Monitoring, diagnostic and tracking tool for autonomous mobile robots

• US 9,223,313 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Engineering Aethon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aethon
• Inventors: Wolfe, David G., Lucas, George F., Swaney, Mark, Allen, Spencer W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US14/516,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0287 involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system and method are provided for managing and prioritizing for action fleets of mobile robots deployed at various locations. The system/method includes a plurality of homebase servers, each corresponding to a different location, with each of the homebase servers receiving operational parameter data (representing operational and navigational issues experienced by the mobile robot) from a plurality of mobile robots operating at the particular location where the homebase server is deployed. A central server receives the operational parameter data from the plurality of homebase servers. The central server included a data analysis module for processing the operational parameter data and prioritizing the mobile robots operating at the various locations for action by support staff. A list is generated ranking the mobile robots in order of importance for action by support staff.

Claims

1. A system for managing and prioritizing for action fleets of autonomous mobile vehicles deployed at various locations, the system comprising:

a plurality of homebase servers, each corresponding to a different location, wherein each of the homebase servers receives operational parameter data from a plurality of autonomous mobile vehicles operating at a particular location; and

a central server receiving the operational parameter data from the plurality of homebase servers, the central server including a data analysis module processing the operational parameter data and prioritizing the autonomous mobile vehicles operating at the various locations based on the operational parameter data of each autonomous mobile vehicle using a set of business rules;

wherein the operational parameter data comprises information regarding operational and/or navigational issues experienced by the autonomous mobile vehicle; and

wherein each of the autonomous mobile vehicles are prioritized relative to each of the other autonomous mobile vehicles at the various locations based on a severity of operational and/or navigational issues experienced by each of the autonomous mobile vehicles;

wherein the data analysis module provides a prioritized list that ranks the autonomous mobile vehicles in order of severity based on the operational parameter data to a display associated with the data analysis module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding navigational issues comprises information regarding autonomous mobile vehicle idle time caused by elevator delays, blocked pathways, and/or failed facility equipment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the central server receives operational status information of an elevator cabin.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the operational status information of the elevator cabin comprises at least one of a cabin position, a cabin status, a door position, and a door status.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis module generates the list prioritizing the autonomous mobile vehicles based on the operational parameter data and ranking them in order of importance for action by support staff.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the list generated by the data analysis module is accessible using a web-based application, and wherein the list includes links to other information about the autonomous mobile vehicle and the location at which the autonomous mobile vehicles is operating.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the list generated by the data analysis module includes operational information about the autonomous mobile vehicle, wherein the operational information comprises at least one of idle time of the autonomous mobile vehicle, status of the autonomous mobile vehicle, itinerary of the autonomous mobile vehicle, communication status of the autonomous mobile vehicle, whether an alert has been issued, a task of the autonomous mobile vehicle, where the autonomous mobile vehicle is at in its task, a cause of delay of the autonomous mobile vehicle, and/or a cause of idle time of the autonomous mobile vehicle, and wherein the operational information is coded to identify potential critical issues.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein data relative to the autonomous mobile vehicles appearing in the list generated by the data analysis module may be hidden for a predefined period of time, after which the data relative to the autonomous mobile vehicles will reappear on the list.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis module stores information related to the operational and/or navigational issues experienced by the autonomous mobile vehicles in a database.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the data analysis module uses the stored information related to the operational and/or navigational issues experienced by the autonomous mobile vehicles to generate maps and charts illustrating the frequency of problems an autonomous mobile vehicle or location is experiencing.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the data analysis module ranks a first autonomous mobile vehicle at a first position in the prioritized list and the data analysis module ranks a second autonomous mobile vehicle at a second position in the prioritized list, wherein the first position is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the second position, the data analysis module modifies a ranking of the second autonomous mobile vehicle such that the second autonomous mobile vehicle is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the first autonomous mobile vehicle.

12. A method of managing and prioritizing for action fleets of autonomous mobile vehicles deployed at various locations, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a homebase server deployed at a particular location, operational parameter data from a plurality of autonomous mobile vehicles operating at the particular location;

receiving, at a central server, the operational parameter data for the autonomous mobile vehicles from a plurality of homebase servers, each homebase server deployed at a different location;

analyzing, by a data analysis module at the central server, the operational parameter data for the autonomous mobile vehicles;

processing, by the data analysis module, the operational parameter data for the autonomous mobile vehicles using a set of business rules; and

prioritizing, by the data analysis module at the central server, the autonomous mobile vehicles operating at the various locations based on the operational parameter data and the set of business rules,

wherein the operational parameter data comprises information regarding the operational and/or navigational issues experienced by each of the autonomous mobile vehicles, and

