Robot Placement Control Using Usage Probability and Small-Region Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot control systems fail to effectively distribute robots in a region to maximize their availability to users based on actual needs, relying on population density rather than real-time requirements and usage patterns.
Innovation Solution
A robot control system that uses environmental sensors and a control server to divide a region into small areas, analyze usage patterns, and dynamically adjust robot placement to minimize movement distance to users, with the ability to update positions based on real-time data and shared resources across adjacent areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If robots are disposed based on population density in the region, then the coverage area is maximized, but the probability of robots being available where actually needed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The region is divided into multiple small regions, and robots are disposed in each small region based on calculated use amounts rather than uniformly across the entire area. This segmentation allows localized optimization while maintaining overall coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system calculates the use amount for each small region in advance based on usage history and schedule data, then determines optimal robot disposition positions before actual use occurs. This preliminary calculation ensures robots are positioned where they will be needed.
2Reliability
If robots are disposed based on usage patterns and real-time data, then the availability probability is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A control server acts as an intermediary between environmental sensors, robots, and users. It collects usage history and schedule data, calculates use amounts, and determines optimal disposition positions, thereby managing system complexity centrally while enabling sophisticated robot placement strategies.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses environmental sensors to detect actual robot usage and feeds this information back to the control server. The server then adjusts future disposition decisions based on this feedback, creating a closed-loop system that improves availability without requiring complex real-time control of each robot.
3Reliability
If robots are placed in high usage areas, then the availability where needed is improved, but the movement distance for other areas increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robot disposition positions are not fixed but are dynamically adjusted based on calculated use amounts for different small regions. The system determines optimal positions that balance availability in high-usage areas with reasonable movement distances to other areas, adapting to changing usage patterns over time.
4Reliability
If the number of robots is increased to cover all small regions, then the availability is improved, but the resource duplication and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of robot disposition from fixed positions to dynamically calculated positions based on use amounts. By adjusting disposition parameters according to usage patterns, the system achieves high availability with fewer robots, avoiding resource duplication while maintaining service quality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A robot control system (100) for controlling a plurality of robots (20) that are disposed in a region (10) which is divided into plural small regions (aij); wherein sensors (30) detect the presence of persons (80) in the region (10) and/or the small regions (aij) and recognizes for example that the persons are in a conference or are standing to talk; and wherein a generatin unit commands the robots (20) to be disposed in the small regions (aij) according to the use-possibility of each robot (20) in each small region (aij) in which they are more likely to be needed for assisting the persons (80).