Ultra-wideband enhanced robot and method for controlling the robot

• US 20030028286A1
• Filed: 06/04/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Glenn, Susan J, Shreve, Gregory A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,763,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33192 Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40161 Visual display of machining, operation, remote viewing
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0282 generated in a local control room

Abstract

A system and method are described that use impulse radio technology to enhance the capabilities of a robot. In one embodiment of the present invention, a system, a robot and a method are provided that use the communication capabilities of impulse radio technology to help a control station better control the actions of the robot. In another embodiment of the present invention, a system, a robot and a method are provided that use the communication, position and/or radar capabilities of impulse radio technology to help a control station better control the actions of a robot in order to, for example, monitor and control the environment within a building.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a robot, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching, to the robot, an impulse radio unit;

receiving, at a control station, impulse radio signals containing information from the impulse radio unit attached to the robot; and

using, at the control station, at least a portion of the received information to control the actions of the robot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the received information includes information about an area surrounding the robot.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said information about the area surrounding the robot is in video form.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of enabling the impulse radio unit to interact with a plurality of sensors that obtain at least a portion of the information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining the position of the robot from the interaction between the impulse radio unit and at least two of a plurality of reference impulse radio units, wherein said control station can use the determined position of the robot to control the actions of the robot.

6. A robot comprising:

a movable platform; and

an impulse radio unit capable of transmitting an impulse radio signal containing information to a control station capable of using at least a portion of the information to control the actions of the robot.

7. The robot of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the received information includes information about an area surrounding the robot.

8. The robot of claim 7, wherein said information about the area surrounding the robot is in video form.

9. The robot of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of sensors, coupled to the impulse radio unit, capable of obtaining at least a portion of the information.

10. The robot of claim 6, wherein said impulse radio unit interacts with at least two of a plurality of reference impulse radio units to enable a determination to be made as to a current position of the robot which can be used by the control station in controlling the actions of the robot.

11. A system comprising:

a control station; and

a robot including an impulse radio unit capable of transmitting an impulse radio signal containing information to said control station capable of using at least a portion of the information to control the actions of the robot.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the received information includes information about an area surrounding the robot.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said information about the area surrounding the robot is in video form.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said robot further includes a plurality of sensors, coupled to the impulse radio unit, capable of obtaining at least a portion of the information.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of reference impulse radio units at least two of which interact with the impulse radio unit to enable a determination to be made as to a current position of the robot which can be used by the control station to control the actions of the robot.

16. A method for monitoring a building, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching, to a robot, an impulse radio unit;

receiving, at a control station, information from the impulse radio unit relating to the building; and

using, at the control station, at least a portion of the information relating to the building to monitor the building.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said information relating to the building includes environmental related information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said information relating to the building includes inventory related information.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said information relating to the building includes security related information.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of controlling the movement of the robot to monitor the building.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of establishing communications between a person interacting with the robot and a person using the control station.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of enabling the impulse radio unit to interact with a plurality of sensors that obtain at least a portion of the information relating to the building.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of determining the position of the robot from the interaction between the impulse radio unit and at least two of a plurality of reference impulse radio units.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of using a radar capability of the impulse radio unit to detect a person in the vicinity of the robot.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step displaying, at the control station, at least a portion of the information relating to the building.

26. A robot comprising:

a movable platform; and

an impulse radio unit capable of transmitting to a control station an impulse radio signal containing information relating to a building, wherein the control station is capable of using at least a portion of the information relating to the building to monitor the building.

27. The robot of claim 26, wherein said information relating to the building includes environmental related information such as the temperature within a part of the building.

28. The robot of claim 26, wherein said information relating to the building includes safety related information which may indicate the presence of toxic substances such as carbon monoxide, natural gas or smoke within a part of the building.

29. The robot of claim 26, wherein said information relating to the building includes surveillance related information which may indicate the presence of an intruder.

30. The robot of claim 26, wherein said information relating to the building includes inventory related information.

31. The robot of claim 30, wherein said inventory related information indicates whether an asset is present within the building.

32. The robot of claim 30, wherein said inventory related information indicates the location of an asset within the building.

33. The robot of claim 32, wherein said asset is attached to a pseudo-transmitting impulse radio tag that interacts with the impulse radio unit to enable the location of the asset to be determined.

34. The robot of claim 26, wherein said impulse radio unit interacts with at least two of a plurality of reference impulse radio units to enable a determination to be made as to a current position of the robot which can be used by the control station in controlling the actions of the robot.

35. The robot of claim 26, further comprising at least one sensor, coupled to said impulse radio unit, capable of monitoring at least one condition within the building.

36. A system comprising:

a control station; and

a robot including an impulse radio unit capable of transmitting to a control station an impulse radio signal containing information relating to a building, wherein the control station is capable of using at least a portion of the information relating to the building to monitor the building.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said information relating to the building includes environmental related information.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein said information relating to the building includes safety related information.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein said information relating to the building includes surveillance related information.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein said information relating to the building includes inventory related information.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said inventory related information indicates whether an asset is present within the building.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein said inventory related information indicates the location of an asset within the building.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said asset is attached to a pseudo-transmitting impulse radio tag that interacts with the impulse radio unit to enable the location of the asset to be determined.

44. The system of claim 36, wherein said robot further includes at least one sensor, coupled to said impulse radio unit, capable of monitoring at least one condition within the building.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said control station is further capable of indicating an alarm whenever one of the at least one monitored conditions exceeds a predetermined threshold.

46. The system of claim 36, further comprising a plurality of reference impulse radio units at least two of which interact with the impulse radio unit to enable a determination to be made as to a current position of the robot which can be used by the control station to control the actions of the robot.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said control station includes a display for displaying an overlay of the building and indicating the position of the robot and indicating at least one monitored condition.

48. The system of claim 36, wherein said robot can be used in a hazardous environment.

49. The system of claim 36, wherein said robot can be used in a clean room.

50. The system of claim 36, wherein said robot can be used for guard services.

51. The system of claim 36, wherein said robot can be used to check a virtual seal on an asset.

52. A robot comprising:

an impulse radio unit capable of transmitting an impulse radio signal containing information to a control station capable of using at least a portion of the information to control the actions of the robot.

53. The robot of claim 52, wherein said robot can be used for search and rescue operations.

54. The robot of claim 53, wherein said impulse radio unit further includes an impulse radio radar capability and can detect a person.

55. The robot of claim 52, wherein said robot can be attached to a self-healing land mine, wherein said control station is another robot that is also attached to a self-healing land mine.

56. The robot of claim 52, wherein said impulse radio unit further includes an impulse radio radar capability and can detect a land mind.

57. The robot of claim 52, wherein said robot can be a micro vehicle which is used to obtain information without being detected by people or things being monitored.

58. The robot of claim 57, wherein said micro vehicle is a micro air vehicle or a micro unmanned ground vehicle.

59. The robot of claim 52, wherein said robot can be used to perform domestic tasks.