Autonomous Delivery Robot Coordination for Chaotic Outdoor Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous and semi-autonomous mobile robots are not optimized for chaotic outdoor environments and lack effective solutions for storage, maintenance, and resupplying in unstructured outdoor settings, limiting their operational efficiency and practical applications.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a server for coordinating communication, data storage, and computational analysis, a mobile robot capable of autonomous or semi-autonomous operation with sensors and communication modules, and a hub for storage, maintenance, repair, and resupply, enabling efficient navigation and delivery in unstructured outdoor environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If autonomous mobile robots operate in unstructured outdoor environments, then delivery capability is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to chaotic environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the autonomous robot and the environment. The server receives sensor data from the robot, performs computational analysis to determine optimal paths and actions, and sends control instructions back to the robot. This intermediary processing layer enables the robot to operate reliably in chaotic outdoor environments by offloading complex decision-making to a more powerful remote system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into separate functional components: the mobile robot handles navigation and physical delivery, while the server handles data processing and decision-making. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the robot being mobile and adaptable to outdoor environments while the server provides reliable computational processing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If autonomous robots operate without dedicated infrastructure, then deployment flexibility is improved, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to lack of storage and maintenance facilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension to the robot's operation cycle by implementing hubs as temporary rest stations. Robots can return to hubs for storage, maintenance, and resupply between delivery tasks. This adds a temporal component to the delivery process, allowing robots to operate in cycles of active delivery and passive maintenance, thereby improving overall operational efficiency without sacrificing deployment flexibility.
3Productivity
If robots perform multiple deliveries autonomously, then productivity is improved, but loss of time increases due to navigation and communication delays
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs preliminary computational analysis of sensor data and determines optimal paths and actions before the robot executes them. By pre-processing data and planning routes in advance, the system minimizes real-time decision-making delays and reduces the time lost during navigation and communication operations.
4Reliability
If a hub system is implemented for robot support, then reliability is improved through maintenance and storage facilities, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hub is designed as a multi-functional facility that provides storage, maintenance, repair, and resupply services to robots. By consolidating multiple support functions into a single universal facility, the system improves reliability through comprehensive care while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity compared to having separate specialized facilities for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery method operates in a system with at least one server, at least one robot, and at least one delivery terminal. The method includes communicating a request for at least one delivery from the at least one delivery terminal to the at least one server and/or to the at least one robot; providing instructions from the at least one server to the at least one robot about the at least one delivery, the instructions comprising information about a final delivery location; loading the at least one robot with the at least one delivery to be transported; transporting the at least one delivery in the at least one robot to the final delivery location; and providing access to the at least one delivery in the at least one robot, preferably upon arrival at the delivery location. The present invention further relates to a system comprising at least one server adapted for at least: coordinating communication within the system, receiving/storing/sending data and/or performing computations; at least one robot operating autonomously or semi-autonomously and adapted to communicate with the at least one server in order to facilitate transport of a delivery by the robot to at least one recipient; and at least one delivery terminal communicating with the at least one robot and/or the at least one server.