Companion robot for personal interaction

• US 9,452,525 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2013
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Ziegler, Andrew, Jones, Andrew, Vu, Clara, Cross, Matthew, Sinclair, Ken, Campbell, Tony L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US13/948,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20140142757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04N 7/142 : Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• 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 mobile robot guest for interacting with a human resident performs a room-traversing search procedure prior to interacting with the resident, and may verbally query whether the resident being sought is present. Upon finding the resident, the mobile robot may facilitate a teleconferencing session with a remote third party, or interact with the resident in a number of ways. For example, the robot may carry on a dialogue with the resident, reinforce compliance with medication or other schedules, etc. In addition, the robot incorporates safety features for preventing collisions with the resident; and the robot may audibly announce and/or visibly indicate its presence in order to avoid becoming a dangerous obstacle. Furthermore, the mobile robot behaves in accordance with an integral privacy policy, such that any sensor recording or transmission must be approved by the resident.

Claims

1. A robot system, comprising:

a base station; and

an autonomous mobile robot;

wherein the base station comprises;

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate transmissions with each of a plurality of autonomous mobile robots; and

an access point circuit for transferring transmissions between the Internet and the wireless transceiver, the access point circuit configured to authenticate each of the robots using stored base station security information and corresponding stored robot security information for each of the autonomous mobile robots;

wherein the robot comprises;

a drive connected to a processor to autonomously navigate the robot about an environment;

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate transmissions with the base station; and

a client circuit for transferring transmissions from the robot to the base station, the client circuit linked to the base station by stored robot security information corresponding to the stored base station security information, the client circuit configured so that, upon activation, the client circuit can authenticate to the base station using the stored robot security information.

2. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the base station further comprises a wired connector for accessing the Internet, wherein the wired connector of the base station is configured to connect to a modem or network terminal connected to an Internet Service Provider to access the Internet.

3. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver of the base station and the wireless transceiver of the robot are configured to communicate using the 802.11 protocol.

4. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to authenticate the robot and one or more other authorized devices on a media access control (MAC) connection-permitted whitelist, and wherein the robot has a MAC address on the MAC connection-permitted whitelist.

5. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the stored robot security information includes an extended service set identifier (ESSID) for the base station.

6. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the stored base station security information comprises a base station cryptographic key compatible with a robot cryptographic key included in the stored robot security information.

7. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the stored base station security information comprises a private base station key and a public robot key, and wherein the stored robot security information comprises a public base station key corresponding to the private base station key and a private robot key corresponding to the public robot key.

8. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the stored base station security information and stored robot security information correspond to a virtual private network (VPN) or Secure Socket Layer (SSL) connection.

9. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the robot has Wired Equivalent Privacy/Wifi-protected access (WEP/WPA) enabled by default.

10. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the base station is configured to provide routing functionality.

11. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the robot comprises an additional transceiver and is configured to act as a repeater to extend a range of the base station.

12. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the stored base station security information and stored robot security information both include a predetermined IP address for the robot, and wherein the access point circuit of the base station is configured to require authorization for changing the predetermined IP address.

13. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the stored base station security information and stored robot security information both include a predetermined shell level encryption for communication between the robot and the base station, and wherein the access point circuit of the base station is configured to require authorization for changing the predetermined shell level encryption.

14. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the base station has one or more predetermined ports to the Internet open only to the robot.

15. The robot system of claim 1, the access point circuit being configured to authenticate another robot using the stored base station security information and stored robot security information of the other robot.

16. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the access point circuit is operable as a fleet management tool for the robots.

17. The robot system of claim 1, the robot is configured to store the robot security information.

18. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the base station and the robot are located within a home in the environment, and at least one of the robots is configured to assist in cleaning the home.

19. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to autonomously navigate the robot about the environment in accordance to data received from an obstacle detection sensor while generating a map of the environment.

20. The robot system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver of the base station is configured to receive transmissions from a remote terminal, and the wireless receiver of the mobile robot is operable to receive, from the base station, transmissions including a transmission representing a command generated by the remote terminal.