Monitoring, diagnostic and tracking tool for autonomous mobile robots

• US 8,886,390 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Engineering Aethon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aethon
• Inventors: Wolfe, David G., Lucas, George F., Swaney, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US13/624,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20130085625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0287 involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system and method are provided for managing and prioritizing for action fleets of mobile robots deployed at various locations. The system/method includes a plurality of homebase servers, each corresponding to a different location, with each of the homebase servers receiving operational parameter data (representing operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robot) from a plurality of mobile robots operating at the particular location where the homebase server is deployed. A central server receives the operational parameter data from the plurality of homebase servers. The central server included a data analysis module for processing the operational parameter data and prioritizing the mobile robots operating at the various locations for action by support staff. A list is generated ranking the mobile robots in order of importance for action by support staff.

Claims

1. A system for managing and prioritizing for action fleets of mobile robots deployed at various locations, the system comprising:

a plurality of homebase servers, each corresponding to a different location, wherein each of the homebase servers receives operational parameter data from a plurality of mobile robots operating at a particular location; and

a central server receiving the operational parameter data from the plurality of homebase servers, the central server including a data analysis module processing the operational parameter data and prioritizing the mobile robots operating at the various locations based on the operational parameter data of each mobile robot using a set of business rules that are location and mobile robot specific; and

wherein the operational parameter data comprises information regarding operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robot; and

wherein each of the mobile robots are prioritized relative to each of the other mobile robots at the various locations based on a severity of operational and navigational issues experienced by each of the mobile robots;

wherein the data analysis module provides a prioritized list that ranks the mobile robots in order of severity based on the operational parameter data to a display associated with the data analysis module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding navigational issues comprises information regarding robot idle time caused by elevator delays, blocked pathways, and/or failed facility equipment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server receives operational status information of an elevator cabin.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the operational status information of the elevator cabin comprises at least one of a cabin position, a cabin status, a door position, and a door status.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis module generates the list prioritizing the mobile robots based on the operational parameter data and ranking them in order of importance for action by support staff.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the list generated by the data analysis module is accessible using a web-based application, and wherein the list includes links to other information about the mobile robot and the location at which the mobile robot is operating.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the list generated by the data analysis module includes operational information about the mobile robot, wherein the operational information comprises at least one of idle time of the mobile robot, status of the mobile robot, itinerary of the mobile robot, communication status of the mobile robot, whether an alert has been issued, a task of the mobile robot, where the mobile robot is at in its task, a cause of delay of the mobile robot, and a cause of idle time of the mobile robot, and wherein the operational information is coded to identify potential critical issues.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein data relative to the mobile robots appearing in the list generated by the data analysis module may be hidden for a predefined period of time, after which the data relative to the mobile robots will reappear on the list.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis module stores information related to the operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robots in a database.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the data analysis module uses the stored information related to the operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robots to generate maps and charts illustrating the frequency of problems a mobile robot or location is experiencing.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis module ranks a first mobile robot at a first position in the prioritized list and the data analysis module ranks a second mobile robot at a second position in the prioritized list, wherein the first position is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the second position, the data analysis module modifies a ranking of the second mobile robot such that the second mobile robot is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the first mobile robot.

11. A method of managing and prioritizing for action fleets of mobile robots deployed at various locations, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a homebase server deployed at a particular location, operational parameter data from a plurality of mobile robots operating at the particular location;

receiving, at a central server, the operational parameter data for the mobile robots from a plurality of homebase servers, each homebase server deployed at a different location;

analyzing, by a data analysis module at the central server, the operational parameter data for the mobile robots;

processing, by the data analysis module, the operational parameter data for the mobile robots using a set of business rules; and

prioritizing, by the data analysis module at the central server, the mobile robots operating at the various locations based on the operational parameter data and the set of business rules,

wherein the operational parameter data comprises information regarding the operational and navigational issues experienced by each of the mobile robots,

wherein the data analysis module prioritizing the mobile robots operating at the various locations comprises prioritizing each of the mobile robots relative to each of the other mobile robots at the various locations based on a severity of the operational and navigational issues experienced by each of the mobile robots; and

