Multi-Serving Robot Zone Scheduling for Overlapping Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large stores, operating multiple serving robots efficiently is challenging due to overlapping movement paths and collisions, leading to reduced efficiency and potential customer dissatisfaction, as existing methods often require robots to wait until others have finished serving, resulting in increased serving time and quality issues.
Innovation Solution
A multi-serving robot operation method that stores serving spot and zone information, determines if robots are in the same serving zone, and adapts serving orders and paths to prevent standby events by reallocating serving cases and adjusting priorities based on zone information and frequency, allowing robots to move and serve more efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple serving robots are operated simultaneously in a large store, then the serving capacity and productivity increase, but the movement paths overlap causing collisions and reducing operational reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The store area is divided into multiple zones, and each robot is assigned to operate within specific zones. This segmentation of the operating space prevents path overlap and collisions while maintaining high serving capacity through parallel operations in different zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts robot paths and serving orders in real-time based on current store conditions, robot positions, and zone availability. This dynamic path planning allows robots to adapt their movement routes to avoid collisions while maintaining efficient serving operations.
2Ease of operation
If serving robots follow predetermined paths, then the operation control is simplified, but the movement paths overlap reducing the efficiency and increasing serving time
Solution Approach 1:
The path planning system transitions from static predetermined paths to dynamic adaptive paths. Robots receive real-time path adjustments based on zone availability and robot positions, maintaining ease of control through centralized management while improving efficiency by optimizing routes dynamically.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors robot positions, zone status, and serving progress, using this feedback to dynamically adjust paths and serving orders. This closed-loop control maintains operational simplicity while preventing path overlap and improving serving efficiency.
3Reliability
If robots wait for each other to finish serving, then collisions are prevented, but the serving time increases and food quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the store into zones and assigning robots to specific zones, the system eliminates the need for waiting. Robots can operate simultaneously in different zones without collision risk, reducing serving time while maintaining collision prevention through spatial separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-plans robot assignments to different zones and pre-determines serving orders based on predicted robot completion times. This preliminary arrangement allows robots to start serving immediately without waiting, while the system proactively manages potential conflicts before they occur.
4Productivity
If more serving robots are deployed, then the serving capacity increases, but the complexity of path management and collision avoidance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The store is segmented into multiple zones, and each robot is assigned to operate within specific zones. This segmentation simplifies path management by limiting the interaction scope between robots, allowing more robots to be deployed without proportionally increasing management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized control system acts as an intermediary that manages robot assignments, path planning, and conflict resolution. This intermediary absorbs the complexity of coordinating multiple robots, allowing individual robots to operate autonomously within their zones while the central system handles overall optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a multi serving robot operation method and a system therefor. The multi serving robot operation method, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps in which: on the basis of serving spot information, related to respective serving spots on tables to be served, and movement paths on which serving robots may move, the multi serving robot operation system stores serving zone information for each of a plurality of predetermined serving zones, wherein the serving zone information includes information on a plurality of serving spots which have been grouped according to a predetermined method; on the basis of the serving zone information, the multi serving robot operation system determines whether a plurality of performing robots, among the serving robots, are same-zone performing robots performing serving in the same first serving zone; and, as a result of the determination, if the plurality of performing robots are same-zone performing robots, the multi serving robot operation system changes a table to be served by at least one of the same-zone performing robots, or changes a serving order.