Multi-Robot Service Dispatch Using User-Selected Delivery Locations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems with autonomous mobile robots are limited to providing a single type of service, lacking the capability to manage multiple services, locate available robots, and direct them to user-designated service locations.
Innovation Solution
An information output method and device that obtain and present service information from multiple autonomous mobile robots, allowing users to select services and designate locations, and then control the robots to move to those locations for service provision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a system uses multiple autonomous mobile robots to provide services, then service diversity and user convenience are improved, but system complexity and difficulty of managing multiple robots increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that manages multiple autonomous mobile robots. The server receives service requests from terminal devices, matches them with appropriate robots based on robot information (location, service type, status), and dispatches control information to the selected robots. This intermediary architecture allows the system to handle multiple robots and services without increasing user-facing complexity, as all coordination is centralized on the server.
Solution Approach 2:
The server performs multiple functions within a single system component: it stores robot information, processes service requests, matches requests with appropriate robots, and dispatches control commands. This multi-functional design consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems, thereby managing complexity while supporting service diversity across multiple robot types.
2Ease of operation
If the system presents information about multiple services and robots to users, then service accessibility is improved, but information processing time and system response time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs preliminary actions by continuously maintaining updated information about multiple robots (their locations, service types, and availability statuses) before any user request arrives. When a user requests a service, the matching and selection process can proceed quickly because the robot information is already organized and ready, rather than requiring real-time queries to each robot or complex searches during the request processing phase.
3Reliability
If the system determines the most appropriate robot from multiple available robots, then service quality is improved, but calculation complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where robots continuously report their status, location, and service availability to the server. The server maintains this feedback information in an organized manner, allowing it to quickly determine the most appropriate robot for a given service request by comparing the request requirements against the current robot states. This feedback loop enables reliable service quality matching without requiring complex real-time calculations, as the decision-making is based on continuously updated but relatively simple status comparisons.
Data Source
AI summary
An information output method of an information output device includes: obtaining, from each of at least two autonomous mobile robots each providing at least one service, first information including information about a location of the robot and information about a service provided by the robot; presenting, based on the first information, information about at least two services provided by the at least two robots to a terminal device used by a user receiving the service; obtaining, from the terminal device, second information including: a service providing location designated by the user; and information about the service selected by the user; determining, based on the second information, one robot providing the service selected by the user among the at least two robots; and outputting, to the one robot determined, first control information used for moving the one robot to the providing location.