| CPC B25J 9/1664 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1653 (2013.01); B25J 11/008 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A method for controlling a multi-robot fleet comprising a plurality of robots performed by a network device in a healthcare environment, comprising:
for each robot of the plurality of robots during a normal-operation mode of the multi-robot fleet,
estimating, by a processor, a path to a final target for a robot;
determining, by the processor, whether the robot will traverse a crossing region based on the estimated path to the final target;
in response to determining that the robot will traverse the crossing region, updating, by the processor, a stop list corresponding to the normal-operation mode for the robot to include a stop point for the crossing region; and
causing, by the processor, the robot to move to and stop at the stop point for the crossing region until any other robot in the multi-robot fleet arriving at the crossing region prior to the robot has cleared the crossing region; and
for each robot of the plurality of robots during an emergency-operation mode of the multi-robot fleet,
saving, by the processor, the stop list corresponding to the normal-operation mode and suspending use of the stop list for the robot during the emergency-operation mode;
identifying, by the processor, an emergency stop line most proximate to the robot from a plurality of emergency stop lines; and
causing, by the processor, the robot to move to and stop at the emergency stop line.
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