Distributed multi-robot system

• US 8,755,936 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Original Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Inventors: Friedman, Scott Justin-Marl, Moravec, Hans Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US12/371,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/200, 701/201, 701/208, 700/248, 700/258, 700/245, 700/253, 700/249, 901/1, 901/50, 901/17, 901/6, 901/8, 318/568.1, 718/103, 718/104, 718/102
• US Class Current: 700/248
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

A system is provided that includes at least one manager and one or more robots configured to communicate wirelessly. The manager can include certain functions that generate data, instructions, or both used by one or more robots. The manager can also facilitate communications among several robots, or robots could also be configured to communicate directly.

Claims

1. A distributed multi-robot system, comprising:

a plurality of robots configured to service an environment, each robot having a wireless communication module configured to wirelessly communicate location and object information within the environment; and

a robot manager comprising a processor, a database, and a wireless communication module configured to communicate with the plurality of robots, the robot manager configured to;

automatically update an electronic map of the environment from location and object information received from one or more of the plurality of robots during performance of one or more service function and to wirelessly communicate the updated electronic map to the plurality of robots; and

perform computationally intensive processing on behalf of a robot and wirelessly communicate the results and/or instructions therefrom to the robot for use in performance of a service function, wherein the processing required for performance of the service function is shared between the robot and the robot manager.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mapping and navigation module is further configured to generate the map of the environment within which the plurality of robots operate.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the mapping and navigation module tracks movement of the plurality of robots within the environment.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the mapping and navigation module provides information and data to at least one robot that is used by the at least one robot to navigate within the environment.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a portable wireless transceiver configured to communicate information describing the robot'"'"'s environment to the robot manager.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the robot manager uses information provided by the wireless transceiver to generate and update the map of the environment.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the map of the environment includes a map of at least one of an office building;

a warehouse;

a shopping mall, a residential complex, and a house.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot manager and the plurality of robots each include a Bluetooth communication subsystem.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot manager further comprises an Internet communication subsystem configured to enable the robot manager to communicate with remote systems.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the robot manager further comprises an application framework configured to download robot service function software from a remote system and to update the robot manager using the downloaded software.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the robot manager further comprises an application framework configured to download robot service function software from a remote system and to provide enhanced or different functions to one or more of the plurality of robots using the downloaded robot service function software.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein multiple robots are configured to share the same information stored at the robot manager.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein multiple robots are configured to update similar information stored at the robot manager.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot manager further comprises a scheduler configured to schedule operations of at least one robot from the plurality of robots.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least two robots from the plurality of robots are configured to communicate with each other.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least two robots are configured to communicate with each other through the robot manager.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of robots includes at least one of a cleaning robot, a security robot, and an entertainment robot.

18. A distributed multi-robot system, the system comprising:

a plurality of robots configured to service an environment, each robot having a wireless communication module configured to communicate location and object information within the environment in conjunction with performance of a robot service function;

a robot manager comprising a processor, a database, and a wireless communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with the plurality of robots, the robot manager further comprising;

a mapping and navigation module configured to automatically generate and update an electronic map of the environment from location and object information provided by one or more of the plurality of robots during performance of a service function within the environment;

an Internet communication subsystem configured to receive information and data used to monitor and control the plurality of robots via the Internet; and

an application framework configured to download robot service function software from a remote system and to update the robot manager using the downloaded robot service function software and to provide enhanced or different functions to one or more of the plurality of robots using the downloaded software; and

a portable wireless transceiver configured to communicate information describing the environment to the robot manager,

wherein the robot manager is configured to perform computationally intensive processing on behalf of a robot and wirelessly communicate the results and/or instructions therefrom to the robot for use in performance of a service function, wherein the processing required for performance of the service function is shared between the robot and the robot manager.

19. A method of controlling a plurality of robots in an environment, comprising:

providing a plurality of robots configured to service an environment, each robot having a wireless communication module enabling wireless communication of location and object information within the environment;

providing a robot manager comprising a processor, a database, and a wireless communication module that transmits and receives robot information and the robot manager communicating with each of a plurality of robots within the environment in conjunction with performance of one or more robot service functions, including;

receiving location and objection information from one or more of the robots, automatically updating a map of the environment, and wirelessly communicating the updated map to the plurality of robots; and

performing computationally intensive processing on behalf of a robot and then wirelessly communicating results and/or instructions therefrom to the robot; and

the robot performing a service function using the results and/or instructions, wherein the processing required for performing the service function is shared between the robot and the robot manager.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the robot manager automatically generating the map of the environment within which the plurality of robots operate.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising navigating at least one of the plurality of robots through the environment using the map.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising scheduling operations of at least one robot from the plurality of robots using the robot manager.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising downloading robot service function software from a remote system via the Internet and updating the robot manager using the downloaded robot service function software.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising downloading robot service function software from a remote system via the Internet and providing enhanced or different functions to one or more of the plurality of robots using the downloaded robot service function software.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising multiple robots sharing the same information stored at the robot manager.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising multiple robots updating similar information stored at the robot manager.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising at least two robots from the plurality of robots communicating with each other.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least two robots communicate with each other through the robot manager.

29. The method of claim 19, further comprising communicating information describing the environment to the robot manager using a portable wireless transceiver.