Method and system for controlling a robot

• US 6,763,282 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2001
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Glenn, Susan J., Shreve, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/873,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/248, 700/258, 700/250, 700/259, 700/247, 700/249, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 342/89, 375/130, 375/316
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40161 Visual display of machining, operation, remote viewing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0282 generated in a local control room

Abstract

A system and method are described that use impulse radio technology to enhance the capabilities of a robot. In one embodiment, a system, a robot and a method are provided that use the communication capabilities of impulse radio technology to help a control station better control the actions of the robot. In another embodiment, a system, a robot and a method are provided that use the communication, position and/or radar capabilities of impulse radio technology to help a control station better control the actions of a robot in order to, for example, monitor and control the environment within a building.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a robot, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching, to the robot, an ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit;

receiving, at a control station, impulse radio signals containing information from the ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit attached to the robot;

using, at the control station, at least a portion of the received information to control the actions of the robot; and

determining the position of the robot from the interaction between the ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit and at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio units, wherein said control station can use the determined position of the robot to control the actions of the robot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the received information includes information about an area surrounding the robot.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said information about the area surrounding the robot is in video form.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling the ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit to interact with a plurality of sensors that obtain at least a portion of the information.

5. A robot comprising:

a movable platform;

an ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit for transmitting an impulse radio signal containing information to a control station that uses at least a portion of the information to control the actions of the robot; and

said ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit interacts with at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio units to enable a determination to be made as to a current position of the robot which can be used by the control station in controlling the actions of the robot.

6. The robot of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the received information includes information about an area surrounding the robot.

7. The robot of claim 6, wherein said information about the area surrounding the robot is in video form.

8. The robot of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of sensors, coupled to the ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit, for obtaining at least a portion of the information.

9. A system comprising:

a control station;

a robot including an ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit for transmitting an impulse radio signal containing information to said control station that uses at least a portion of the information to control the actions of the robot, wherein at least a portion of the received information includes information about an area surrounding the robot that is in video form; and

a plurality of reference ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio units at least two of which interact with the ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit of the robot to enable a determination to be made as to a current position of the robot which can be used by the control station to control the actions of the robot.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said robot further includes a plurality of sensors, coupled to the ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit, for obtaining at least a portion of the information.

11. A robot comprising:

an ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit for transmitting an impulse radio signal containing information to a control station that uses at least a portion of the information to control the actions of the robot, wherein at least a portion of the received information includes information about an area surrounding the robot that is in video form; and

said ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit for interacting with at least two of a plurality of reference ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio units to enable a determination to be made as to a current position of the robot which can be used by the control station in controlling the actions of the robot.

12. The robot of claim 11, wherein said robot can be used for search and rescue operations.

13. The robot of claim 12, wherein said ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit further includes an ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio radar capability and can detect a person.

14. The robot of claim 11, wherein said robot can be attached to a self-healing land mine, wherein said control station is another robot that is also attached to a self-healing land mine.

15. The robot of claim 11, wherein said ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio unit further includes an ultra wideband carrier wave-less impulse radio radar capability and can detect a land mind.

16. The robot of claim 11, wherein said robot can be a micro vehicle which is used to obtain information without being detected by people or things being monitored.

17. The robot of claim 16, wherein said micro vehicle is a micro air vehicle or a micro unmanned ground vehicle.

18. The robot of claim 11, wherein said robot can be used to perform domestic tasks.