Mobile tele-presence system with a microphone system

• US 8,170,241 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Roe, David Bjorn, Sanchez, Daniel Steven, Pinter, Marco, Walters, Derek, Jordan, Charles S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mandala, Victor A
• Application Number:
  US12/148,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 381/26, 381/91, 381/122, 381/355, 381/365
• US Class Current: 381/122
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/003 by means of an audio-responsive input audible safety signals B25J19/061
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A remote controlled robot system that includes a robot and a remote control station. The robot includes a binaural microphone system that is coupled to a speaker system of the remote control station. The binaural microphone system may include a pair of microphones located at opposite sides of a robot head. The location of the microphones roughly coincides with the location of ears on a human body. Such microphone location creates a mobile robot that more effectively simulates the tele-presence of an operator of the system. The robot may include two different microphone systems and the ability to switch between systems. For example, the robot may also include a zoom camera system and a directional microphone. The directional microphone may be utilized to capture sound from a direction that corresponds to an object zoomed upon by the camera system.

Claims

1. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a robot with a camera system, a directional microphone and a binaural microphone system that captures a sound, said camera system can switch between zoom and non-zoom modes, said directional microphone is utilized when said camera system is in said zoom mode; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said robot, said remote control station includes a speaker system that is coupled to said binaural microphone system to generate said sound captured by said binaural microphone and a monitor coupled to said robot camera.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said camera system and said binaural microphone system are attached to a robot head that can move in at least two degrees of freedom, said binaural microphone system including a first microphone located on a first side of said head and a second microphone located on a second side of said head.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said binaural microphone system includes a first microphone and a second microphone that are spaced at approximately equal angles relative to a plane that intersects said camera system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote control station monitor displays a display user interface, said display user interface includes a graphical interface that can be used to switch between said binaural microphone system and said directional microphone.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said remote control station monitor displays a display user interface, said display user interface provides a graphical depiction of an origin of sound.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said robot includes a mobile platform.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said robot includes a monitor that is coupled to a camera of said remote control station.

8. A method for hearing sound produced at a site of a robot, comprising:

capturing sound with a binaural microphone system of a robot that has a camera system and a directional microphone;

transmitting the sound captured by the binaural microphone system to a remote control station;

switching the camera system of the robot between zoom and non-zoom modes;

capturing sound with the directional microphone when the camera system is in the zoom mode; and

,

transmitting the sound captured by the directional microphone to the remote control station.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying a display user interface on a monitor of the remote control station, the display user interface includes a graphical interface that can be used to switch between the binaural microphone system and the directional microphone.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying a display user interface on a monitor of the remote control station, the display user interface provides a graphical depiction of an origin of sound.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising moving the robot across a surface.

12. A method for hearing sound produced at a site of a robot, comprising:

capturing sound with a microphone system of a robot that is coupled to a robot head that has a camera system and a directional microphone, said camera system can switch between zoom and non-zoom modes, said directional microphone is utilized when said camera system is in said zoom mode;

converting the sound into a plurality of audio channels;

transmitting the sound to a remote control station;

producing the sound at the remote control station;

moving the robot head;

switching the camera system of the robot between zoom and non-zoom modes; and

producing the sound captured by the directional microphone when the camera system is in the zoom mode.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying a display user interface on a monitor of the remote control station, the display user interface provides a graphical depiction of an origin of sound.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising moving the robot across a surface.

15. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a robot with a camera system and a microphone system with a directional microphone and a binaural microphone system that capture a sound, said camera system can switch between zoom and non-zoom modes, said directional microphone is utilized when said camera system is in said zoom mode; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said robot, said remote control station includes a speaker system that is coupled to said microphone system, said remote control station further includes a monitor that displays a display user interface with a graphical depiction of an origin of sound.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said camera system and said microphone system are attached to a robot head that can move in at least two degrees of freedom, said microphone system including a first microphone located on a first side of said head and a second microphone located on a second side of said head.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said first and second microphones are spaced at approximately equal angles relative to a plane that intersects said camera system.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said display user interface includes a graphical interface that can be used to switch between said binaural microphone system and said directional microphone.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said robot includes a mobile platform.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein said robot includes a monitor that is coupled to a camera of said remote control station.

21. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a robot with a camera system, a binaural microphone system and a directional microphone; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said robot, said remote control station having a speaker system and switches a speaker output between said binaural microphone system and said directional microphone.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said binaural microphone system includes a first microphone and a second microphone that are spaced at approximately equal angles relative to a plane that intersects said camera system.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said robot camera system can switch between zoom and non-zoom modes, said directional microphone is utilized when said camera system is in said zoom mode.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said remote control station includes a monitor that displays a display user interface, said display user interface includes a graphical interface that can be used to switch between said binaural microphone system and said directional microphone.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said robot includes a monitor that is coupled to a camera of said remote control station.

26. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a robot with a camera system, a first microphone system and a second microphone system; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said robot, said remote control station having a speaker system and switches a speaker output between said first and second microphone systems, said remote control station includes a monitor that displays a display user interface with a graphical interface that can be used to switch between said first and second microphone systems.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said first microphone system includes a binaural microphone system and said second microphone system includes a directional microphone.

28. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a robot with a camera system, a directional microphone and a binaural microphone system that captures a sound, said camera system can switch between zoom and non-zoom modes, said directional microphone is utilized when said camera system is in said zoom mode;

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said robot, said remote control station includes a speaker system that is coupled to said binaural microphone system to generate said sound captured by said binaural microphone and a monitor coupled to said robot camera, said monitor displays a display user interface, said display user interface includes a graphical interface that can be used to switch between said binaural microphone system and said directional microphone.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said monitor displays a display user interface, said display user interface provides a graphical depiction of an origin of sound.

30. A method for hearing sound produced at a site of a robot, comprising:

capturing sound with a binaural microphone system of a robot that has a camera system and a directional microphone;

transmitting the sound captured by the binaural microphone system to a remote control station;

switching the camera system of the robot between zoom and non-zoom modes;

capturing sound with the directional microphone when the camera system is in the zoom mode;

transmitting the sound captured by the directional microphone to the remote control station; and

,

displaying a display user interface on a monitor of the remote control station, the display user interface includes a graphical interface that can be used to switch between the binaural microphone system and the directional microphone.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising displaying a display user interface on a monitor of the remote control station, the display user interface provides a graphical depiction of an origin of sound.

32. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a robot with a camera system and a microphone system with a directional microphone; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said robot, said remote control station includes a speaker system that is coupled to said microphone system, said remote control station further includes a monitor that displays a display user interface with a graphical depiction of an origin of sound, said display user interface includes a graphical interface that can be used to switch between said binaural microphone system and said directional microphone.

33. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a robot with a camera system, a binaural microphone system and a directional microphone; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said robot, said remote control station having a speaker system and switches a speaker output between said binaural microphone system and said directional microphone.