Autonomous multifunctional data centre robot and a circuit board for this robot

Abstract

This invention relates to an autonomous robot and a circuit board integrated into this robot, which can detect and solve all problems such as temperature increase, power failure, security problems, network failures, etc. in data centres, it comprises; front wheels (2) fixed to the lower part of the main body (1) and assigned to ensure the robot's movements on the ground, at least one wheel motor (3) driving the front wheels (2), at least one rear wheel (4) associated with the rear part to provide stability and directional capability of the main body (1), a guide (6) associated with bearing profiles (5) fixed on the main body (1), a camera (15) and an arm (14), which move right-left angularly in the direction of the y-axis moment by means of the right-left motor (12), up-down angularly in the direction of the z-axis moment by means of the up-down motor (13), and linearly in the direction of the y-axis by means of the shaft motor (8), a circuit board (17) using the I2C protocol and a remote control which sends a signal to the circuit board (17) via a remote communication module.

Description

[0001] AUTONOMOUS MULTIFUNCTIONAL DATA CENTRE ROBOT AND A CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THIS ROBOT

[0002] Technical Field:

[0003] This invention relates to an autonomous robot and a circuit board integrated into this robot, which can detect and solve all problems such as temperature increase, power failure, security problems, network failures, etc. in data centres.

[0004] State of the Art:

[0005] A data centre is a facility that houses and operates a large information technology infrastructure. This facility is designed as a centre that stores, processes and manages large amounts of data through computer systems, storage devices, network equipment and other related components. Data centres are used to meet the information processing and storage needs of an organisation or a service provider.

[0006] Data centres contain storage devices and systems designed to store large amounts of data. This storage usually consists of high-capacity disc drives, storage area networks (SANs) and cloud-based services. Servers and computer clusters process information in the data centre. They usually contain high-performance computers and processors. In addition, data centres contain power and cooling systems to keep servers and other equipment running continuously. These systems usually include uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), generators and specialised cooling systems.

[0007] Since these devices in data centres operate 24 / 7 and these centres host high performance computers and processors, heat problems arise. Although cooling systems are used, if any of these cooling systems fails, the data centre faces a major problem. Therefore, the temperature increase in the data centre directly affects the performance of the computers and even causes fire due to overheating. Before this problem occurs, data centres are generally checked every day by the worker in shifts and actions are taken accordingly. However, where there are people, it is possible that errors are possible, and failure to detect or late detection of temperature increase causes undesirable problems.

[0008] Another problem of existing data centres is power outages. Power outages or power fluctuations can cause serious problems in the data centre. In this case, energy backup systems (UPS) and generators are used to provide continuous power. Failure to activate the generators, even for a brief moment, by personnel who are not present at the scene of the incident can leave businesses with a major financial crisis. Therefore, maintaining uninterrupted connection is of great importance.

[0009] Another problem in the state of the art is that telecom networks are prime targets for cyber attacks and data breaches due to the sensitive nature of the information they carry. Securing both customer data and network infrastructure is a constant imperative that requires advanced cyber security measures.

[0010] Uninterrupted connectivity is critical in the telecoms industry. Downtimes can be caused by variety of factors such as technical failures, environmental issues and even intentional attacks. Detecting faults and responding immediately is crucial to ensure service reliability. Fast detection of faults saves costs. Unresolved problems can lead to prolonged outages, costly repairs and customer dissatisfaction.

[0011] In some cases, network failures can pose security risks, especially in critical infrastructure environments. Immediate intervention is vital to prevent accidents or mitigate security threats.

[0012] Consequently, there is a need for a new technology that can overcome the disadvantages mentioned above.

[0013] Description of the Invention: Our invention has been developed to manage large networks, to increase productivity by reducing the workforce (eliminating the need for 24 / 7 shifts) and to quickly resolve malfunctions in the telecom and security sector.

[0014] The inventive robot is able to monitor the enviromental conditions with a series of sensors and continues to work uninterruptedly to improve the conditions autonomously.

[0015] The robot that has camera can show the user the situation in the data centre via remote control, mobile application or PC software, and the user can observe the latest status of the data centre as if he / she was in the data centre with the effect of augmented reality using VR glasses.

[0016] Our invention is designed not only for normal conditions but also for extreme conditions such as pandemics, and will be able to ensure that viruses or other harmful microorganisms that greatly negatively affect human health, such as during the COVID- 19 pandemic period, lose their vitality functions through UV leds.

