Method and system for remote control of robot, and building having elevators for robots

1 . A method of remotely controlling a robot, the method comprising:

specifying a target robot for which a boarding event for boarding a movement means has occurred when the target robot is positioned at a specific area outside of the movement means;

controlling the movement means, responsive to the occurrence of the boarding event, to stop at the specific area where the target robot is positioned to enable the target robot to board the moving means;

controlling the target robot to board the movement means;

determining, based on an occupation state of a reception space provided in the movement means and divided into a plurality of predetermined regions, a target occupation position of the target robot in one of the plurality of predetermined regions;

transmitting a control command to the target robot, such that the target robot moves to the determined one of the plurality of predetermined regions corresponding to the target occupation position, wherein the target occupation position varies among the plurality of predetermined regions depending on an operation mode of a plurality of operation modes in which the target robot is operated, and the target robot moves from the determined one of the plurality of predetermined regions to another of the plurality of predetermined regions;

receiving a deboarding event of a specific object positioned in the reception space in a state in which the target robot is positioned at the target occupation position of the reception space;

determining whether the target robot is positioned on a deboarding path of the specific object in response to the deboarding event; and

resetting an occupation position of the target robot for deboarding of the specific object from the movement means, when the target robot is positioned on the deboarding path of the specific object,

wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, based on a destination of the target robot and a destination of the specific object, a deboarding order of the target robot and the specific object with respect to the movement means is specified, and

wherein, based on the deboarding order, whether to set the target occupation position closer to the entrance and exit than the specific object is determined.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, whether the specific object occupying the reception space is present is determined using sensing information sensed through at least one sensor provided in the movement means, and the occupation state is specified, based on whether the object occupying the reception space is present.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, at least some of remaining plurality of predetermined regions of the reception space, excluding a predetermined region occupied by the specific object when the specific object is determined to be present, is determined to be the target occupation position of the target robot, such that the target robot is not positioned to overlap the predetermined region occupied by the specific object in the reception space.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein a size of the predetermined region occupied by the specific object is differently specified based on an object type of the specific object,

wherein the object type comprises a first type and a second type,

wherein an object according to the first type corresponds to a robot that is remotely controllable, and

wherein an object according to the second type corresponds to an object that is not remotely controllable.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein a size of a predetermined region occupied by the object according to the second type is larger than a size of a predetermined region occupied by the object according to the first type.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, when the specific object occupying the reception space is present, the destination of the object is identified, and the target occupation position is determined, based on the destination of the object.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a first operation mode of the plurality of operation modes is an operation mode that prioritizes time efficiency of the target robot, and

wherein a second operation mode of the plurality of operation modes is an operation mode that prioritizes energy efficiency of the target robot.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, when the target robot is operated in the first operation mode, a region that is closest to the entrance and exit of the movement means among occupiable plurality of predetermined regions of the reception space is determined as the target occupation position, and

wherein when the target robot is operated in the second operation mode, in consideration of the destinations of the specific object positioned in the reception space, the target occupation position is determined.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reset occupation position of the target robot is set to a position that is closest to the entrance and exit of the movement means among remaining plurality of predetermined regions of the reception space, excluding the deboarding path.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

comparing, based on destinations of other objects positioned in the movement means, time of deboarding of the other objects to a time point of deboarding of the target robot; and

specifying deboarding of the other objects when the time point of deboarding of the target robot is later than the time points of deboarding of the other objects as a result of the comparison, and

wherein the reset occupation position is positioned in remaining regions excluding the deboarding path of the specific object and the deboarding paths of the other objects.

11 . A system for remotely controlling a robot and a movement means, the system comprising:

a sensing unit for determining a location of the robot;

a communication unit for communicating the location of the robot; and

a control unit configured to specify a target robot for which a boarding event for boarding a movement means has occurred when the target robot is positioned at a specific area outside of the movement means; and

a movement means controller, in communication with the control unit, for controlling the movement means,

wherein the movement means controller controls the movement means, responsive to the occurrence of the boarding event, to stop at the specific area where the target robot is positioned to enable the target robot at a specific area to board the moving means, and

wherein the control unit is configured to:

control the target robot to board the movement means;

determine, based on an occupation state of a reception space provided in the movement means and divided into a plurality of predetermined regions, a target occupation position of the target robot in one of the plurality of predetermined regions;

transmit a control command to the target robot using the communication unit, such that the target robot moves to the determined one of the plurality of predetermined regions corresponding to the target occupation position, wherein the target occupation position varies among the plurality of predetermined regions depending on an operation mode of a plurality of operation modes in which the target robot is operated, and the target robot moves from the determined one of the plurality of predetermined regions to another of the plurality of predetermined regions;

receive, through the communication unit, a deboarding event of a specific object positioned in the reception space in a state in which the target robot is positioned at the target occupation position of the reception space;

determine whether the target robot is positioned on a deboarding path of the specific object in response to the deboarding event; and

reset an occupation position of the target robot for deboarding of the specific object from the movement means, when the target robot is positioned on the deboarding path of the specific object,

wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, based on a destination of the target robot and a destination of the specific object, a deboarding order of the target robot and the specific object with respect to the movement means is specified, and

wherein, based on the deboarding order, whether to set the target occupation position closer to the entrance and exit than the specific object is determined.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, whether the specific object occupying the reception space is present is determined using sensing information sensed through at least one sensor provided in the movement means, and the occupation state is specified, based on whether the object occupying the reception space is present.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, at least some of remaining plurality of predetermined regions of the reception space, excluding a predetermined region occupied by the specific object when the specific object is determined to be present, is determined to be the target occupation position of the target robot, such that the target robot is not positioned to overlap the predetermined region occupied by the specific object in the reception space.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a size of the predetermined region occupied by the specific object is differently specified based on an object type of the specific object,

wherein the object type comprises a first type and a second type,

wherein an object according to the first type corresponds to a robot that is remotely controllable, and

wherein an object according to the second type corresponds to an object that is not remotely controllable.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein a size of a predetermined region occupied by the object according to the second type is larger than a size of a predetermined region occupied by the object according to the first type.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, when the specific object occupying the reception space is present, the destination of the object is identified, and the target occupation position is determined, based on the destination of the object.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a first operation mode of the plurality of operation modes is an operation mode that prioritizes time efficiency of the target robot, and

wherein a second operation mode of the plurality of operation modes is an operation mode that prioritizes energy efficiency of the target robot.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein in the determining of the target occupation position, when the target robot is operated in the first operation mode, a region that is closest to the entrance and exit of the movement means among occupiable plurality of predetermined regions of the reception space is determined as the target occupation position, and

wherein when the target robot is operated in the second operation mode, in consideration of the destinations of the specific object positioned in the reception space, the target occupation position is determined.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the reset occupation position of the target robot is set to a position that is closest to the entrance and exit of the movement means among remaining plurality of predetermined regions of the reception space, excluding the deboarding path.

20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

comparing, based on destinations of other objects positioned in the movement means, time of deboarding of the other objects to a time point of deboarding of the target robot; and

specifying deboarding of the other objects when the time point of deboarding of the target robot is later than the time points of deboarding of the other objects as a result of the comparison, and

wherein the reset occupation position is positioned in remaining regions excluding the deboarding path of the specific object and the deboarding paths of the other objects.