Mobile Robot Positioning via Ad Hoc Reference Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for mobile robots lack the ability to perform flexible transport tasks without a driver and struggle with communication and position determination outside the transmission range of a base station, especially in areas with obstacles or 'radio dead zones'.
Innovation Solution
Each mobile robot is equipped with a computer for drive control, a communication means for linking with other robots and the base station, and a position determination system using reference transmitters, enabling ad hoc networking for communication and position determination, even outside the base station's range. Additionally, robots can form synchronized groups for coordinated movement and use sensors for obstacle detection and energy optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mobile robots use a base station for communication and position determination, then communication and positioning are reliable within transmission range, but robots cannot communicate or determine position outside the base station's transmission range (radio dead zones)
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the positioning and communication function across multiple robots. Each robot acts as both an autonomous unit and a relay node, dividing the large coverage area into smaller communication zones where robots can maintain connectivity through multi-hop ad hoc networking.
Solution Approach 2:
Mobile robots serve as intermediary nodes between the base station and other robots in radio dead zones. Information is transmitted through intermediate robots that relay data across multiple hops, enabling communication beyond the base station's direct transmission range.
2Extent of automation
If mobile robots are equipped with comprehensive sensors and computers for autonomous operation, then transport tasks can be performed flexibly and driverlessly, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robot system implements multi-functional components that serve multiple purposes. For example, communication antennas are used both for data transmission and for position determination through signal strength measurement. Sensors detect both navigation information and obstacles. This reduces overall system complexity by eliminating dedicated separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines communication and positioning functions into a unified system. The same communication infrastructure and signal exchange mechanism are used for both data transmission and position determination, merging what could be separate systems into one integrated solution.
3Adaptability or versatility
If robots determine position using distance measurement to reference transmitters, then position can be determined outside base station range, but position determination accuracy decreases with increasing distance
Solution Approach 1:
Other robots act as intermediary reference transmitters for position determination. When a robot is far from the base station, it can use nearby mobile robots (which have determined their positions through other means) as reference points, enabling accurate positioning through relative distance measurement rather than direct measurement to the base station.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from single-point central reference (base station) to multi-point distributed references (multiple robots). Position is determined through triangulation or multilateration using signals from multiple reference transmitters, adding spatial dimensions to the positioning calculation and improving both range and accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system of mobile robots with a base station, wherein each robot comprises at least one computer by means of which at least drives of the robot can be controlled, wherein each robot comprises a communication means connected to the respective computer, by means of which a communication link can be established to other robots and/or to the base station. The invention is characterized in that each robot has a position determination means which determines information about the position of the robot at least also on the basis of the distance determination to reference emitters, wherein the base station and robots are designed so as to be suitable as or act as reference emitters.