Distributed system of autonomously controlled mobile agents
First Claim
1. A method of controlling movement of a plurality of self-propelled mobile agents on a surface having a plurality of machine-readable codes indicating locations on the surface, wherein each self-propelled mobile agent includes a sensor configured to detect the machine-readable codes as the mobile agent travels along the surface, the method comprising, for each of the self-propelled mobile agents, performing the steps of:
- (a) while traveling on the surface, the mobile agent detecting at least one of the machine-readable codes via the mobile agent'"'"'s sensor;
(b) responsive to detecting the at least one machine-readable code, the mobile agent controlling its movement on the surface;
(c) the mobile agent wirelessly transmitting data regarding the detected code to a basestation for use at the basestation in determining a location of the mobile agent and updating a position of the mobile agent in a virtual representation, and for use at the basestation for determining for each mobile agent a specific action to be taken by the mobile agent based on the data regarding the detected code; and
(d) the mobile agent wirelessly receiving from the basestation at least one signal to specify the specific action to be taken by the mobile agent with respect to its position on the surface in a manner whereupon the mobile agents move in a coordinated manner on the surface.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system includes a drivable surface that includes location encoding markings. A mobile agent is provided that includes a drive motor, an imaging system for taking images of the markings, a vehicle wireless transceiver, and a microcontroller operatively coupled to the motor, the imaging system, and the vehicle wireless transceiver. A basestation is provided that includes a controller operatively coupled to a basestation wireless transceiver. Via wireless communication between the wireless transceivers of the mobile agent and the basestation, an action to be implemented by the mobile agent can be determined by the basestation and communicated to the mobile agent, whereupon the microcontroller of the mobile agent controls detailed movement of the mobile agent on the drivable surface based on images taken of the markings of the drivable surface by the imaging system to cause the mobile agent to implement the action on the drivable surface.
43 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of controlling movement of a plurality of self-propelled mobile agents on a surface having a plurality of machine-readable codes indicating locations on the surface, wherein each self-propelled mobile agent includes a sensor configured to detect the machine-readable codes as the mobile agent travels along the surface, the method comprising, for each of the self-propelled mobile agents, performing the steps of:
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(a) while traveling on the surface, the mobile agent detecting at least one of the machine-readable codes via the mobile agent'"'"'s sensor; (b) responsive to detecting the at least one machine-readable code, the mobile agent controlling its movement on the surface; (c) the mobile agent wirelessly transmitting data regarding the detected code to a basestation for use at the basestation in determining a location of the mobile agent and updating a position of the mobile agent in a virtual representation, and for use at the basestation for determining for each mobile agent a specific action to be taken by the mobile agent based on the data regarding the detected code; and (d) the mobile agent wirelessly receiving from the basestation at least one signal to specify the specific action to be taken by the mobile agent with respect to its position on the surface in a manner whereupon the mobile agents move in a coordinated manner on the surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of controlling movement of a plurality of self-propelled toy vehicles on a drivable surface that includes markings which define at least one path of toy vehicle travel on the drivable surface and which encode locations on the drivable surface, wherein each toy vehicle includes an imaging system for acquiring images of the markings, the method comprising, for each of the toy vehicles, performing the steps of:
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(a) while traveling on the drivable surface, the toy vehicle acquiring an image of at least a portion of the markings of the drivable surface via the toy vehicle'"'"'s imaging system; (b) responsive to the image acquired in step (a), the toy vehicle controlling its movement on the drivable surface; (c) the toy vehicle wirelessly communicating to a basestation data regarding a location where the portion of the markings in step (a) was acquired, such data for use at the basestation in determining a location of the toy vehicle and updating a position of the toy vehicle in a virtual representation of the drivable surface, and for use at the basestation in determining for each toy vehicle a specific action to be taken by the toy vehicle on the drivable surface; (d) the toy vehicle wirelessly receiving from the basestation at least one signal to specify the specific action to be taken by the toy vehicle with respect to its position on the drivable surface in a manner whereupon the toy vehicles move in a coordinated manner on the surface. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification