Docking system for a tele-presence robot

• US 10,493,631 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2015
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Pinter, Marco, Sanchez, Daniel, Rosenthal, James, Mangaser, Amante
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US14/879,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20160129597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/06 Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/005 using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller

Abstract

A remote controlled robot system that includes a mobile robot with a robot camera and a battery plug module, and a remote control station that transmits commands to control the mobile robot. The system also includes a battery charging module that mates with the mobile robot battery plug module, and an alignment system that aligns the battery plug module with the battery charging module. The battery modules may also be aligned with the aid of video images of the battery charging module provided to the remote station by a camera located within the battery plug module.

Claims

1. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a robot that includes a robot housing, a robot camera and a robot monitor that move together in at least two degrees of freedom, a battery that powers said robot, a battery charger located within the robot housing and coupled to said battery, a male electrical plug that is attached to the robot housing and can be plugged into a wall socket, and a battery plug module attached to the robot housing that can be mated with a battery charging module, wherein the battery charger is coupled to and receives AC power from a relay coupled to both the male electrical plug and the battery plug module; and

,

a remote control station that includes a station camera and a station monitor, said remote control station transmits commands to control said robot.