Methods and systems for providing functionality of an interface to control orientations of a camera on a device

• US 9,344,623 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Development LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Desai, Munjal, Hickman, Ryan, Lewis, Thor, Kohler, Damon
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, ABBY YEE
• Application Number:
  US14/453,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20140350727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40002 Camera, robot follows direction movement of operator head, helmet, headstick
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40617 Agile eye, control position of camera, active vision, pan-tilt camera, follow object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/50 Miscellaneous

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing functionality of an interface to control orientations of a camera on a device are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving an input on an interface indicating a command for an orientation of a camera on a robotic device, and the interface may be provided on a device remote from the robotic device. An indicator may be provided on the interface representing a location of the input, and the indicator may be representative of the command for the orientation of the camera on the robotic device. The method may also include determining that the location of the input on the interface is within a distance threshold to a pre-set location on the interface, and repositioning the indicator on the interface to be at the pre-set location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an interface for controlling movement of a camera on a robotic device;

receiving from the robotic device data indicative of an environment of the robotic device;

determining, by a computing device and based on the data indicative of the environment of the robotic device, a pre-set command associated with adjusting an orientation of the camera on the robotic device;

providing, by the computing device and on the interface, an icon indicative of the pre-set command associated with adjusting the orientation of the camera on the robotic device; and

generating a control signal indicating the pre-set command in response to receiving an input at a location on the interface that is within a threshold distance of a location of the icon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the pre-set command associated with adjusting the orientation of the camera on the robotic device comprises recognizing a predetermined object in the environment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pre-set command includes adjusting the orientation of the camera on the robotic device to be directed to a position of the predetermined object.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the position of the predetermined object comprises a dynamically changing position.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the icon indicative of the pre-set command comprises a dynamically changing icon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the pre-set command associated with adjusting the orientation of the robotic device comprises determining that a location of the robotic device is within a predetermined distance of a pre-stored geographic location, wherein the pre-stored geographic location is one of a plurality of pre-stored geographic locations.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pre-set command includes adjusting the orientation of the camera on the robotic device to be directed to the pre-stored geographic location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface is provided on a display of the computing device and the method further comprises overlaying on the display a video stream of the camera on the robotic device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the control signal to the robotic device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-set command is further determined based on a user profile.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the input at the location on the interface comprises receiving a contact on a touchscreen.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing on the interface a display of a region substantially adjacent or surrounding the location of the icon, wherein the region is indicative of the threshold distance.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing one or more of an audio or vibration indicator that is indicative that the input is within the threshold distance of the location of the icon.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reset input via the interface; and

responsively generating a control signal indicating a command for resetting the orientation of the camera to a default orientation.

15. A device comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory including instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the device to perform functions comprising;

providing an interface for controlling movement of a camera on a robotic device,

receiving, from the robotic device, data indicative of an environment of the robotic device,

determining, based on the data indicative of the environment of the robotic device, a pre-set command associated with adjusting an orientation of the camera on the robotic device,

providing, on the interface, an icon indicative of the pre-set command associated with adjusting the orientation of the camera on the robotic device, and

generating a control signal indicating the pre-set command in response to receiving an input at a location on the interface that is within a threshold distance of a location of the icon.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein determining the pre-set command associated with adjusting the orientation of the camera on the robotic device comprises recognizing a predetermined object in the environment.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein a position of the predetermined object is dynamically changing.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein determining the pre-set command associated with adjusting the orientation of the camera on the robotic device comprises determining that a location of the robotic device is within a predetermined distance of one of a plurality of pre-stored geographic locations.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the interface is provided on a display of the device, and wherein the functions further comprise providing, on the display of the device, image data received from the camera on the robotic device.