SYSTEM, METHOD, COMPUTER PROGRAM AND DATA SIGNAL FOR THE REGISTRATION, MONITORING AND CONTROL OF MACHINES AND DEVICES

• US 20150336270A1
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C2 Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: C2 Systems Limited
• Inventors: STORR, James Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,272,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1674 characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36542 Cryptography, encrypt, access, authorize with key, code, password
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40214 Command rejection module
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/49 Protective device

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for controlling a robotic device, comprising the steps of, receiving at a computing device at least one command arranged to effect an operation on the robotic device, reviewing the command to determine whether the command is suitable for execution, wherein the command is provided to the device only if the command is suitable for execution.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A system comprising a computing device in communication with and remote to a robotic device, the computing device arranged to receive:

a command from a command module remote to the computing device, the command containing at least one instruction which is arranged to, when executed by the robotic device, effect an operation on the robotic device, and

identification information identifying at least one characteristic of the robotic device, user or the environment in which the robotic device operates,

wherein the computing device includes a processor and a database, the processor being arranged to receive the command and the identification information and review the command and the identification information against information in the database to determine whether the command is suitable for execution by the robotic device, wherein the command is provided to the robotic device only if the command is suitable for execution.

30. The system in accordance with claim 29, wherein the processor determines whether the command is associated with an authorisation code.

31. The system in accordance with claim 30, wherein the authorisation code may be received independently of the command.

32. The system in accordance with claim 29, wherein the processor determines whether the command is one of a predetermined set of suitable commands by assessing a set of predetermined suitable commands stored in the database.

33. The system in accordance with claim 30, wherein the predetermined set of suitable commands is determined according to the authorisation code.

34. The system in accordance with claim 29, wherein the authorisation code is derived from the identification information.

35. The system in accordance with claim 30, wherein at least one of the command, the authorisation code and the identification information is encrypted.

36. The system in accordance with claim 35, comprising the further step of decrypting the at least one of the command, the authorisation code and the identification information prior to reviewing the command to determine whether the command is suitable for execution.

37. The system in accordance with claim 29, wherein at least one of the command, the authorisation code and the identification information includes a checksum, wherein the checksum is utilised to determine the correctness of the command, the authorisation code and/or the identification information.

38. The system in accordance with claim 29, wherein the robotic device is a vehicle capable of movement in a public space.

39. A method for controlling a robotic device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a computing device, remote to the robotic device and a command module, at least one command from the command module, the command containing at least one instruction which is arranged to, when executed by the robotic device, effect an operation on the robotic device,

receiving at the computing device identification information identifying at least one characteristic of the robotic device, user or the environment in which the robotic device operates, and

reviewing the command and the identification information via a processor of the computing device against information in a database to determine whether the command is suitable for execution by the robotic device, wherein the command is provided to the robotic device only if the command is suitable for execution.

40. The method in accordance with claim 39, wherein the step of reviewing the command includes the step of determining whether the command is associated with at least one authorisation code.

41. The method in accordance with claim 40, wherein the at least one authorisation code is received independently of the at least one command.

42. The method in accordance with claim 39, wherein the step of reviewing the command includes the further step of determining whether the command is one of a predetermined set of commands.

43. The method in accordance with claim 39, wherein identification information comprises at least one identification code arranged to identify the user or the robotic device.

44. The method in accordance with claim 39, wherein the identification information is received with the command.

45. The method in accordance with claim 39, wherein at least one of the command, the authorisation code and the identification information is encrypted.

46. The method in accordance with claim 45, comprising the further step of decrypting the at least one of the command, the authorisation code and the identification information prior to reviewing the command to determine whether the command is suitable for execution.

47. The method in accordance with claim 39, wherein at least one of the command, the authorisation code and the identification information includes a checksum, wherein the checksum is utilised to determine the correctness of the at least one command, the authorisation code or the identification code.

48. The computer readable medium storing a computer program, which, when executed on a computing system, is arranged to perform the method steps of claim 39.