Description:BACKGROUND
Field of Invention
[001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a serving of a robot and particularly to a system for an automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication.
Description of Related Art
[002] In recent years, the demand for automated systems for robots within premises has seen a significant surge. Various industries, including logistics, manufacturing, and retail, have been exploring ways to streamline their operations through the use of autonomous robots. These robots navigate through complex indoor environments, such as warehouses, factories, and stores, to perform tasks such as goods delivery, inventory management, and surveillance.
[003] Moreover, traditional methods of robot serving in outdoor environments, such as GPS-based systems, are often inadequate for indoor settings due to the lack of satellite coverage and the presence of dynamic obstacles. Consequently, there is a growing need for robust and efficient serving systems tailored specifically for indoor use.
[004] However, existing indoor serving solutions typically rely on a combination of sensors, such as LiDAR, cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), along with sophisticated algorithms for localization, mapping, and path planning. However, these systems often face challenges such as sensor noise, occlusions, dynamic environments, and varying lighting conditions, which can affect their reliability and performance.
[005] There is thus a need for an improved and advanced system for automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication that can administer the aforementioned limitations in a more efficient manner.
SUMMARY
[006] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a system for an automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication. The system comprising: a robot equipped with motors and wheels. The motors are driven using a motor driver. The system further comprising: sensor nodes, installed in the premise, and adapted to check a current location of the robot. The system further comprising: a communication unit adapted to receive instructions from a user device. The instructions comprise the current location of the robot, a destination location for the robot, or a combination thereof. The system further comprising: a control unit communicatively connected to the motor driver and the communication unit. The control unit is configured to: receive the instructions from the communication unit; process the received instructions to determine a speed and a direction for each of the wheels to enable the robot to move forward, backward, diagonally, or a combination thereof; activate the sensor nodes in a mapped route from the current location to the destination location; activate the motor driver to actuate the motors to enable the robot to move towards the destination location based on the processed instructions; and display a status of the robot on a computer application installed on the user device.
[007] Embodiments in accordance with the present invention further provide a method for automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication. The method comprising steps of: receiving instructions comprising a current location of the robot, a destination location for the robot, or a combination thereof from the communication unit; processing the received instructions to determine a speed and a direction for each of wheels to enable the robot to move forward, backward, diagonally, or a combination thereof; activating the sensor nodes in a mapped route from the current location to the destination location; and activating a motor driver to actuate a motors to enable the robot to move towards the destination location based on the processed instructions; and displaying a status of the robot on a computer application installed on the user device.
[008] Embodiments of the present invention may provide a number of advantages depending on their particular configuration. First, embodiments of the present application may provide a system for an automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication.
[009] Next, embodiments of the present application may provide a system for an automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication that is quick, fast, and latency-free.
[0010] Next, embodiments of the present application may provide a system for an automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication that maps out the premise and finds optimal routes for serving.
[0011] Next, embodiments of the present application may provide a system for an automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication that is autonomous.
[0012] These and other advantages will be apparent from the present application of the embodiments described herein.
[0013] The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present invention. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the present invention and its various embodiments. The summary presents selected concepts of the embodiments of the present invention in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the present invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The above and still further features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system for an automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a control unit of the system for the automated serving of the robot in the premise using the short-range communication, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a method for serving the robot using the system for the automated serving of the robot in the premise using the short-range communication, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to. To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures. Optional portions of the figures may be illustrated using dashed or dotted lines, unless the context of usage indicates otherwise.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
[0020] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising", "comprises”, and the like (which are synonymous with "including", "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of", “consists essentially of", and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of", "consists of”, the like.
[0021] As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.
[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a system 100 for an automated serving of a robot 102 in a premise using a short-range communication, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the system 100 may be adapted to enable the robot 102 to autonomously move and traverse to and from locations in the premise. The premise may be, but not limited to, a factory, a restaurant, a yard, a warehouse, and so forth.
[0023] According to embodiments of the present invention, the system 100 may comprise a robot 102. The robot 102 may comprise motors 104a-104n (hereinafter singularly referred to as the motor 104, and referred to as the motors 104 in plurality), a motor driver 106, wheels 108a-108n. The system 100 may further comprise a communication unit 110, a control unit 112, sensor nodes 114a-114n and a user device 116.
[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention, the robot 102 may be equipped with the motors 104, the motor driver 106, and the wheels 108a-108n. The wheels 108a-108n may be adapted to be rotated using the rotational motion generated by the motors 104. The rotation of the wheels 108a-108n may displace and enable a motion of the robot 102 in the premise. The motors 104 may be driven by the motor driver 106 based on a destination location received from a user using the user device 116, in an embodiment of the present invention. The motor driver 106 may be a L298N motor driver.
[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, the communication unit 110 may be adapted to receive instructions from the user device 116. The instructions may comprise a current location of the robot 102, the destination location for the robot 102, and so forth. The communication unit 110 for providing the short range communication may be a ZigBee, a Bluetooth, and so forth.
[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 112 may be connected to the motor driver 106 and to the communication unit 110. The control unit 112 may further be configured to execute computer-executable instructions to generate an output relating to the system 100. According to embodiments of the present invention, the control unit 112 may be, but not limited to, a Programmable Logic Control (PLC) unit, a microprocessor, a development board, and so forth. Embodiments of the present invention are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the control unit 112 including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies. In an embodiment of the present invention, the functioning of the control unit 112 may further be explained in conjunction with FIG. 2.
