Techniques for mobile device charging using robotic devices

• US 9,492,922 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stoops, Michael Brian, Schwartz, Benjamin, Johnson, Joseph Edwin, Masters, Nathan Eugene, Hasan, Shiblee Imtiaz
• Primary Examiner(s): Patton, Spencer
• Application Number:
  US14/673,744
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and/or system for providing an action with respect to a mobile device using a robotic device that tracks the user and that interacts with a charging management engine. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a request to perform an action with respect to an electronic device is received. Information may be sent to one or more robotic devices within a proximity of the electronic device. A robotic device of the one or more robotic devices may be selected to perform the action. An indication may be received from the robotic device that indicates that the user has interacted with the robotic device. Instructions may be sent to the robotic device to perform the action with respect to the electronic device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request to charge an electronic device;

in response to receiving the request, selecting a robotic device from a plurality of robotic devices to perform charging of the electronic device;

sending information related to the request to the robotic device;

dispatching the robotic device to the electronic device;

receiving an indication from the robotic device of a user interaction with the robotic device; and

in response to the receiving of the indication of the user interaction with the robotic device, authorizing charging of the electronic device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests, each request of the plurality of requests to charge a different electronic device; and

delaying the dispatch of the robotic device based at least in part on the plurality of requests.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, to the plurality of robotic devices, a capabilities information request;

receiving capabilities information related to at least one robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices in response to the capabilities information request; and

determining a particular robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices to dispatch based at least in part on the received capabilities information.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the received indication from the robotic device of the user interaction indicates that the user is conducting at least one user activity with the robotic device, wherein the at least one user activity includes at least one of viewing an advertisement presented by the robotic device, purchasing an item provided by the robotic device, purchasing an item from an electronic marketplace associated with a provider of the robotic device, participating in a crowd source activity, participating in a survey, participating in a video game, charging the electronic device, or paying a fee.

5. An electronic device charging management system comprising:

a plurality of robotic devices, wherein each robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices includes;

a power source for charging electronic devices,

a user interface that enables user interaction with the robotic device,

a communication interface that communicates data via a network, and

a processing unit in communication with the power source, the user interface, and the communication interface; and

a computing system in communication with each robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices via the network, the computing system configured to at least;

receive a request to charge an electronic device;

broadcast, via the network to the plurality of robotic devices, information related to the request;

determine that at least one robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices is responding to the request to charge the electronic device;

receive, via the network from the at least one robotic device responding to the request to charge the electronic device, an indication of a user interaction with the at least one robotic device; and

authorize the at least one robotic device to charge the electronic device in accordance with the request.

6. The electronic device charging management system of claim 5, wherein authorizing the at least one robotic device to charge the electronic device comprises:

sending, via the network to the at least one robotic device, instructions to charge the electronic device for a duration of time.

7. The electronic device charging management system of claim 5, wherein determining that the at least one robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices is responding to the request to charge the electronic device comprises:

sending the request to charge the electronic device to the plurality of robotic devices; and

receiving, from the at least one robotic device, service information indicating that the at least one robotic device is responding to the request to charge the electronic device.

8. The electronic device charging management system of claim 5, wherein the computing system is further configured to at least:

request capabilities information associated with at least some of the plurality of robotic devices;

receive the capabilities information;

select the at least one robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices based at least in part on the received capabilities information; and

dispatch the at least one robotic device to fulfill the request to charge the electronic device.

9. The electronic device charging management system of claim 5, wherein the at least one robotic device comprises one of a ball robot, a cart-based robot, a multi-legged robot, a quadruped robot, a wheeled robot, a modular snake robot, or a humanoid robot.

10. The electronic device charging management system of claim 5, wherein the request to charge is received from the electronic device, and wherein the request is generated automatically by the electronic device based at least in part on a battery level of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device charging management system of claim 5, wherein the computing system is further configured to at least:

instruct the at least one robotic device to cease charging the electronic device.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a user, a request to perform an action with respect to an electronic device;

in response to receiving the request, sending information related to the request to one or more robotic devices of a plurality of robotic devices within a proximity of a location of the user, the plurality of robotic devices capable of performing the action with respect to the electronic device;

determining that a robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices is responding to the request to perform the action with respect to the electronic device;

receiving, from the robotic device, an indication that the user has interacted with the robotic device; and

sending instructions to the robotic device to perform the action with respect to the electronic device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the action performed with respect to the electronic device is at least one of leasing the electronic device to the user, charging the electronic device;

conducting a virus scan of the electronic device, transferring content to the electronic device, providing the electronic device with access to a network, or providing a software update to the electronic device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the action performed with respect to the electronic device is leasing the electronic device to the user, and wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the user, a request to return the electronic device;

in response to receiving the request to return the electronic device, sending information related to the request to return the electronic device, to one or more robotic devices of a plurality of robotic devices within proximity of a different location of the user;

determining that a particular robotic device of the one or more robotic devices is responding to the request to return the electronic device;

generating instructions for the user to return the electronic device to the particular robotic device; and

receiving an indication from the particular robot device that the electronic device has been returned to the particular robot device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving one or more communications indicating that the one or more robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices within a proximity of the location of the user are available;

selecting the robotic device based at least in part on the one or more communications; and

providing instructions to the robotic device to respond to the request to perform the action with respect to the electronic device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein selecting the robotic device is based at least in part on the one or more communications and a distance between the robotic device and the location of the user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the robotic device, payment information provided by the user for performing the action with respect to the electronic device; and

processing the payment information.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the performed action comprises a purchase of an item using the robotic device.

19. A robotic device comprising:

a power source;

a user interface that enables user interaction with the robotic device;

a communication interface that communicates data via a network; and

a processing unit in communication with the power source, the user interface and the communication interface, the processing unit configured to at least;

receive, via the communication interface, a request from an external computing system to perform an action with respect to an electronic device at a given location;

instruct navigation of the robotic device to the given location;

receive, via the user interface, an indication of a user interaction with the robotic device;

in response to the indication of user interaction, send, via the communication interface, a request to the external computing system for authorization to perform the action;

receive, via the communication interface, authorization from the external computing system to perform the action; and

perform the action with respect to the electronic device.

20. The robotic device of claim 19, wherein the robotic device further comprising one or more sensors for collecting sensor data, wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the one or more sensors to collect sensor data, and wherein instructing the navigation of the robotic device is based on the collected sensor data.

21. The robotic device of claim 19, wherein the user interface is configured to present at least one of visual information, aural information or haptic information.

22. The robotic device of claim 19, further comprising one or more sensors including at least one of a laser sensor, a sonar sensor, an infra-red sensor, a magnetic sensor, a radio frequency identification component, or an imaging device.

23. The robotic device of claim 19, further comprising one or more sensors in communication with the processing unit, wherein the one or more sensors collect at least one of authentication data for authenticating the user, interaction data indicating a user interaction with the robotic device, user navigation data for indication a location of the user, device navigation data for indicating a location of the robotic device, or obstacle information indicating a location of one or more obstacles related to a traversal path of the robotic device.

24. The robotic device of claim 19, wherein the action performed with respect to the electronic device is at least one of leasing the electronic device to the user, charging the electronic device;

conducting a virus scan of the electronic device, transferring content to the electronic device, providing the electronic device with access to a network, or providing a software update to the electronic device.