Serving Robot Elevator Integration for Multi-Story Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional serving robots are limited in their ability to efficiently navigate and provide service across multiple floors in multi-story buildings, requiring human intervention and lacking effective communication with elevator systems, which leads to inefficiencies and errors in order processing and delivery.
Innovation Solution
A self-driving serving robot system integrated with a smart elevator system using an API for seamless navigation and communication, allowing the robot to move between floors autonomously and provide timely service, with a centralized robot server managing orders and customer interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional serving robots are used in multi-story buildings, then the robot structure remains simple, but the robot cannot efficiently navigate between floors and requires human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an elevator system as an intermediary component between the serving robot and the multi-story building environment. The robot communicates with the elevator system through standardized protocols to request floor transportation, enabling efficient inter-floor navigation without requiring the robot to have complex climbing or lifting mechanisms. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining relatively simple robot structure while achieving high service efficiency across multiple floors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the service system into distinct functional modules: the serving robot handles order collection and customer interaction, the elevator system handles vertical transportation, and the management server coordinates between them. This segmentation allows each component to remain relatively simple while the integrated system achieves high productivity. The robot focuses on service tasks rather than complex multi-floor navigation, improving overall service efficiency without excessive device complexity.
2Reliability
If traditional serving robots operate in multi-story buildings, then the robot design remains simple, but communication with elevator systems is ineffective leading to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communication protocol that enables the serving robot to interact with the elevator system through standardized interfaces. The management server acts as a universal coordinator that can handle various communication scenarios (elevator status queries, floor destination requests, arrival notifications) through a unified system architecture. This universal approach improves reliability by ensuring consistent and error-free communication without requiring complex custom integration for each specific scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where the robot receives real-time information about elevator status and floor arrivals, and the system continuously monitors order processing status. The management server coordinates feedback loops between the robot, elevator system, and customer service terminals, ensuring that any communication issues are detected and resolved promptly. This feedback system improves order processing accuracy while maintaining manageable communication system complexity through structured information flow.
3Adaptability or versatility
If serving robots need to serve customers on multiple floors, then service coverage expands, but navigation and coordination become complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the elevator system as an intermediary that handles the complexity of vertical navigation between floors. The robot's navigation system only needs to manage horizontal movement within floors and coordinate with the elevator system for floor transitions. The management server acts as another intermediary that coordinates the overall navigation plan, considering multiple factors such as elevator availability, customer location, and robot position. This intermediary approach enables multi-floor service capability while keeping the robot's navigation system relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the navigation problem into different dimensional layers: horizontal navigation within floors is handled by the robot's autonomous navigation system, while vertical navigation between floors is handled by the elevator system. The management server integrates these dimensional layers by coordinating floor selection and elevator dispatch. This dimensional separation reduces navigation system complexity by breaking down the complex three-dimensional navigation problem into simpler two-dimensional floor navigation plus standardized vertical transport.
4Loss of time
If traditional robots are used without elevator integration, then the system structure remains simple, but service timeliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the robot request elevator service in advance when it needs to move between floors to deliver orders. The management server pre-coordinates elevator dispatch based on predicted delivery routes and priorities, reducing waiting time. The system also pre-processes order information and prepares navigation routes before the robot begins physical movement. This preliminary action significantly reduces delivery time while keeping system integration complexity manageable through structured coordination protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining constant communication and coordination between the robot, management server, and elevator system throughout the delivery process. The robot continuously reports its status and position, the server continuously monitors and adjusts routing decisions, and the elevator system continuously updates its availability status. This continuous coordination minimizes idle time and ensures that the robot can immediately proceed with delivery tasks, improving service timeliness while managing integration complexity through sustained systematic coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a self-driving serving robot system for service calls for multi-story buildings that improves the mobility of the self-driving service robot, expands its range of movement, and provides various services to customers.