Mobile robot with removable fabric panels

• US 10,265,859 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cobalt AI LLC
• Original Assignee: Cobalt Robotics, Inc.
• Inventors: Deyle, Travis J., Schluntz, Erik, Badger, Peregrine, Behar, Yves, Koelker, Daniel Freymann, McShane, Molly, Um, Nick, Anderson, Clayton Russell, Semo, Dan Moshe, Tadeo, Angelita, Tadeo, Estrella P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Bryan A
• Application Number:
  US15/426,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20170225332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/002 Manipulators for defensive or military tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/008 Manipulators for service tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/086 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1679 characterised by the tasks executed
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/10 Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers by reflection from the object G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45103 Security, surveillance applications
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19647 Systems specially adapted for intrusion detection in or around a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2491 : Intrusion detection systems, i.e. where the body of an intruder causes the interference with the electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 : Sensing device

Abstract

A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The robot can patrol one or more routes within a building, and can detect violations of security policies by objects, building infrastructure and security systems, or individuals. In response to the detected violations, the robot can perform one or more security operations. The robot can include a removable fabric panel, enabling sensors within the robot body to capture signals that propagate through the fabric. In addition, the robot can scan RFID tags of objects within an area, for instance coupled to store inventory. Likewise, the robot can generate or update one or more semantic maps for use by the robot in navigating an area and for measuring compliance with security policies.

Claims

1. A mobile robot, comprising:

a motorized base configured to move and rotate the mobile robot;

a power source configured to provide power to the motorized base;

a housing body coupled to the motorized base;

a fabric panel removably coupled around an exterior of the housing body, the fabric panel comprising a top opening with a first diameter and a bottom opening with a second diameter greater than the first diameter, wherein the fabric panel further comprises one or both of;

a stretchy fabric material and a mesh fabric material;

a set of sensors coupled to the housing body configured to detect signals that propagate through the fabric panel and to generate information representative of the detected signals;

a robot head coupled to the housing body such that the housing body is coupled between the motorized base and the robot head;

a display coupled to the robot head, the display configured to display a user interface associated with the mobile robot; and

a wireless transceiver configured to provide the generated information to a receiving entity.

2. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the fabric panel increases linearly from the first diameter at the top of the fabric panel to the second diameter at the bottom of the fabric panel.

3. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the fabric panel is constant from the top of the fabric panel to the bottom of the fabric panel.

4. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the housing body includes an interface, wherein the fabric panel includes a side opening, and wherein the side opening aligns with the interface when the fabric panel is coupled around the exterior of the housing body such that the interface protrudes through the side opening.

5. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the fabric panel includes a first set of holes located around the top opening and a second set of holes located around the bottom opening.

6. The mobile robot of claim 5, wherein the housing body includes a first set of pins and a second set of pins, and wherein, when the fabric panel is coupled around the exterior of the housing body, each of the first set of pins is inserted into a reciprocal hole of the first set of holes and each of the second set of pins is inserted into a reciprocal hole of the second set of holes.

7. The mobile robot of claim 5, wherein the fabric panel includes a grommet coupled to the fabric panel around each hole of the first set of holes and the second set of holes.

8. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the set of sensors includes a microphone configured to record audio signals that propagate through the fabric panel.

9. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the set of sensors includes an infrared detector configured to record infrared signals that propagate through the fabric panel.

10. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the robot head is configured to rotate relative to the housing body.

11. A mobile robot, comprising:

a motorized base configured to move and rotate the mobile robot;

a power source configured to provide power to the motorized base;

a housing body coupled to the motorized base;

a set of fabric panels removably coupled around an exterior of the housing body, each fabric panel including an outer frame and fabric portion coupled around the outer frame, wherein at least one fabric panel comprises one or both of;

a stretchy fabric material and a mesh fabric material;

a set of sensors coupled to the housing body configured to detect signals that propagate through the set of fabric panels and to generate information representative of the detected signals;

a robot head coupled to the housing body such that the housing body is coupled between the motorized base and the robot head;

a display coupled to the robot head, the display configured to display a user interface associated with the mobile robot; and

a wireless transceiver configured to provide the generated information to a receiving entity.

12. The mobile robot of claim 11, wherein the housing body includes an interface, wherein a fabric panel of the set of fabric panels includes a side opening, and wherein the side opening aligns with the interface when the set of fabric panels are coupled around the exterior of the housing body such that the interface protrudes through the side opening.

13. The mobile robot of claim 11, wherein each outer frame includes a set of attachment mechanisms, wherein the housing body includes reciprocal attachment mechanisms, and wherein the sets of attachment mechanisms and the reciprocal attachment mechanisms align and couple when the set of fabric panels are coupled around the exterior of the housing body.

14. The mobile robot of claim 11, wherein the set of sensors includes a microphone configured to record audio signals that propagate through the set of fabric panels.

15. The mobile robot of claim 11, wherein the set of sensors includes an infrared detector configured to record infrared signals that propagate through the set of fabric panels.

16. A mobile robot, comprising:

a base configured to move and rotate the mobile robot;

a housing body coupled to the base;

a fabric panel removably coupled around an exterior of the housing body, the fabric panel including a set of elastic bands each configured to securely enclose the fabric panel around the mobile robot, wherein the fabric panel comprises one or both of;

a stretchy fabric material and a mesh fabric material; and

a set of sensors coupled to the housing body configured to detect signals that propagate through the fabric panel and to generate information representative of the detected signals.

17. The mobile robot of claim 16, wherein the fabric panel includes a top opening with a first diameter corresponding to a diameter of a top portion of the housing body and a bottom opening with second diameter greater than the first diameter and corresponding to a diameter of the bottom portion of the housing body.

18. The mobile robot of claim 17, wherein the fabric panel includes a first set of holes located around the top opening and a second set of holes located around the bottom opening, wherein the housing body includes a first set of pins and a second set of pins, and wherein, when the fabric panel is coupled around the exterior of the housing body, each of the first set of pins is inserted into a reciprocal hole of the first set of holes and each of the second set of pins is inserted into a reciprocal hole of the second set of holes.

19. The mobile robot of claim 16, wherein the housing body includes an interface, wherein the fabric panel includes a side opening, and wherein the side opening aligns with the interface when the fabric panel is coupled around the exterior of the housing body such that the interface protrudes through the side opening.

20. The mobile robot of claim 16, wherein the set of sensors includes one or more of:

a microphone configured to record audio signals that propagate through the fabric panel, an infrared detector configured to record infrared signals that propagate through the fabric panel, and an RFID reader configured to read RFID sensors that propagate through the fabric panel.

21. The mobile robot of claim 16, wherein the mobile robot further includes a set of reciprocal grooves, and wherein the set of elastic bands securely enclose the fabric panel to the mobile robot by tightening around the set of reciprocal grooves.

22. The mobile robot of claim 16, wherein the fabric panel includes a top opening and a bottom opening.

23. The mobile robot of claim 22, wherein the fabric panel is removably coupled around the exterior of the housing body by inserting a top of the mobile robot into the bottom opening of the fabric panel.