Autonomous refuse container replacement system
Included is a method for autonomous robotic refuse container replacement including: transmitting, by a processor of a first robotic refuse container, a request for replacement to a portion of processors of robotic refuse containers; receiving, by the processor of the first robotic refuse container, a return signal from a portion of processors of the robotic refuse containers; transmitting, by the processor of the first robotic refuse container, a confirmation for replacement to a processor of a second robotic refuse container in response to a return signal received from the processor of the second robotic refuse container; instructing, by the processor of the first robotic refuse container, the first robotic refuse container to navigate to a second location from a current location; and instructing, by the processor of the second robotic refuse container, the second robotic refuse container to navigate to the current location of the first robotic refuse container.
1. A method for managing autonomous robotic refuse container replacement of at least two robotic refuse containers comprising:
transmitting, by a processor of a first robotic refuse container, a request for replacement to at least a portion of processors of each of the at least two robotic refuse containers;
receiving, by the processor of the first robotic refuse container, a return signal from at least a portion of processors of each of the at least two robotic refuse containers that received the request for replacement;
transmitting, by the processor of the first robotic refuse container, a confirmation for replacement to a processor of a second robotic refuse container in response to a return signal received from the processor of the second robotic refuse container from among all the return signals received;
instructing, by the processor of the first robotic refuse container, the first robotic refuse container to navigate to a second location from a current location; and
instructing, by the processor of the second robotic refuse container, the second robotic refuse container to navigate to the current location of the first robotic refuse container,
wherein:
the portion of processors of each of the at least two robotic refuse containers that receive the request for replacement are within a first predetermined distance from the first robotic refuse container; and
the processor of the first robotic refuse container increases the first predetermined distance to a second predetermined distance when the processor of the first robotic refuse container does not receive any return signals.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor of the first robotic refuse container requests replacement because a battery level of the first robotic refuse container is below predetermined threshold, a refuse container fill volume of a refuse container of the first robotic refuse container requires is greater than a predetermined threshold, or the first robotic refuse container is malfunctioning.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of processors of each of the at least two robotic refuse containers that receive the request for replacement each have a battery level above a predetermined threshold, a refuse container fill volume less than a predetermined threshold, and are unused.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of processors of each of the at least two robotic refuse containers that transmit the return signal each have a battery level above a predetermined threshold, a refuse container fill volume less than a predetermined threshold, are located within the first predetermined distance from the first robotic refuse container and are unused.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second robotic refuse container is the nearest unused robotic refuse container with a battery level above a predetermined threshold and a refuse container fill volume less than a predetermined threshold.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second location of the first robotic refuse container is a nearest charging station, a nearest refuse collection site, a nearest parking area, a designated charging station, a designated refuse collection site, or a designated parking area.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of processors of each of the at least two robotic refuse containers transmit and receive information to and from each other.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the information comprises at least one of: a current location, a current refuse container fill volume, a battery level, a surrounding activity level, a number of operation hours, a robotic refuse container condition, a status, a number of maintenance hours, a time required to reach a replacement location, environmental conditions, historical success in completing actions, actions executed, upcoming actions, and sensor data.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor of the first robotic refuse container determines the second robotic refuse container to replace the first robotic refuse container using a Markov Decision Process.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein processors of the at least two robotic refuse containers collaborate to generate a map of the environment.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein an application of a communication device is paired with at least one of the at least two robotic refuse containers and is configured to request for replacement of a particular robotic refuse container, request fill level of a particular robotic refuse container, request battery level of a particular robotic refuse container, and request a robotic refuse container at a particular location.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the processor of the first robotic refuse container uses at least a portion of the information in determining which robotic refuse container among all robotic refuse containers from which a return signal was received to transmit the confirmation of replacement to; and
the processor of the first robotic refuse container assigns each information a different weight in importance.