Patent ID: 7463948
Filing Date: 2008-12-09
Classification: G05D

Abstract:
1. A robot control apparatus for controlling a plurality of mobile robots each of which includes a position information acquisition device for acquiring an instantaneous position and is configured to carry out a predetermined task, the apparatus comprising: a robot information storage device in which the instantaneous position acquired by the position information acquisition device of each mobile robot are storable; a task information storage device in which task information is storable, the task information including an execution position and a priority for each task to be executed by a mobile robot responsible therefor; and an action optimization controller configured to generate an instruction for optimizing actions of the plurality of mobile robots so that any of the plurality of mobile robots carry out the tasks at a minimized cost, based upon locomotion plan information indicative of locomotion plans of the plurality of mobile robots, each of the locomotion plans including a route along which each mobile robot moves from an instantaneous position of the mobile robot stored in the robot information storage device to an execution position of a task stored in the task information storage device, wherein the action optimization controller includes: