Modular robotic vehicle

Abstract

A modular robotic vehicle (MRV) having a modular chassis configured for a vehicle utilizing two-wheel steering, four-wheel steering, six-wheel steering, eight-wheel steering controlled by a semiautonomous system or an autonomous driving system, either system is associated with operating modes which may include a two-wheel steering mode, an all-wheel steering mode, a traverse steering mode, a park mode, or an omni-directional mode utilized for steering sideways, driving diagonally or move crab like. Accordingly, during semiautonomous control a driver of the modular robotic vehicle may utilize smart I/O devices including a smartphone, tablet like devices, or a control panel to select a preferred driving mode. The driver may communicate navigation instructions via smart I/O devices to control steering, speed and placement of the MRV in respect to the operating mode. Accordingly, GPS and a wireless network provides navigation instructions during an autonomous operation involving driving, parking, docking or connecting to another MRV.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A modular robotic vehicle comprising:
 one or more modular chassis, said one or more modular chassis including a frame comprising metal brackets said metal bracket constructing: right and left side sections, or front and rear right and left corners, or a combination of front and rear right and left corners and right and left side sections;   one or more robotic drive wheels arranged on said right and left side sections, or arranged on said front and rear right and left corners, or arranged on said a combination of front and rear right and left corners and right and left side sections of said modular chassis;   wherein each of said one or more robotic drive wheels are configured with a drive wheel array including; a tire, an axle, a hub, a motor, an electric motor or a geared motor type providing fore and aft propulsion, braking, and a suspension module, an actuated brake, a hanger arm, a housing, a steering controller, a coupling bracket, and wiring contained within said hanger arm, said wiring to be completely hidden from view;   said modular chassis further comprising at least one gyroscope, IMU, accelerometers, actuators and sensors;   one or more encasements to contain one or more battery's;   one or more compartments said one or more compartments for containing various driver interface input and output devices and a control system, said control system associating with one or more of the following: a semiautonomous system, an autonomous driving system providing processors, memory, algorithms, software, Instruction, a wireless communication system, a drive bi-wire system, a vehicle to vehicle system, GPS, a navigation path planning system, an obstacle avoidance system, a base station, a remote server;   an assortment of cameras, LIDAR, Radar, an acoustic sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a contact sensor each providing sensor data based on determining objects in an environment;   a navigation system providing operating modes; a two-wheel steering mode, an all-wheel steering mode; a traverse steering mode, a park mode, an omni-directional mode, a vehicle to vehicle docking mode providing docking procedures between two MRVs;   WIFI, Bluetooth, Cloud, internet of things (IoT);   a driver interface, smart I/O devices, a control panel, a smartphone, or said driver interface associated with a joystick throttle; or steering wheel, throttle pedal, brake pedal for driving a MRV in a semiautonomous state;   a virtual personal assistant (VPA) associating with voice command, infotainment and other driver interface processes.   
     
     
         2 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said chassis further comprising a coupling means for connectively coupling to a body, the body being one or more of the following; a robot MRV, a wheelchair MRV, a tricycle MRV, a cart MRV, a gyro-car MRV, a bumper car MRV, a ride-on toy MRV, a golf cart MRV, a sedan, a minivan, a truck, an ATV MRV, a delivery van MRV, a semitruck MRV, a recreational vehicle MRV, a tractor MRV, fifth wheel MRV, a mega-van, a bus MRV, or other vehicle body type. 
     
     
         3 . The modular robotic vehicle (MRV) of  claim 1  in which said modular chassis further comprising a gyroscope, said gyroscope for self-balancing said MRV. 
     
     
         4 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said frame further comprising; one or more right sides (RS) coupled to a robotic drive wheel and one or more left sides (LS) coupled to a robotic drive wheel; a right front corner (RFC) coupled to a robotic drive wheel, a left front corner (LFC) coupled to a robotic drive wheel, and a right rear corner (RRC) coupled to a robotic drive wheel, a left rear corner (LRC) coupled to a robotic drive wheel. 
     
     
         5 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said control system further comprising a semiautonomous system associating with driver interface configured with driver input commands. 
     
     
         6 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said the control system further comprising an autonomous driving system associated with a drive bi-wire system for engaging a drive bi-wire process for providing steering, propulsion stability and braking procedures. 
     
     
         7 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claims 1  and  6  in which said drive bi-wire system comprising a selection means via a bi-wire joystick controller, said bi-wire joystick controller allowing driver to engage a preferred operating mode. 
     
