Police robotic system

• US 7,896,113 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fernando Ramirez
• Original Assignee: Fernando Ramirez
• Inventors: Ramirez, Fernando
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMS, TASHIANA R
• Application Number:
  US12/119,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 180/9, 180/9.5, 180/9.64, 180/9.23, 180/9.28, 180/9.3, 180/9.46, 180/6.7
• US Class Current: 180/9
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/005 mounted on endless tracks or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246

Abstract

A robotic system adapted to deploy from a police vehicle for inspecting a suspect vehicle has a robot unit and a carrier unit. The robot unit includes a robot base having a drive system responsive to a control unit having a robot transceiver, and a camera operably mounted on robot unit for inspecting the suspect vehicle. A primary display adapted to be operably positioned within the police vehicle functions for displaying the images from the camera. A remote control unit, also adapted to be operably positioned within the police vehicle, enables the user to operably control the control unit of the robot unit. The carrier unit includes a carrier housing that pivots between a raised position for carrying the robot unit, and a lowered position for deploying the robot unit.

Claims

1. A robotic system adapted to deploy from a police vehicle onto a street for inspecting an interior of a suspect vehicle, the robotic system comprising:

a robot unit comprising;

a robot base having a pair of track elements driven by a motor element responsive to a control unit having a robot transceiver;

a camera for capturing images of the suspect vehicle;

an extendable arm operably attached to the robot base to support the camera;

an arm actuator for controlling the extendable arm, for raising the camera from a lowered position adjacent the robot base, to a raised position in which the camera is raised above the robot base to a height for inspecting the interior of the suspect vehicle;

a control unit for operably controlling the pair of track elements, the arm actuator, and the camera; and

a remote control unit adapted to be operably positioned within the police vehicle, the remote control unit being adapted for operably controlling the control unit of the robot unit;

a carrier unit comprising;

a mounting base that is adapted to be mounted on the police vehicle;

a carrier housing having a floor element with a generally planar top surface, side edges, and a forward edge, the floor element being sized and shaped to receive the robot unit thereupon;

a pair of pivots that pivotally mount the carrier housing onto the mounting base such that the carrier housing can pivot between a raised position wherein the top surface is generally vertical, and a lowered position wherein the top surface is generally horizontal and wherein the forward edge is adjacent the street so that the robot unit can be driven onto the top surface; and

a locking element for locking the robot unit onto the top surface;

a docking camera operably positioned adjacent the carrier unit for capturing images of the robot unit as it approaches and operatively engages the carrier housing; and

a primary display adapted to be operably positioned within the police vehicle for displaying the images of the suspect vehicle from the camera of the robot unit, and/or the images of the robot unit from the docking camera.

2. A robotic system for inspecting a suspect vehicle, the robotic system comprising:

a police vehicle;

a robot unit comprising;

a robot base having a drive system responsive to a control unit having a robot transceiver; and

a camera operably mounted on robot unit for inspecting the suspect vehicle;

a primary display for displaying the images from the camera, the primary display being operably positioned within the police vehicle so that the primary display may be viewed without exiting the police vehicle;

a remote control unit operably positioned within the police vehicle for operably controlling the control unit of the robot unit, so that the remote control unit may be utilized without exiting the police vehicle;

a carrier unit operably mounted on the police vehicle for transporting the robot unit, the carrier unit comprising;

a mounting base mounted on the police vehicle;

a carrier housing having a floor element sized and shaped to receive the robot unit thereupon, the floor element having a top surface and a forward edge;

a pair of pivots that pivotally mount the carrier housing onto the mounting base such that the carrier housing can pivot between a raised position wherein the top surface is generally vertical, and a lowered position wherein the top surface is generally horizontal and wherein the forward edge is adjacent the street so that the robot unit can be driven onto the top surface;

a docking actuator for lifting the floor element from the lowered position to the raised position; and

a locking element for locking the robot unit onto the top surface; and

a docking control device operably positioned within the police vehicle for operably controlling the docking actuator, for raising and lowering the floor element without exiting the police vehicle.

3. A robotic system for inspecting a suspect vehicle, the robotic system comprising:

a police vehicle;

a robot unit comprising;

a robot base having a drive system responsive to a control unit having a robot transceiver;

an extendable arm that is movable between a stored position and an extended position responsive to the control unit, the extendable arm including a lower lever lift driven by an actuator, and an upper scissor jack driven by a screw drive, the control unit functioning to first raise the upper scissor jack until an assist lever has raised the lower lever lift at least partially towards the extended position, at which point both the lower lever lift and the upper scissor jack can move fully to the extended position; and

a camera operably mounted on the extendable arm for inspecting the suspect vehicle when the extendable arm is in the extended position;

a primary display for displaying the images from the camera, the primary display being operably positioned within the police vehicle so that the primary display may be viewed without exiting the police vehicle;

a remote control unit operably positioned within the police vehicle for operably controlling the control unit of the robot unit, so that the remote control unit may be utilized without exiting the police vehicle;

a carrier unit operably mounted on the police vehicle for transporting the robot unit, the carrier unit comprising;

a mounting base mounted on the police vehicle;

a carrier housing having a floor element sized and shaped to receive the robot unit thereupon, the floor element having a top surface and a forward edge;

a pair of pivots that pivotally mount the carrier housing onto the mounting base such that the carrier housing can pivot between a raised position wherein the top surface is generally vertical, and a lowered position wherein the top surface is generally horizontal and wherein the forward edge is adjacent the street so that the robot unit can be driven onto the top surface;

a docking actuator for lifting the floor element from the lowered position to the raised position; and

a locking element for locking the robot unit onto the top surface; and

a docking control device operably positioned within the police vehicle for operably controlling the docking actuator, for raising and lowering the floor element without exiting the police vehicle.