Method and Device for Controlling a Remote Vehicle

• US 20080063400A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Pack, Robert, Hudson, Edison
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/106
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0033 by having the operator tracking the vehicle either by direct line of sight or via one or more cameras located remotely from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/00 Non-electrical signal transmission systems, e.g. optical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/75 by polling or interrogating the sub-stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A system and method for controlling a remote vehicle comprises a hand-held controller including a laser generator for generating a laser beam. The hand-held controller is manipulable to aim and actuate the laser beam to designate a destination for the remote vehicle. The remote vehicle senses a reflection of the laser beam and moves toward the designated destination. The hand-held controller allows single-handed control of the remote vehicle and one or more of its payloads. A method for controlling a remote vehicle via a laser beam comprises encoding control signals for a remote vehicle into a laser beam that is aimed and sent to a designated destination for the remote vehicle, and sensing a reflection of the laser beam, decoding the control signals for the remote vehicle, and moving toward the designated destination.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a remote vehicle, the system comprising:

a hand-held controller including a laser generator for generating a laser beam, the hand-held controller being manipulable to aim and actuate the laser beam to designate a destination for the remote vehicle,

wherein the remote vehicle senses a reflection of the laser beam and moves toward the designated destination.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a unique code corresponding to the remote vehicle is embedded in laser beam.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held controller allows single-handed control of the remote vehicle and one or more of its payloads.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held controller includes a hand grip.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein a least one input device is located on the hand grip.

6. The system of claim 5, including additional input devices located on the hand-held controller, the input devices comprising at least a joystick or puck.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the hand grip is adjustable to fit a size of a user'"'"'s hand.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the input device location is adjustable to fit a size of a user'"'"'s hand.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held controller includes a replaceable hand grip selected to fit a size of a user'"'"'s hand.

10. A system for controlling a remote vehicle, the system comprising:

a hand-held controller allowing single-handed control of a remote vehicle and one or more of its payloads,

wherein the hand-held controller includes a laser generator for generating a laser beam, the hand-held controller being manipulable to aim and actuate the laser beam to designate a destination for the remote vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the remote vehicle senses a reflection of the laser beam from the designated destination and moves toward the designated destination.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein a unique code corresponding to the remote vehicle is embedded in laser beam.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the hand-held controller includes a hand grip.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a least one input device is located on the hand grip.

15. The system of claim 14, including additional input devices located on the hand-held controller, the input devices comprising at least a joystick or puck.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the hand grip is adjustable to fit a size of a user'"'"'s hand.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the input device location is adjustable to fit a size of a user'"'"'s hand.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the hand-held controller includes a replaceable hand grip selected to fit a size of a user'"'"'s hand.

19. A hand-held controller for a remote vehicle, the hand-held controller comprising:

a laser generator for generating a laser beam, the hand-held controller being manipulable to aim and actuate the laser beam to designate a destination for the remote vehicle,

wherein the remote vehicle senses a reflection of the laser beam and moves toward the designated destination.

20-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method for controlling a remote vehicle via a laser beam, the method comprising:

encoding control signals for a remote vehicle into a laser beam that is aimed and sent to a designated destination for the remote vehicle, and

sensing a reflection of the laser beam, decoding the control signals for the remote vehicle, and moving toward the designated destination,

wherein the control signals include a unique code corresponding to the remote vehicle, and a sensor on the remote vehicle senses the reflection of the laser beam and decodes the unique code to ensure that it corresponds to the remote vehicle before acting on the control instructions.

29. A method for controlling a remote vehicle, comprising:

enabling a laser designator mode on a remote vehicle;

illuminating a designated destination for the remote vehicle with a laser beam;

searching for the designated destination with a sensor on the remote vehicle;

determining whether a unique code embedded in the laser beam corresponds to the remote vehicle when the remote vehicle senses a laser beam designating a destination;

calculating a vector angle from the sensor input to the designated destination;

computing a trajectory to the designated destination; and

moving the remote vehicle to the designated destination when the unique code embedded in the laser beam corresponds to the remote vehicle.