Systems and methods for dispersing and clustering a plurality of robotic devices
First Claim
1. A method for dispersing a plurality of robotic devices, the method comprising:
- defining a boundary condition;
computing, for each robotic device, a relative position with respect to at least one closest neighboring robotic device;
computing, for each robotic device, a dispersal velocity based at least in part on the computed relative position of the robotic device; and
operating each robotic device according to its computed dispersal velocity such that each robotic device separates from at least two of its closest neighboring robotic devices by a substantially uniform distance not exceeding the boundary condition.
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Abstract
Methods for operating, such as methods for dispersing and clustering, robotic devices (i.e., “robots”) employ adaptive behavior relative to neighboring robots and external (e.g., environmental) conditions. Each robot is capable of receiving, processing, and acting on one or more multi-device primitive commands that describe a task the robot will perform in response to other robots and the external conditions. The commands facilitate a distributed command and control structure, relieving a central apparatus or operator from the need to monitor the progress of each robot. This virtually eliminates the corresponding constraint on the maximum number of robots that can be deployed to perform a task (e.g., data collection, mapping, searching, dispersion, and retrieval). By increasing the number of robots, the efficiency in completing the task is also increased.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for dispersing a plurality of robotic devices, the method comprising:
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defining a boundary condition; computing, for each robotic device, a relative position with respect to at least one closest neighboring robotic device; computing, for each robotic device, a dispersal velocity based at least in part on the computed relative position of the robotic device; and operating each robotic device according to its computed dispersal velocity such that each robotic device separates from at least two of its closest neighboring robotic devices by a substantially uniform distance not exceeding the boundary condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for dispersing a plurality of robotic devices, the method comprising:
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determining, for each robotic device, a count of neighboring robotic devices; computing, for each robotic device, a relative position with respect to an environmental object; classifying at least one robotic device based at least in part on its count of neighboring robotic devices and its relative position with respect to the environmental object; and moving a subset of the plurality of robotic devices relative to the classified at least one robotic device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for dispersing a plurality of robotic devices, the method comprising:
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(a) dispersing the plurality of robotic devices in a first manner by; (i) classifying at least one robotic device as a front line device based at least in part on relative positions of neighboring robotic devices; (ii) moving the at least one front line device; and (iii) moving a subset of the plurality of robotic devices relative to the movement of the at least one front line device; and (b) dispersing the plurality of robotic devices in a second manner by; (i) computing, for each robotic device, a dispersal velocity based at least in part on a relative position of the robotic device with respect to at least one closest neighboring robotic device; and (ii) operating each robotic device according to its computed dispersal velocity such that each robotic device attempts to be separated from at least two of its closest neighboring robotic devices by a substantially uniform distance. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method for clustering a plurality of mobile robotic devices, the method comprising:
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selecting, for a downstream robotic device, a neighboring upstream robotic device as a reference device; maintaining the selected reference device stationary until a predetermined condition is satisfied; and moving the downstream robotic device relative to the selected reference device. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification