locations from which the wireless tag is detected.

14. The mobile robot of claim 10, wherein localizing the detect wireless tag comprises determining a distance between the mobile robot and the detected wireless tag.

15. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the performed operation comprises updating an inventory database based on the identified object.

16. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the performed operation comprises updating an inventory database based on a location of the detected wireless tag.

17. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the performed operation comprises informing a customer or an employee of a location of the identified object.

18. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the performed operation comprises flagging the identified object for relocation.

19. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the performed operation comprises modifying the selected route based on a location of the detected wireless tag.

20. A method for detecting objects in a retail environment, comprising:

selecting, by an autonomous robot, a route through a retail environment, the retail environment including a set of wireless tags;

navigating, by the autonomous robot, along the selected route;

detecting, by an antenna array of the autonomous robot, a wireless tag of the set of wireless tags while navigating along the selected route;

identifying, by the autonomous robot, an object coupled to the detected wireless tag; and

performing, by the autonomous robot, an operation associated with the identified object selected based on the detected wireless tag.