Methods for repurposing temporal-spatial information collected by service robots

• US 8,433,442 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Original Assignee: Seegrid Corporation
• Inventors: Friedman, Scott Justin-Marl, Moravec, Hans Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US12/361,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/259, 901/1, 901/47, 901/50
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

Robots and methods implemented therein implement an active repurposing of temporal-spatial information. A robot can be configured to analyze the information to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the primary service function that generated the information originally. A robot can be configured to use the information to create a three dimensional (3D) model of the facility, which can be used for a number of functions such as creating virtual tours of the environment, or porting the environment into video games. A robot can be configured to use the information to recognize and classify objects in the facility so that the ensuing catalog can be used to locate selected objects later, or to provide a global catalog of all items, such as is needed for insurance documentation of facility effects.

Claims

1. A method of servicing a facility, the method comprising:

an autonomous first robot self-navigating through an environment while performing a first service function, wherein the first service function is a cleaning or an environmental control function;

the first robot sensing and storing temporal-spatial information while performing the first service function;

the first robot communicating the temporal-spatial information to an autonomous second robot or to control system; and

repurposing the temporal-spatial information by the second robot or the control system using at least some of the temporal-spatial information for a second service function, which is different from the first service function.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the temporal-spatial information via a wireless network to the control system.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the second robot accessing the temporal-spatial information from the control system via the wireless network.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising at least one other autonomous control system accessing the temporal-spatial information from the control system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first robot directly communicating the temporal-spatial information via a wireless network to the second robot.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary service comprises at least one of cleaning or climate control.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the service robot analyzing the temporal-spatial information to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the first service function.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a three dimensional (3D) model of the environment using the temporal-spatial information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising creating virtual tours from the 3D model.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising porting the 3D model of the environment to a second system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising recognizing and classifying objects in the environment using the temporal-spatial information.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a catalog of objects and using the catalog to subsequently locate selected objects in the environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the the first robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.

14. A service robot system, comprising:

a first robot comprising;

a platform supporting a first servicing subsystem;

a navigation controller coupled to a drive mechanism and configured to autonomously self-navigate the platform through an environment;

one or more sensors configured to collect temporal-spatial information while performing a first service function, wherein the first service function is a cleaning function;

a storage media on which the temporal-spatial information is stored;

a communication module configured to communicate the temporal-spatial information to an autonomous second robot or to control system; and

wherein the second robot or control system is configured to repurpose at least some of the stored temporal-spatial information for a second service function, which his different from the first service function.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the communication module is further configured to communicate the temporal-spatial information via a wireless network to the control system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second robot is configured to access the temporal-spatial information from the control system via the wireless network.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the communication module is configured to directly communicate the temporal-spatial information via a wireless network to the second robot.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the secondary service comprises at least one of cleaning or climate control.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the first robot is further configured to analyze the temporal-spatial information to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the first service function.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the first robot is further configured to create a three dimensional (3D) model of the environment using the temporal-spatial information.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the first robot is further configured to recognize and classify objects in the environment using the temporal-spatial information.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first robot is further configured to generate a catalog of objects and to use the catalog to subsequently locate selected objects in the environment.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the first robot is a robotic vacuum cleaner.

24. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least one other autonomous control system configured to access the temporal-spatial information from the control system.