Robotic ordering and delivery system software and methods

• US 9,679,270 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Engineering Aethon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aethon
• Inventors: Zini, Aldo, Skirble, Barry Mark, Allen, Spencer Wayne, Thorne, Henry F., Fairley, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): MOYER, DALE S
• Application Number:
  US14/695,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20150227885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• 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 2219/31003 Supervise route, reserve route and allocate route to vehicle, avoid collision
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31006 Monitoring of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31007 Floor plan, map stored in on-board computer of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 : Sensing device

Abstract

Systems, methods and devices for the automated delivery of goods form one to another using a robotic tug and accompanying cart. A computer within the tug or cart stores an electronic map of the building floor plan and intended paths for the tug to take when traversing from one location to the next. During the delivery, a variety of different sensors and scanners gather data that is used to avoid obstacles and/or adjust the movement of the tug in order to more closely follow the intended path. The system preferably includes both wired and wireless networks that allow one or more tugs to communicate with a tug base station, a primary network located at the site of the delivery and a remote host center that monitors the status and data collected by the tugs.

Claims

1. A method for managing at least one asset having a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag attached thereto, the method comprising:

scanning, via at least one RFID scanner, an area for at least one RFID tag, wherein the at least one RFID scanner is attached to an autonomous mobile robot and the at least one RFID tag is attached to the at least one asset;

receiving, via the at least one RFID scanner, information associated with the at least one RFID tag;

determining, via at least one processor device programmed to execute instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, a location of the at least one RFID tag within the area based on the received information and a known location and orientation of the autonomous mobile robot;

correlating, via the at least one processor device, the determined location of the at least one RFID tag to a position on a map of the area;

automatically populating an asset management database based on the received information, wherein the asset management database is stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium;

displaying, via the at least one processor device, data representing attributes of the at least one RFID tag by superimposing the attribute data on the map, the attribute data comprising at least one characteristic of the asset to which the RFID tag is attached; and

displaying, via the at least one processor device, statuses of each RFID tag based upon the attribute data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning comprises:

transmitting an interrogation signal from the mobile robot.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving the information responsive to the interrogation signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one RFID tag comprises at least one passive RFID tag, and wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving information associated with the at least one passive RFID tag.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving information periodically transmitted from the at least one RFID tag.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one RFID tag comprises at least one active RFID tag, and wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving information associated with the at least one active RFID tag.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving an RFID tag identification number from the at least one RFID tag.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises:

receiving a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) from the at least one RFID tag.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

determining the location of the at least one RFID tag based on the following;

a location of the mobile robot when the information associated with the at least one RFID tag is received; and

a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) associated with the at least one RFID tag.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is performed by the mobile robot.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the correlating comprises:

correlating the determined location to a position on a scaled map of the area.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the correlating is performed by the mobile robot.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically populating is performed by at least one of the following:

the mobile robot; and

a computer external to the mobile robot.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the received information.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing at least one of the following after the information associated with the at least one RFID tag was received;

a time the information was received;

a date the information was received; and

a location of the mobile robot when the information was received.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a notification from the mobile robot when the at least one RFID tag is identified.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein sending the notification comprises:

sending an electronic message from the mobile robot when the at least one RFID tag is identified.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a confidence score associated with the determined location of the at least one RFID tag within the area.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the confidence score is based upon one or more of the following:

a Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) associated with the at least one RFID tag;

a period of time since information associated with the at least one RFID tag was last received; and

a number of times information associated with the at least one RFID tag has been received.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scanning a border of the area for the at least one RFID tag and receiving information associated with the at least one RFID tag.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the scanning is performed via at least one portal scanner.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the displayed data is configured to enable entry of additional RFID tags.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the location and orientation of the autonomous mobile robot is updated in the asset management database via the scanning and the correlating.

24. A method for managing at least one asset having a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag attached thereto, the method comprising:

scanning, via at least one RFID scanner, an area for at least one RFID tag, wherein the at least one RFID scanner is attached to an autonomous mobile robot and the at least one RFID tag is attached to the at least one asset;

receiving, via the at least one RFID scanner, information associated with the at least one RFID tag;

determining, via at least one processor device programmed to execute instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, a location of the at least one RFID tag within the area based on the received information and a known location and orientation of the autonomous mobile robot;

correlating, via the at least one processor device, the determined location of the at least one RFID tag to a position on a map of the area;

automatically populating an asset management database based on the received information, wherein the asset management database is stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium;

displaying, via the at least one processor device, data representing attributes of the at least one RFID tag by superimposing the attribute data on the map, the attribute data comprising at least one characteristic of the asset to which the RFID tag is attached;

displaying, via the at least one processor device, statuses of each RFID tag based upon the attribute data; and

wirelessly communicating, via the autonomous mobile robot, with a local computer system to interact with local devices that are part of the local computer system.

25. A method for managing at least one asset having a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag attached thereto, the method comprising:

scanning, via at least one RFID scanner, an area for at least one RFID tag, wherein the at least one RFID scanner is attached to an autonomous mobile robot and the at least one RFID tag is attached to the at least one asset;

receiving, via the at least one RFID scanner, information associated with the at least one RFID tag;

determining, via at least one processor device programmed to execute instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, a location of the at least one RFID tag within the area based on the received information and a known location and orientation of the autonomous mobile robot;

correlating, via the at least one processor device, the determined location of the at least one RFID tag to a position on a map of the area;

automatically populating an asset management database based on the received information, wherein the asset management database is stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium;

inputting, via the at least one processor device, data representing attributes of the at least one RFID tag, the attribute data comprising at least one characteristic of the asset to which the RFID tag is attached;

displaying, via the at least one processor device, the attribute data by superimposing the attribute data on the map and statuses of each RFID tag based upon the attribute data; and

searching for the at least one asset, via the at least one processor, by querying the asset management database based on the at least one characteristic.