Extensible robotic framework and robot modeling

• US 7,590,680 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Trower, Tandy W., Chrysanthakopoulos, Georgios, Fernando, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim; Krisna
• Application Number:
  US11/477,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20080005255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 700/245, 700/90
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that provide a framework for developing and deploying distributed robotic applications. The framework allows a robotic application to be distributed across robotic services. Communications with a robotic service are performed via a URI. An operation is performed on a data element exposed through the robotic service. The system facilitates asynchronous operations of a robotics application across services. A development environment allows the user to create a robotics project that uses the distributed framework. A visualization/simulation environment allows for communication with virtual devices and real world devices for simulating the operation of asynchronous robotic applications.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a robotic application formed by a collection of services comprising the steps of:

distributing a robotic application across a plurality of robotic services using a framework;

communicating with a first robotic service of the plurality of services via a URI; and

performing an operation on a data element exposed through the first robotic service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the framework is operable to allow communication with the first robotic service using an extension of the REST protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation on the data element is selected from the group consisting of a get operation, a query operation, an update operation, an insert operation, and a delete operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the framework is operable to allow the plurality of services to be performed on a same physical robot.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the framework is operable to allow the plurality of services to be performed at least in part on a physical robot, and at least in part on a separate personal computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the framework is operable to allow communication with the first robotic service from a web browser for a purpose of debugging the application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the framework is operable to allow the first robotic service to operate on a different robot device than an actual robot device affected by the first robot service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the framework provides a plurality of decentralized system services comprising:

an activation service operable to create at least a portion of the plurality of services;

a discovery service operable to allow the first robotic service to discover a second robotic service on a particular node;

a storage service operable to allow a particular service to persist state; and

a diagnostics service operable to facilitate debugging among the plurality of services; and

wherein the decentralized system services are operable to facilitate an asynchronous operation of a robotics application across the plurality of services.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the framework provides a plurality of services that facilitate communication between nodes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the framework is operable to allow the first robotic service to be stopped and restarted without impacting the operation of any additionally operating robotic services.

11. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the steps recited in claim 1.

12. A computer-implemented method for developing a robot application comprising the steps of:

creating a robotic project for controlling at least one destination robot;

creating a robot model that defines a component organization and physical layout of the destination robot;

defining activity logic for controlling the destination robot;

defining at least one deployment target; and

running the robotic project.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the robotic project is created using a wizard, wherein the wizard prompts a user to specify certain details about the destination robot, and wherein a first version of the robot model is created based on the certain details specified by the user about the destination robot.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein a physical robotic model is described at least in part using a template for a particular set of hardware associated with the destination robot.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the robotic project is operable to be deployed across a plurality of nodes and execute a robotics application.

16. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the steps recited in claim 12.

17. A computer-implemented method for simulating an operation of a robot comprising the steps of:

distributing a robotic application across a plurality of robotic services;

simulating an operation of a distributed robotics application across a plurality of asynchronous services using a simulation engine; and

wherein the simulation engine is further operable to communicate with virtual devices and real world devices.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the simulation engine is operable to use a real world robotic device in a first simulation, and wherein the simulation engine is operable to use real world environment information in a second simulation.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the simulation engine is operable to be used as part of a runtime environment and deployed to a robotic device to facilitate predictions relevant to the operation of the distributed robotics application.

20. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the steps recited in claim 17.