Google Patent Seeks to Link Robots via Smartphones

The Google patent shows an example system in which robotic devices interact with the cloud and share information with other cloud computing devices.

In a patent awarded April 14, Google describes “systems and methods for allocating tasks to a plurality of robotic devices,” reports Nextgov.com.

Google’s patent (Patent #9,008,839) outlines methods for connecting a series of robots over the cloud to complete tasks. A robotic device configured to perform a task could make use of a GPS receiver to determine its location. It might also use other sensors, such as a gyroscope or an accelerometer to measure movement. Other sensors could be encoders, infrared sensors, optical sensors, biosensors, Radio Frequency identification (RFID) systems, wireless sensors and compasses.

The patent suggests that the robots could be controlled by a smartphone — from anywhere in the world.

The patent could have value for Google’s self-driving car project, allowing the vehicles to communicate with each other.

In another patent (Patent #US008996429), awarded on March 31, Google describes how a robot’s personality can be defined using sensors and the cloud. According to the patent, “methods and systems for robot and user interaction are provided to generate a personality for the robot.” One aspect includes basing the robot’s personality on identifying the user’s location.

The personality and state may be shared with other robots so as to clone this robot within another device or devices. In this manner, a user may travel to another city, and download within a robot in that city (another “skin”) the personality and state matching the user’s “home location” robot. The robot personality thereby becomes transportable or transferable.

Again, GPS is mentioned as a possible sensor for use either in the user’s smartphone, the robot, or both.

So, in the future, when you leave home, you may be able to take an interactive non-human friend along. Talk about location-based services!