Companion robot for personal interaction

• US 10,661,433 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2018
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Angle, Colin, Vu, Clara, Cross, Matthew, Campbell, Tony L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kong, Sze-Hon
• Application Number:
  US15/873,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20180154514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/008 Manipulators for service tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0091 Shock absorbers in general F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• 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 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0251 extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 : relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 : Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 : Sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 : Optical

Abstract

A mobile robot guest for interacting with a human resident performs a room-traversing search procedure prior to interacting with the resident, and may verbally query whether the resident being sought is present. Upon finding the resident, the mobile robot may facilitate a teleconferencing session with a remote third party, or interact with the resident in a number of ways. For example, the robot may carry on a dialogue with the resident, reinforce compliance with medication or other schedules, etc. In addition, the robot incorporates safety features for preventing collisions with the resident; and the robot may audibly announce and/or visibly indicate its presence in order to avoid becoming a dangerous obstacle. Furthermore, the mobile robot behaves in accordance with an integral privacy policy, such that any sensor recording or transmission must be approved by the resident.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting, by a user interface of a user terminal remote from an autonomous mobile robot, first imagery captured by the robot during navigation through a home comprising a plurality of rooms before a plurality of room identity markers are assigned to the plurality of rooms, the first imagery representing at least a portion of a first room of the plurality of rooms;

combining two or more of a plurality of room identities identified by the robot during the navigation through the home;

after presenting the first imagery, assigning a first of the plurality of room identity markers to the first room based on a first user selection of the first of the plurality of room identity markers using the user interface;

presenting, by the user interface, second imagery captured by the robot during the navigation through the home, the second imagery representing at least a portion of a second room of the plurality of rooms;

after presenting the second imagery, assigning a second of the plurality of room identity markers to the second room based on a second user selection of the second of the plurality of room identity markers using the user interface; and

presenting, by the user interface, the assigned first of the plurality of room identity markers and the assigned second of the plurality of room identity markers on a map of the home.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the two or more of the plurality of room identities comprises combining the two or more of the plurality of room identities in response to receiving a user request to combine the two or more of the plurality of room identities.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of an object in the home; and

causing the robot to move toward a location of the object in response to the user selection.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, after the robot has moved toward the location of the object, presenting imagery captured by the robot, the imagery representing the object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the robot to move toward a location of an object in response to a user command; and

presenting information indicative of a status of the object, the status being detected by the robot.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the object is a door, and the status corresponds to a state of a lock of the door.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, by the user interface, locations of objects or persons on the map, the objects or persons being identified by the robot.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing data indicative of assignment of the first of the plurality of room identity markers and assignment of the second of the plurality of room identity markers to be stored on a remote server.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing the robot to navigate to the first room associated with the assigned first of the plurality of room identity markers in response to a user selection of the assigned first of the plurality of room identity markers on the map; and

receiving imagery of the first room captured by the robot after the robot arrives in the first room.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the imagery of the first room comprises wirelessly receiving the imagery of the first room from the robot.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a location of a dock or a charger for the robot on the map.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting third imagery captured by the robot, the third imagery representing at least a portion of a room;

receiving a user selection of a floor location represented in the third imagery; and

causing the robot to move to the floor location in response to receiving the user selection.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, by the user interface, a video stream captured by the robot as the robot navigates through the home.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a location and a status of the robot on the map.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user terminal comprises a mobile phone.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the robot to move in a direction based on a user selection of a navigational button.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of room identity markers each comprises an icon or text indicative of a type or a function of a room.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the two or more of the plurality of rooms identified by the robot during the navigation through the home comprises combining the two or more of the plurality of rooms identified by the robot during the navigation through the home when a quantity of the plurality of room identities is greater than a quantity of the plurality of rooms in the home.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the two or more of the plurality of rooms identified by the robot during the navigation through the home comprises combining the two or more of the plurality of rooms identified by the robot during the navigation through the home when a quantity of the plurality of room identities is greater than a quantity of a plurality of assigned room identity markers of the plurality of room identity markers, the plurality of assigned room identity markers comprising the assigned first of the plurality of room identity markers and the assigned second of the plurality of the room identity markers.