Peer-to-Peer Robot Interaction for Flexible Manufacturing Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems require a centralized server or intermediary for device interactions, limiting the autonomy and flexibility of peers in a fleet, such as robots, and reducing their reconfiguration capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A peer-to-peer interaction system that allows direct information sharing between autonomous mobile robots and artifacts, with four interaction domains (data, operation, environmental, and safety) enabling efficient operation in automated industrial environments, where peers can interact directly and manage interactions with both networked and disconnected elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized server or intermediary is used for device interactions, then system coordination and control are improved, but the autonomy and flexibility of peers in the fleet deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a peer-to-peer communication framework that acts as a mediator between autonomous robots and artifacts. This framework enables direct interactions without requiring a centralized server, allowing robots to autonomously coordinate tasks, share data, and manage resources while maintaining system-wide coordination through distributed consensus protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the centralized control function into distributed autonomous decision-making capabilities across individual robots. Each robot becomes an independent peer with its own processing and communication abilities, eliminating the single point of control while maintaining coordinated operation through peer-to-peer interactions and consensus algorithms.
2Reliability
If a centralized server is used for device interactions, then centralized control is improved, but reconfiguration capabilities of the fleet deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration capabilities by enabling the peer-to-peer network to adapt its topology and communication paths in real-time. Robots can dynamically join or leave the network, and the system automatically reconfigures task assignments and communication routes without centralized intervention, providing both control stability and flexible adaptation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If direct peer-to-peer interaction is enabled, then autonomy and flexibility of peers are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a standardized peer-to-peer interaction framework that handles multiple functions through a unified interface. The same communication protocol and data structures are used for task coordination, data sharing, safety monitoring, and resource management across all peer interactions, reducing the complexity that would otherwise arise from managing multiple specialized communication channels.
Data Source
AI summary
A peer-to-peer interaction management system for optimizing flexible manufacturing comprising a plurality of peers and comprises rules for defining the data interaction, operational interaction, environmental interaction and safety interaction. The plurality of peers comprising a robot control server and a plurality of autonomous mobile robots. One peer can exchange data with another peer, the data can comprise planning data, operational data, monitor data, and safety data.