# US 2019/0314993 A1 · Airplane Passenger Service Robot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0314993 A1 - Document ID: US20190314993A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/952,409 - Filed: 2018-04-13 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-13 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Matthew W. Orr - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190314993A1 ## CPC - B25J 9/1674: {characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic} - B25J 5/007: {mounted on wheels} - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - B25J 11/008: {Manipulators for service tasks} - B64D 11/0007: {Devices specially adapted for food or beverage distribution services} - G05D 1/0246: {using a video camera in combination with image processing means} - G05D 1/0282: {generated in a local control room} - G05D 1/0255: {using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals (sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93)} - G05D 1/0257: {using a radar (radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931)} - Y10S 901/01: Mobile robot - Y10S 901/09: Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement - Y10S 901/31: Gripping jaw - Y10S 901/46: Sensing device - Y10S 901/47: Optical - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract An example robotic system includes (a) a housing having a first surface, (b) one or more sensors coupled to the housing, (c) a first wheel and a second wheel coupled to and extending away from the housing, (d) a motor configured to drive at least one of the first wheel and the second wheel, and (e) data storage including program instructions stored thereon that when executed by one or more processors of the robotic system while operating in an environment, cause the robotic system to perform operations comprising: (i) controlling the motor to cause the robotic system to navigate on a surface within the environment based, (ii) detecting, using the one or more sensors, an object approaching the robotic system and responsively controlling the motor to cause the robotic system to cease movement, and (iii) retracting the first wheel and the second wheel into the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robotic system comprising: a housing having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; one or more sensors coupled to the housing; a first wheel and a second wheel coupled to and extending away from the first surface of the housing; a motor configured to drive at least one of the first wheel and the second wheel; and data storage including program instructions stored thereon that when executed by one or more processors of the robotic system while operating in an environment, cause the robotic system to perform operations comprising: controlling the motor to cause the robotic system to navigate on a surface within the environment based on data received from the one or more sensors; detecting, using the one or more sensors, an object approaching the robotic system and responsively controlling the motor to cause the robotic system to cease movement; and retracting the first wheel and the second wheel into the housing such that the first surface of the housing is substantially flush with the surface within the environment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a cavity positioned between the first surface and the second surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The robotic system of claim 2, wherein the housing includes a retractable door positioned over the cavity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The robotic system of claim 2, further comprising a robotic arm positioned in the cavity, wherein the robotic arm is configured to extend out of the cavity away from the second surface of the housing to deliver an item to a user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The robotic system of claim 2, further comprising a scissor lift mechanism positioned in the cavity, wherein the scissor lift mechanism is configured to extend out of the cavity away from the second surface of the housing to deliver an item to a user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the surface in the environment comprises an aisle within an aircraft, and wherein the second surface of the housing is configured to be stepped on by a passenger to allow passage of the passenger in the aisle when the first wheel and the second wheel are retracted such that the first surface of the housing is substantially flush with the aisle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, via a wireless communication link of the robotic system, a request for delivery of an item to a location in the environment; and controlling the motor to cause the robotic system to navigate on the surface within the environment to the location based on data received from the one or more sensors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The robotic system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise: in response to receiving the request for delivery of the item, determining that the housing of the robotic system does not include the item; and in response to determining that the robotic system does not include the item, loading the item into the housing via a robotic arm of the robotic system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The robotic system of claim 1, further comprising a visual display positioned on the housing, wherein the visual display provides a visual indication that the robotic system is safe to pass over, and wherein the visual indication comprises one of a text-based indication or a color-based indication. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The robotic system of claim 1, further comprising a speaker positioned on the housing, wherein the speaker provides an audio indication that the robotic system is safe to pass over. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The robotic system of claim 1, further comprising a third wheel and a fourth wheel coupled to and extending away from the first surface of the housing, wherein the operations further comprise: retracting the third wheel and the fourth wheel into the housing such that the first surface of the housing is substantially flush with the surface in response to detecting the object approaching the robotic system. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: operating a robotic system on a surface in an environment, wherein the robotic system includes (i) a housing having a first surface, (ii) one or more sensors coupled to the housing, (iii) a first wheel and a second wheel coupled to and extending away from the first surface of the housing, and (iv) a motor configured to drive at least one of the first wheel and the second wheel; detecting, using the one or more sensors, an object approaching the robotic system and responsively controlling the motor to cause the robotic system to cease movement; and retracting the first wheel and the second wheel into the housing such that the first surface of the housing is substantially flush with the surface within the environment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: receiving, via a wireless communication link of the robotic system, a request for delivery of an item to a location in the environment; and controlling the motor to cause the robotic system to navigate on the surface within the environment to the location based on data received from the one or more sensors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: in response to receiving the request for delivery of the item, determining that the housing of the robotic system does not include the item; and in response to determining that the robotic system does not include the item, loading the item into the housing via a robotic arm of the robotic system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the robotic system further includes a visual display positioned on the housing, the method further comprising: in response to a determination that the first wheel and the second wheel have been retracted into the housing such that the first surface of the housing is substantially flush with the surface, providing a visual indication that the robotic system is safe for a passenger to pass over. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the robotic system further includes a speaker positioned on the housing, the method further comprising: in response to a determination that the first wheel and the second wheel have been retracted into the housing such that the first surface of the housing is substantially flush with the surface, providing an audio indication that the robotic system is safe for a passenger to pass over. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the surface in the environment comprises an aisle within an aircraft, wherein the object approaching the robotic system comprises a passenger walking in the aisle of the aircraft, and wherein a second surface of the housing is configured to be stepped on to allow passage of the passenger in the aisle when the first wheel and the second wheel are retracted such that the first surface of the housing is substantially flush with the aisle. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause a robotic system to perform operations comprising: operating a robotic system on a surface in an environment, wherein the robotic system includes (i) a housing having a first surface, (ii) one or more sensors coupled to the housing, (iii) a first wheel and a second wheel coupled to and extending away from the first surface of the housing, and (iv) a motor configured to drive at least one of the first wheel and the second wheel; detecting, using the one or more sensors, an object approaching the robotic system and responsively controlling the motor to cause the robotic system to cease movement; and retracting the first wheel and the second wheel into the housing such that the first surface of the housing is substantially flush with the surface within the environment. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, via a wireless communication link, a request for delivery of an item to a location in the environment; and controlling the motor to cause the robotic system to navigate on the surface within the environment to the location based on data received from the one or more sensors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the surface in the environment comprises an aisle within an aircraft, wherein the object approaching the robotic system comprises a passenger walking in the aisle of the aircraft, and wherein a second surface of the housing is configured to be stepped on to allow passage of the passenger in the aisle when the first wheel and the second wheel are retracted such that the first surface of the housing is substantially flush with the aisle.