Airport robot and operation method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11110600-B2
Application number	US-201716339233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2017
Priority date	Oct 10, 2016
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A robot may include an application processor (AP) configured to set a movement path through which driving is to be performed for a preset time, a display unit configured to display guidance information representing a movement path, and a driving driver configured to drive along the movement path, thereby guiding passengers to a destination, such as an airplane boarding position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An airport robot comprising:
a processor configured to set a movement path through which driving is to be performed for a prescribed time by the airport robot, based on airplane flight information;
a motor configured to provide a force to drive the airport robot along the movement path; and
a display configured to present guidance information,
wherein the guidance information includes at least a portion of the airplane flight information corresponding to the movement path along which the airport robot drives and a movement path map presenting information associated with the movement path, and
wherein the processor is configured to set the movement path so that the airport robot shuttles between a check-in counter and a boarding gate for a prescribed length of time with respect to a departure estimation time.

2. The airport robot of claim 1 , wherein the processor further receives change information identifying a change to the airplane flight information, and re-sets the movement path based on the received change information.

3. The airport robot of claim 2 , wherein the re-set movement path includes a portion of the movement path set before receiving the change information and a path through which the airport robot drives at positions requiring guidance based on the change information.

4. The airport robot of claim 3 , wherein the display is further configured to present an updated movement path map that includes the portion of the movement path set before receiving the change information, the path through which the airport robot drives at the positions requiring guidance based on the change information, and a current position associated with the airport robot.

5. The airport robot of claim 1 , wherein the airplane flight information includes one or more of an airline name, a flight identifier, the departure estimation time, the boarding gate, or a destination associated with a flight.

6. A system comprising:
a computer configured to store airplane flight information, set a movement path for an airport robot based on the airplane flight information, and transmit the set movement path to the airport robot; and
the airport robot configured to receive the movement path from the computer and drive based on the movement path,
wherein the computer further sets the movement path so that the airport robot drives at positions associated with boarding of an airplane for a prescribed time with respect to a departure estimation time included in the airplane flight information, and
wherein the computer is configured to set the movement path so that the airport robot shuttles between a check-in counter and a boarding gate for a prescribed length of time with respect to the departure estimation time.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the computer estimates a length of time for which the airport robot drives through the movement path, based on an estimated number of passengers identified in the airplane flight information.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein, when the estimated number of passengers is equal to or greater than a prescribed reference number, the computer estimates the length of time, for which the airport robot drives through the movement path, to be the prescribed time or more, and when the estimated number of passengers is less than the prescribed reference number, the computer estimates the time, for which the airport robot drives through the movement path, to be less than the prescribed time.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the computer further determines a first time when the number of airplanes estimated to depart is equal to or greater than a prescribed reference number and a second time when the number of airplanes estimated to depart is less than the prescribed reference number, and sets a time for which the airport robot drives through the movement path, based on the departure estimation time included in the airplane flight information and the number of airplanes estimated to depart.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein, when the departure estimation time is within the first time, the computer sets the time, for which the airport robot drives through the movement path, to be the prescribed time or more, and when the departure estimation time is within the second time, the computer sets the time, for which the airport robot drives through the movement path, to be less than the prescribed time.

11. An operating method for an airport robot exchanging data with a computer, the operating method comprising:
receiving a movement path from the computer;
driving along the movement path; and
displaying guidance information while the airport robot is driving through the movement path,
wherein the guidance information includes at least a portion of airplane flight information corresponding to the movement path along which the airport robot drives and a movement path map providing information associated with the movement path, and
wherein the movement path is set so that the airport robot shuttles between a check-in counter and a boarding gate for a prescribed length of time with respect to a departure estimation time.

12. The operating method of claim 11 , comprising:
acquiring information about an adjacent place while driving through the movement path, the adjacent place being adjacent to a portion of the movement path;
transmitting the acquired information about the adjacent place to the computer;
receiving a re-set movement path from the computer, the computer identifying the re-set movement path based on the information about the adjacent place; and
driving along the re-set movement path and not the movement path,
wherein the information about the adjacent place includes at least one of congestion information or in-airport movement prohibition area information about the adjacent place.

13. The operating method of claim 12 , wherein acquiring the information about the adjacent place includes:
sensing voices of persons through a microphone included in the airport robot; and
acquiring the congestion information based on sensing the voices.

14. The operating method of claim 12 , wherein acquiring the information about the adjacent place includes:
sensing persons located in areas at an airport through a sensor included in the airport robot; and
acquiring the congestion information based on sensing the persons located at the areas of the airport.

15. The operating method of claim 12 , further comprising outputting guidance information representing the re-set movement path.

16. An operating method for a computer exchanging data with an airport robot, the operating method comprising:
storing airplane flight information;
setting a movement path in an airport robots robot based on the airplane flight information; and
transmitting the set movement path to the airport robot,
wherein setting the movement path includes setting the movement path so that the airport robot shuttles between a check-in counter and a boarding gate for a prescribed length of time with respect to a departure estimation time.

17. The operating method of claim 16 , further comprising:
receiving position information about an in-airport movement prohibition area;
re-setting the movement path for the airport robot, based on the position information about the in-airport movement prohibition area; and
transmitting the re-set movement path to the airport robot.

18. The operating method of claim 16 , wherein:
the airplane flight information includes information identifying one or more of an airline name, a flight identifier, the depart

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yang Sunho

Classifications

• G05D2107/85

  Airports · CPC title

• G05D1/43

  Control of position or course in two dimensions [2D] · CPC title

• G05D1/246

  using environment maps, e.g. simultaneous localisation and mapping [SLAM] · CPC title

• G08G5/51

  for control when on the ground, e.g. taxiing or rolling · CPC title

• G06Q90/20

  Destination assistance within a business structure or complex · CPC title