Interfacing with a mobile telepresence robot
Inventors
Wang, Yulun • Jordan, Charles S. • Wright, Tim • Chan, Michael • Pinter, Marco • Hanrahan, Kevin • Sanchez, Daniel • Ballantyne, James • Herzog, Cody • Whitney, Blair • Lai, Fuji • TEMBY, KELTON • Rauhut, Eben Christopher • Kearns, Justin H. • Wong, Cheuk Wah • Farlow, Timothy Sturtevant
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11830618-B2
Publication Date
2023-11-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
A telepresence robot may include a drive system, a control system, an imaging system, and a mapping module. The mapping module may access a plan view map of an area and tags associated with the area. In various embodiments, each tag may include tag coordinates and tag information, which may include a tag annotation. A tag identification system may identify tags within a predetermined range of the current position and the control system may execute an action based on an identified tag whose tag information comprises a telepresence robot action modifier. The telepresence robot may rotate an upper portion independent from a lower portion. A remote terminal may allow an operator to control the telepresence robot using any combination of control methods, including by selecting a destination in a live video feed, by selecting a destination on a plan view map, or by using a joystick or other peripheral device.
Core Innovation
A telepresence robot moves about a facility under a control system that generates one or more drive instructions, while an imaging system provides a video feed to a remote terminal. A mapping module accesses a map data source that includes a robot map of robot-navigable areas, and the robot map includes at least one tag. Each tag includes tag coordinates identifying a region within the robot-navigable areas and a robot action modifier that provides instructions to execute a behavior when the telepresence robot is within a predetermined range of the tag coordinates.
The telepresence robot includes a destination list with destination locations within the facility, where each destination location includes spatial coordinates locatable relative to the robot map. A positioning system provides positioning information associated with a current position, and a navigation system generates a navigation path from the current position to a selected destination location. The robot executes tag-associated behavior when the telepresence robot is within the predetermined range of the tag coordinates of a particular tag encountered along the path.
The control commands at the remote terminal are generated in response to a user input and are received by the telepresence robot through a communication system. The control system generates drive instructions according to a control command received from the remote terminal, integrating remote user control with navigation to a selected destination while using the tag coordinates and robot action modifier to trigger execution of behaviors associated with particular tags.
Claims Coverage
The document’s coverage centers on one independent claim (clm-00001) that ties together drive, control, imaging, mapping, positioning, communication, and navigation. The main inventive features are the robot-map tags with tag coordinates and a robot action modifier, the destination list with map-relative spatial coordinates, and navigation-path execution with tag-triggered behaviors within a predetermined range.
Tag coordinates with robot action modifier for behavior execution
A robot map of robot-navigable areas includes at least one tag comprising tag coordinates that identify a region within the robot-navigable areas of the facility, and a robot action modifier that provides instructions to a control system of the telepresence robot to execute a behavior when the telepresence robot is within a predetermined range of the tag coordinates of the region identified by the at least one tag.
Destination list with spatial coordinates relative to the robot map
The telepresence robot includes a destination list including destination locations within the facility, each destination location comprising spatial coordinates locatable relative to the robot map.
Navigation path to selected destination with tag-triggered behavior during movement
A navigation system configured to generate a navigation path from the current position to a selected destination location, wherein the drive system moves the telepresence robot along the navigation path and, when the telepresence robot is within the predetermined range of the tag coordinates of a particular tag, the robot action modifier for the particular tag provides instructions to the control system of the telepresence robot to execute the behavior associated with the particular tag.
Remote terminal teleoperation via video feed and user-input control commands
A communication system configured to provide a video feed from the imaging system to a remote terminal and receive control commands from the remote terminal, wherein the control system is configured to generate the one or more drive instructions according to a control command received from the remote terminal, and wherein the control command is generated by the remote terminal in response to a user input at the remote terminal.
Overall, the claim coverage specifies a telepresence robot architecture where remote teleoperation supplies control commands while navigation drives the robot along a path to a selected map-relative destination, and tag-associated behaviors are executed when the robot enters a predetermined range of tag coordinates defined on the robot map.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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