[0027] In an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor nodes 114a-114n may be installed in the premise. The sensor nodes 114a-114n may be adapted to check the current location of the robot 102, in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the user may set the destination location of the robot 102 as Y and the current location of the robot 102 may be X. Further, for traversing from X to Y, the robot 102 may have to pass through a node A, a node B and a node C. The system 100 may map a route from X to Y having intermediary nodes as A, B, and C. The robot 102 may follow the mapped route and start from X and travel till node A, after arrival at node A the robot 102 may traverse to node B, after arrival at node C the robot 102 may traverse till node C, after arrival at node C the robot 102 may further traverse at Y. Upon arrival at Y, the robot 102 may have autonomously traversed and navigated from past current location X to destination location Y.
[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, the user device 116 may be a device used by the user to transmit instructions to the robot 102. The user device 116 may be a mobile phone, in an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user device 116 may comprise a computer application 118 adapted to display a status of the robot 102, in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the control unit 112 of the system 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 112 may comprise the computer-executable instructions in form of programming modules such as a data receiving module 200, a routing module 202, an activation module 204, and an actuation module 206.
[0031] In an embodiment of the present invention, the data receiving module 200 may be configured to receive the instructions from the user device 116. The data receiving module 200 may further be configured to check the current location of the robot 102 in the premise, in an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the data receiving module 200 may further transmit the current location and the destination location to the routing module 202.
[0032] In an embodiment of the present invention, the routing module 202 may be activated upon receipt of the instructions from the data receiving module 200. In an embodiment of the present invention, the routing module 202 may be configured to process the received instructions to determine a speed and a direction for each of the wheels 108a-108n to enable the robot 102 to move forward, backward, and diagonally, and so forth. The routing module 202 may be configured to map the route for the robot 102 from the current location to the destination location, in an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, the routing module 202 may further transmit the mapped route to the activation module 204.
[0033] In an embodiment of the present invention, the activation module 204 may be activated upon receipt of the mapped route from the routing module 202. The activation module 204 may be configured to activate the sensor nodes 114a-114n in the mapped route, in an embodiment of the present invention. Further, after activation of the sensor nodes 114a-114n in the mapped route, the activation module 204 may transmit an actuation signal to the actuation module 206.
[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, the actuation module 206 may be activated upon receipt of the actuation signal from the activation module 204. The actuation module 206 may be configured to activate the motor driver 106 to actuate the motors 104 to enable the robot 102 to move towards the destination location based on the processed instructions. Further, the actuation module 206 may be configured to display the status of the robot 102 on the computer application 118 installed on the user device 116.
[0035] FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of a method 300 for automated serving of the robot 102 in the premise using the system 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] At step 302, the system 100 may receive the instructions from the communication unit 110.
[0037] At step 304, the system 100 may process the received instructions to determine the speed and the direction for each of the wheels 108a-108n to enable the robot 102 to move forward, backward, diagonally, and so forth.
[0038] At step 306, the system 100 may activate the sensor nodes 114a-114n in the mapped route from the current location to the destination location.
[0039] At step 308, the system 100 may activate the motor driver 106 to actuate the motors 104 to enable the robot 102 to move towards the destination location based on the processed instructions.
[0040] At step 310, the system 100 may display the status of the robot 102 on the computer application 118 installed on the user device 116.
[0041] While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and various embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims.
[0042] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined in the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements within substantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. , Claims:CLAIMS
We Claim:
1. A system (100) for an automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication, the system (100) comprising:
a robot (102) equipped with motors (104a-104n) and wheels (108a-108n), wherein the motors (104a-104n) are driven using a motor driver (106);
sensor nodes (114a-114n), installed in the premise, and adapted to check a current location of the robot (102);
a communication unit (110) adapted to receive instructions from a user device (116), wherein the instructions comprise the current location of the robot (102), a destination location for the robot (102), or a combination thereof; and
a control unit (112) communicatively connected to the motor driver (106) and the communication unit (110), characterized in that the control unit (112) is configured to:
receive the instructions from the communication unit (110);
processes the received instructions to determine a speed and a direction for each of the wheels (108a-108n) to enable the robot (102) to move forward, backward, diagonally, or a combination thereof;
activate the sensor nodes (114a-114n) in a mapped route from the current location to the destination location;
activate the motor driver (106) to actuate the motors (104a-104n) to enable the robot (102) to move towards the destination location based on the processed instructions; and
display a status of the robot (102) on a computer application (118) installed on the user device (116).
2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user device (116) is a mobile phone.
3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor driver (106) is an L298N motor driver.
4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication unit (110) is selected from a ZigBee, a Bluetooth, or a combination thereof.
5. A method (300) for serving a robot (102) using a system (100) for an automated serving of a robot in a premise using a short-range communication, the method (300) is characterized by the steps of:
receiving, from the communication unit (110), instructions comprising a current location of the robot (102), a destination location for the robot (102), or a combination thereof;
processing the received instructions to determine a speed and a direction for each of wheels (108a-108n) to enable the robot (102) to move forward, backward, diagonally, or a combination thereof;
activating the sensor nodes (114a-114n) in a mapped route from the current location to the destination location; and
activating a motor driver (106) to actuate motors (104a-104n) to enable the robot (102) to move towards the destination location based on the processed instructions; and
displaying a status of the robot (102) on a computer application (118) installed on the user device (116).
6. The method (300) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the user device (116) is a mobile phone.
7. The method (300) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the motor driver (106) is a L298N motor driver.
8. The method (300) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the communication unit (110) is selected from a ZigBee, a Bluetooth, or a combination thereof.
Date: May 28, 2024
Place: Noida

Dr. Keerti Gupta
Agent for the Applicant
(IN/PA-1529)