System and method for preventing depletion of a robotic energy source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11675364-B2
Application number	US-202016932573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2020
Priority date	Mar 3, 2018
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A system to prevent depletion of a robotic energy source includes: a mobile robot; a server operably connected to the robot via a communication system, the server configured to manage the robot; a robotic energy source configured to provide energy to the robot; a controller operably connected to the robot, the controller operably connected to the server, the controller configured to control the robot, the controller further configured to monitor an energy level of the robot; and a charging station configured to operably connect to the energy source, the charging station further configured to replenish the energy source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system to prevent depletion of a robotic energy source, comprising:
a mobile robot;
a server operably connected to the robot via a communication system, the server configured to manage the robot, the server further configured to monitor an energy level of the robot for a sign of low energy, wherein the low-energy sign comprises a critical disruption of the communication system for at least an allowed duration and the allowed duration of the critical disruption is determined based on a network connectivity environment of the mobile robot, the server further configured to send a robot that shows the low-energy sign a replenishment message ordering the robot to do one or more of reduce its activity and shut down;
a controller operably connected to the robot, the controller operably connected to the server, the controller configured to control the robot, the controller further configured to monitor a status of the communication system for the critical disruption, the controller located inside the robot;
a robotic energy source configured to provide energy to the robot; and
a charging station configured to operably connect to the energy source, the charging station further configured to replenish the energy source.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the replenishment message comprises an instruction ordering the robot to do one or more of reduce its activity, and shut down.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server is further configured to send the replenishment message to the controller.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server sends the replenishment message to the robot.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller sends the replenishment message to the robot.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the server is further configured, upon sending the replenishment message to the robot, to further instruct the robot to move itself to an assigned charging station.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the server is further configured, upon instructing the robot to move itself to the charging station, to further instruct the robot to replenish its energy at the charging station.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction to the robot to shut down preserves remaining robot energy.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction to the robot to shut down prevents the robot from becoming critically low on energy.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the critical disruption comprises one or more of a disconnection for at least an allowed connection downtime and a reduction of communication for at least the allowed connection downtime.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the server determines the critical disruption.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein a user pre-determines the critical disruption.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the server determines the allowed connection downtime.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein a user pre-determines the allowed connection downtime.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to monitor the energy level of the robot.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy source is located outside the robot.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the energy source is located inside the robot.

18. A method to prevent depletion of a robotic energy source, comprising:
monitoring, by a server operably connected to a mobile robot via a communication system, the server configured to manage the robot, an energy level of an energy source configured to provide energy to the robot;
finding, by the server, a critical energy level comprising an energy level at which replenishment of the energy source begins;
determining, by the server, a low-energy sign indicating that the robot has low energy, the low-energy sign comprising a critical disruption of the communication system for at least an allowed duration, wherein the allowed duration of the critical disruption is determined based on a network connectivity environment of the mobile robot;
allowing, by the server, monitoring, by a controller operably connected to the robot, the controller operably connected to the server, of a status of the communication system for the critical disruption, the controller configured to control the robot, the controller further configured to monitor an energy level of the robot, the controller located inside the robot; and
sending, by the server, based on the low energy sign, a replenishment message to the controller, the controller operably connected to the server, the replenishment message ordering the robot to do one or more of reduce its activity and shut down.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising an additional step, performed after the sending step, of instructing the robot to move itself to the charging station.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising an additional step, performed after the instructing step, of further instructing the robot to replenish its energy at the charging station.

21. A method to prevent depletion of a robotic energy source, comprising:
monitoring, by a controller operably connected to a mobile robot, the controller configured to control the robot, the controller located inside the robot, an energy level of an energy source configured to provide energy to the robot;
receiving, by the controller, a critical energy level comprising an energy level at which replenishment of the energy source begins;
receiving, by the controller, from a server operably connected to the controller, the server operably connected to the robot via a communication system, the server configured to manage the robot, a low-energy sign indicating that the robot has low energy, the low-energy sign comprising a critical disruption of the communication system for at least an allowed duration, wherein the allowed duration of the critical disruption is determined based on a network connectivity environment of the mobile robot; monitoring, by the controller, a status of the communication system for the critical disruption; deciding, by the controller, based on the low energy sign, to send a replenishment message ordering the robot to do one or more of reduce its activity and shut down; and
sending, by the controller, to the robot, the replenishment message.

22. The method of claim 21 , where the step of receiving the critical energy level comprises a sub-step of determining, by the controller, the critical energy level.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising an additional step, performed after the sending step, of instructing the robot, by the controller, to move itself to the charging station.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising an additional step, performed after the instructing step, of further instructing the robot, by the controller, to replenish its energy at the charging station.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the critical disruption comprises one or more of a disconnection for at least an allowed connection downtime and a diminishment of the communication system for at least the allowed disconnection time.

26. A method to prevent depletion of a robotic energy source, comprising:
monitoring, by a controller operably connected to a mobile robot, the controller configured to control the robot, the controller located inside the robot, an energy level of an energy source configured to provide energy to the robot;
determining, by the controller, a critical energy level comprising an

Assignees

• Fetch Robotics Inc
• Zebra Tech Corp

Inventors

• Ferguson Michael
• King Edward S

Classifications

• G05D1/0225 Primary

  involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay (parking aids B62D15/027) · CPC title

• B25J9/162

  Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it · CPC title

• G05D1/0282

  generated in a local control room · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title

• G05D1/0297

  by controlling means in a control room · CPC title