Mobile Robot System for Automated Data Center Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computer systems in large-scale computing facilities require efficient maintenance and monitoring to ensure reliability, but existing methods are often manual and time-consuming, especially when dealing with non-responsive servers or environmental issues.
Innovation Solution
A mobile robot system equipped with manipulable arms and communication connectors, controlled by a central control system, that can travel to specific computer systems, identify ports, establish local and remote links, collect data, and perform tasks such as replacing components or providing power support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual maintenance and monitoring methods are used, then personnel can directly interact with physical computer systems, but the process becomes time-consuming and less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile robot autonomously navigates to computer systems, identifies ports through sensors, establishes communication links, and performs maintenance tasks without human intervention, enabling the system to service itself
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with an automated mobile robot equipped with manipulable arms and communication connectors, substituting human operators with an automated system that can perform inspection, data collection, and component replacement
2Ease of operation
If manual interaction with physical computer systems is required, then maintenance personnel can perform tasks, but the complexity and time required for maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile robot autonomously performs navigation, port identification through sensor observation, link establishment, and maintenance task execution without requiring manual operation, making the maintenance process easier and faster
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile robot acts as an intermediary between maintenance personnel and physical computer systems, handling all manual interaction tasks including navigating to servers, identifying ports, establishing communication links, and performing component replacement
3Productivity
If automated mobile robot systems are implemented, then maintenance efficiency and reliability improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile robot is designed as a universal platform capable of performing multiple maintenance functions including navigation, port identification, communication link establishment, data collection, and component replacement, reducing the need for multiple specialized devices
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile robot incorporates nested functional components where manipulable arms contain communication connectors, sensors are integrated into the robot body, and tools are housed within the arm structures, consolidating complexity into a unified system
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile robot for responding to computer system issues travels to and interacts with a specific computer system in a data center based on a command from a central control system. The mobile robot can collect environmental data from a location proximate to a specific computer system, communicatively couple to a specific computer system via engaging a communication connector with an interface of the specific computer system, collect data from a specific computer system via the coupling to the specific computer system, establish a remote communication link between the specific computer system and a remote computer system, and send the collected data to a remote computer system or process the collected data. The mobile robot can manipulate one or more manipulable arms to remove a component part from a specific computer system and install a replacement component part in a specific computer system.