Mobile tele-presence system with a microphone system

• US 9,616,576 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Roe, David Bjorn, Sanchez, Daniel Steven, Pinter, Marco, Walters, Derek, Jordan, Charles S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US14/483,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 381113, 381122, 348 1401- 1409, 700248, 700245, 700247, 700251, 700257, 700258, 700259
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/003 by means of an audio-responsive input audible safety signals B25J19/061
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A remote controlled robot system that includes a robot and a remote control station. The robot includes a binaural microphone system that is coupled to a speaker system of the remote control station. The binaural microphone system may include a pair of microphones located at opposite sides of a robot head. the location of the microphones roughly coincides with the location of ears on a human body. Such microphone location creates a mobile robot that more effectively simulates the tele-presence of an operator of the system. The robot may include two different microphone systems and the ability to switch between systems. For example, the robot may also include a zoom camera system and a directional microphone. The directional microphone may be utilized to capture sound from a direction that corresponds to an object zoomed upon by the camera system.

Claims

1. A telepresence system, comprising:

a telepresence device with a camera, a monitor, a speaker, a plurality of microphones; and

,

a remote station that transmits commands to control the telepresence device, the remote station includes a camera coupled to the telepresence device monitor, a monitor coupled to the telepresence device camera, a microphone coupled to the telepresence device speaker, and a speaker system that is coupled to one or more one or more of the telepresence device microphones, wherein the remote station monitor displays a display user interface with a graphical element that can be used to switch the remote station speaker system from reproducing sound from a first number of microphones of the telepresence device and a second number of microphones of the telepresence device, wherein both of the first and second numbers are greater than or equal to one and the first and second numbers are different.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the telepresence device camera and the telepresence device microphones are attached to a robot head that can move in at least two degrees of freedom.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of telepresence device microphones includes a first microphone and a second microphone that are spaced at approximately equal angles relative to a plane that intersects the telepresence device camera.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of telepresence device microphones includes a directional microphone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the telepresence device camera can switch between zoom and non-zoom modes and the directional microphone is utilized when the camera system is in the zoom mode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the display user interface provides a graphical depiction of an origin of sound.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the telepresence device includes a mobile platform.

8. A telepresence system, comprising:

a telepresence device with a camera, a monitor, a speaker, and a plurality of microphone systems that move together, the plurality of microphone systems includes a first microphone system having a first number of microphones and a second microphone system having a second number of microphones, wherein the first and second numbers are different; and

,

a remote station that transmits commands to control the telepresence device, the remote station includes a speaker system that is coupled to at least one of the plurality of microphone systems of the telepresence device and a monitor coupled to the telepresence device camera, wherein the remote station monitor displays a display user interface that includes a graphical element that can be used to switch between the first and second microphone systems.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein one of the telepresence device microphone systems includes a first microphone located on a first side of the telepresence device camera and a second microphone located on a second side of the telepresence device camera.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first and second microphones are spaced at approximately equal angles relative to a plane that intersects the telepresence device camera.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein one of the telepresence device microphone system includes a directional microphone, the telepresence device camera can switch between a zoom mode and a non-zoom modes, and the directional microphone is utilized when said camera system is in said zoom mode.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the display user interface provides a graphical depiction of an origin of sound.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the telepresence device monitor is coupled to a camera of the remote station.

14. A method for hearing sound produced at a site of a telepresence device, comprising:

capturing sound with a number of microphones system of the telepresence device, the telepresence device including a camera system;

transmitting the sound to a remote station;

reproducing the sound at the remote control station; and

,

displaying on a monitor of the remote station a display user interface that includes a graphical element that can be used to change the number of microphones of the telepresence device from which sound is reproduced at the remote station, where the number of microphones is at least one.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising capturing the sound with a directional microphone.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising switching the camera system of the telepresence device between zoom and non-zoom modes and producing the sound captured by the directional microphone when the camera system is in the zoom mode.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising moving the telepresence device camera system and microphones in response to a command from the remote station.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the display user interface provides a graphical depiction of an origin of sound.