Remote work supporting system

• US 6,694,194 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Ohta, Yuji, Oda, Takahiro, Suzuki, Kenya, Kadota, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): VOELTZ, EMANUEL T
• Application Number:
  US09/881,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/79, 700/108, 700/109, 700/110, 702/183, 702/184, 702/185, 705/1, 705/3, 705/10
• US Class Current: 700/9
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40136 Stereo audio and vision
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40183 Tele-machining
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40195 Tele-operation, computer assisted manual operation

Abstract

A remote work supporting system includes a photographing device for photographing a work target machine that is to be worked on by a first operator, a first display for displaying an image of the target machine to the first operator, a second display for displaying the same image to a second operator, an operation device to be operated by the second operator, and an instruction displaying device for displaying contents of instructions in the first display based on operations made on the operation device. Since the instruction contents are displayed in the first display according to the operations made on the operation device by the second operator, the first and second operators can share considerable amount of information.

Claims

1. A remote work supporting system comprising:

a first unit including photographing means operated by a first operator for photographing a work target machine to generate an image signal, a first display located near the respective photographing means for displaying an image based on the image signal supplied thereto, a first communication interface unit, and a first controller for controlling said photographing means and first display to cause the first display to superpose the image created based on the image signal and a screen indicating instruction contents of an instruction signal fed via the first communication interface unit, and for feeding the image signal to the first communication interface; and

a second unit including an operation unit for generating the instruction signal based on an instruction input made by a second operator, a second display located near the operation unit for displaying an image based on the image signal supplied thereto, a second communication interface unit for transmitting a signal supplied via the first communication interface and communication network in both directions, and a second controller for causing the respective second display to superpose a screen indicating the instruction signal and a screen indicating the image signal supplied via the first interface unit and for feeding the instruction signal to the second communication interface unit.

2. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1, wherein said photographing means has an angle of view that is substantially the same as eyes of the first operator.

3. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the instruction contents include at least one duplicate icon indicating a designated point to indicate a position of work to be done by the first operator.

4. The remote work supporting system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one duplicate icon include a plurality of duplicate icons displayed together with numbers indicative of the order of designated points.

5. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the instruction contents include at least one designated frame icon indicating a designated frame to show an area of work to be made by the first operator.

6. The remote work supporting system according to claim 5, wherein the at lease one designated frame icon includes a plurality of designated frame icons displayed together with numbers indicative of the order of designated frames.

7. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the instruction contents are retrieved parts that are retrieved by part retrieving and processing means and displayed over a work target part in the work target machine.

8. The remote work supporting system according to claim 7, wherein an image magnification is calculated to display the retrieved part over the work target part.

9. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1 further including:

first voice input means for inputting a voice of the first operator; and

first voice information transmitting and processing means for transmitting voice information of the voice to the second operator.

10. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1 further including:

second voice input means for inputting a voice of the second operator; and

second voice information transmitting and processing means for transmitting voice information of the voice to the first operator.

11. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first display includes two first displays for right and left eyes of the first operator.

12. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second display includes two second displays for right and left eyes of the second operator.

13. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1 further including:

an inspection device for inspecting a predetermined portion in the work target machine; and

inspection information transmitting and processing means for transmitting an inspection result obtained from the inspection device to the second operator.

14. The remote work supporting system according to claim 13 further including:

measurement reference value retrieving and processing means located on the second operator side for retrieving a measurement reference value for inspection carried out by the inspection device; and

measurement reference value transmitting and processing means for transmitting the measurement reference value to the first operator.

15. The remote work supporting system according to claim 11, wherein the photographing means include two photographing devices for right and left eyes of the first operator, and images of the work target machine photographed by the two photographing means are displayed in the two first displays respectively.

16. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1 further including three-dimensional image displaying and processing means for displaying a three-dimensional image in at least one of the respective first display and second display.

17. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1, wherein there are provided a plurality of terminals on at least one of the first and second operator sides, and the respective terminals on the first and second operator sides are connected to each other over a communication network.

18. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1 further including:

a machine for pre-experience provided on the second operator side; and

operation information transmitting and processing means for transmitting operation information of the pre-experience machine made by the second operator to the first operator.

19. The remote work supporting system according to claim 18, wherein the operation information is displayed in the respective first display.

20. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1 further including:

a detector for detecting movements of the second operator;

movement information transmitting and processing means for transmitting movement information obtained by the detector to the first operator; and

a drive for causing the first operator to take an action based on the movement information.

21. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1, wherein an image of a predetermined finger of an operation glove worn by a hand of the second operator is combined with an image of the work target machine.

22. The remote work supporting system according to claim 21, wherein a background screen is provided in front of a pre-experience machine provided on the second operator side.

23. The remote work supporting system according to claim 21, wherein an image of a contour and nail portions of the operation glove is combined with an image of the work target machine.

24. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1 further including an image input device having at least the respective photographing means and first display, and wherein the image input device is worn on a face.

25. The remote work supporting system according to claim 1 further including an image input device having at least the respective photographing means and first display, and wherein the image input device is supported on a supporting base.

26. The remote work supporting system according to claim 12, wherein the photographing means include two photographing devices for right and left eyes of the first operator, and images of the work target machine photographed by the two photographing means are displayed in the two first displays respectively.