Systems and methods for allocating tasks to a plurality of robotic devices

• US 9,008,839 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuffner, James J. Jr., Hickman, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US13/757,810
• Time in Patent Office: 800 Days
• Field of Search: 700/248
• US Class Current: 700/248
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0084 comprising a plurality of manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1679 characterised by the tasks executed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4187 by tool management
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39117 Task distribution between involved manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39146 Swarm, multiagent, distributed multitask fusion, cooperation multi robots
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40095 Modify tasks due to modular tooling, other fixture configuration, environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

Methods and systems for allocating tasks to robotic devices are provided. An example method includes receiving information associated with task logs for a plurality of robotic devices and in a computing system configured to access a processor and memory, determining information associated with a health level for the plurality of robotic devices based on the information associated with the task logs. A health level for a given robotic device may be proportional to a current level of ability to perform a function, which may change over a lifespan of the given robotic device. Information associated with a plurality of tasks to be performed by one or more or the robotic devices may also be determined. According to the method, the computing system may optimize an allocation of the plurality of tasks such that a high precision task may be allocated to a robotic device having a greater current health level than another robotic device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving task log information for a plurality of robotic devices, wherein a selected task log for a robotic device comprises task information for tasks performed by the robotic device, including a number of times the robotic device performed a task;

in a computing system configured to access a processor and a memory, determining a heath level for each of the plurality of robotic devices based on the task log information, wherein the health level for the robotic device comprises an estimate of an expected remaining amount of time until maintenance of the robotic device;

determining, for a plurality of tasks to be performed by one or more of the plurality of robotic devices, a first amount of positioning precision for a first task and a second amount of positioning precision for a second task, wherein the first amount of positioning precision is more precise than the second amount of positioning precision; and

the computing system allocating the plurality of tasks to one or more robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices based on the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices and the respective positioning precision of the plurality of tasks, such that the first task having the more precise first amount of positioning precision is allocated to a first robotic device having a first health level that is greater than a second health level of a second robotic device; and

the computing system communicating the allocated plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second task is allocated to the second robotic device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining robotic device capability information for the plurality of robotic devices; and

allocating the plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices based on the robotic device capability information and the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

modifying the robotic device capability information for the plurality of robotic devices based on the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices, wherein the robotic device capability information for the plurality of robotic devices is demoted over time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices comprises for each robotic device an estimate of an expected remaining lifespan of the robotic device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

allocating the plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices based on amounts of time associated with performance of the plurality of tasks and the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving maintenance log information for the plurality of robotic devices; and

scheduling maintenance appointments for the plurality of robotic devices based on the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices and the maintenance log information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the computing system receiving real-time information from the plurality of robotic devices indicating a status of the plurality of robotic devices, wherein the status of a given robotic device indicates an availability to perform a task; and

the computing system allocating the plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices based on the real-time information and the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending information to the first robotic device instructing the first robotic device to perform the first task;

receiving from the first robotic device an indication of the first robotic device performing the first task; and

receiving a task status of the first task, wherein the task status indicates whether the first task is completed.

10. A non-transitory computer readable memory having stored therein instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving task log information for a plurality of robotic devices, wherein a selected task log for a robotic device comprises task information for tasks performed by the robotic device, including a number of times the robotic device performed a task;

determining a heath level for each of the plurality of robotic devices based on the task log information, wherein the health level for the robotic device comprises an estimate of an expected remaining amount of time until maintenance of the robotic device;

determining, for a plurality of tasks to be performed by one or more of the plurality of robotic devices, a first amount of positioning precision for a first task and a second amount of positioning precision for a second task, wherein the first amount of precision is more precise than the second amount of positioning precision; and

allocating the plurality of tasks to one or more robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices based on the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices and the respective positioning precision of the plurality of tasks, such that the first task having the more precise first amount of positioning precision is allocated to a first robotic device having a first health level that is greater than a second health level of a second robotic device; and

communicating the allocated plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices.

11. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 10, further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to perform functions comprising:

determining robotic device capability information for the plurality of robotic devices; and

allocating the plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices based on the robotic device capability information and the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices.

12. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to perform functions comprising:

modifying the robotic device capability information for the plurality of robotic devices based on the information associated with the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices, wherein the robotic device capability information for the plurality of robotic devices is demoted over time.

13. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 10, wherein the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices comprises for each robotic device an estimate of an expected remaining lifespan of the robotic device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 13, further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving maintenance log information for the plurality of robotic devices; and

scheduling maintenance appointments for the plurality of robotic devices based on the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices and the maintenance log information.

15. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 10, further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving real-time information from the plurality of robotic devices indicating a status of the plurality of robotic devices, wherein the status of a robotic device indicates an availability to perform a task; and

allocating the plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices based on the real-time information and the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices.

16. A system comprising:

a computing component, comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the computing component is capable of communicating with a plurality of robotic devices over a network, the computing component configured to;

receive task log information and maintenance log information for the plurality of robotic devices, wherein a selected task log for a robotic device comprises task information for tasks performed by the robotic device, including a number of times the robotic device performed a task;

determine a heath level for each of the plurality of robotic devices based on the task log information and maintenance log information, wherein the health level for the robotic device comprises an estimate of an expected remaining amount of time until maintenance of the robotic device;

receive, for a plurality of tasks to be performed by one or more of the plurality of robotic devices, a first amount of positioning precision for a first task and a second amount of positioning precision for a second task, wherein the first amount of precision is more precise than the second amount of precision;

allocate the plurality of tasks to one or more robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices based on the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices and the respective positioning precision of the plurality of tasks, such that the first task having the more precise first amount of positioning precision is allocated to a first robotic device having a first health level that is greater than a second health level of a second robotic device; and

communicate the allocated plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices; and

a plurality of robotic devices, configured to;

receive via the network from the computing component instructions for performing one or more tasks; and

transmit a status of the one or more tasks to the computing component via the network, wherein the status indicates whether the one or more tasks are completed.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices comprises for each robotic device an estimate of an expected remaining lifespan of the robotic device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the computing component is further configured to allocate the plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices based on amounts of time associated with performance of the plurality of tasks and the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing component is further configured to:

schedule maintenance appointments for the plurality of robotic devices based on the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices and the maintenance log information.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing component is further configured to:

determine robotic device capability information for the plurality of robotic devices; and

allocate the plurality of tasks to the one or more robotic devices based on the robotic device capability information and the respective health levels for the plurality of robotic devices.