Robotic telepresence system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A robotic telepresence system, comprising:
- a user station at a first geographic location, the user station being responsive to a user, and communicating information to the user, and communicating information from said user; and
a robot at a second geographic location, coupled to the user station, the robot providing a three dimensional representation of the user transmitted from the user station, the robot comprising;
a first sensor for sensing visual information of the second geographic location and communicating that visual information back to the user station, a second sensor for sensing background visual information in a direction substantially opposite the first sensor, a first display for displaying a front view of the user superimposed on at least a portion of the sensed background visual information, the first display facing a direction substantially diametrical to the second sensor, a first side sensor that senses first sideways visual information at the second geographic location in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first sensor, a second display for displaying a first profile view of the user superimposed on at least a portion of the first sideways visual information, the second display facing a direction substantially diametrical to the first side sensor, a second side sensor that senses second sideways visual information at the second geographic location in a direction substantially diametrical to the first side sensor, a third display for displaying a second profile view of the user superimposed on at least a portion of the second sideways visual information, the third display facing a direction substantially diametrical to the second side sensor, wherein the front view of the user superimposed on the portion of the sensed background visual information, the first profile view of the user superimposed on the portion of the first sideways visual information, and the second profile view of the user superimposed on the portion of the second sideways visual information are displayed simultaneously to provide a three dimensional representation of the user and to create a visual illusion that the user is physically present at the second geographic location.
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Abstract
A robotic telepresence system has a user station at a first geographic location and a robot at a second geographic location. The user station is responsive to a user and communicates information to and from the user. The robot is coupled to the user station and provides a three dimensional representation of the user transmitted from the user station. The robot senses and communicates predetermined types of information to the user.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A robotic telepresence system, comprising:
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a user station at a first geographic location, the user station being responsive to a user, and communicating information to the user, and communicating information from said user; and
a robot at a second geographic location, coupled to the user station, the robot providing a three dimensional representation of the user transmitted from the user station, the robot comprising;
a first sensor for sensing visual information of the second geographic location and communicating that visual information back to the user station, a second sensor for sensing background visual information in a direction substantially opposite the first sensor, a first display for displaying a front view of the user superimposed on at least a portion of the sensed background visual information, the first display facing a direction substantially diametrical to the second sensor, a first side sensor that senses first sideways visual information at the second geographic location in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first sensor, a second display for displaying a first profile view of the user superimposed on at least a portion of the first sideways visual information, the second display facing a direction substantially diametrical to the first side sensor, a second side sensor that senses second sideways visual information at the second geographic location in a direction substantially diametrical to the first side sensor, a third display for displaying a second profile view of the user superimposed on at least a portion of the second sideways visual information, the third display facing a direction substantially diametrical to the second side sensor, wherein the front view of the user superimposed on the portion of the sensed background visual information, the first profile view of the user superimposed on the portion of the first sideways visual information, and the second profile view of the user superimposed on the portion of the second sideways visual information are displayed simultaneously to provide a three dimensional representation of the user and to create a visual illusion that the user is physically present at the second geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
at least one sensor to sense information at a first predetermined high resolution level; - and
at least one sensor to sense information at a predetermined low resolution level, wherein the robot transmits the sensed information from the at least one first sensor and from the at least one second sensor to the user station.
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3. The robotic telepresence system of claim 1 wherein the robot is mobile.
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4. The robotic telepresence system of claim 1 wherein the user station is stationary.
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5. The robotic telepresence system of claim 1 wherein the three dimensional representation of the user is a holographic image.
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6. The robotic telepresence system of claim 1 wherein the user station includes a force feedback joystick, the robot includes a distance sensor to detect the distance of the robot from objects, the robot transmitting a distance signal representing the distance, in response to the distance signal, the user station increases the force required to move the joystick as the distance from the robot to the object decreases.
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7. The robotic telepresence system of claim 1 wherein the user station includes an immersion room including:
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a curved screen;
projectors for projecting a low resolution image of a received low resolution image sent from the robot;
a projector for projecting a high resolution image of a received high resolution image sent from the robot onto a midpoint area of the curved screen; and
a user station positioned substantially at the center point facing the midpoint area of the curved screen.
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8. The robotic telepresence system of claim 7 wherein the immersion room further comprises:
a control computer system for receiving the low resolution images as low resolution image data from the robot and also receiving the high resolution image as high resolution image data from the robot, the control computer processing the low resolution image data to compensate for a keystone effect in the projected low resolution image on the curved screen, wherein the alignment of the low resolution projectors with respect to the mirrors and the curved screen produces the keystone effect.
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9. The robotic telepresence system of claim 7 wherein the low resolution projectors and the high resolution projectors are arranged behind the user station.
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10. A robotic telepresence system, comprising:
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a user station at a first geographic location, the user station being responsive to a user, and communicating information to the user, and communicating information from said user; and
a robot at a second geographic location and coupled to the user station, the robot comprising;
sensors for sensing visual information of the second geographic location and communicating that visual information back to the user station, means for receiving images of the user from the user station, means for superimposing the images of the user on at least a portion of the visual information of the second location, a plurality of displays including at least one display diametrical to at least one of the sensors, the displays for displaying the images of the user superimposed on the portion of the visual information of the second location to provide a three dimensional representation of the user and to create a visual illusion that the user is physically present at the second geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
at least one high-resolution sensor for sensing information at a first predetermined high resolution level; and
at least one low-resolution sensor for sensing information at a predetermined low resolution level, wherein the robot transmits.
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12. The robotic telepresence system of claim 10 wherein the displays simultaneously display at least three different profiles of the user to provide the true three dimensional representation of the user.
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13. The robotic telepresence system of claim 10 wherein the robot is mobile and responsive to commands from the user station.
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14. The robotic telepresence system of claim 10, wherein the images of the user comprise holographic images.
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15. The robotic telepresence system of claim 10 wherein the user station includes a force feedback joystick, the robot includes a distance sensor to detect the distance of the robot from objects, the robot transmitting a distance signal representing the distance, in response to the distance signal, the user station increases the force required to move the joystick as the distance from the robot to the object decreases.
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16. The robotic telepresence system of claim 10 wherein the user station includes an immersion room including:
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a curved screen;
projectors for projecting a low resolution image of a received low resolution image sent from the robot;
a projector for projecting a high resolution image of a received high resolution image sent from the robot onto a midpoint area of the curved screen; and
a user station positioned substantially at the center point facing the midpoint area of the curved screen.
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17. The robotic telepresence system of claim 16 wherein the immersion room further comprises:
a control computer system for receiving the low resolution images as low resolution image data from the robot and also receiving the high resolution image as high resolution image data from the robot, the control computer processing the low resolution image data to compensate for a keystone effect in the projected low resolution image on the curved screen, wherein the alignment of the low resolution projectors with respect to the mirrors and the curved screen produces the keystone effect.
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18. The robotic telepresence system of claim 16 wherein the low resolution projectors and the high resolution projectors are arranged behind the user station.
Specification