Elevator Boarding Position Control for Autonomous Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robots equipped with autonomous driving technology face challenges in smoothly interacting with elevators, as the boarding and deboarding processes differ from general driving situations, requiring specialized control methods to optimize elevator usage and minimize disruption to both the robot and human passengers.
Innovation Solution
A robot system utilizing AI and machine learning algorithms, including an AI device and server, to assess elevator conditions through sensors and cameras, determine optimal boarding positions, and adjust based on passenger presence, weight, and deboarding order, ensuring efficient and non-disruptive elevator usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot boards the elevator at a default position, then the boarding process is simple and fast, but it may cause inconvenience to human passengers or overload the elevator
Solution Approach 1:
The robot acquires information about the elevator's internal state (passenger count, weight, position) and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust its boarding position and timing, preventing overload and passenger inconvenience while maintaining efficient boarding
Solution Approach 2:
The robot transitions from a static default boarding position to a dynamic position selection process, adjusting its boarding location based on real-time elevator conditions such as passenger distribution, weight limits, and deboarding order
2Reliability
If the robot uses sensors and cameras to assess elevator conditions, then it can optimize boarding position and prevent overload, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot uses sensors and cameras as intermediary devices to indirectly assess elevator conditions (weight, passenger count, position) without direct physical interaction, enabling safe and optimized boarding decisions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical weight sensing methods with sensor-based detection systems (cameras, weight sensors), substituting complex mechanical measurement systems with more sophisticated but integrated sensing approaches
3Adaptability or versatility
If the robot adjusts boarding position based on passenger presence and weight, then space usage is optimized and passenger inconvenience is reduced, but the control algorithm becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The robot performs preliminary assessment of elevator conditions (passenger count, weight, position) before boarding, allowing it to pre-determine the optimal boarding position and avoid last-minute adjustments that would require more complex real-time control
Data Source
AI summary
A robot may include a driving motor, a communication interface configured to communicate with an elevator control device, at least one sensor configured to sense an internal space of an elevator and a processor configured to determine whether boarding on the elevator is possible based on data received from the elevator control device or sensing data of the at least one sensor, set a boarding position based on information on the internal space of the elevator obtained through the communication interface or the at least one sensor when the boarding on the elevator is possible, and control the driving motor to move to the set boarding position.