Systems and methods for using robots to monitor environmental conditions in an environment

• US 8,830,057 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Poursohi, Arshan, Hickman, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/758,055
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/539.26, 700/245, 700/246
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1671 characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/00 Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39168 Multiple robots searching an object
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed for monitoring environmental conditions in one or more environments. In one embodiment, the method includes maintaining a plurality of environmental-condition thresholds, each of which corresponds to an environmental condition and is predetermined based on data corresponding to the environmental condition that is received from a plurality of robots. The method further includes receiving from a first robot first data corresponding to a first environmental condition in a first environment. The method may still further include making a first comparison of the first data and a first environmental-condition threshold corresponding to the first environmental condition and, based on the first comparison, triggering a notification. Triggering the notification may comprise transmitting to the robot instructions to transmit the notification to at least one of a call center and a remote device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of environmental-condition thresholds, each of which corresponds to an environmental condition and is predetermined based on data corresponding to the environmental condition that is received from a plurality of robots;

receiving from a first robot first data corresponding to a first environmental condition in a first environment;

making a first comparison of the first data and a first environmental-condition threshold corresponding to the first environmental condition; and

based on the first comparison, triggering a notification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each environmental-condition threshold comprises a running mean of the data corresponding to the environmental condition and received from the plurality of robots.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the notification comprises causing the first robot to transmit the notification.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the notification to at least one of an emergency call center and a remote device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein transmitting the notification comprises:

making a determination whether the notification comprises an emergency notification;

responsive to a determination that the notification comprises an emergency notification, transmitting the notification to the at least one of the emergency call center and the remote device; and

responsive to a determination that the notification does not comprise an emergency notification, transmitting the notification to the remote device only.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a second robot second data corresponding to the first environmental condition in a second environment; and

making a second comparison of the second data and the first environmental-condition threshold, wherein triggering the notification further comprises triggering the notification based on the first and second comparisons.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first environmental-condition threshold comprises a threshold range, and wherein triggering the notification based on the first and second comparisons comprises:

making a determination whether the first data and the second data are outside of the threshold range;

responsive to a determination that neither of the first data and the second data are outside of the threshold range, not triggering the notification;

responsive to a determination that both of the first data and the second data are outside of the threshold range, not triggering the notification; and

responsive to a determination that exactly one of the first data and the second data is outside of the threshold range, triggering the notification.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein when only the first data is outside of the threshold range, triggering the notification comprises causing the first robot to transmit the notification, and when only the second data is outside of the threshold range, triggering the notification comprises causing the second robot to transmit the notification.

9. A robot comprising:

at least one of on-board sensors and a remote sensor interface coupled to at least one remote sensor, wherein the on-board sensors and the remote sensor interface are configured to collect first data corresponding to a first environmental condition;

a server interface configured to transmit to a server a request for a first environmental-condition threshold corresponding to the first environmental condition and to receive from the server an indication of the first environmental-condition threshold, wherein the first environmental-condition threshold is predetermined based on data corresponding to the first environmental condition and received from a plurality of robots;

at least one processor; and

data storage comprising instructions executable by the at least one processor to;

make a comparison of the first data and the first environmental-condition threshold; and

based on the comparison, transmit a notification.

10. The robot of claim 9, wherein the on-board sensors are selected from the group consisting of gyroscopes, accelerometers, compasses, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, light sensors, infrared sensors, optical sensors, biosensors, radio sensors, Radio Frequency identification (RFID) systems, wireless sensors, cameras, light sensors, motion sensors, range sensors, microphones or other audio sensors, speakers, radar, capacitive sensors, touch sensors, smoke sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, natural gas sensors, pyro sensors, heat sensors, water sensors, and biometric sensors.

11. The robot of claim 9, wherein the at least one remote sensor is selected from the group consisting of light sensors, infrared sensors, optical sensors, biosensors, radio sensors, Radio Frequency identification (RFID) systems, wireless sensors, cameras, light sensors, motion sensors, range sensors, microphones or other audio sensors, speakers, radar, capacitive sensors, touch sensors, smoke sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, natural gas sensors, pyro sensors, heat sensors, water sensors, biometric sensors, appliances, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, ovens, stoves, toasters, coffee makers, furnaces, air conditioning units, heating units, televisions, computers, fire alarms, and security systems.

12. The robot of claim 9, further comprising a notification interface configured to transmit the notification.

13. The robot of claim 12, wherein transmitting the notification comprises transmitting the notification to at least one of an emergency call center and a remote device.

14. The robot of claim 13, wherein the remote device comprises at least one of a laptop, a mobile telephone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet, a personal or cellular telephone, and the at least one remote sensor.

15. The robot of claim 9, wherein the transmitting the notification comprises:

determining that the first data was collected by the at least one remote sensor; and

responsively verifying the first data prior to transmitting the notification.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the remote sensor interface and the server interface comprises a wireless interface.

17. A server, comprising:

an input interface configured to receive from a first robot first data corresponding to a first environmental condition in a first environment;

at least one processor; and

data storage comprising;

a plurality of environmental-condition thresholds, each of which corresponds to an environmental condition and is predetermined based on data corresponding to the environmental condition and received from a plurality of robots; and

instructions executable by the at least one processor to;

make a first comparison of the first data and a first environmental-condition threshold corresponding to the first environmental condition;

based on the first comparison, trigger a notification.

18. The server of claim 17, further comprising an output interface configured to transmit to the first robot instructions to transmit the notification.

19. The server of claim 18, wherein at least one of the input interface and the output interface comprises a wireless interface.

20. A nontransitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform the functions of:

maintaining a plurality of environmental-condition thresholds, each of which corresponds to an environmental condition and is predetermined based on data corresponding to the environmental condition that is received from a plurality of robots;

receiving from a first robot first data corresponding to a first environmental condition in a first environment;

making a first comparison of the first data and a first environmental-condition threshold corresponding to the first environmental condition; and

based on the first comparison, triggering a notification.