Mobile videoconferencing robot system with network adaptive driving

• US 8,340,819 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Mangaser, Amante, Southard, Jonathan, Pinter, Marco, Herzog, John Cody, Jordan, Charles Steve, Wang, Yulun, Rosenthal, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTON, SPENCER D
• Application Number:
  US12/561,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/250, 700/252, 700/253, 700/254, 700/257, 700/259, 700/262, 700/264, 901/1, 901/2, 901/14, 901/20, 901/50, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.17, 318/568.18, 318/611, 318/619
• US Class Current: 700/253
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40174 Robot teleoperation through internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40298 Manipulator on vehicle, wheels, mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A remote control station that controls a robot through a network. The remote control station transmits a robot control command that includes information to move the robot. The remote control station monitors at least one network parameter and scales the robot control command as a function of the network parameter. For example, the remote control station can monitor network latency and scale the robot control command to slow down the robot with an increase in the latency of the network. Such an approach can reduce the amount of overshoot or overcorrection by a user driving the robot.

Claims

1. A remote control station that controls a robot with a camera, through a network, comprising:

a remote control station that includes a monitor coupled to the robot camera and transmits a scaled robot control command that includes information to move the robot, said remote control station monitors at least one network parameter, determines a scale transfer function as a function of said network parameter, and determines said scaled robot control command as a function of said scale transfer function and an input robot control command.

2. The remote control station of claim 1, wherein said scale transfer function is linearly proportional to said network parameter.

3. The remote control station of claim 1, wherein said network parameter includes a ping time.

4. The remote control station of claim 3, wherein said network parameter includes a video rate.

5. The remote control station of claim 1, wherein said network parameter includes a video rate.

6. The remote control station of claim 1, wherein said scale transfer function is filtered with a low pass filter.

7. The remote control station of claim 1, wherein said scaled robot command reduces a speed of the robot with an increase in a network latency.

8. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a robot that includes a camera and moves in response to a scaled robot control command; and

,

a remote control station that includes a monitor and is coupled to said robot through a network, said remote control station transmits said scaled robot control command that includes information to move said robot, said remote control station monitors at least one network parameter, determines a scale transfer function as a function of said network parameter, and determines said scaled robot control command as a function of said scale transfer function and an input robot control command.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said scale transfer function is linearly proportional to said network parameter.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said network parameter includes a ping time.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said network parameter includes a video rate.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said network parameter includes a video rate.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said scale transfer function is filtered with a low pass filter.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said scaled robot command reduces a speed of said robot with an increase in a network latency.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein said robot includes a monitor, speaker and microphone and said remote control station includes a camera, speaker and microphone.

16. A method for remotely controlling a robot that has a camera, comprising:

generating an input robot control command at a remote control station;

monitoring at least one network parameter;

determining, by the remote control station, a scale transfer function as a function of the network parameter;

determining, by the remote control station, a scaled robot control command as a function of the scale transfer function and the input robot control command;

transmitting the scaled robot control command to a robot; and

,

moving the robot in accordance with the scaled robot control command.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the scale transfer function is linearly proportional to the network parameter.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the network parameter includes a ping time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the network parameter includes a video rate.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the network parameter includes a video rate.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising filtering the scale transfer function with a low pass filter.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the scaled robot command reduces a speed of the robot with an increase in a network latency.