Autonomous Mobile Reconnection Using Path Retracing and Dead Zone Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous mobile devices (AMDs) face disconnection issues from their controllers due to obstructions, leading to uncertainty in completing missions and potential downtime.

Innovation Solution

AMDs record disconnection information and retrace their path to reconnect with the controller, allowing the controller to optimize future navigation and reduce downtime by using machine learning to identify and avoid dead zones.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If AMDs maintain continuous communication with controllers over wireless links, then real-time control and monitoring are improved, but connection reliability deteriorates due to obstructions causing disconnections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidmission status information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The AMD records disconnection information including location data, mission status, and environmental conditions before actually disconnecting. This preliminary recording ensures that when disconnection occurs, the system already has the necessary information to resume operations without data loss, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining connection reliability and preventing information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the AMD continuously monitors connection status and automatically initiates reconnection procedures when disconnection is detected. The recorded disconnection information is transmitted to the controller upon reconnection, providing feedback about the disconnection event and enabling the controller to optimize future navigation paths to avoid similar obstructions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Extent of automation

If AMDs disconnect and lose connection to controllers, then device autonomy is improved, but mission completion uncertainty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice autonomyVSAvoidmission completion reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Before disconnecting, the AMD performs preliminary actions by recording its current state, location, and mission progress in local memory. This ensures that even when operating autonomously without controller connection, the device maintains awareness of its mission status and can make informed decisions, thereby maintaining mission completion reliability while enjoying device autonomy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The AMD is equipped with self-service capabilities to handle disconnections autonomously. It automatically records disconnection information, determines reconnection strategies, and manages the reconnection process without requiring continuous controller intervention. This self-service approach maintains mission reliability while preserving device autonomy during disconnection periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If AMDs retrace their path to reconnect with controllers, then reconnection success is improved, but mission time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereconnection successVSAvoidmission time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The AMD records its trajectory and location data continuously during normal operation, creating a digital trail of its path. When disconnection occurs, it uses this pre-recorded path information to efficiently retrace its steps to the last known connection point, rather than performing exhaustive search patterns. This preliminary path recording significantly reduces the time required for reconnection while maintaining high success rates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces traditional mechanical navigation methods with computational approaches. Instead of using complex physical sensors and trial-and-error navigation to find the controller, the AMD uses recorded GPS coordinates, wireless signal strength maps, and path algorithms to computationally determine and execute the optimal reconnection path, thereby minimizing mission time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12466061B2Management of autonomous mobile device disconnections
Publication Date: 2025.11.11 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC
  • US12466061B2 patent drawing
  • US12466061B2 patent drawing
  • US12466061B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An autonomous mobile device includes a processor to establish a Transmission Control Protocol Robot Operating System (TCPROS) connection over a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session between the AMD and a Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) device that hosts an AMD controller in a cellular network, from the AMD the AMD controller. The processor may perform a mission in accordance with the mission plan while the AMD is connected to the AMD controller via the TCPROS connection.