     
         8 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said the control system further comprising for one or more processors configured for controlling a navigation process of an operating mode configured as: a two-wheel steering mode; an all-wheel steering mode; a traverse steering mode; a park mode; an omni-directional mode; a vehicle to vehicle docking mode. 
     
     
         9 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said control system further comprising: an obstacle avoidance system linking with GPS, a navigation system associating with one or more of; cameras, LIDAR, Radar, an acoustic sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a contact sensor, or other sensors associated with an autonomous driving system for detecting objects in a parameter of a MRV environment. 
     
     
         10 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said control system further comprising: driver interface associated with smart I/O devices including; a smartphone or tablet like devices, a control panel with control switches. 
     
     
         11 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said control system further comprising: driver interface associated with a semiautonomous system or an autonomous driving system providing navigation processes to commence driving said MRV either manned or unmanned. 
     
     
         12 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said operating mode comprising:
 a two-wheel steering mode is utilized for the driver preferring to drive the MRV with tradition front wheel steering, wherein right and left robotic drive wheels are engaged to turn in the same direction at the same time, correspondingly up to an approximate 90-degrees or an approximate 270-degrees; 
 a traverse steering mode configured to steer all front and rear robotic drive wheels to the right at a 45-degree angle at the same time to travel diagonally to the right, or configured to steer all front and rear robotic drive wheels to the left at a 315-degree angle at the same time to travel diagonally to the left, respectively; 
 a park mode is configured to steer one said one or more robotic drive wheels to the right at a 90-degree angle or configured to steer one said one or more robotic drive wheels to the left at a 270-degree angle in parallel; 
 an omni-directional mode configured to steer one said one or more robotic drive wheels to the right at an approximant 45-degree angle, and at the same time, steer said one or more robotic drive wheels to the left at an approximant 315-degrees such that, the modular robotic vehicle spins in place, respectively; 
 a vehicle to vehicle docking mode providing an approximate 10-degree steering angle for laterally positioning front positioned robotic drive wheels to steer to slightly the right, and at the same time, accordingly the rear positioned robotic drive wheels are configured with an approximate or opposed 315-degree angle to steer sideways to the left, accordingly the docking process requires several steering angles to successfully self-dock or to line up in parallel with another vehicle, toad, trailer or fifth wheel to couple together, respectively each robotic drive wheel operating provided with varied degrees of axis of rotation (AOR) represented as robotic drive wheel pivot axis (PA), and steering axis (SA) indicated as (X, Y, Z). 
 
     
     
         13 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said wireless communication system further comprising WIFI providing the internet of thing (IoT), software and software updating, downloading APPs, and accessing associated driver interface protocols; and Bluetooth linking the driver commands to the MRV via preferred smart I/O devices. 
     
     
         14 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said control system further comprising a virtual personal assistant to carry out voice command of a driver, said virtual personal assistant paired with said control system and paired with smart I/O devices, which may include; steering motor, brakes, and other internal devices, and external device like control panels, speakers, and smart cab components. 
     
     
         15 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  in which said vehicle to vehicle system is further configured to:
 detect a docking maneuver of the modular robotic vehicle; 
 detect a docking maneuver of an additional vehicle; 
 detect maneuvers modular of robotic vehicles working a group; 
 determining at least one of a position at which the plurality of MVRs or other vehicles leaves a cluster, an amount of battery power remaining in the MVRs  100  or other vehicle, a year of the MVRs or other vehicle, a size of the MVRs or other vehicle, a type of the MVRs  100  or other vehicle, or a position of the MVRs or other vehicles within the cluster; 
 transmitting and receiving the driving data between the plurality of MRVs; encrypting the driving data of a leading vehicle with a V2X key; calculating the hash value based on the encrypted travel data and forming the block comprising the encrypted travel data and the hash value; and transmitting the block to the MVRs in a next order according to the routing order; 
 wirelessly transmitting a routing table and driving data to a slave MRV; 
 receives the driving data from the slave MRV; 
 wherein a processor determines a dwell time in a cluster of the MRVs based on the driving data of at least one MRV performs the clustering, and transmits block chain data between the plurality of MRVs according to the dwell time; 
 generating the routing table, forming a blockchain between the plurality of MRVs based on the routing sequence. 
 
