Companion robot for personal interaction

• US 7,720,572 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ava Robotics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Campbell, Tony L., Jones, Andrew, Cross, Matthew, Ziegler, Andrew, Sinclair, Ken, Vu, Clara
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olsen; Lin B
• Application Number:
  US11/541,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 700/245, 700/231
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/008 Manipulators for service tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0091 Shock absorbers in general F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0234 using optical markers or beacons optical beacons per se G01S1/70
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0251 extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 : relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 : Sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 : Optical

Abstract

A robot system includes a base station and a robot. The base station includes a wireless transceiver configured to communicate TCP/IP transmissions over a local wireless protocol, a wired Ethernet connector for communicating TCP/IP transmissions over a local wired Ethernet accessing the Internet, and an access point circuit for transferring TCP/IP transmissions between the local wired Ethernet and local wireless protocol. The access point circuit is limited to a predetermined IP address locked to the robot, a predetermined shell level encryption locked to the robot, and predetermined ports to the Internet open only to the robot. The robot includes a wireless transceiver configured to communicate TCP/IP transmissions over a local wireless protocol and a client circuit for transferring TCP/IP transmissions over the local wireless protocol.

Claims

1. A robot system, comprising:

a base station; and

a robot;

wherein the base station comprises;

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate TCP/IP transmissions over a local wireless protocol;

a wired Ethernet connector for communicating TCP/IP transmissions over a local wired Ethernet accessing the Internet; and

an access point circuit for transferring TCP/IP transmissions between the local wired Ethernet and local wireless protocol, the access point circuit limited to a predetermined IP address locked to the robot, having a predetermined shell level encryption locked to the robot, and having predetermined ports to the Internet open only to the robot;

wherein the robot comprises;

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate TCP/IP transmissions over a local wireless protocol; and

a client circuit for transferring TCP/IP transmissions over the local wireless protocol;

wherein the predetermined IP address locked to the robot comprises an IP address known by the robot and authorized for communication with the robot, the access point circuit locked to the predetermined IP address by requiring authorization for changing the predetermined IP address;

wherein the predetermined shell level encryption locked to the robot comprises a trust boundary that encrypts and protects data communicated between the local wired Ethernet and the local wireless protocol, the access point circuit locked to the predetermined shell level encryption by requiring authorization for changing the predetermined shell level encryption; and

wherein the predetermined ports to the Internet of the access point circuit are assigned to the robot for use only by the robot.

2. The robot system of claim 1, further comprising a matchmaker disposed along a communication path between the base station and a remote client.

3. The robot system of claim 2, wherein the matchmaker is adapted to maintain up to date records of a current IP address of the base station.

4. The robot system of claim 2, wherein the robot comprises a preinstalled unique pass code for transmittal to a matchmaker service upon initial use.

5. The robot system of claim 2, wherein the matchmaker is part of a network that relies upon supernodes to provide routing among privileged clients.

6. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the base station is connected to a server adapted to store information to be used by the robot.

7. The robot system of claim 6, wherein the stored information comprises at least one of user profile information, robot dialogue information, and scheduling information.

8. The robot system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of robots adapted to communicate with the base station.

9. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the robot is adapted to generate updated information relating to a user.

10. The robot system of claim 9, wherein the updated information comprises at least one of medication compliance information, user presence information, status reports, visitor reports, information entered by the user, security information, a request for communication with a remote user, event-responsive updates, data-change updates, status updates, and scheduled updates.

11. The robot system of claim 1, further comprising a push server adapted to communicate updated information to at least one of the robot and a remote client station.

12. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the robot comprises factory pre-installed communication information such that no configuration is required by a user prior to operation.

13. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the base station is adapted to provide wireless connectivity for at least one device in addition to the robot.

14. The robot system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the robot and the base station comprises an antenna.

15. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the base station is adapted to encode wireless transmissions using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing.

16. A robot system, including:

a base station; and

a robot,

the base station including a wireless transceiver configured to communicate TCP/IP transmissions over a local wireless protocol, a wired Ethernet connector for communicating TCP/IP transmissions over a local wired Ethernet to a matchmaker, and an access point circuit for transferring TCP/IP transmissions between the local wired Ethernet and local wireless protocol, the base station reporting a current IP address to the matchmaker,

the robot including a wireless transceiver configured to communicate TCP/IP transmissions over a local wireless protocol and a client circuit for transferring TCP/IP transmissions over the local wireless protocol, wherein the matchmaker is disposed along a communication path between the base station and a remote client and is adapted to maintain up to date records of the current IP address of the robot base station;

wherein the matchmaker is adapted to assist in establishing a secure peer-to-peer connection between the base station and the remote client.

17. The robot system of claim 16, wherein the matchmaker is part of a network which relies upon nodes and supernodes to provide routing among privileged clients.

18. The robot system of claim 17, wherein at least one node and supernode acts as a router to forward route traffic between a matched robot base station and a remote client.