US 11,446,810 B1Granted

Robotic assistant

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsAlbert John Yu Sam Chua, Paul Leland Mandel, Adam Barry Fineberg, Christopher Clive Jones, Stephen Anthony Kitchens, Christopher Lorenzo Dunn, Omar Sze Leung, Carl Philip Taussig, John Edwin Johnston

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Abstract

A robotic assistant comprises a plurality of sensors in a compact and unobtrusive form. One or more sensors may be emplaced upon a mast that may be selectively raised and lowered. The mast allows the robotic assistant to acquire images or other sensor data from a greater height, without substantially increasing the bulk of the robotic assistant. For ease of transport from one floor to another or from one building to another, the robotic assistant may deploy a handhold that a human may use to pick up and carry the robotic assistant. Floor characterization sensors may be used to determine characteristics of the floor such as if the floor is wet or dry. The robotic assistant may be used to provide a user with access to network services, to monitor a facility, provide telepresence services, and so forth.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A robot comprising:

a lower structure comprising:
a pair of front wheels having a first diameter, each of the pair of front wheels having a wheel axle that is located forward of a center of gravity of the robot;
a caster wheel located behind the center of gravity of the robot;
and
a modular payload bay configured to accept a modular payload unit;
an upper structure comprising:
a touchscreen display mounted to the upper structure via a moveable mount;
an extensible mast having a mast housing at an uppermost end, wherein a camera is mounted within the mast housing;
a carrying handle positioned above the center of gravity of the robot, wherein the carrying handle retracts at least partially within the upper structure;
and
an electrically operated mechanism to deploy the carrying handle to an extended position;
one or more sensors;
one or more memories storing first computer-executable instructions;
and
one or more processors to execute the first computer-executable instructions to:
acquire sensor data from the one or more sensors;
autonomously navigate within an environment using at least a portion of the sensor data;
determine, using the one or more sensors, that the carrying handle has been deployed to the extended position;
and
inhibit operation of one or more motors of the robot responsive to the determination that the carrying handle has been deployed to the extended position.

17 more elements

A robot comprising:

a structure;
a plurality of wheels mounted to the structure;
one or more drive motors to move one or more of the plurality of wheels;
a carrying handle configured to retract at least partially within the structure;
an electrically operated mechanism to deploy the carrying handle to an extended position for use;
one or more mast motors;
one or more base charging contacts located on the structure proximate to an extensible mast, wherein the one or more base charging contacts provide electrical power;
a first wireless interface to provide wireless communication;
the extensible mast having a mast housing proximate to an uppermost end of the extensible mast, the mast housing comprising:
a second wireless interface to provide wireless communication with the first wireless interface;
a masthead battery;
and
one or more masthead charging contacts electrically connected to the masthead battery, wherein the one or more masthead charging contacts establish electrical contact with the one or more base charging contacts when the extensible mast is retracted;
one or more sensors comprising at least a floor analysis sensor;
one or more memories storing first computer-executable instructions;
and
one or more processors to execute the first computer-executable instructions to:
acquire sensor data from the one or more sensors, the sensor data comprising at least floor characterization data associated with an environment;
and
autonomously navigate the robot within the environment using at least a portion of the sensor data.

17 more elements

A system comprising:

a robot comprising:
a structure;
a plurality of wheels mounted to the structure;
one or more drive motors to move one or more of the plurality of wheels;
a carrying handle configured to retract at least partially within the structure;
an electrically operated mechanism to deploy the carrying handle to an extended position for use;
one or more sensors;
an extensible mast;
one or more mast motors to transition the extensible mast between one or more of a retracted state or an extended state;
a first power storage device to provide electrical power to at least the one or more drive motors and the one or more mast motors;
a second power storage device to provide electrical power to at least the one or more sensors;
one or more robot charging contacts connected to the first and second power storage devices;
a first communication interface using a first frequency range;
a second communication interface using a second frequency range less than the first frequency range;
one or more memories storing first computer-executable instructions;
and
one or more processors to execute the first computer-executable instructions to:
actuate the electrically operated mechanism to deploy the carrying handle;
and
a docking station comprising:
a power supply;
one or more base charging contacts connected to the power supply;
a third communication interface using the second frequency range;
one or more second memories storing second computer-executable instructions;
and
one or more second processors to execute the second computer-executable instructions to:
establish communication with the robot using the third communication interface.

24 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.