wherein the data analysis module prioritizing the autonomous mobile vehicles operating at the various locations comprises prioritizing each of the autonomous mobile vehicles relative to each of the other autonomous mobile vehicles at the various locations based on a severity of the operational and/or navigational issues experienced by each of the autonomous mobile vehicles.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of displaying, by a display associated with the data analysis module, a prioritized list, wherein the prioritized list ranking the autonomous mobile vehicles in order of severity for action by support staff.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the prioritized list is accessible using a web-based application, and wherein the prioritized list includes links to other information about the autonomous mobile vehicle and the location at which the autonomous mobile vehicle is operating.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the prioritized list includes operational information about the autonomous mobile vehicle, and wherein the operational information is coded to identify potential critical issues.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein data relative to the autonomous mobile vehicles appearing in the prioritized list may be hidden for a predefined period of time, after which the data relative to the autonomous mobile vehicles will reappear on the prioritized list.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of storing, by the data analysis module, information related to the operational and/or navigational issues experienced by the autonomous mobile vehicles in a database.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of analyzing the stored information related to the operational and/or navigational issues experienced by the autonomous mobile vehicles, and generating maps and/or charts illustrating the frequency of problems an autonomous mobile vehicle or location is experiencing.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the information regarding navigational issues comprises information regarding idle time caused by elevator delays, blocked pathways, and/or failed facility equipment.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of business rules comprises information regarding at least one of autonomous mobile vehicle navigation pathways, autonomous mobile vehicle pathway properties, autonomous mobile vehicle pathway sensor settings, autonomous mobile vehicle sounds messages, autonomous mobile vehicle destination wait times, autonomous mobile vehicle locking point wait times, autonomous mobile vehicle lock point locations, autonomous mobile vehicle staging area locations, autonomous mobile vehicle elevator interactions, autonomous mobile vehicle minimum charging times, and scheduled autonomous mobile vehicle runs.

21. The method claim 12, further comprising receiving, at the central server, operational status information of an elevator cabin.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the data analysis module prioritizing the autonomous mobile vehicles operating at the various locations comprises the data analysis module ranking a first autonomous mobile vehicle at a first position in a prioritized list and the data analysis module ranking a second autonomous mobile vehicle at a second position in the prioritized list, wherein the first position is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the second position, the method further comprising the data analysis module modifying a ranking of the second autonomous mobile vehicle such that the second autonomous mobile vehicle is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the first autonomous mobile vehicle.

23. A system for managing and prioritizing for action fleets of autonomous mobile vehicles deployed at various locations, the system comprising:

a central server receiving operational parameter data from a plurality of autonomous mobile vehicles operating at least at one location, the operational parameter data representing operational and/or navigational issues experienced by the autonomous mobile vehicle, wherein the central server includes a data analysis module processing the operational parameter data and prioritizing the autonomous mobile vehicles based on the operational parameter data; and

wherein the operational parameter data comprises information regarding operational and/or navigational issues experienced by the autonomous mobile vehicle; and

wherein each of the autonomous mobile vehicles are prioritized relative to each of the other autonomous mobile vehicles at the various locations based on a severity of the operational and/or navigational issues experienced by each of the autonomous mobile vehicles; and

wherein the data analysis module processes the operational data and prioritizes the autonomous mobile vehicles using a set of business rules.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the data analysis module generates a list prioritizing the autonomous mobile vehicles based on the operational parameter data and ranking them in order of severity for action by support staff.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the list generated by the data analysis module is accessible using a web-based application, and wherein the list includes links to other information about the autonomous mobile vehicle and the location at which the autonomous mobile vehicle is operating.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the data analysis module ranks a first autonomous mobile vehicle at a first position in a prioritized list and the data analysis module ranks a second autonomous mobile vehicle at a second position in the prioritized list, wherein the first position is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the second position, and wherein the data analysis module modifies a ranking of the second autonomous mobile vehicle such that the second autonomous mobile vehicle is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the first autonomous mobile vehicle.

27. A method of managing and prioritizing for action fleets of autonomous mobile vehicles deployed at least at one location, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a central server, operational parameter data from a plurality of autonomous mobile vehicles operating at least at one location, the operational parameter data representing operational and/or navigational issues experienced by the autonomous mobile vehicle;

analyzing, by a data analysis module at the central server, the operational parameter data for the autonomous mobile vehicles;

processing, by the data analysis module, the operational parameter data for the autonomous mobile vehicles using a set of business rules; and

prioritizing, by the data analysis module at the central server, the autonomous mobile vehicles based on the operational parameter data and the set of business rules; and

wherein the operational parameter data comprises information regarding operational and/or navigational issues experienced by the autonomous mobile vehicle; and

wherein the data analysis module prioritizing the autonomous mobile vehicles operating at the at least one location comprises prioritizing each of the autonomous mobile vehicles relative to each of the other autonomous mobile vehicles at the at least one location based on a severity of the operational and/or navigational issues experienced by each of the autonomous mobile vehicles.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of displaying, by a display associated with the data analysis module, a prioritized list, the prioritized list ranking the autonomous mobile vehicles in order of severity based on the operational parameter data for action by support staff.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the prioritized list is accessible using a web-based application, and wherein the prioritized list includes links to other information about the autonomous mobile vehicle and the location at which the autonomous mobile vehicle is operating.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the data analysis module prioritizing the autonomous mobile vehicles operating at the various locations comprises the data analysis module ranking a first autonomous mobile vehicle at a first position in a prioritized list and the data analysis module ranking a second autonomous mobile vehicle at a second position in the prioritized list, wherein the first position is at a higher ranking in a prioritized list than the second position, the method further comprising the data analysis module modifying a ranking of the second autonomous mobile vehicle such that the second autonomous mobile vehicle is at a higher ranking in the prioritized list than the first autonomous mobile vehicle.