MOBILE ROBOT FOR TELECOMMUNICATION
First Claim
1. A mobile robot for performing telecommunication, comprising:
- a drive system configured to propel the mobile robot;
a robot RF transceiver configured to communicate directly with the Internet via a wireless Internet access point;
a robot camera configured to generate real-time digital video data of the environment around the robot;
a robot microphone configured to generate sound data of the environment around the robot;
a robot speaker configured to emit sound; and
a robot system processor configured to encode the real time digital video data and the sound data into a Voice-Over-IP signal using a peer-to-peer protocol, to decode a remote Voice-Over-IP signal encoded using the peer-to-peer protocol, to decode a robot control signal encoded within the Voice-Over-IP signal using the peer-to-peer protocol, and to control the mobile robot to be propelled via the drive system to move and turn according to the robot control signal.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile robot provides telecommunication service between a remote user at a remote terminal and a local user in proximity to the mobile robot. The remote user can connect to the mobile robot via the Internet using a peer-to-peer VoIP protocol, and control the mobile robot to navigate about the mobile robot'"'"'s environment. The mobile robot includes a microphone, a video camera and a speaker for providing telecommunication functionality between the remote user and the local user. Also, a hand-held RC unit permits the local user to navigate the mobile robot locally or to engage privacy mode for the mobile robot. When NAT or a firewall obstructs connection from the remote terminal to the mobile robot, an Internet server facilitates connection using methods such as STUN, TURN, or relaying.
292 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A mobile robot for performing telecommunication, comprising:
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a drive system configured to propel the mobile robot; a robot RF transceiver configured to communicate directly with the Internet via a wireless Internet access point; a robot camera configured to generate real-time digital video data of the environment around the robot; a robot microphone configured to generate sound data of the environment around the robot; a robot speaker configured to emit sound; and a robot system processor configured to encode the real time digital video data and the sound data into a Voice-Over-IP signal using a peer-to-peer protocol, to decode a remote Voice-Over-IP signal encoded using the peer-to-peer protocol, to decode a robot control signal encoded within the Voice-Over-IP signal using the peer-to-peer protocol, and to control the mobile robot to be propelled via the drive system to move and turn according to the robot control signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An RC unit configured to wirelessly control a mobile robot having a robot camera, comprising:
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a privacy button operable by a local user and configured to engage a privacy mode of the mobile robot; and an infrared transmitter configured to emit an infrared control signal to the mobile robot based on input from the keypad, wherein the infrared control signal is configured to cause the robot camera to change position to block the field of view of the camera such that the environment of the mobile robot, other than the robot'"'"'s body, is obscured. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A mobile robot system comprising:
a mobile robot configured to perform telecommunication, including; a drive system configured to propel the mobile robot, a robot RF transceiver configured to communicate directly with the Internet via a wireless Internet access point, a robot camera configured to generate real-time digital video data of the environment around the robot, a robot microphone configured to generate sound data of the environment around the robot, a robot speaker configured to emit sound, and a robot system processor configured to encode the real time digital video data and the sound data into a Voice-Over-IP signal using a peer-to-peer protocol, to decode a remote Voice-Over-IP signal encoded using the peer-to-peer protocol, to decode a robot control signal encoded within the Voice-Over-IP signal using the peer-to-peer protocol, and to control the mobile robot to be propelled via the drive system to move and turn according to the robot control signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
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19. A computer software product provided on a computer-readable medium for execution on a remote terminal adapted for communicating with a mobile robot via the Internet, the computer software product comprising:
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a telecommunication routine configured to encode audio data generated from an environment of the remote terminal into a voice-over-IP data signal transmitted to the mobile robot; and a robot control routine configured to encode robot control commands received from a remote user into the voice-over-IP data signal, wherein the voice-over-IP data signal is transmitted to the mobile robot via the Internet on one common port.
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Specification