Wireless tag detection and localization by a mobile robot

Abstract

A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The robot can patrol one or more routes within a building, and can detect violations of security policies by objects, building infrastructure and security systems, or individuals. In response to the detected violations, the robot can perform one or more security operations. The robot can include a removable fabric panel, enabling sensors within the robot body to capture signals that propagate through the fabric. In addition, the robot can scan RFID tags of objects within an area, for instance coupled to store inventory. Likewise, the robot can generate or update one or more semantic maps for use by the robot in navigating an area and for measuring compliance with security policies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile robot, comprising:
 a motorized base configured to move and rotate the mobile robot;   a power source configured to provide power to the motorized base;   a housing body coupled to the motorized base;   an antenna array coupled to the housing body, the antenna array configured to detect wireless tags within a proximity of the mobile robot; and   a controller configured to:
 select a route through a retail environment including a set of wireless tags; 
 navigate the mobile robot along the selected route using the motorized base; 
 detect a wireless tag of the set of wireless tags using the antenna array while navigating along the selected route; 
 identify an object coupled to the detected wireless tag; and 
 perform an operation associated with the identified object selected based on the detected wireless tag. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the route is selected to minimize an amount of time it takes to navigate the route. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the route is selected to optimize a number of wireless tags detected along the route. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the route is selected based on historical foot traffic within the retail environment. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the route is selected based on historical wireless tag locations within the retail environment. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the route is selected based on an unrelated operation being performed by the mobile robot. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna array comprises an RFID antenna array. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna array comprises a direction of arrival antenna array. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the set of wireless tags are coupled to items located on a rack, and wherein the selected route circumnavigates a threshold percentage around the rack. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to localize the detected wireless tag within the retail environment, and wherein the operation is selected based on the localization of the detected wireless tag. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile robot of  claim 10 , wherein localizing the detect wireless tag comprises detecting the wireless tag from multiple locations and extrapolating a location of the wireless tag based on the multiple locations from which the wireless tag is detected. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile robot of  claim 10 , wherein localizing the detect wireless tag comprises correlating the detected wireless tag with historical locations of the detected wireless tag. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile robot of  claim 10 , wherein localizing the detect wireless tag comprises detecting the wireless tag from multiple locations and extrapolating a location of the wireless tag based on the multiple locations from which the wireless tag is detected. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile robot of  claim 10 , wherein localizing the detect wireless tag comprises determining a distance between the mobile robot and the detected wireless tag. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the performed operation comprises updating an inventory database based on the identified object. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the performed operation comprises updating an inventory database based on a location of the detected wireless tag. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the performed operation comprises informing a customer or an employee of a location of the identified object. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the performed operation comprises flagging the identified object for relocation. 
     
     
         19 . The mobile robot of  claim 1 , wherein the performed operation comprises modifying the selected route based on a location of the detected wireless tag. 
     
     
         20 . A method for detecting objects in a retail environment, comprising:
 selecting, by an autonomous robot, a route through a retail environment, the retail environment including a set of wireless tags;   navigating, by the autonomous robot, along the selected route;   detecting, by an antenna array of the autonomous robot, a wireless tag of the set of wireless tags while navigating along the selected route;   identifying, by the autonomous robot, an object coupled to the detected wireless tag; and   performing, by the autonomous robot, an operation associated with the identified object selected based on the detected wireless tag.