Nesting negotiation for self-mobile devices

• US 7,856,290 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumhyr, David Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Kiswanto; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/850,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 700/248
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/005 using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• 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 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Disparate robotic devices can be automatically recharged and reprogrammed by self-scheduling individual time slots for the available recharging area(s) of a charging station. These charging stations provide a nest to which each robot must return periodically for power. These nests can also provide new tasking or patches for the robotic devices. The charging station and the robotic devices are both provided with communications capabilities and a protocol by which they can negotiate to find a time slot in which the device can be recharged, as well as determining a correct connector and a battery type.

Claims

1. A recharging system, comprising:

a nesting station having a first connector for a self-mobile device, said first connector being contained by the nesting station and configured in such a manner that self-mobile devices can self-position into a charging position for charging;

a plurality of self-mobile devices, each of said plurality of self-mobile devices having a capability to self-propel into the charging position with said first connector of the nesting station;

a first communications device associated with said nesting station and a plurality of second communication devices associated with respective ones of said plurality of self-mobile devices, whereby said nesting station has two-way communications capability with said plurality of self-mobile devices;

a first protocol for negotiating and utilizing respective charging times for said plurality of self-mobile devices, said protocol being negotiated by said nesting station and each of said plurality of self-mobile devices, whereby human intervention is not necessary for charging of said plurality of self-mobile devices wherein said protocol comprises;

establishing a communications link between said nesting station and one of said plurality of self-mobile devices that needs charging;

providing an indication of whether the charge of a battery of said one of said plurality of self-mobile devices has dropped below a given level;

if said the charge of said battery has dropped below a given level, assigning said one of said plurality of self-mobile devices a time at to report to said nesting station for charging, wherein said assigning is performed by said nesting station.

2. The recharging system of claim 1, further comprising a second protocol for automatically providing, by the nesting station, new executable instructions or executable updates to basic executable programming to ones of said plurality of self-mobile devices.

3. The recharging system of claim 2, wherein said second protocol is invoked during said respective charging times for said plurality of self-mobile devices.

4. The recharging system of claim 1, wherein said first connector of the nesting station comprises a first flat plate connected to form a negative contact and a second flat plate connected to form a positive contact, and wherein said nesting station determines a type of battery to be charged in a given one of said plurality of self-mobile devices, and shifts its charging circuit output characteristics to match the type of battery.

5. The recharging system of claim 4, wherein said first and second flat plates are mounted horizontally and a self-mobile device positions over said first and said second plates for charging.

6. The recharging system of claim 5, wherein said first and second flat plates are mounted vertically and a self-mobile device positions over said first and said second plates for charging.

7. The recharging system of claim 1, further comprising a second connector contained by the nesting station and configured in such a manner that the plurality of self-mobile devices can self-position into another position for charging.

8. The recharging system of claim 7, wherein said first connector and said second connector of the nesting station are identical.

9. The recharging system of claim 7, wherein said protocol further comprises identifying a type of connector for a given one of the plurality of self-mobile devices, and wherein said first connector and said second connector of the nesting station are not identical and work with different types of self-mobile devices having different types of connectors.

10. The recharging system of claim 1, wherein the nesting station further comprises a processor connected to said first connector and said first communications device, said processor connected to negotiate with the plurality of self-mobile devices according to the first protocol in order to administer time slots for charging the plurality of self-mobile devices.

11. The recharging system of claim 10, further comprising a second protocol for automatically providing, by the nesting station, new executable instructions or executable updates to basic executable programming to ones of the plurality of self-mobile devices.

14. The recharging system of claim 11, wherein the new executable instructions or executable updates are provided by the charging station to a given one of the plurality of self-mobile devices while the given one is recharging at the charging station.

15. The recharging system of claim 1, wherein said protocol further comprises identifying a type of connector used by a given one of the plurality of self-mobile devices.

12. A rechargeable robotic device, comprising:

a body;

a processor attached to said body;

a propulsion device attached to said body to providing self-propulsion;

a communications device attached to said body and connected to said processor to provide two-way communications with a charging station;

a battery connected to said processor, said propulsion device, and said communications device;

a connector for charging said battery, said connector being configured in such a manner that said robotic device can self-position for charging;

wherein said processor is connected to negotiate with a charging station, using a given protocol, to schedule a time slot for charging of said battery wherein said protocol comprises;

determining that the charge of said battery has dropped below a given level;

establishing a communications link with said charging station;

requesting a time slot for charging;

receiving a suggested time slot for charging;

verifying that said suggested time slot is acceptable and storing said suggested time slot in memory; and

reporting for charging at said time slot.

13. The rechargeable robotic device of claim 12, wherein said protocol further comprises identifying a type of connector for a given one of the plurality of self-mobile devices such that the charging station is operable with different types of self-mobile devices having different types of connectors.