     
     
         16 . A modular robotic vehicle comprising:
 a modular chassis configured with frame brackets supporting a body (humanoid MRV) and an array of robotic drive wheels which are systematically controlled by a control system of said modular robotic vehicle (MRV);   said body further comprising a control panel providing a touch screen display with virtual switches for a user to select settings associating with a keyed identifying security system allowing said user to unlock or lock access to said array of robotic drive wheels and/or to access various autonomous control system components;   said control panel is integrated with a user interface, said user interface is associated with smart I/O devices which may include; a smartphone, an iPad, PC, or other smart I/O device providing paired communication;   wherein said MRV linking with said user's smartphone provided with Bluetooth pairing such that said user can communicate with said MRV;   said control panel is integrated with a user interface associated to select her or his preferred settings to access speakers and microphone, and to activate a virtual personal assistant, respectively said virtual personal assistant for providing user voice command;   said user interface and virtual personal assistant associated with autonomous navigation programming, and to update software;   said MRV configured with a control system linking battery power to said array of robotic drive wheels and to various subsystem components;   said body (humanoid MRV) configured with one or more compartments providing with hatches; said one or more compartments for housing one or more; battery(s), various subsystem components, and payload, wherein said hatches configured for accessing said various subsystem components or said payload.   
     
     
         17 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 16  in which said body further comprising:
 a portion configured with or without a head, said head configured with an augmented head comprising computer-generated interactive facial components, or an augmented head with interactive LED lighting components; 
 said augmented head comprising computer-generated interactive facial component being human like or animal like; 
 said augmented head with interactive LED lighting components being futuristic looking; 
 a truck portion configured with one or more robotic arms; said one or more robotic arms configured with robotic hands, grippers, suction devices, or other handling implements; 
 a base portion, said base portion connectively couple with a modular chassis; 
 a disjointed waist, said disjointed waist disposed between said trunk portion and said base portion, said disjointed waist configured to rotate said trunk portion at an approximate angle degree opposed to said base portion, said disjointed waist providing bending in fore and aft directions, providing an approximate one-degree to 359-degree rotational direction, or to spin past zero-degree rotation. 
 
     
     
         18 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 16  in which said modular chassis further comprising:
 a frame configured with a coupling arrangement of fasteners, nuts and bolts for connectively coupling said modular chassis to a base portion of a body of said humanoid MRV; 
 said modular chassis including frame assemblies configured with side sections, corners, or a combination of corners and side sections; 
 one or more robotic drive wheels arranged on said side sections, said corners, or said combination of said corners and said side sections; 
 wherein the frame assemblies including; metal brackets assembled with nut and bolts, an upper portion, a front portion, an end portion, a lower portion, a centralized cavity, frame openings, a right side section and a left side section, an encasement, a first housing, fasteners, an array of wiring with electrical connectors; respectively a battery and charger is disposed within said centralized cavity, and a gyroscope is provided to assist with balance of humanoid MRV; 
 wherein said gyroscope accelerometer set at center mass (CM) and housed also within said centralized cavity, and utilizing one or more of; an IMU, and autonomous driving system cameras and sensors; 
 wherein said one or more robotic drive wheels including; a drive wheel array comprising; a tire, an axle, a hub, a motor which may be an electric motor or a motor configured with planetary gears, sprockets or combinations thereof, an actuated brake, a hanger arm, a housing, a steering controller, a coupling bracket and wiring, wherein said wiring is completely contained and continuously threaded therethrough said hanger arm and said housing to be hidden from view; 
 wherein said hanger arm further comprising a suspension module mounted on the hanger arm with fasteners, or said a suspension module is contained within said hanger arm to be hidden from view; respectively said suspension module is disjointed for said robotic drive wheel to smoothly travel on uneven terrain, respectively; 
 wherein said suspension module may include a spring-damper or an assembly requiring a fuel line which may situate within said hanger arm to access a lower portion of said hanger arm; 
 wherein said hanger arm is connectively coupled onto the frame by an arrangement of fasteners, nuts and bolts; 
 wherein said metal bracket is configured to receive said coupling bracket of drive wheel array, said coupling bracket is connectively attached outwardly such that the hanger arm is able to rotate within said cavity and not bang against the frame; respectively said coupling bracket is connected with nut and bolts such that the robotic drive wheel is detachable for maintenance purposes or replacement. 
 
