Systems, devices, and methods including a wheelchair-assist robot

• US 9,724,829 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2016
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wood, Jr., Lowell L., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Lord, Robert W., Tegreene, Clarence T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Lord, Richard T., Rivet, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US15/064,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20160199983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 700245, 700246, 700248, 700249, 700250, 700251, 700255, 700257, 700258, 700264, 701 24, 701472, 180218, 345157
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/047 by a modular detachable drive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/10 Parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/009 Nursing, e.g. carrying sick persons, pushing wheelchairs, distributing drugs
• 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: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/024 specially adapted for moving on inclined or vertical surfaces endless-track vehicles for ascending or descending stairs B62D55/075; hand-carts with provision for travelling up or down stairs B62B5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• 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 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are described for providing, among other things, a wheelchair-assist robot for assisting a wheelchair user with everyday tasks or activities at work, at home, and the like. In an embodiment, the mobile wheelchair-assist robot includes a wheelchair interface component configured to exchange control information with a wheelchair controller. In an embodiment, a wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly is provided for, among other things, electrically and physically coupling a wheelchair-assist robot to an associated wheelchair.

Claims

1. A mobile wheelchair-assist robot system, comprising:

a wheelchair-assist robot; and

a wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly constructed and arranged to be mounted onto a wheelchair, the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly having a powered device mechanism having a portion that engages the mobile wheelchair-assist robot and causes the mobile wheelchair-assist robot to physically secure against a portion of a wheelchair in response to one or more inputs from a client device associated with the wheelchair, the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly including a wheelchair-assist robot interface configured to communicably couple movements of the wheelchair-assist robot to the wheelchair from a first position remote and uncoupled from the wheelchair to a second position secured against and coupled to the wheelchair.

2. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly includes a power interface component operable to electrically couple the mobile wheelchair-assist robot to a wheelchair power supply.

3. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly includes a wheelchair interface component that allows the client device associated with the wheelchair and the wheelchair-assist robot to exchange control commands.

4. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly comprises a chassis constructed and arranged to support the wheelchair-assist robot.

5. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly comprises:

a wheelchair-assist robot interface configured to exchange control information with the wheelchair-assist robot.

6. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly comprises:

a wheelchair-assist robot dock interface configured to communicably couple the wheelchair-assist robot to the wheelchair.

7. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly includes one or more sensors operably coupled to the wheelchair-assist robot, the one or more sensors configured to generate control information to guide the wheelchair-assist robot system onto the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly.

8. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly includes an inductive power component.

9. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly includes an inertial reference component.

10. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly includes one or more friction-fit members dimensioned and configured to secure the wheelchair-assist robot system to the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly.

11. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly includes one or more clamping members dimensioned and configured to secure the wheelchair-assist robot system to the wheelchair-assist robot mount assembly.

12. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot is operably coupled to the client device associated with the wheelchair.

13. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 1, wherein the wheelchair-assist robot includes an image capture component.

14. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 13, wherein the image capture component is configured to communicate image information with the client device associated with the wheelchair.

15. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 13, wherein the image capture component is configured to communicate infrared image information with the client device associated with the wheelchair.

16. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 13, wherein the image capture component includes one or more object sensors and is configured to maintain the mobile wheelchair-assist robot at a target separation from the wheelchair.

17. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 13, wherein the image capture component is configured to survey a target region.

18. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 17, wherein the image capture component is configured to generate one or more parameters associated with the target region responsive to one or more inputs from the wheelchair interface component.

19. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 17, wherein the image capture component is configured to generate one or more parameters associated with the target region responsive to one or more inputs indicative of a route of the wheelchair.

20. The mobile wheelchair-assist robot system of claim 17, wherein the image capture component is configured to select the target region based on at least one of an orientation of the wheelchair, a position of the wheelchair, and a route of the wheelchair.