Integration of a set of robots to perform an activity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026037003-A1
Application number	US-202418794197-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 5, 2024
Priority date	Aug 5, 2024
Publication date	Feb 5, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

Integration of a set of robots to perform an activity includes obtaining a mobility parameter of each of a plurality of robots. The collective mobility of the set of robots from the plurality of robots is determined. The set of robots are integrated in an environment to perform an activity in case the collective mobility satisfies a target mobility threshold. The set of robots further performs, based on the integration of the set of robots, the activity in the environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
obtaining, by a computer, a mobility parameter of each of a plurality of robots; determining, by the computer, a collective mobility of a set of robots from the plurality of robots, wherein the collective mobility of the set of robots is a combination of the mobility parameter of each robot in the set of robots; determining that the collective mobility of the set of robots satisfies a target mobility threshold; configuring, by the computer, the set of robots to:
integrate in an environment to perform an activity, wherein the integration is performed based on a determination that the collective mobility of the set of robots satisfies the target mobility threshold, and wherein the target mobility threshold is indicative of a mobility for performing the activity in the environment based on one or more environmental characteristics; and
perform, based on the integration of the set of robots, the activity in the environment.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the computer, a user command to perform the activity within the environment; generating, by the computer, a virtual representation of the environment based on the one or more environmental characteristics and the received user command; and computing, by the computer, the target mobility threshold for performing the activity in the environment, wherein the target mobility threshold is computed based on the generated virtual representation and the received user command.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the generation of the virtual representation of the environment comprises:
obtaining, by the computer, the one or more environmental characteristics using at least one of a set of sensors installed within the environment or prestored environment knowledge; determining, by the computer, one or more activity parameters associated with the activity based on predefined activity information, the received user command and the obtained one or more environmental characteristics; and generating, by the computer, the virtual representation of the environment based on the obtained one or more environmental characteristics and the determined one or more activity parameters, wherein the virtual representation corresponds to a digital representation of the environment comprising a position of one or more obstacles, a position of one or more workpieces, and a position and an orientation of the plurality of robots in the environment.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:
segmenting the activity into a set of sub-activities based on the generated virtual representation of the environment; and allocating, by the computer, a corresponding sub-activity from the segmented set of sub-activities to one or more robots from the set of robots for performing the corresponding sub-activity, wherein the corresponding sub-activity is allocated based on the generated virtual representation of the environment, one or more robotic parameters associated with each of the set of robots, the target mobility threshold and an integration feasibility of the set of robots to perform the activity.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:
obtaining, by the computer, one or more robotic parameters associated with each of the plurality of robots available in the environment from a storage unit; and selecting, by the computer, the set of robots from the plurality of robots qualified for completing the activity based on the obtained one or more robotic parameters of each of the plurality of robots, one or more activity parameters, and the generated virtual representation of the environment, wherein the set of robots comprise a primary robot and one or more secondary robots.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the selection of the set of robots from the plurality of robots comprises:
selecting, by the computer, the primary robot from the plurality of robots qualified for completing the activity based on the one or more robotic parameters of each of the plurality of robots, the one or more activity parameters, the target mobility threshold, and the generated virtual representation of the environment; determining, by the computer, the selected primary robot is incapable of performing the activity in the environment by comparing the one or more robotic parameters of the primary robot with the target mobility threshold; and selecting, by the computer, the one or more secondary robots from the plurality of robots to be integrated with the primary robot based on determining that the selected primary robot is incapable of performing the activity in the environment, wherein the one or more secondary robots are determined by correlating the one or more robotic parameters of each of the plurality of robots, the one or more activity parameters, the target mobility threshold, the generated virtual representation of the environment, and integration feasibility of the primary robot and the one or more secondary robots to perform the activity.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more activity parameters comprise at least one of a priority of the activity, a context of the activity, a category, or a sub-category of the activity.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more environmental characteristics comprise at least one of a location of one or more Region of Interests (ROIs) associated with the activity within the environment, one or more obstacles in the environment, one or more workpieces located in the environment, a specification of the environment, a position or an orientation of each of the plurality of robots in the environment.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the collective mobility of the set of robots comprises:
generating, by the computer, a set of point clouds associated with the obtained mobility parameter for each of the set of robots, wherein the mobility parameter corresponds to an ability of each of the set of robots to move and navigate in the environment to perform the activity, and wherein the set of point clouds corresponds to data points representing reachable positions and orientations of the set of robots in the environment; determining, by the computer, a set of coupling points associated with each of the set of robots based on the generated set of point clouds; merging, by the computer, the generated set of point clouds for each of the set of robots based on the determined set of coupling points; and determining the collective mobility of the set of robots based on a result of the merging of the generated set of point clouds.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more robotic parameters comprise at least one of the mobility parameter or one or more additional parameters associated with each of the plurality of robots, and
wherein the mobility parameter comprises at least one of a degree of freedom of the plurality of robots, a type of movement of the plurality of robots, a range of motion and flexibility in each of joints of the plurality of robots, an acceleration and deceleration of the plurality of robots, speed ranges of the plurality of robots, or an agility of the plurality of robots, and wherein the one or more additional parameters comprise at least one of a dimensional specification of the plurality of robots, a number and types of joints of the plurality of robots, a payload capacity of the plurality of robots, one or more spatial constraints of the plurality of robots, an external force handling capab

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Rakshit Sarbajit Kumar
• Padmanaban Manikandan
• Hazra Jagabondhu
• Sundararajan Mukundan

Classifications

• G05D2101/10

  using artificial intelligence [AI] techniques · CPC title

• G05D1/648

  Performing a task within a working area or space, e.g. cleaning · CPC title

• G05D1/2245 Primary

  providing the operator with a purely computer-generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality · CPC title

• G05D1/69 Primary

  Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles · CPC title