Communication systems for multi-source robot control
A service robot may be autonomous, with respect to a portion of a customer service task, and coordinated, with respect to another portion of a customer service task. A resource, such as another robot or an agent (human or automated), may monitor or interact with the robot and, in such a combination, perform a customer service task. The robot may be instructed to pause or delay initiation of a robot portion to allow for a resource to become available at a common time that the interaction portion is to be performed to minimize delay and promote better customer service. Should the delay be beyond an acceptable threshold, the robot may engage in a delay task (e.g., slow down, pause, etc.). The delay task may include a social interaction with a human at a service location.
1. A first robot, comprising:
a network interface connecting the first robot to a server via a network; and
wherein the server is programmed to:
upon receiving a work item comprising a robot execution portion for execution by the first robot at a service location, the robot execution portion comprising a physical interaction and a coordinated task, the coordinated task comprising an interaction between a resource and the first robot;
determine that the work item will require the execution of the coordinated task at a requested resource time;
select the resource from a resource pool, the selected resource having an estimated resource availability time to perform the coordinated task coinciding with the requested resource time;
route the work item to the selected resource; and
signal a resource communication device associated with the selected resource to establish a communication channel with the first robot, via the network interface, accommodating the interaction between the resource and the first robot.
2. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the resource comprises the resource communication device configured to receive interactions from an agent of a contact center.
3. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the resource comprises a second robot.
4. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the server is further programmed to, determine that the requested resource time is earlier than the estimated resource availability time and a previously determined threshold, and, in response to the determination that the work item will require the execution of the coordinated task at a requested resource time, signals the resource communication device associated with the selected resource to establish the communication channel with the first robot, via the network interface, accommodating an observation by the resource utilizing the resource communication device.
5. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the server, further programmed to determine that the requested resource time is later than the estimated resource availability time and a previously determined threshold, and, in response to the determination that the work item will require the execution of the coordinated task at a requested resource time, signals the first robot to implement a delay task.
6. The first robot of claim 5 , wherein the delay task comprises performance of an interaction task selected to engage a human at the service location with the first robot in a social interaction.
7. The first robot of claim 5 , wherein:
the robot execution portion comprises a plurality of robot execution portions; and
a processor is further programmed to implement the delay task comprising reordering the plurality of the robot execution portions from a first order to a second order, wherein the second order comprises the coordinated task having the requested resource time more closely occurring to the estimated resource availability time as compared to a difference between the requested resource time and the estimated resource availability time associated with the first order.
8. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the interaction comprises receiving inputs captured by the first robot during execution of the robot execution portion and, upon receiving a halt instruction via the resource communication device, signaling the first robot to halt execution of the robot execution portion.
9. The first robot of claim 1 :
wherein the selecting the resource from the resource pool comprises selecting a team of resources comprising two resources each having the estimated resource availability time to perform an agent interaction portion coinciding with the requested resource time;
routing the work item further comprises routing the work item to the team of resources; and
signaling the resource communication device associated with the team of resources to establish the communication channel with the first robot, via the network interface, accommodating the interaction comprising a team interaction.
10. The first robot of claim 9 , wherein ones of the resources of the team of resources perform a portion of the team interaction.
11. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein a processor is programmed to select the resource from the resource pool having the estimated resource availability time to perform an interaction most closely coinciding with the requested resource time as compared to a non-selected resource of the resource pool.
12. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the work item comprises drawing blood from a patient.
13. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the work item comprises operating a blood pressure cuff to obtain a blood pressure reading of a patient.
14. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the work item comprising the robot execution portion comprises preparation of a tool to be utilized in performing the work item.
15. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the work item comprising the robot execution portion comprises gathering information utilized in performing the work item.
16. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the work item comprising the robot execution portion comprises preparation of a tool to be utilized in performing the work item.
17. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the robot execution portion further comprises a delay task not essential for the performance of the work item.
18. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the robot execution portion further comprises a delay task requiring additional time and accomplishing a same result as compared to omission of the delay task.
19. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the robot execution portion further comprises obtaining information form a second robot.
20. The first robot of claim 1 , wherein the work item comprises repairing an appliance.