     
     
         19 . The modular robotic vehicle of  claim 1  and  claim 16  in which said drive wheel array further comprising:
 a steering controller, an electric motor, an actuator, an encoder and an IMU in accordance with driver instructions for separately controlling the rotational direction of a drive wheel; 
 said steering controller and electric motor configured with internal wiring connections; 
 said electric motor providing a driving force generator receiving target values of an output torque upon a rotational speed so that the target values are realized, wherein said driving force generator in a negative direction through regenerative control of said electric motor via control system is to control a charged state of said battery; 
 said steering controller comprising an actuator positioned with respect to the upper portion to locally control the steering function of the robotic drive wheel; 
 said steering controller may provide functional redundancy over all steering functions; 
 said steering controller utilizing encoders and printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) associated hardware, which are housed in and covered by a housing assembly; 
 wherein said encoder configured to properly encode a position and rotational speed of a steering actuator as well as to amplify steering torque from such a steering motor through the actuator of a steering controller of the one or more robotic drive wheels. 
 
     
     
         20 . A modular robotic vehicle comprising:
 a semiautonomous or an autonomous controlled tractor MRV, and/or a semiautonomous or an autonomous controlled fifth wheel MRV arrangement;   said tractor MRV comprising a modular chassis, said modular chassis configured with frame brackets supporting an array of robotic drive wheels which are systematically controlled by a control system, and said fifth wheel MRV comprising a modular chassis, said modular chassis configured with frame brackets supporting an array of robotic drive wheels which are systematically controlled by a control system; said control system of said tractor MRV and said control system of said fifth wheel MRV are wirelessly linked such that both tractor MRV and fifth wheel MVR collaborate to connect to one another, thus becoming a tractor/fifth wheel MRV configured with a wheel drive arrangement;   each control system of said tractor MRV and said fifth wheel MRV systematically collaborate to control steering, speed, braking and stability of each robotic drive wheel configured in said a wheel drive arrangement;   said tractor MVR being manned or unmanned;   each said tractor MRV and said fifth wheel MRV configured with a compartment with hatch for storing one or more consigned payloads;   said tractor MRV when manned is configured with a cab and a compartment, said cab providing seating units, a dashboard for housing a control panel comprising a touch screen display switches for power on/off and control lamps, turns signals, respectively the control panel providing a keyed identifying security system for the driver to unlock or lock access to the robotic drive wheels, engage power ON/OFF, control mirrors accordingly and power on/off any head lamps and control other cab amenities; wherein said control panel correspondingly linking with said control system of said fifth wheel MRV; said control panel is integrated with user interface associated with smart I/O devices for accommodating the driver to communicate through user interface; wherein driver's smartphone or iPad provides a Bluetooth pairing link to the various control system components such that driver can communicate with said tractor MRV to select her or his preferred settings, navigation programming, to update software, to access smartphone speakers and microphone link to a virtual personal assistant accordingly for providing driver voice commands;   said tractor when unmanned configured with a control system linking battery power to various MRV subsystem components and to a compartment providing one or more hatches; said compartment for housing a payload, said hatched configured for accessing said payload;   said one or more consigned payloads are housed within said tractor's container or one or more consigned payloads are housed within said fifth wheel's container;   each said tractor MRV and said fifth wheel MRV configured with head lamps, tail lights, turn signal lights, one or more sensor system which may include one or more of the following; cameras, sensors associated with an autonomous driving system, LIDAR, Radar and other related sensor devices;   each said tractor MRV and said fifth wheel MRV configured with cameras and sensors utilized for detecting objects and identify the location of each object and identify object materials, the objects being forklifts, humans or robot MRV and/or other robot types loading or unloading said fifth wheel MRV and/or objects in the surrounding environment;   said tractor MRV driver utilizing driver interface associated with one or more of the following components and I/O devices: a control panel allowing a driver via said driver interface to select one or more of the following operating modes; a two-wheel steering mode, a traverse steering mode; a park mode; an omni-directional steering mode, and a vehicle to vehicle docking mode;   each said tractor MRV and said fifth wheel MRV may utilize one or more the of following control system and subsystem processes: utilizing wireless communication link such as a wireless signal linking to a base station, each providing instructions to engage one or more of said operating modes;   each said tractor MRV and said fifth wheel MRV may utilize a remote network or base station provided for controlling the docking said tractor MRV and said fifth wheel MRV, and for controlling a docking process via docking mode process involving said MRV to couple with another MRV or other vehicle types;   each said tractor MRV and said fifth wheel MRV configured with a plurality of sensors, processors and servers interconnected via the docking mode to assist in automatically connecting the tractor MRV and the fifth wheel MRV to one another and disconnecting the tractor MRV and the fifth wheel MRV from one another, more particularly each capable of driving independently when separated, and each capable of autonomously hitching to other modular robotic vehicles, or other vehicle types.