Mobile Robot Route Segmentation for Balanced Multi-Robot Work
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for controlling multiple mobile robots in a large, irregularly shaped space are inefficient, requiring users to manually divide the space into sections, which can be time-consuming and result in unequal work times for the robots.
Innovation Solution
A method implemented by a server that communicates with mobile robots and a communication device, where the server stores a predetermined working route for a target area and divides it into sub-routes based on the number of input mobile robots, allowing them to work cooperatively by moving along these sub-routes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a user visually divides the space into multiple sections for multiple mobile robots to work on, then the robots can cooperatively work on the large space, but the user needs to spend more time on dividing the space and the mobile robots may not work for the same amount of time as the sections may not be equal in size
Solution Approach 1:
The server automatically divides the working area into multiple equal-sized sections and generates corresponding sub-routes for each robot. This automated segmentation eliminates the manual division process and ensures equal work distribution among robots, resolving both the time loss for division and the unequal work time issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary between the user and the mobile robots. Instead of the user directly dividing the space and assigning sections to robots, the server receives the working area information, performs the division and route generation automatically, and then distributes the sub-routes to the appropriate robots. This intermediary system eliminates manual intervention while ensuring balanced work distribution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the space is divided into unequal sections, then the mobile robots can work on different areas, but the mobile robots do not work for the same amount of time
Solution Approach 1:
The server implements automated segmentation that divides the irregular working area into multiple equal-sized sections by calculating optimal division lines and generating corresponding sub-routes. This ensures that each robot receives a section of equal area, guaranteeing equal work duration while maintaining adaptability to irregular space shapes through algorithmic division.
Solution Approach 2:
The server changes the parameter of section size from variable (in manual division) to fixed (in automated division). By enforcing equal area constraints in the route division algorithm, the system ensures that each robot's assigned section has the same area, thereby standardizing the work duration across all robots regardless of the overall irregular shape of the working area.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a plurality of mobile robots is to be implemented by a server that communicates with the plurality of mobile robots and a communication device. The server stores a predetermined working route related to a target area. The method includes steps of: receiving a working instruction from the communication device, the working instruction including area information related to the target area and an input quantity of mobile robots; in response to receipt of the working instruction, dividing the predetermined working route into a plurality of sub-routes, wherein a quantity of the sub-routes equals the input quantity of mobile robots; and sending the sub-routes respectively to a plurality of selected robots that are selected from among the plurality of mobile robots to make the selected robots cooperatively implement a task on the target area by moving along the sub-routes, respectively.