[0017] Even though the data centres have a complex building structure and a series of obstacles, the inventive robot recognises each of the obstacles with its sensors and artificial intelligence technology. It generates solutions according to the type of these obstacles and overcomes these obstacles by applying some solutions. As a result, the robot of the invention will be able to navigate data centres which has extremely complex layouts without human intervention. Likewise, even when it gets stuck in an obstacle, the encoders associated with the wheels detect the position, speed and direction of the wheels and generate an interrupt (signal change) and the artificial intelligence analyses the situation according to this signal change and generates a solution signal and it makes robot take action.

[0018] The inventive robot has sensors and structure that can fulfil very sensitive tasks. In particular, the pressure force to be applied by the arm to the equipment can be measured by means of the force sensor, and it is ensured that all the actions such as carrying, placing, removing, attaching, etc. of the equipment are carried out precisely by producing the force at the most appropriate value.

[0019] The circuit board of the invention is equipped with a powerful Al technology. The robot will be able to learn and adapt to new tasks and new environments and it can be programmed to perform various tasks according to the specific needs of the industry.

[0020] The inventive robot will be able to detect damages and other problems early on, before they cause outages or other disruptions. It will also be able to be used to deploy repair tasks quickly and efficiently, even in dangerous or inaccessible areas. In our invention, cameras and sensors will be used to detect and report any suspicious activity, and the robot can also be equipped with security equipment to take precautions against a suspicious person entering the data centre.

[0021] The inventive robot will be able to perform activities such as insertion / removal or replacement of network / power cables by means of the arm through remote instructions without the need for human intervention. The robot will be able to identify people in the data center with its visual recognition capabilities and take necessary precautions by detecting people who do not have pre-coded familiar faces. It will continuously observe heat, temperature and gas leaks through sensors, and will be able to intervene by evaluating possible fire possibilities with artificial intelligence technology. It will minimise data centre downtime without need for human intervention thanks to its ability to execute and handle alarms autonomously. Therefore, dependency on human resources will be reduced and operational costs be minimised. Its data collection capabilities enable the generation of detailed reports on system status, security incidents, and emergency response measures, aiding in compliance adherence and postincident analysis.

[0022] Description of the Figures:

[0023] The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures, so that the features of the invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated, but the purpose of this is not to limit the invention to these certain regulations. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, changes and equivalences that can be included in the area of the invention defined by the accompanying claims. The details shown should be understood that they are shown only for the purpose of describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are presented in order to provide the most convenient and easily understandable description of both the shaping of methods and the rules and conceptual features of the invention. In these drawings;

[0024] Figure 1 The perspective view of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 2 The close perspective view of the worm mechanism

[0026] Figure 3 The close perspective view of the arm and camera system

[0027] Figure 4 The block diagram showing the operation of the circuit board.

[0028] The figures to help understand the present invention are numbered as indicated in the attached image and are given below along with their names.

[0029] Description of References:

[0030] 1. Main body

[0031] 2. Front wheel

[0032] 3. Wheel motor

[0033] 4. Rear wheel

[0034] 5. Profiles

[0035] 6. Guide

[0036] 7. Worm shaft

[0037] 8. Shaft motor

[0038] 9. Carriage

[0039] 10. Lamp

[0040] 11. Connection arm

[0041] 12. Right-left motor

[0042] 13. Up-down motor

[0043] 14. Arm 15. Camera

[0044] 16. Support

[0045] 17. Circuit board

[0046] 100. Al chip

[0047] 101. Microprocessor 0

[0048] 110. Microprocessor !

[0049] 111. Motor driver

[0050] 120. Microprocessor 2

[0051] 121. Relay card

[0052] 1210. Motor group

[0053] 1211. Lighting led

[0054] 1212. UV led

[0055] 130. Microprocessor s

[0056] 200. Sensor group

[0057] 300. Lidar

[0058] 400. Receiver

[0059] 500. Rotary encoder

[0060] Detailed Description of the Invention:

[0061] The parts that make up the invention are basically; main body (1), front wheel (2), wheel motor (3), rear wheel (4), profiles (5), guide (6), worm shaft (7), shaft motor (8), carriage (9), lamp (10), connection arm (11), right-left motor (12), up-down motor (13), arm (14), camera (15), support (16), circuit board (17), battery and remote control.