wherein the business rules are location and mobile robot specific.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying, by a display associated with the data analysis module, a prioritized list, wherein the prioritized list ranking the mobile robots in order of severity for action by support staff.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the prioritized list is accessible using a web-based application, and wherein the prioritized list includes links to other information about the mobile robot and the location at which the mobile robot is operating.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the prioritized list includes operational information about the mobile robot, and wherein the operational information is coded to identify potential critical issues.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein data relative to the mobile robots appearing in the prioritized list may be hidden for a predefined period of time, after which the data relative to the mobile robots will reappear on the prioritized list.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of storing, by the data analysis module, information related to the operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robots in a database.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of analyzing the stored information related to the operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robots, and generating maps and/or charts illustrating the frequency of problems a mobile robot or location is experiencing.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the information regarding navigational issues comprises information regarding robot idle time caused by elevator delays, blocked pathways, and/or failed facility equipment.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of business rules comprises information regarding at least one of mobile robot navigation pathways, mobile robot pathway properties, mobile robot pathway sensor settings, mobile robot sounds messages, mobile robot destination wait times, mobile robot locking point wait times, mobile robot lock point locations, mobile robot staging area locations, mobile robot elevator interactions, mobile robot minimum charging times, and scheduled mobile robot runs.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, at the central server, operational status information of an elevator cabin.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the data analysis module prioritizing the mobile robots operating at the various locations comprises the data analysis module ranking a first mobile robot at a first position in a prioritized list and the data analysis module ranking a second mobile robot at a second position in the prioritized list, wherein the first position is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the second position, the method further comprising the data analysis module modifying a ranking of the second mobile robot such that the second mobile robot is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the first mobile robot.

22. A system for managing and prioritizing for action fleets of mobile robots deployed at various locations, the system comprising:

a central server receiving operational parameter data from a plurality of mobile robots operating at least one location, the operational parameter data representing operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robot, wherein the central server includes a data analysis module processing the operational parameter data and prioritizing the mobile robots based on the operational parameter data; and

wherein the operational parameter data comprises information regarding operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robot; and

wherein each of the mobile robots are prioritized relative to each of the other mobile robots at the various locations based on a severity of the operational and navigational issues experienced by each of the mobile robots; and

wherein the data analysis module processes the operational data and prioritizes the mobile robots using a set of business rules that are location and mobile robot specific.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the data analysis module generates a list prioritizing the mobile robots based on the operational parameter data and ranking them in order of severity for action by support staff.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the list generated by the data analysis module is accessible using a web-based application, and wherein the list includes links to other information about the mobile robot and the location at which the mobile robot is operating.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the data analysis module ranks a first mobile robot at a first position in a prioritized list and the data analysis module ranks a second mobile robot at a second position in the prioritized list, wherein the first position is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the second position, and wherein the data analysis module modifies a ranking of the second mobile robot such that the second mobile robot is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the first mobile robot.

26. A method of managing and prioritizing for action fleets of mobile robots deployed at various locations, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a central server, operational parameter data from a plurality of mobile robots operating at least one location, the operational parameter data representing operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robot;

analyzing, by a data analysis module at the central server, the operational parameter data for the mobile robots;

processing, by the data analysis module, the operational parameter data for the mobile robots using a set of business rules; and

prioritizing, by the data analysis module at the central server, the mobile robots based on the operational parameter data and the set of business rules; and

wherein the operational parameter data comprises information regarding operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robot; and

wherein the data analysis module prioritizing the mobile robots operating at the various locations comprises prioritizing each of the mobile robots relative to each of the other mobile robots at the various locations based on a severity of the operational and navigational issues experienced by each of the mobile robots; and

wherein the business rules are location and mobile robot specific.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of displaying, by a display associated with the data analysis module, a prioritized list, the prioritized list ranking the mobile robots in order of severity based on the operational parameter data for action by support staff.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the prioritized list is accessible using a web-based application, and wherein the prioritized list includes links to other information about the mobile robot and the location at which the mobile robot is operating.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the data analysis module prioritizing the mobile robots operating at the various locations comprises the data analysis module ranking a first mobile robot at a first position in a prioritized list and the data analysis module ranking a second mobile robot at a second position in the prioritized list, wherein the first position is at a higher ranking in a prioritized list than the second position, the method further comprising the data analysis module modifying a ranking of the second mobile robot such that the second mobile robot is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the first mobile robot.