IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,915,184
Granted Patent B2
US 11,915,184 · App. 17/838,122 · Granted Feb 27, 2024

Social drone

Inventor: Mikko Vaananen (Helsinki, FI)
Assignee: Mikko Vaananen
G06Q10/083B64C39/024G05D1/104G06Q20/10G06Q20/322G06Q20/3224G06Q30/0635G06Q50/01G06Q50/12B64U10/10B64U10/13B64U10/25B64U30/20B64U2101/30B64U2101/60B64U2201/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,915,184
App. No.
17/838,122
Granted
Feb 27, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for controlling at least one robot system. This includes offering control of a first robot to a first mobile application, indicating an available service offered by the first robot, and receiving instructions to perform the available service. This further includes delivering: (i) debris, (ii) dust, or (iii) cut grass to a stationary second garbage collection robot. A computing system maintains a device profile for the first robot, indicates the available service and a status of the first robot to the first mobile application, and is configured to update the first mobile application. The first robot is configured to drive while performing the available service and is controlled by at least one of: (i) a camera or (ii) a sensor, to avoid collision. The second robot is a stationary garbage collection robot configured to store the delivered debris, dust, or cut grass.

Claims (90)

1. A robot system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory medium, storing a software program product that when executed by the processor enables the robot system to perform an operation comprising:

offering control of a first robot to a first mobile application associated with a first user device;

indicating to the first mobile application an available service offered by the first robot, wherein the available service includes vacuum cleaning;

receiving instructions sent via a Wi-Fi or cellular radio data connection from the first mobile application to perform the available service, wherein the instructions are based on a communication, using a cloud network, from a mobile device executing the first mobile application, and wherein the mobile device displays a list of one or more robots, that includes the first robot, for performing the available service; and

delivering, as part of performing the available service, a delivery containing one or more of: (i) debris, (ii) dust, or (iii) cut grass to a stationary second garbage collection robot managed by the first mobile application, which receives and holds content of the delivery,

wherein the same first mobile application manages both the first robot and the second garbage collection robot,

wherein a computing system maintains a device profile for the first robot,

wherein the computing system indicates the available service and a status of the first robot to the first mobile application,

wherein the computing system is configured to update the first mobile application via corresponding Wi-Fi or cellular radio data connections when the status of the first robot changes to indicate an updated location and an updated status,

wherein the first robot is configured to drive while performing the available service, and the first robot is controlled by the first mobile application via the cloud network and by at least one of: (i) a camera or (ii) a sensor, to avoid collision when performing the available service,

wherein the second robot is a stationary garbage collection robot configured to store the delivered debris, dust, or cut grass, and

wherein the first mobile application is one of a plurality of mobile applications respectively associated with a plurality of user devices, each of the plurality of mobile applications configured to be offered control of the first robot.

2. The robot system of claim 1 , wherein the first robot offers at least two available services, the at least two available services further comprising mopping.

3. The robot system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions select both mopping and vacuuming for the first robot to perform.

4. The robot system of claim 1 , the operation further comprising:

capturing one or more images, using an on-board camera, relating to performance of the available service,

transmitting the one or more images from the first robot to the first mobile application; and

presenting the one or more captured images for display in a user interface of the first mobile application, showing the result of the performance of the available service.

5. The robot system of claim 4 , the operation further comprising:

presenting to the user interface of the first mobile application video that the first robot is currently taking using the on-board camera.

6. The robot system of claim 1 , wherein the first mobile application operates in a cloud computing environment, and over time the computing system gathers data from a plurality of robot tasks for a plurality of users, and services provided by robots are modified based on said data.

7. The robot system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are received at a first time, wherein the instructions specify a later second time when the available service should be performed, and wherein the first robot performs the available service at the later second time.

8. The robot system of claim 1 , wherein:

a third robot offers mopping as an available service,

the first robot and the third robot are configured to drive while performing their respective available services, and

the first mobile application is configured to provide instructions to control both the first robot and the third robot for performing their respective available services.

9. The robot system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions indicate a map location in which the available service is to be performed and the robot system and the user communicate in word based conversations.

10. The robot system of claim 1 ,

wherein the first robot and the second robot each comprise a cavity configured to store the delivered debris, dust, or cut grass, and a liquid container storing water.

11. The robot system of claim 1 , wherein the robot system is further configured to be controlled by a second application operating in a cloud computing environment, and wherein the second application is associated with a search engine or a social network or a cloud application.

12. The robot system of claim 1 , wherein the device profile comprises attributes of the first robot relating to the available service.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, performs operations for controlling at least one robot system, the operations comprising:

offering control of a first robot to a first mobile application associated with a first user device;

indicating to the first mobile application an available service offered by the first robot, wherein the available service includes vacuum cleaning;

receiving instructions sent via a Wi-Fi or cellular radio data connection from the first mobile application to perform the available service, wherein the instructions are based on a communication, using a cloud network, from a mobile device executing the first mobile application, and wherein the mobile device displays a list of one or more robots, that includes the first robot, for performing the available service; and

delivering, as part of performing the available service, a delivery containing one or more of: (i) debris, (ii) dust, or (iii) cut grass to a stationary second garbage collection robot managed by the first mobile application, which receives and holds content of the delivery,

wherein the same first mobile application manages both the first robot and the second garbage collection robot,

wherein a computing system maintains a device profile for the first robot,

wherein the computing system indicates the available service and a status of the first robot to the first mobile application,

