Search robot system

• US 20040140404A1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hara, Keita, Hamamoto, Masaki, Ohta, Yoshiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,084 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/190
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 33/00 Ornithopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/40 Ornithopters

Abstract

A search robot system first divides the entire area of disaster into a mesh cell of an appropriate size, and arranges a search robot for each mesh cell. A search is made for a route of travel from an outermost mesh cell to a casualty and to an adjacent mesh cell. The search robot immediately communicates with a mother robot when a casualty is found. The search robot also communicates with the mother robot when a route to an adjacent mesh cell is found. In the search robot system, a new search robot is arranged to search in an adjacent mesh cell. Accordingly, a rescue activity that is a matter of time can be carried out by a plurality of robots.

Claims

1. A search robot system comprising:

at least one search robot,

a division unit dividing a search region into at least one mesh cell, and

an arrange unit arranging said search robot in said mesh cell.

2. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein a search is initiated from an outermost mesh cell in contact with a boundary between said search region and outside said search region.

3. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein said arrange unit arranges another search robot differing from said arranged search robot for a search in an inner mesh cell among said mesh cell not in contact with the boundary of said search region.

4. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein said arranged search robot moves to a mesh cell adjacent to said mesh cell to continue a search.

5. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein said arrange unit arranges another search robot differing from said arranged search robot for a search in a mesh cell adjacent to said mesh cell.

6. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein a search is conducted along a surface of an obstacle.

7. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein said search robot includes a detection unit detecting at least one of an obstacle and a surface of said obstacle using at least one of a sonar and an infrared ray.

8. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein said search robot further includes a mapping unit to conduct mapping based on search information.

9. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein said search robot further includes a first position information detection unit detecting position information by at least one of an acceleration sensor and an angular acceleration sensor.

10. The search robot according to claim 1, wherein said search robot further includes a second position information detection unit detecting position information through a GPS.

11. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein said search robot further includes a search region detection unit detecting whether an obstacle has a cavity in which a search is to be conducted based on sonar information obtained from the surface of said obstacle.

12. The search robot system according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit providing route information, when an object of search is sensed, up to a site of said object.

13. The search robot system according to claim 1, further comprising a guide unit guiding, when an object of search is sensed, up to a site of said object.

14. The search robot according to claim 1, wherein said search robot further includes a flight unit.

15. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein said search robot further includes a first sense unit sensing a vital sign.

16. The search robot system according to claim 15, wherein said search robot further includes a determination unit determining whether a sensed object is a human being or another animal based on the vital sign sensed by said first sense unit.

17. The search robot system according to claim 15, wherein said search robot further includes a transmission unit transmitting to an external source, when a human being or another animal alive is sensed by said first sense unit, information thereof.

18. The search robot system according to claim 15, wherein said search robot further includes a notification unit notifying, when a human being alive is sensed by said first sense unit, a presence of a search robot.

19. The search robot system according to claim 15, wherein said search robot further includes a conversation unit establishing, when a human being alive is sensed by said first sense unit, conversation between said sensed human being alive and a searcher.

20. The search robot system according to claim 1, wherein said search robot further includes a second sense unit sensing body heat.

21. The search robot system according to claim 20, wherein said search robot further includes a determination unit determining whether a sensed object is of a human being or another animal based on the body heat sensed by said second sense unit.

22. The search robot system according to claim 20, wherein said search robot further includes a transmission unit transmitting to an external source, when a human being or another animal alive is sensed by said second sense unit, information of the sensed object.

23. The search robot system according to claim 20, wherein said search robot further includes a notification unit notifying, when a human being alive is sensed by said second sense unit, a presence of a search robot.

24. The search robot system according to claim 20, wherein said search robot further includes a conversation unit establishing conversation, when a human being alive is sensed by said second sense unit, conversation between said sensed human being alive and a searcher.

25. A search robot system comprising:

at least one mother robot arranged outside an obstacle, and

a search robot conducting a search of at least one of a neighborhood of said obstacle and inside said obstacle,

wherein each of said mother robot and said search robot includes a communication unit for communication with each other.

26. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein said communication unit of said mother robot conveys a range of search to said search robot.

27. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein said mother robot further includes a position detection unit detecting a position of said search robot based on a signal received from said search robot, and

wherein said communication unit of said mother robot conveys said detected position to said search robot.

28. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein said mother robot further includes a mapping unit to conduct mapping based on information received from said search robot,

said communication unit of said mother robot conveying to said search robot a next target to be searched based on said mapping.

29. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein said mother robot further includes a position change detection unit detecting a change in position of an obstacle,

said communication unit of said mother robot conveying said detected change in position of said obstacle to said search robot.

30. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein said mother robot further includes an arrange unit arranging another search robot differing from said search robot when said search robot can no longer conduct a search.

31. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein at least one of said mother robot and search robot further includes a communication relay unit relaying communication with another mother robot differing from said mother robot and another search robot differing from said search robot.

32. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein at least one of said mother robot and search robot further includes a charge unit charging another search robot differing from said search robot.

33. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein at least one of said mother robot and said search robot further includes a power supply relay unit relaying supply of power to another search robot differing from said search robot.

34. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein said mother robot further includes a flight unit.

35. The search robot system according to claim 25, further comprising an output unit providing route information, when an object of search if sensed, up to a site of said sensed object.

36. The search robot system according to claim 25, further comprising a guide unit guiding, when an object of search is sensed, up to a site of said sensed object.

37. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein said search robot further includes a flight unit.

38. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein said search robot further includes a first sense unit sensing a vital sign.

39. The search robot system according to claim 38, wherein said search robot further includes a determination unit determining whether a sensed object is a human being or another object, based on the vital sign sensed by said first sense unit.

40. The search robot system according to claim 38, wherein said search robot further includes a transmission unit transmitting to an external source, when a human being or another animal alive is sensed by said first sense unit, information of the sensed object.

41. The search robot system according to claim 38, wherein said search robot further includes a notification unit notifying, when a human being alive is sensed by said first sense unit, a presence of a search robot.

42. The search robot system according to claim 38, wherein said search robot further includes a conversation unit establishing conversation, when a human being alive is sensed by said first sense unit, between said sensed human being alive and a searcher.

43. The search robot system according to claim 25, wherein said search robot further includes a second sense unit sensing body heat.

44. The search robot system according to claim 43, wherein said search robot further includes a determination unit determining whether a sensed object is a human being or another object based on the body heat sensed by said second sense unit.

45. The search robot system according to claim 43, wherein said search robot further includes a transmission unit transmitting, when a human being or another animal alive is sensed by said second sense unit, information of said sensed object to an external source.

46. The search robot system according to claim 43, wherein said search robot further includes a notification unit notifying, when a human being alive is sensed by said second sense unit, a presence of a search robot.

47. The search robot system according to claim 43, wherein said search robot further includes a conversation unit establishing conversation, when a human being alive is sensed by said second sense unit, between said sensed human being alive and a searcher.