Robotic transportation devices and systems
First Claim
1. A robotic transportation device comprising:
- a device body comprising at least one motorized wheel coupled to a drive motor;
two docking arms, each docking arm comprising a support wheel and an adjustable wheel locking device, wherein;
the two docking arms extend horizontally from the device body and are adjustable along at least two directions;
the adjustable wheel locking devices comprise two wheel stops that extend laterally from the docking arm and are adjustable along a direction parallel with the two docking arms;
a controller module comprising a processor and a computer readable memory having executable instructions, wherein the executable instructions, when read and executed by the processor, causes the controller module to;
provide a drive signal to the at least one motorized wheel to cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously approach a target device;
detect a device type of the target device;
adjust a position of the two docking arms and the two wheel stops of each adjustable wheel locking device in accordance with the detected device type;
move each adjustable wheel locking device under target wheels of the target device to lock and lift the target wheels; and
provide a drive signal to the at least one motorized wheel to cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously transport the target device to a desired location.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A robotic transportation device may include a device body, two docking arms, and a controller module. The device body may include at least one motorized wheel, and the two docking arms may include an adjustable wheel locking device. The two docking arms may extend horizontally from the device body and may be adjustable along first and second directions. The adjustable wheel locking devices comprise two adjustable wheel stops extending laterally from the docking arm. The controller module may cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously approach a target device, detect a device type, and adjust a position of the two docking arms and the two wheel stops in accordance with the device type. The controller module may move each adjustable wheel locking device under a target wheel of the target device to lock and lift the target wheels, and cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously transport the target device.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A robotic transportation device comprising:
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a device body comprising at least one motorized wheel coupled to a drive motor; two docking arms, each docking arm comprising a support wheel and an adjustable wheel locking device, wherein; the two docking arms extend horizontally from the device body and are adjustable along at least two directions; the adjustable wheel locking devices comprise two wheel stops that extend laterally from the docking arm and are adjustable along a direction parallel with the two docking arms; a controller module comprising a processor and a computer readable memory having executable instructions, wherein the executable instructions, when read and executed by the processor, causes the controller module to; provide a drive signal to the at least one motorized wheel to cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously approach a target device; detect a device type of the target device; adjust a position of the two docking arms and the two wheel stops of each adjustable wheel locking device in accordance with the detected device type; move each adjustable wheel locking device under target wheels of the target device to lock and lift the target wheels; and provide a drive signal to the at least one motorized wheel to cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously transport the target device to a desired location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A robotic transportation device comprising:
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a device body comprising at least one motorized wheel coupled to a drive motor; two docking arms, each docking arm comprising a support wheel and an adjustable wheel locking device, wherein the two docking arms extend horizontally from the device body and are adjustable along at least two directions; a wireless communications device that detects a location of the robotic transportation device, provides proximity data corresponding to the location of the robotic transportation device, and wirelessly receives navigational data, wherein the navigational data is based at least in part on facility floorplans; a device detection module that obtains device data corresponding to a target device; and a controller module comprising a processor and a computer readable memory having executable instructions, wherein the controller module is electrically coupled to the wireless communications device and the device detection module, and wherein the executable instructions, when read and executed by the processor, causes the controller module to; receive the proximity data and the navigational data from the wireless communications device; receive a first and second destination input signal; provide a drive signal to the at least one motorized wheel to cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously travel to a first destination associated with the first destination input signal such that the target device autonomously approaches the target device, the drive signal based at least in part on a navigation route calculated from the proximity data and the navigational data; receive the device data from the device detection module and determines a device type of the target device; control the docking arms to engage the adjustable wheel locking devices with target wheels of the target device; and provide a drive signal to the at least one motorized wheel to cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously travel to a second destination associated with the second destination input signal, the drive signal based at least in part on the navigation route calculated from the proximity data and the navigational data. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A robotic transportation system comprising:
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a wireless communications network; a central server communicatively coupled to the wireless communications network, wherein the central server provides navigation data over the wireless communications network; a radio frequency identification tag configured to emit an identification signal, wherein the radio frequency identification tag is coupled to a target device; and a robotic transportation device comprising; a device body comprising at least one motorized wheel coupled to a drive motor; two docking arms, each docking arm comprising a support wheel and an adjustable wheel locking device, wherein the two docking arms extend horizontally from the device body and are adjustable along at least two directions; a wireless communications device communicatively coupled to the wireless communications network, wherein the wireless communications device provides proximity data corresponding to a location of the robotic transportation device, and wirelessly receives navigational data over the wireless communications network emitted by the central server; a controller module electrically coupled to the wireless communications device, wherein the controller module; receives the proximity data and the navigational data from the wireless communications device; determines the location of the robotic transportation device from the proximity data; detects a device type of the target device; provides a drive signal to the at least one motorized wheel to cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously approach the target device, the drive signal based at least in part on the proximity data and the navigational data; controls the docking arms in accordance with the device type to engage the adjustable wheel locking devices with the target wheels of the target device; and provides a drive signal to the at least one motorized wheel to cause the robotic transportation device to autonomously tow the target device to a desired location, the drive signal based at least in part on the proximity data and the navigational data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification