Task execution system, radio connection method, and program

{
  "publication_number": "US11438830B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Task execution system, radio connection method, and program",
  "abstract": "A task execution system, a radio connection method, and a program capable of switching a base station which is a connection destination at an appropriate timing are provided. In a task execution system including an autonomous mobile robot configured to sequentially execute a plurality of tasks including movement, the autonomous mobile robot includes a radio communication unit that communicates with a base station, and a connection control unit that searches for the base station with execution of a predetermined task as a trigger and switches base station which is a connection destination of communication by the radio communication unit.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A task execution system comprising an autonomous mobile robot configured to sequentially execute a plurality of tasks including movement, the autonomous mobile robot comprising: a radio communication unit configured to communicate with a first base station and a second base station; and a connection control unit configured to search for the second base station upon execution of a predetermined task of the plurality of tasks, and to switch the communication of the radio communication unit from the first base station to the second base station during the predetermined task, the predetermined task being a task that can be executed without requiring radio communication, wherein the predetermined task is a task in which the autonomous mobile robot waits for arrival of an elevator car.",
    "2. The task execution system according to claim 1, wherein the connection control unit performs the switch of the first base station to the second base station when a received radio wave intensity of a signal from the first base station in which communication is currently established is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold.",
    "3. The task execution system according to claim 1, wherein the connection control unit performs the switch of the first base station to the second base when an execution timing of the predetermined task is before an execution timing of a task that involves communication by a predetermined period or more.",
    "4. The task execution system according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous mobile robot comprises: a mobile apparatus configured to move the autonomous mobile robot; a position estimation unit configured to estimate a self position, which is a position of the autonomous mobile robot itself on a map of a mobile environment; a path planning unit configured to plan a moving path to a destination based on the map and the self position; and a movement control unit configured to control movement of the autonomous mobile robot in accordance with the planned moving path.",
    "5. The task execution system according to claim 1, further comprising a server configured to provide the plurality of tasks for the autonomous mobile robot.",
    "6. The task execution system according to claim 5, wherein the server associates information indicating a timing of searching for a base station with a task and provides the plurality of tasks associated with the information for the autonomous mobile robot.",
    "7. A radio connection method in a task execution system comprising an autonomous mobile robot configured to communicate with a first base station and a second base station and to sequentially execute a plurality of tasks including movement, the method comprising: searching for the second base station upon execution of a predetermined task of the plurality of tasks, and switching from the first base station to the second base station during the predetermined task of the plurality of tasks, the predetermined task being a task that can be executed without requiring radio communication, wherein the predetermined task is a task in which the autonomous mobile robot waits for arrival of an elevator car.",
    "8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer of an autonomous mobile robot configured to communicate with a first base station and a second base station and to sequentially execute a plurality of tasks including movement to execute the following steps of: searching for the second base station upon execution of a predetermined task of the plurality of tasks, and switching from the first base station to the second base station during the predetermined task of the plurality of tasks, the predetermined task being a task that can be executed without requiring radio communication, wherein the predetermined task is a task in which the autonomous mobile robot waits for arrival of an elevator car."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to a task execution system, a radio connection method, and a program, and in particular, relates to control of radio connection of an autonomous mobile robot.\n\nIn recent years, development of autonomous mobile robots that autonomously move in a building or outdoors and convey objects has been advancing. These autonomous mobile robots may perform radio communication with other apparatuses for executing processing. In this case, the autonomous mobile robots perform radio communication with the other apparatuses via, for example, base stations.\n\nSince the autonomous mobile robot moves, it is required to switch a base station to which the autonomous mobile robot is connected. With regard to this, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-90576 discloses a mobile robot that avoids a situation in which communication with a radio base station is interrupted while the mobile robot is moving. This mobile robot switches connections using a connection switch table indicating a radio base station to which the robot should be connected in association with the position of the mobile robot on a moving path.\n\nAs described above, since the base stations are switched depending on the position of the mobile robot in the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-90576, when the mobile robot reaches a predetermined position, the base stations are switched. Therefore, it is possible that the base stations may be switched at an inappropriate timing when the mobile robot executes the task.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04W 48/16",
    "H04W 36/0055",
    "H04W 36/32",
    "H04W 36/34",
    "H04W 4/40",
    "H04W 4/44",
    "H04W 4/70",
    "H04W 48/20"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04W 4/40",
    "H04W 48/16",
    "H04W 36/34"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Toyota Motor Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Susumu Shimizu"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-12-29",
  "publication_date": "2022-09-06",
  "grant_date": "2022-09-06",
  "priority_date": "2020-02-12",
  "application_number": "US-202017136156-A",
  "family_id": "77176958",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US20080086236A1",
    "JP2008090576A",
    "US20150197010A1"
  ]
}