Cooperative system and method using mobile robots for testing a cooperative search controller
First Claim
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1. A cooperative system using mobile robots for testing a source localization controller to locate a source in a test area, comprising:
- a) a source, having a detectable attribute;
b) a plurality of mobile robots, cooperatively locating the source, each mobile robot controlled by the source localization controller, each mobile robot comprising;
i) a sensor, mounted with the mobile robot, generating a sensor reading of the source;
ii) a robot communication device, mounted with the mobile robot;
iii) a robot processor, mounted with the mobile robot, interfacing to the robot communication device, and running the source localization controller; and
iv) a memory, mounted with the mobile robot, accessible to the robot processor; and
c) a communication network, in communication with each robot communication device, and interfacing the plurality of mobile robots.
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Abstract
A test system for testing a controller provides a way to use large numbers of miniature mobile robots to test a cooperative search controller in a test area, where each mobile robot has a sensor, a communication device, a processor, and a memory. A method of using a test system provides a way for testing a cooperative search controller using multiple robots sharing information and communicating over a communication network.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A cooperative system using mobile robots for testing a source localization controller to locate a source in a test area, comprising:
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a) a source, having a detectable attribute;
b) a plurality of mobile robots, cooperatively locating the source, each mobile robot controlled by the source localization controller, each mobile robot comprising;
i) a sensor, mounted with the mobile robot, generating a sensor reading of the source;
ii) a robot communication device, mounted with the mobile robot;
iii) a robot processor, mounted with the mobile robot, interfacing to the robot communication device, and running the source localization controller; and
iv) a memory, mounted with the mobile robot, accessible to the robot processor; and
c) a communication network, in communication with each robot communication device, and interfacing the plurality of mobile robots. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
a) a base station, collecting test information on the source localization controller;
b) wherein the base station comprises a base station communication device;
c) wherein each mobile robot communicates with the base station communication device over the communication network.
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9. The cooperative system of claim 8, further comprising:
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a) a camera system, locatable to observe the plurality of mobile robots in the test area, and generating a position update for each mobile robot;
b) wherein each robot processor is capable of determining a robot position using the position update.
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10. The cooperative system of claim 9, wherein the base station further comprises:
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a) a base station processor; and
b) a video interface card, mounted with the base station processor, capable of interfacing to the camera system.
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11. The cooperative system of claim 10, wherein the video interface card comprises a frame grabber card.
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12. The cooperative system of claim 10, wherein the base station further comprises:
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a) an operator command device, in communication with the base station processor, and accepting an operator input; and
b) a display device, adapted to display the robot position for each mobile robot.
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13. The robotic system of claim 10, wherein the base station further comprises:
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a) a memory, in communication with the base station processor; and
b) a data logger, capable of storing data in the memory.
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14. A test system for testing a cooperative search controller using a mobile robot team to search an area for an objective, comprising:
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a) a plurality of cooperating robots, operating within the area, each cooperating robot comprising;
i) a sensor, mounted with the mobile robot, generating a robot sensor reading on the objective;
ii) a communication device, mounted with the mobile robot, communicating the robot sensor reading to the other cooperating robots;
iii) a memory, mounted with the mobile robot, capable of storing a received sensor reading communicated from the other cooperating robots; and
iv) a processor, mounted with the mobile robot, in communication with the sensor and the memory;
v) wherein the processor executes the cooperative search controller, using the received sensor reading and the robot sensor reading to generate a cooperative search update; and
b) a tracking device, indicating a position for each mobile robot. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
a) wherein the tracking device comprises: i) a camera system, in communication with the base station, generating a position update for each of the cooperating robots;
b) wherein the base station comprises;
i) a video receiver, accepting input from the camera system; and
ii) a base station communication device, capable of communicating the position update to each cooperating robot.
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17. The test system of claim 14, wherein each cooperating robot further comprises a collision avoidance device, mounted with the cooperating robot.
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18. A method of using a test system for testing a cooperative search controller, the test system comprising a plurality of mobile robots cooperating to locate a source in a test area, each mobile robot comprising a sensor, a robot processor, a memory, and a communication device;
- the test system comprising a tracking device and a communication network;
each communication device interfacing with the communication network, the method comprising;a) for each mobile robot, generating a robot sensor reading on the source using the sensor;
b) for each mobile robot, determining a robot location in the test area using the tracking device;
c) for each mobile robot, communicating the robot sensor reading and the robot location to the other mobile robots using the communication device;
d) for each mobile robot, storing a received sensor reading and a received robot location in the memory;
e) for each mobile robot, executing the cooperative search controller on the robot processor to generate a cooperative search update using the received sensor reading, the received robot location, the robot sensor reading, and the robot location;
f) for each robot, moving the mobile robot substantially toward the objective, according to the cooperative search update; and
g) for each robot, repeating steps a) through f) until a stop criterion is met. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
a) determining a position update for the mobile robot using the tracking device;
b) communicating the position update from the tracking device to the base station video receiver;
c) communicating the position update from the base station to the mobile robot, using the communication network; and
d) generating the robot location from the position update using the robot processor.
- the test system comprising a tracking device and a communication network;
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20. The method of claim 19, wherein the test system further comprises a source generator, wherein the method further comprises generating the source using the source generator.
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21. The method of claim 19, wherein the test system further comprises an operator command device, wherein the method further comprises:
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a) accepting an operator input from the operator command device;
b) generating a robot command on the base station processor from the operator input; and
c) transmitting the robot command to each robot over the communication network.
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22. The method of claim 19, wherein the test system further comprises a display device, wherein the method further comprises:
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a) receiving the robot position from each robot over the communication network; and
b) displaying a robot position for each mobile robot on the display device.
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Specification