[0062] Figure 1 shows a general view of the inventive robot. The front wheels (2) located at the bottom of the main body (1) receive drive motion from the wheel motors (3) associated with the motor drivers (111). The front wheels (2) can perform manoeuvring movements such as forward-backward and right-left. The rear wheel (4) provides the load balance of the robot and contributes to the steering manoeuvre of the front wheels (2). The number of wheels is not limited to one, the front wheels (2) or rear wheels (4) can be one or more, and can be front or rear wheel drive. When the robot moves, if it gets stuck in any obstacle, the change in the rotation movements of the wheels will be detected by the rotary encoder (500) integrated in both wheels and the rotary encoder (500) will generate an error signal and send a signal to the Al chip (100). The Al chip (100) process the signal which comes from the rotary encoder (500) with its artificial intelligence technology and transmit a signal to the microprocessor 0 (101). Then, microprocessor 0 (101) command the microprocessor 1 (110) associated with the motor drivers (111) controlling the front wheel motors (3) to provide forward or reverse movement of the front wheels (2) to get rid of the obstacle. With the machine and deep learning method, the Al chip (100) will be able to provide the optimum solution for the robot to get rid of the obstacle. The Al chip (100) together with the machine and deep learning method will be able to provide the optimum solution for the robot to get rid of the obstacle.

[0063] The bearing profiles (5) on the main body (1) have a sigma profile structure and can have one or more channels. These profiles provide the bearing of the worm shaft (7) and guide (6) structures on the robot body. The carriage (9) associated with the worm shaft (7) moves up and down in the y-axis direction by means of the shaft motor (8). The connecting arm (11) associated with the carriage (9) transmits this movement to the mechanism connected to the arm (14) and camera (15). Thereby, the camera (15) and the arm (14) perform the same movement in the same plane. The other movements of the arm (14) and camera (15) are provided by the right-left motor (12) and the up-down motor (13). The right-left motor (12) rotates the arm (14) and camera (15) left-right in the direction of the y-axis moment, while the up-down motor (13) makes it move up- down in the direction of the z-axis moment. These movements are angular. The movement provided by the shaft motor (8) is linear (Figure 3). In addition, the arm (14) can control its fingers and perform actions such as opening-closing, holding-releasing thanks to its external actuators. All these functions are provided by the circuit board (17) placed inside the robot.

[0064] The user can connect to the robot via remote control or smartphone, tablet (mobile application) to direct the robot remotely. The user will be able to observe the surroundings as if he / she is in the data processing centre by wearing augmented reality glasses through the camera of the robot. At the same time, the user will be able to command the motors in the robot and move with the robot. All of these functions can be provided by the circuit board (17). The electronic equipment on the robot and the components of the circuit board (17) are powered by the battery. When the battery is about to run out of energy, artificial intelligence will be able to detect this situation and activate the motors to ensure that the vehicle can be charged from the mains electricity.

[0065] Figure 4 shows a block diagram of the circuit board (17). The task of the circuit board (17) is to provide the connection between the Al chip (100), microprocessors and sensors. The circuit board (17) in our invention uses the I2C protocol and can provide the connection between integrated circuits over long distances. The Al chip (100) to be used in our invention can be a Raspberry Pi or Nvidia GPU, it can be one or more than one. This Al chip (100) is an artificial intelligence technology that continuously develops its algorithm with machine learning and deep learning method by receiving the data from the controller, camera (15), sensor group (200), lidar (300), receiver (400) and rotary encoder (500). The decisions to be made by the robot are filtered by the Al chip (100) and then transmitted to the microprocessor units. There are four microprocessors in our invention. These are microprocessor 0 (101), microprocessor 1 (110), microprocessor 2 (120) and microprocessor 3 (130).

[0066] Microprocessor 0 (101) is a decision processor, it acts as a task dispatcher for the actions to be taken by the robot. Microprocessor 1 (110) sends signals to the motor drivers (111) that control the wheel motors (3) in the robot and determines the movement, direction, voltage, etc. functions of the wheels. Microprocessor 2 (120) is directly connected to the relay card (121). The relay card (121), which contains a large number of relays, controls the electric current to be transferred to the lamp (10), motor group (1210), lighting leds (1211) and UV led (1212) and acts as a switching function. In other words, the microprocessor 2 (120) controls the lamp (10), motor group (1210), lighting leds (1211) and UV led (1212). The motor group (1210) mentioned here is the group consisting of shaft motor (8), right-left motor (12), up-down motor (13) and charging socket motor. The shaft motor (8), right-left motor (12), up-down motor (13) are step motors and only provide the movements of the arm (14) and camera (15). The charging socket motor is a drive element to move a socket in a linear direction to provide energy supply from a source other than the battery (for example, a socket is connected to the mains line). Lighting leds (1211) provide illumination to increase the visibility of the robot and the elements on the robot The lamp (10) is supplied with a powerful energy source to provide ambient lighting. UV led (1212) emits light from the UV-C region to effectively kill bacteria and viruses.

