Tele-presence robot system with software modularity, projector and laser pointer
Inventors
Wang, Yulun • Pinter, Marco • Hanrahan, Kevin • Sanchez, Daniel Steven • Jordan, Charles S. • Roe, David Bjorn • Rosenthal, James • Walters, Derek
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10969766-B2
Publication Date
2021-04-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
A remote control station that accesses one of at least two different robots that each have at least one unique robot feature. The remote control station receives information that identifies the robot feature of the accessed robot. The remote station displays a display user interface that includes at least one field that corresponds to the robot feature of the accessed robot. The robot may have a laser pointer and/or a projector.
Core Innovation
The telepresence robot system includes a remote control station configured to access at least two telepresence devices capable of providing two-way audiovisual communication with the remote station. The remote station receives information that identifies the accessed telepresence device and, correspondingly, the accessed robot’s feature(s). A first telepresence device includes an actuator controlled via the remote station to move a camera, while a second telepresence device does not include an actuator controlled via the remote station.
The remote station displays a display user interface in which at least one element corresponds to the actuator when the first telepresence device is accessed, and the display user interface does not include the at least one element when the second telepresence device is accessed. The display user interface conditionally shows projector fields and laser-pointer controls only when the accessed robot subclass or feature includes an embedded projector and/or an embedded controllable laser pointer, including a remote-controllable laser pointer.
The description also addresses tele-presence robot system architecture, including remote station components, a network/base station, tele-presence session/observer UI, and remote-station software subclass or object instantiation to create corresponding software objects for robot-reported features. This supports mapping between accessed telepresence device features and corresponding display user interface elements, including projector and laser pointer-related UI fields and controls, in a manner dependent on which accessed telepresence device is identified by the remote station.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three inventive features: remote station conditional actuator-corresponding display user interface behavior, a telepresence system with the same conditional behavior across multiple devices, and a method for creating the display user interface based on identification of the accessed telepresence device. The coverage centers on conditional display elements keyed to whether the accessed device includes a remotely controllable actuator for a camera.
Remote station conditional actuator-corresponding display user interface for accessed telepresence device
A remote station configured to access one of at least first and second telepresence devices, receive information identifying the accessed telepresence device, and display a display user interface that includes at least one element that corresponds to the actuator when the first telepresence device is accessed and does not include the at least one element when the second telepresence device is accessed.
Telepresence system with multiple devices and conditional actuator-corresponding display user interface
A telepresence system comprising a plurality of telepresence devices providing two-way audiovisual communication with a remote station, including a first telepresence device with an actuator controllable via the remote station to move a camera and a second telepresence device without an actuator controllable via the remote station, where the remote station accesses one device, receives information identifying the accessed telepresence device, and displays a display user interface that includes at least one element corresponding to the actuator when the first telepresence device is accessed and does not include the at least one element when the second telepresence device is accessed.
Method creating conditional display user interface for accessed telepresence device
A method for creating a display user interface for a telepresence system comprising accessing, at a remote station, one of a plurality of telepresence devices including a first telepresence device with an actuator controllable via the remote station to move a camera and a second telepresence device without such an actuator, receiving information identifying the accessed telepresence device at the remote station, and displaying a display user interface including at least one element corresponding to the actuator when the first telepresence device is accessed and not including the at least one element when the second telepresence device is accessed.
Across the independent claims, the document’s claim coverage is focused on conditional display user interface content at a remote station, where the display user interface includes actuator-corresponding elements only when the accessed telepresence device is the actuator-capable device, based on information identifying which device was accessed.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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