Device, system and method for storing, safeguarding and maintaining a mobile robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020324662-A1
Application number	US-202016860779-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 28, 2020
Priority date	Nov 3, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is a storage device configured to store, maintain and shelter a mobile robot. The storage device comprises a housing, a port, a battery station, a processing component and a communication component. Also disclosed is a system configured to store, maintain and shelter a mobile robot. The system comprises the storage device, a mobile robot and a server. Also disclosed is a method for at least one of storing and maintaining a mobile robot.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A storage device configured to store, maintain, and/or shelter a mobile robot, the storage device comprising:
a housing comprising an enclosed space configured to house at least one mobile robot; and a port located in the housing and configured to open to let the mobile robot enter or exit the enclosed space of the housing; and a battery station configured to swap a battery of the mobile robot; and a processing component; and a communication component.

2 . The storage device according to claim 1 wherein the port is configured to open and close vertically or horizontally in a plane of the port.

3 . The storage device according to claim 1 wherein the battery station is further configured to perform at least one of
charging the battery of the mobile robot, and/or
charging additional batteries.

4 . The storage device according to claim 1 wherein the communication component is configured to communicate with the mobile robot and wherein the processing component is configured to open the port upon the communication component receiving a request from the mobile robot.

5 . The storage device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one detection sensor located on the outside of the housing and configured to detect surroundings of the storage device.

6 . The storage device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one diagnostic sensor located on the inside of the housing and configured to inspect at least one of: (i) the mobile robot, and/or (ii) the inside of the storage device.

7 . The storage device according to claim 1 further comprising a communication terminal comprising at least one of: a display, a microphone, and/or a speaker configured for communication with third parties.

8 . The storage device according to claim 1 further comprising an identification component.

9 . The storage device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one calibration component configured to calibrate sensors of the mobile robot.

10 . A storage system configured to store, maintain, and/or shelter a mobile robot, the storage system comprising:
a storage device according to any claim 1 ; and a mobile robot comprising
a body comprising an item space; and
a battery; and
a robot processing component; and
a robot communication component; and
a server,
wherein the server is configured to communicate with the storage device and with the mobile robot.

11 . The storage system according to claim 10 , wherein the mobile robot is configured to request access to the storage device by using the robot communication component.

12 . The storage system according to claim 10 wherein the mobile robot is configured to perform at least one of
communicate with the server to request access to the storage device and the server is configured to communicate with the storage device to request the storage device to open the port; and
communicate with the storage device to request access and the storage device is configured to communicate with the server to authorize the request.

13 . The storage system according to claim 10 and wherein the storage device comprises an identification component wherein the mobile robot is configured to detect the identification component of the storage device.

14 . A method for at least one of storing and maintaining a mobile robot, the method comprising
providing a storage device according to claim 1 ; the mobile robot approaching the storage device; the mobile robot communicating a request to access the storage device; the storage device opening the port to allow the mobile robot entry and closing the port once the mobile robot is inside; the storage device performing at least one maintenance operation on the mobile robot; communicating a request to leave the storage device; the storage device opening the port to allow the mobile robot to exit and closing the port once the mobile robot is outside.

15 . The method according to claim 14 wherein performing a maintenance operation comprises at least one of:
swapping a battery of the mobile robot;
charging a battery of the mobile robot;
inspecting the mobile robot visually;
subjecting the mobile robot to a temperature change;
providing calibration for at least one of mobile robot's sensors; and/or
cleaning the mobile robot.

16 . The method according to claim 14 further comprising providing a system comprising:
the storage device; and
a communication component; and
a mobile robot comprising
a body comprising an item space; and
a battery; and
a robot processing component; and
a robot communication component; and

a server;

wherein the server is configured to communicate with the storage device and with the mobile robot.

17 . The method according to claim 16 wherein
the mobile robot communicates the request to access the storage device to the server; and
the server communicates the request to the storage device.

18 . The method according to claim 16 wherein
the mobile robot communicates the request to access the storage device to the storage device; and
the storage device communicates the request to the server; and
the server authorizes the request before the storage device opens the port.

19 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the storage device comprises an identification component, the method further comprising:
prior to the mobile robot communicating the request for access, the mobile robot identifying the storage device by detecting the identification component.

20 . The method according to claim 16 further comprising:
the storage device reporting to the server on a status of the mobile robot and the maintenance operation to be performed once the mobile robot is inside the storage device.

21 . The method according to claim 16 further comprising:
the storage device communicating to the server at least one of: (i) conditions inside of the enclosed space, and/or (ii) conditions of the surroundings of the storage device.

Assignees

• Starship Tech Oue

Inventors

• Väin Lauri
• Biene Tommy
• Tommepõld Ronald
• Raasuke Rene
• Valdek Viljar
• Herranen Henrik
• Mäkela Antti
• Seppänen Mikko
• Laas Vahur
• Lauri Kaspar

Classifications

• Y02T90/12

  Electric charging stations · CPC title

• B60L53/80 Primary

  Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• Y02T90/16

  Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles · CPC title