[0067] Microprocessor 3 (130) on the circuit board (17) is a backup microprocessor. In case of damage to microprocessor 1 (110), the robot can continue to operate from where it left off by assigning the cables on all connection pins to microprocessor 3 (130) and with a small code change.

[0068] The sensor group (200) in our invention enables the robot to interact with its environment. The sensor group (200) consists of infrared sensor, ultrasonic distance sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, acceleration sensor and force sensor. The infrared sensor can work in coordination with the camera (15). The camera is involved in the detection of possible suspects entering the data centre by face recognition feature. The ultrasonic distance sensor thanks to the Al chip (100) determines the distance perception of the robot and enables the robot to move without hitting obstacles while the robot is moving. The temperature and humidity sensor measures the ambient temperature and humidity caused by overheating servers in the data centres and enables the robot to take action and provides data flow to the Al chip (100) to notify the data centre personnel of the temperature and humidity.

[0069] The robot can activate the arm (14) in order to increase the efficiency of the air conditioners or inform the personnel and enable the personnel to switch on the air conditioners. The acceleration sensor measures the vibration in order for the robot to move more precisely. The force sensor measures the amount of force applied by the robot's arm (14) and contributes to more careful handling of sensitive equipments.

[0070] The Al chip (100) can direct other equipment in the robot by identifying the voice commands or speech perceived by the receiver (400) through the voice recognition software it contains. For example; with the command "turn right", the robot can turn to the right, with the command "switch off the lamp", it can switch off the lamp (10) illuminating the room.

Claims

CLAIMS1- The invention relates to an autonomous multi-functional data centre robot, characterized in that;- front wheels (2) fixed to the lower part of the main body (1) and assigned to ensure the robot's movements on the ground,- at least one wheel motor (3) driving the front wheels (2),- at least one rear wheel (4) associated with the rear part to provide stability and directional capability of the main body (1),- a guide (6) associated with bearing profiles (5) fixed on the main body (1),- a camera (15) and an arm (14), which move right-left angularly in the direction of the y-axis moment by means of the right-left motor (12), up-down angularly in the direction of the z-axis moment by means of the up-down motor (13), and linearly in the direction of the y-axis by means of the shaft motor (8),- a circuit board (17) using the I2C protocol,- a remote control which sends a signal to the circuit board (17) via a remote communication module.2- An autonomous multi-functional data centre robot according to claim 1, characterized in that the arm (14) that can move backward-forward and perform finger movements by means of external actuators.3- An autonomous multi-functional data centre robot according to claim 1, characterized in that a carriage (9) associated on the worm shaft (7) and providing linear movement of the arm (14) and camera (15) in the y-axis.4- A circuit board (17) according to claim 1, characterized in that;- an Al chip (100) that can be Rasperry Pi veya Nvidia GPU, which is fed with data from the controller, camera (15), sensor group (200), lidar (300), receiver (400) and rotary encoder (500) and develops its algorithm with machine learning and deep learning method,- a microprocessor 0 (101), which converts the data processed by the Al chip (100) into signals for output and transmits them to microprocessor 1 (110), microprocessor 2 (120) and microprocessor 3 (130) to act as a decision mechanism,- a microprocessor 1 (110) commanding motor drivers (111) for controlling the speed, direction, current and power of the wheel motors (3) driving the front wheels (2),- a microprocessor 2 (120) which sends a signal to the relay card (121) controlling the lamp (10), motor group (1210), lighting led (1211) and UV led (1212) by performing relay switching,- a microprocessor 3 (130) provided as a backup on the circuit board (17) to perform the task of the microprocessor 1 (110) or microprocessor 2 (120) alone.5- The sensor group (200) according to Claim 4, characterized in that it comprises at least one infrared sensor, ultrasonic distance sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor, acceleration sensor (gyroscope) and force sensor.6- The receiver (400) according to Claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a speaker or a microphone.7- The motor group (1210) according to Claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a shaft motor (8), right-left motor (12) and up-down motor (13).8- The Al chip (100) according to Claim 4, characterized in that it comprises speech recognition software that identifies the detected sounds.

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