Portable control device for networked mobile robots
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A handheld control device for controlling one or more robots, each mobile robot comprising a robot communication device, the handheld control device comprising:
- a) a handheld computer for controlling said one or more robots, b) a radio board, in communication with the handheld computer, comprising;
i) a radio board communication device, mounted with the radio board, capable of communication with the robot communication device; and
ii) a radio board microprocessor, mounted with the radio board, interfacing with the handheld computer, and interfacing with the radio board communication device; and
iii) wherein the radio board microprocessor receives the control input through the interface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A handheld control device provides a way for controlling one or multiple mobile robotic vehicles by incorporating a handheld computer with a radio board. The device and software use a personal data organizer as the handheld computer with an additional microprocessor and communication device on a radio board for use in controlling one robot or multiple networked robots.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A handheld control device for controlling one or more robots, each mobile robot comprising a robot communication device, the handheld control device comprising:
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a) a handheld computer for controlling said one or more robots, b) a radio board, in communication with the handheld computer, comprising;
i) a radio board communication device, mounted with the radio board, capable of communication with the robot communication device; and
ii) a radio board microprocessor, mounted with the radio board, interfacing with the handheld computer, and interfacing with the radio board communication device; and
iii) wherein the radio board microprocessor receives the control input through the interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
a) an input-output system, mounted with the handheld computer, receiving an input from an operator, and displaying an output to the operator;
b) a processor, mounted with the handheld computer, interfacing with the input-output system; and
c) a memory, mounted with the handheld computer, interfacing with the processor.
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6. The handheld control device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer comprises an electronic personal organizer.
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7. A handheld control device for controlling a plurality of mobile robots, according to a control input, each mobile robot comprising a robot communication device, the handheld control device comprising:
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a) a handheld computer, having a communication port;
b) a radio board, in communication with the handheld computer, comprising;
i) a radio board communication device, mounted with the radio board, capable of communication with the robot communication device for each mobile robot; and
ii) a radio board microprocessor, mounted with the radio board, interfacing with the handheld computer, and interfacing with the radio board communication device;
iii) an interface to the communication port;
iv) wherein the radio board microprocessor receives the control input through the interface. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
a) an input-output system, mounted with the handheld computer, receiving an input, and displaying an output;
b) a processor, mounted with the handheld computer, interfacing with the input-output system; and
c) a memory, mounted with the handheld computer, interfacing with the processor.
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12. The handheld control device of claim 7, wherein the handheld computer comprises an electronic personal organizer.
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13. A handheld control device for controlling a plurality of mobile robots by an operator, according to a control input, each mobile robot comprising a robot transceiver, the handheld control device comprising:
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a) a communication cable;
b) a handheld computer, comprising;
i) an input-output system, receiving an input from the operator, and displaying an output to the operator;
ii) a processor, interfacing with the input-output system;
iii) a memory, interfacing with the processor;
iv) a communication port, mounted with the handheld computer, accepting a connection from the communication cable;
c) a radio board, in communication with the handheld computer, comprising;
i) a radio transceiver, mounted with the radio board, capable of communication bi-directionally with each robot transceiver; and
ii) a radio board microprocessor, mounted with the radio board, interfacing with the handheld computer through the communication cable, and interfacing with the radio transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A base station controller for interfacing to a handheld computer to control a plurality of mobile robots according to a control input, wherein the handheld computer comprises a user interface capable of accepting the control input and a communication port capable of transmitting the control input, wherein each mobile robot comprises a robot communication device, the base station controller comprising:
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a) an interface to the communication port, capable of accepting the control input;
b) a microprocessor, mounted with the base station controller, capable of communication with the handheld computer using the communication port interface; and
c) a communication device, mounted with the base station controller, capable of communication with the robot communication device for each mobile robot, and interfacing with the microprocessor;
d) wherein each mobile robot is capable of receiving the control input from the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for a user to control at least one mobile robotic vehicle using a handheld control device, each robotic vehicle comprising a robot communication device, wherein the handheld control device comprises a handheld computer and a radio board, in communication with the handheld computer, wherein the handheld computer comprises an input-output system and a processor, wherein the radio board comprises a microprocessor and a radio board communication device, in communication with the microprocessor, the method for each robotic vehicle comprising:
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a) communicating between the user and the radio board using the handheld computer and the microprocessor; and
b) communicating between the radio board and the robotic vehicle using the radio board communication device and the robot communication device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
a) accepting a user message from the user using the input-output system;
b) translating between the user message and a formatted message, according to a message communication format, using the processor;
c) determining a communication chain between the handheld control device and the robotic vehicle, using the processor; and
d) transmitting the formatted message from the handheld computer to the radio board, using the processor and the microprocessor.
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19. The method of claim 18, wherein communicating between the radio board and the robotic vehicle comprises:
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a) transmitting the formatted message from the radio board using the radio board communication device;
b) receiving the formatted message using the robot communication device; and
c) using the formatted message to control the robotic vehicle.
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20. The method of claim 17, wherein the robotic vehicle further comprises a vehicle microprocessor, wherein communicating between the radio board and the robotic vehicle comprises:
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a) accepting an input from the robotic vehicle;
b) translating the input into a formatted message, using the vehicle microprocessor;
c) transmitting the formatted message from the robotic vehicle using the robot communication device; and
d) receiving the formatted message using the radio board communication device.
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21. The method of claim 20, wherein communicating between the user and the radio board comprises:
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a) transmitting the formatted message from the radio board, using the microprocessor;
b) receiving the formatted message by the handheld computer, using the processor;
c) translating between the formatted message and a user message, according to a message communication format, using the processor; and
d) displaying the user message on the input-output system, using the processor.
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22. The handheld control device of claim 17, wherein the handheld computer comprises an electronic personal organizer.
Specification