Synchronized robot orientation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11090806-B2
Application number	US-201816104493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2018
Priority date	Aug 17, 2018
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for synchronized robot orientation are described herein. A magnetometer, gyroscope, and accelerometer in a remotely controlled device are used to determine a current orientation of that device, and a command with a specified orientation or location are set to several such devices. The remotely controlled devices self-align based on the specified orientation/location, and when in position, receive swarm commands to perform actions as a group of devices in coordination with one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, from a remote control device at a given robotic device in a plurality of robotic devices, a swarm command, the swarm command including a specified orientation and a specified location, wherein the swarm command is received by each robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices and wherein the given robotic device is not designated as a master device in the plurality of robotic devices;
determining, by the given robotic device, a current orientation of the given robotic device in an environment, based at least in part on a magnetometer indicating an alignment deviation of the given robotic device from a magnetic field direction and an accelerometer and a gyroscope indicating an alignment of the given robotic device relative to gravity;
determining, by the given robotic device, a current location of the given robotic device relative to a reference point in the environment; and
in response to determining that at least one of the current orientation of the given robotic device does not match the specified orientation and the current location of the given robotic device does not match the specified location, adjusting a position of the given robotic device to affect at least one of the current orientation and the current location.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that the current orientation of the given robotic device matches the specified orientation and the current location of the given robotic device matches the specified location, and when each robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices is positioned according to the specified orientation and the specified location, performing a swarm action included in the swarm command.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the given robotic device transmits an in-position signal in response to determining that the current orientation of the given robotic device matches the specified orientation and the current location of the given robotic device matches the specified location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the given robotic device executes a swarm action in the swarm command in parallel with other robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a given starting location for the given robotic device in the environment for use as the reference point for the given robotic device, wherein a second robotic device in the plurality of robotic devices uses a second stating starting location for the second robotic device in the environment as a corresponding second reference point for performing the swarm command.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the given robotic device uses tracks, legs, or wheels for locomotion.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code for synchronizing robot orientation that when executed by a processor, enable the processor to:
receive, from a remote control device at a given robotic device in a plurality of robotic devices, a swarm command, the swarm command including a specified orientation and a specified location, wherein the swarm command is received by each robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices and wherein the given robotic device is not designated as a master device in the plurality of robotic devices;
determine, by the given robotic device, a current orientation of the given robotic device in an environment, based at least in part on a magnetometer indicating an alignment deviation of the given robotic device from a magnetic field line;
determine, by the given robotic device, a current location of the given robotic device relative to a reference point in the environment; and
in response to determining that at least one of the current orientation of the given robotic device does not match the specified orientation and the current location of the given robotic device does not match the specified location, adjust a position of the given robotic device to affect at least one of the current orientation and the current location.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , further comprising, in response to determining that the current orientation of the given robotic device matches the specified orientation and the current location of the given robotic device matches the specified location and when that each robotic device of the plurality of robotic devices is positioned according to the specified orientation and the specified location, perform a swarm action included in the swarm command.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the given robotic device transmits an in-position signal in response to determining that the current orientation of the given robotic device matches the specified orientation and the current location of the given robotic device matches the specified location.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the given robotic device executes a swarm action in the swarm command in parallel with other robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the reference point includes:
an inter-robotic device distance between the given robotic device and other robotic devices of the plurality of robotic devices; and
a shared point of organization.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the given robotic device executes a swarm action in the swarm command at a different time than another robotic device in the plurality of robotic devices as a choreographed swarm action.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the given robotic device further determines the current orientation of the given robotic device based on a gyroscope and an accelerometer indicating an alignment of the given robotic device relative to gravity.

14. A system, comprising:
a radio;
an accelerometer;
a gyroscope;
a magnetometer;
a motor;
a processor; and
a memory, including instructions that when executed by the processor, enable the system to:
receive, from a first remote control device via the radio, a swarm command, the swarm command including a specified orientation and a specified location for the system and other systems in a swarm, wherein the system is not designated as a master system for the swarm and each member of the swarm receives the swarm command from the first remote control device;
determine, by the system, a current orientation of the system in an environment, based at least in part on the magnetometer indicating an alignment deviation of the system from a magnetic field line;
determine, by the system, a current location of the system relative to a reference point in the environment; and
in response to determining that at least one of the current orientation of the system does not match the specified orientation and the current location of the system does not match the specified location, adjust a position of the system, via the motor, to affect at least one of the current orientation and the current location.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising, in response to determining that the current orientation of the system matches the specified orientation and the current location of the system matches the specified location and when each system of the swarm is positioned according to the specified orientation and the specified location, performing a swarm action included in the swarm command.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the system transmi

Assignees

• Disney Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Nocon Nathan D
• Goslin Michael P
• Wong Clifford
• Hsu Jonathan Rd
• Panec Timothy M

Classifications

• B25J11/0035 Primary

  Dancing, executing a choreography · CPC title

• B25J9/1664 Primary

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title

• B25J11/008

  Manipulators for service tasks · CPC title

• G05D1/0297

  by controlling means in a control room · CPC title

• G05B2219/39163

  Formation control, robots form a rigid formation, fixed relationship · CPC title