Repeater Extends Mobile Robot Control Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication signals for remote-operated mobile robots often become attenuated when navigating through tunnels, buildings, or around obstacles, disrupting control and data transmission between the operator and the robot.
Innovation Solution
A robot system that includes an operator control unit, a mission robot, and a repeater, where the repeater receives and retransmits communication signals between the operator control unit and the mission robot, extending the communication network and maintaining connectivity even in signal-attenuating environments by deploying the repeater near the robot or along the robot's path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robot operates remotely without additional communication devices, then the system complexity is low, but the communication signal becomes attenuated when navigating through tunnels, buildings, or around obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
A repeater device is introduced as an intermediary component in the communication network between the remote operator and the mobile robot. The repeater receives communication signals from the operator control unit and retransmits them to the robot, and vice versa, thereby extending the effective communication range and maintaining signal reliability in challenging environments such as tunnels and buildings without requiring complex changes to the existing robot or control unit
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robot operates in signal-attenuating environments like tunnels and buildings, then the robot's operational versatility is improved, but the communication signal becomes attenuated
Solution Approach 1:
The repeater acts as a signal intermediary that enables the robot to operate in previously inaccessible environments. By placing the repeater at strategic locations (such as tunnel entrances or building exteriors), the system extends communication coverage into areas with signal attenuation, allowing the robot to perform missions in tunnels, buildings, and other challenging terrains while maintaining reliable two-way communication
3Length of moving object
If the communication network is extended using a repeater, then the operational range is increased, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The repeater serves as a standalone intermediary device that extends the operational range of the remote control system without requiring modifications to the robot or control unit. The repeater is positioned at intermediate locations between the operator and robot, creating extended communication paths that enable operations at greater distances and through obstacles, thereby increasing operational range with minimal impact on the core system architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The communication network is segmented into multiple independent segments: the operator control unit, the repeater, and the mobile robot. Each segment operates independently, with the repeater forming a separate communication hop that extends the overall network range. This segmentation allows the system to achieve extended operational range by adding discrete, modular communication nodes rather than increasing the complexity of existing components
Data Source
AI summary
A robot system that includes an operator control unit, mission robot, and a repeater. The operator control unit has a display. The robot includes a robot body, a drive system supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot over a work surface, and a controller in communication with the drive system and the operator control unit. The repeater receives a communication signal between the operator control unit and the robot and retransmits the signal.