wherein the computing system is configured to update the first mobile application via corresponding Wi-Fi or cellular radio data connections when the status of the first robot changes to indicate an updated location and an updated status,

wherein the first robot is configured to drive while performing the available service, and the first robot is controlled by the first mobile application via the cloud network and by at least one of: (i) a camera or (ii) a sensor, to avoid collision when performing the available service,

wherein the second robot is a stationary garbage collection robot configured to store the delivered debris, dust, or cut grass, and

wherein the first mobile application is one of a plurality of mobile applications respectively associated with a plurality of user devices, each of the plurality of mobile applications configured to be offered control of the first robot.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first robot offers at least two available services, the at least two available services further comprising mopping.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions select both mopping and vacuuming for the first robot to perform.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the operation further comprising:

capturing one or more images, using an on-board camera, relating to performance of the available service,

transmitting the one or more images from the first robot to the first mobile application; and

presenting the one or more captured images for display in a user interface of the first mobile application, showing the result of the performance of the available service.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , the operation further comprising:

presenting to the user interface of the first mobile application video that the first robot is currently taking using the on-board camera.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first mobile application operates in a cloud computing environment, and over time the computing system gathers data from a plurality of robot tasks for a plurality of users, and services provided by robots are modified based on said data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are received at a first time, wherein the instructions specify a later second time when the available service should be performed, and wherein the first robot performs the available service at the later second time.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein:

a third robot offers mopping as an available service,

the first robot and the third robot are configured to drive while performing their respective available services, and

the first mobile application is configured to provide instructions to control both the first robot and the third robot for performing their respective available services.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions indicate a map location in which the available service is to be performed and the robot system and the user communicate in word based conversations.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 ,

wherein the first robot and the second robot each comprise a cavity configured to store the delivered debris, dust, or cut grass, and a liquid container storing water.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the robot system is further configured to be controlled by a second application operating in a cloud computing environment, and the second application is associated with a search engine or a social network or a cloud application.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the device profile comprises attributes of the first robot relating to the available service.

25. A robot system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory medium, storing a software program product that when executed by the processor enables the robot system to perform an operation comprising:

offering control of a first robot to a first mobile application associated with a first user device;

indicating to the first mobile application an available service offered by the first robot, wherein the available service includes vacuum cleaning;

receiving instructions sent via a Wi-Fi or cellular radio data connection from the first mobile application to perform the available service, wherein the instructions are based on a communication, using a cloud network, from a mobile device executing the first mobile application, and wherein the mobile device displays a list of one or more robots, that includes the first robot, for performing the available service; and

delivering, as part of performing the available service, a delivery containing one or more of: (i) debris, (ii) dust, or (iii) cut grass to a stationary second garbage collection robot managed by the first mobile application, which receives and holds content of the delivery,

wherein the same first mobile application manages both the first robot and the second garbage collection robot,

wherein a computing system maintains a device profile for the first robot,

wherein the computing system indicates the available service and a status of the first robot to the first mobile application,

wherein the computing system is configured to update the first mobile application via corresponding Wi-Fi or cellular radio data connections when the status of the first robot changes to indicate an updated location and an updated status,

wherein the first robot is configured to drive while performing the available service, and the first robot is controlled by the first mobile application via the cloud network and by at least one of: (i) a camera or (ii) a sensor, to avoid collision when performing the available service,

wherein the second robot is a stationary garbage collection robot configured to store the delivered debris, dust, or cut grass, and

wherein the first mobile application operates in a cloud computing environment, and over time the computing system gathers data from a plurality of robot tasks for a plurality of users, and services provided by robots are modified based on said data.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, performs operations for controlling at least one robot system, the operations comprising:

offering control of a first robot to a first mobile application associated with a first user device;

indicating to the first mobile application an available service offered by the first robot, wherein the available service includes vacuum cleaning;

receiving instructions sent via a Wi-Fi or cellular radio data connection from the first mobile application to perform the available service, wherein the instructions are based on a communication, using a cloud network, from a mobile device executing the first mobile application, and wherein the mobile device displays a list of one or more robots, that includes the first robot, for performing the available service; and

delivering, as part of performing the available service, a delivery containing one or more of: (i) debris, (ii) dust, or (iii) cut grass to a stationary second garbage collection robot managed by the first mobile application, which receives and holds content of the delivery,

wherein the same first mobile application manages both the first robot and the second garbage collection robot,

wherein a computing system maintains a device profile for the first robot,

wherein the computing system indicates the available service and a status of the first robot to the first mobile application,

wherein the computing system is configured to update the first mobile application via corresponding Wi-Fi or cellular radio data connections when the status of the first robot changes to indicate an updated location and an updated status,

wherein the first robot is configured to drive while performing the available service, and the first robot is controlled by the first mobile application via the cloud network and by at least one of: (i) a camera or (ii) a sensor, to avoid collision when performing the available service,

wherein the second robot is a stationary garbage collection robot configured to store the delivered debris, dust, or cut grass, and

wherein the first mobile application operates in a cloud computing environment, and over time the computing system gathers data from a plurality of robot tasks for a plurality of users, and services provided by robots are modified based on said data.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 15070103 · Mar 15, 2016
Division 15070062 · Mar 15, 2016
Provisional Application 62289970 · Feb 2, 2016
Related Publication 20220300890A1 · Sep 22, 2022