Portable control device for networked mobile robots

• US 6,438,456 B1
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Gladwell, T. Scott, Bryan, Jon R., Harrington, John J., Byrne, Raymond H., Feddema, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/841,808
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/248, 700/247, 700/249, 700/257, 700/253, 701/301, 701/27, 701/98, 701/214, 701/28, 701/300, 701/50, 701/24, 318/568.12, 340/436, 340/903, 342/455, 348/120
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room

Abstract

A handheld control device provides a way for controlling one or multiple mobile robotic vehicles by incorporating a handheld computer with a radio board. The device and software use a personal data organizer as the handheld computer with an additional microprocessor and communication device on a radio board for use in controlling one robot or multiple networked robots.

Claims

1. A handheld control device for controlling one or more robots, each mobile robot comprising a robot communication device, the handheld control device comprising:

a) a handheld computer for controlling said one or more robots,

b) a radio board, in communication with the handheld computer, comprising;

i) a radio board communication device, mounted with the radio board, capable of communication with the robot communication device; and

ii) a radio board microprocessor, mounted with the radio board, interfacing with the handheld computer, and interfacing with the radio board communication device; and

iii) wherein the radio board microprocessor receives the control input through the interface.

2. The handheld control device of claim 1, wherein the robot communication device comprises a robot receiver, wherein the radio board communication device comprises a radio transmitter, wherein the robot receiver is responsive to the radio transmitter.

3. The handheld control device of claim 1, wherein the robot communication device comprises a robot transmitter, wherein the radio board communication device comprises a radio receiver responsive to the robot transmitter.

4. The handheld control device of claim 1, wherein the robot communication device comprises a robot transceiver, wherein the radio board communication device comprises a radio transceiver capable of communication bi-directionally with the robot transceiver.

5. The handheld control device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer comprises:

a) an input-output system, mounted with the handheld computer, receiving an input from an operator, and displaying an output to the operator;

b) a processor, mounted with the handheld computer, interfacing with the input-output system; and

c) a memory, mounted with the handheld computer, interfacing with the processor.

6. The handheld control device of claim 1, wherein the handheld computer comprises an electronic personal organizer.

7. A handheld control device for controlling a plurality of mobile robots, according to a control input, each mobile robot comprising a robot communication device, the handheld control device comprising:

a) a handheld computer, having a communication port;

b) a radio board, in communication with the handheld computer, comprising;

i) a radio board communication device, mounted with the radio board, capable of communication with the robot communication device for each mobile robot; and

ii) a radio board microprocessor, mounted with the radio board, interfacing with the handheld computer, and interfacing with the radio board communication device;

iii) an interface to the communication port;

iv) wherein the radio board microprocessor receives the control input through the interface.

8. The handheld control device of claim 7, wherein each robot communication device comprises a robot receiver, wherein the radio board communication device comprises a radio transmitter, wherein each robot receiver is responsive to the radio transmitter.

9. The handheld control device of claim 7, wherein each robot communication device comprises a robot transmitter, wherein the radio board communication device comprises a radio receiver responsive to each robot transmitter.

10. The handheld control device of claim 7, wherein each robot communication device comprises a robot transceiver, wherein the radio board communication device comprises a radio transceiver capable of communication bi-directionally with each robot transceiver.

11. The handheld control device of claim 7, wherein the handheld computer comprises:

a) an input-output system, mounted with the handheld computer, receiving an input, and displaying an output;

b) a processor, mounted with the handheld computer, interfacing with the input-output system; and

c) a memory, mounted with the handheld computer, interfacing with the processor.

12. The handheld control device of claim 7, wherein the handheld computer comprises an electronic personal organizer.

13. A handheld control device for controlling a plurality of mobile robots by an operator, according to a control input, each mobile robot comprising a robot transceiver, the handheld control device comprising:

a) a communication cable;

b) a handheld computer, comprising;

i) an input-output system, receiving an input from the operator, and displaying an output to the operator;

ii) a processor, interfacing with the input-output system;

iii) a memory, interfacing with the processor;

iv) a communication port, mounted with the handheld computer, accepting a connection from the communication cable;

c) a radio board, in communication with the handheld computer, comprising;

i) a radio transceiver, mounted with the radio board, capable of communication bi-directionally with each robot transceiver; and

ii) a radio board microprocessor, mounted with the radio board, interfacing with the handheld computer through the communication cable, and interfacing with the radio transceiver.

14. The handheld control device of claim 13, wherein the handheld computer comprises an electronic personal organizer.

15. A base station controller for interfacing to a handheld computer to control a plurality of mobile robots according to a control input, wherein the handheld computer comprises a user interface capable of accepting the control input and a communication port capable of transmitting the control input, wherein each mobile robot comprises a robot communication device, the base station controller comprising:

a) an interface to the communication port, capable of accepting the control input;

b) a microprocessor, mounted with the base station controller, capable of communication with the handheld computer using the communication port interface; and

c) a communication device, mounted with the base station controller, capable of communication with the robot communication device for each mobile robot, and interfacing with the microprocessor;

d) wherein each mobile robot is capable of receiving the control input from the user interface.

16. The base station controller of claim 15, wherein the handheld computer comprises an electronic personal organizer.

17. A method for a user to control at least one mobile robotic vehicle using a handheld control device, each robotic vehicle comprising a robot communication device, wherein the handheld control device comprises a handheld computer and a radio board, in communication with the handheld computer, wherein the handheld computer comprises an input-output system and a processor, wherein the radio board comprises a microprocessor and a radio board communication device, in communication with the microprocessor, the method for each robotic vehicle comprising:

a) communicating between the user and the radio board using the handheld computer and the microprocessor; and

b) communicating between the radio board and the robotic vehicle using the radio board communication device and the robot communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein communicating between the user and the radio board comprises:

a) accepting a user message from the user using the input-output system;

b) translating between the user message and a formatted message, according to a message communication format, using the processor;

c) determining a communication chain between the handheld control device and the robotic vehicle, using the processor; and

d) transmitting the formatted message from the handheld computer to the radio board, using the processor and the microprocessor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein communicating between the radio board and the robotic vehicle comprises:

a) transmitting the formatted message from the radio board using the radio board communication device;

b) receiving the formatted message using the robot communication device; and

c) using the formatted message to control the robotic vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the robotic vehicle further comprises a vehicle microprocessor, wherein communicating between the radio board and the robotic vehicle comprises:

a) accepting an input from the robotic vehicle;

b) translating the input into a formatted message, using the vehicle microprocessor;

c) transmitting the formatted message from the robotic vehicle using the robot communication device; and

d) receiving the formatted message using the radio board communication device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein communicating between the user and the radio board comprises:

a) transmitting the formatted message from the radio board, using the microprocessor;

b) receiving the formatted message by the handheld computer, using the processor;

c) translating between the formatted message and a user message, according to a message communication format, using the processor; and

d) displaying the user message on the input-output system, using the processor.

22. The handheld control device of claim 17, wherein the handheld computer comprises an electronic personal organizer.