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Distributed system of autonomously controlled mobile agents

  • US 8,747,182 B2
  • Filed: 12/06/2012
  • Issued: 06/10/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:

  • a surface having a plurality of machine-readable codes indicating locations on the surface;

    one or more mobile agents configured to travel along the surface, each of the one or more mobile agents comprising;

    a propulsion mechanism, configured to impart motive force to the mobile agent,a sensor, configured to detect the machine-readable codes as the mobile agent travels along the surface,a mobile wireless transceiver, anda microcontroller operatively coupled to the propulsion mechanism, the sensor, and the mobile wireless transceiver, the microcontroller configured to control movement of the mobile agent on the surface based on detected machine-readable codes;

    a basestation comprising a controller and a basestation wireless transceiver operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to;

    determine via wireless communication from each mobile wireless transceiver a current location of a corresponding mobile agent with respect to the surface based on machine-readable codes detected by the sensor of the mobile agent;

    store a virtual representation of the surface;

    determine based on said virtual representation and the current location of at least one mobile agent at least one action to be taken by at least one mobile agent; and

    transmit, via wireless communication, one or more signals to at least one mobile wireless transceiver of at least one mobile agent, each of the one or more transmitted signals specifying at least one action to be taken by the mobile agent on the drivable surface; and

    a remote control configured to communicate with the basestation, wherein the basestation is configured to be responsive to commands issued by the remote control for controlling at least one of the following via the basestation;

    which one of a plurality of mobile agents is responsive to the commands issued by the remote control;

    at least one of a velocity and an acceleration of a mobile agent responsive to commands issued by the remote control;

    a changing of a mobile agent responsive to commands issued by the remote control from at least one set of machine-readable codes on the surface to at least another set of machine-readable codes on the surface;

    a direction a mobile agent takes at an intersection of the surface responsive to at least one command issued by the remote control;

    a mobile agent responsive to commands issued by the remote control to perform at least one of leading, following, and passing another mobile agent on the drivable surface; and

    at least one of activation and deactivation of at least one of a light and an audio speaker of a mobile agent responsive to at least one command issued by the remote control;

    wherein the controller is configured to control, in response to at least one of movement of a remote controlled mobile agent and lack of movement of a remote controlled mobile agent, at least one of the following of at least one mobile agent not under the control of the remote control;

    a velocity or acceleration of the mobile agent;

    a set of machine-readable codes the mobile agent follows on the surface;

    a changing of the mobile agent from at least one set of machine-readable codes on the surface to at least another set of machine-readable codes on the surface;

    a direction the mobile agent takes at an intersection of the surface;

    the mobile agent performing at least one of leading, following, and passing another mobile agent on the surface; and

    at least one of activation and deactivation of at least one of a light and an audio speaker of a mobile agent.

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