Customizable robotic system

• US 9,440,356 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CrossWing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CrossWing, Inc.
• Inventors: Sutherland, Stephen B., Wick, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US14/662,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20150190927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/24, 701/36, 700/259, 700/245, 901/1, 345/156, 382/153, 318/568.12, 463/40
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/009 Nursing, e.g. carrying sick persons, pushing wheelchairs, distributing drugs
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40174 Robot teleoperation through internet
• 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
• 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: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A telepresence robot uses three separately controlled omni-wheels and a computer processing arrangement to reposition the robot based on received positional signals. The telepresence robot captures and transmits visual information of a limited field of view and visual information of a broad field of view. The visual information is received and displayed on a remote input device and portions of the displayed information are selected to send an appropriate signal to reposition the robot based on the selected portion. A method of remotely controlling a telepresence robot is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of remotely controlling a telepresence robot comprising connecting the telepresence robot to the internet;

using a camera of the telepresence robot to produce a first signal containing visual information with respect to a narrow field of view of a preferred facing direction of the telepresence robot;

using a camera of the telepresence robot to produce a second signal containing visual information with respect to a broad field of view that includes both ground information in front of the telepresence robot and environmental information in at least a forward direction of the telepresence robot and information with respect to the narrow field of view;

using the telepresence robot to transmit over the internet the first and second signals;

receiving the first and second signals at a receiving device and displaying the first and second signals;

selecting a portion of said displayed second signal on an input arrangement of said receiving device, determining information identifying the selected portion and sending to said telepresence robot said information identifying the selected portion;

receiving at the telepresence robot the information identifying the selected portion and using the information to adjust the telepresence robot such that the facing direction of the telepresence robot is based on the selected portion.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said telepresence robot uses the information identifying the selected portion to selectively activate motors used to drive omni-wheels of the telepresence robot to reposition the telepresence robot as required.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the receiving device displays the second signal below the first signal and the receiving device is a touch screen device.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said broad field of view is a panoramic view.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said camera of said telepresence robot that produces said first signal is a forwardly facing camera and said camera of said telepresence robot that produces said second signal is directed upwardly to capture an image on an opposed dome mirror to produce said second signal.

6. A telepresence robot comprising a base with at least three omni-wheels with each omni-wheel having a separately controlled motor drive;

a computer processing arrangement for receiving positional signals used to selectively activate each motor drive to reposition said telepresence robot in accordance with said positional signals;

a first camera providing a digital signal of visual information in a limited field of view of the telepresence robot;

a second camera providing a digital signal of visual information of a broad field of view of the telepresence robot that includes visual information of the limited field of view;

a communication arrangement for transmitting signals of the limited field of view and said broad field of view to a remote receiver; and

a receiving arrangement for receiving positional signals provided to said motor drives for repositioning of said telepresence robot.

7. A telepresence robot as claimed in claim 6 including ultrasonic sensors and an ultrasonic sensor controller providing additional information used to control the position of the telepresence robot using the separately controlled motor drives, and where each motor drive includes a motor controller for controlling movement of the particular omni-wheel.