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US 9,411,337 B1Granted
Method and device for accommodating items
AssigneeVecna Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDaniel Theobald, Thomas Allen, Josh Ornstein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method are provided, the method including providing a device capable of at least semi-autonomous operation and enabling the device to autonomously gather at least one item and secure that item against unauthorized access while providing selective authorized access to the item while the item is in possession of the device.
Claims11
A method for transporting an item, comprising:
- receiving the item with a self-contained, autonomous mobile robot at a second node of a pneumatic conveying system, the item received within a compartment of the mobile robot, wherein the item was transported by the pneumatic conveying system from a first node of the pneumatic conveying system to the second node of the pneumatic conveying system;
- autonomously securing the item within the compartment of the mobile robot using a security system of the mobile robot to prevent unauthorized access to the secured item, wherein the security system includes a lock configured to prevent unauthorized access to the item within the compartment of the mobile robot;
- autonomously moving the mobile robot and the item secured within the compartment of the mobile robot from a pickup location to a drop off location using a drive system of the mobile robot, the mobile robot configured for independent navigation between the pickup location and the drop off location without need for physical or electromechanical guidance devices in an operating environment within which the mobile robot moves between the pickup location and the drop off location;
- autonomously communicating at least one signal between the mobile robot and a mobile robot docking station at the drop off location, wherein the at least one signal communicates at least one security criteria between the mobile robot and the docking station in order to enable transferring of the item from the mobile robot to the docking station;
- and
- autonomously transferring the item from the compartment of the mobile robot to a compartment of the docking station in response to the at least one signal communicated between mobile robot and the docking station;
- the docking station configured to autonomously secure the item within the compartment of the docking station using a security system of the docking station to prevent unauthorized access to the secured item, and the security system including a lock configured to prevent unauthorized access to the item within the compartment of the docking station.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.