Autonomous coordination of resources amongst robots

摘要

A synchronization primitive provides robots with locks, monitors, semaphores, or other mechanisms for reserving temporary access to a shared limited set of resources required by the robots in performing different tasks. Through non-conflicting establishment of the synchronization primitives across the set of resources, robots can prioritize the order with which assigned tasks are completed and minimize wait times for resources needed to complete each of the assigned tasks, thereby maximizing the number of tasks simultaneously executed by the robots and optimizing task completion. The synchronization primitives and resulting resource allocation can be implemented with a centralized coordinator or with peer-to-peer robotic messaging, whereby private keys and blockchains secure the precedence and establishment of synchronization primitives by different robots. Moreover, synchronization primitives can be established with queues to further optimize the immediate and future allocation of resources to different robots.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
providing a plurality of robots and a plurality of resources, wherein the plurality of resources are shared amongst the plurality of robots in execution of a plurality of tasks; assigning a task to a particular robot of the plurality of robots; determining at least a first resource from the plurality of resources required by the particular robot for completion of said task; determining a path from a current position of the particular robot to a destination associated with the task; establishing by the particular robot, a first synchronization primitive on the first resource prior to the particular robot accessing the first resource, wherein said establishing provides the particular robot exclusive access to the first resource and prevents other robots from the plurality of robots from accessing the first resource while said first synchronization primitive of the particular robot is established, wherein establishing the synchronization primitive comprises associating a unique identifier of the particular robot to the first resource; and accessing the first resource with the particular robot in execution of the task by the particular robot, wherein accessing the first resource comprises moving the particular robot from the current position to a first distance from a point of reference based on said path involving moving the particular robot in a first direction to reach the destination, and moving the particular robot from the current position to a second distance from the point of reference based on said path involving moving the particular robot in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, wherein the particular robot determines the first and second distances based on visual sensors of the particular robot.