Tablet computer-based robotic system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10017024-B2
Application number	US-201715448783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2017
Priority date	Sep 10, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

An example robotic chassis may include a frame including a first side member and a second side member connected by a transverse member near respective first ends of first side member and the second side member. The robotic chassis may also include a rigid case having a mounting point for a tablet computer. The rigid case may be rotatably coupled between the side members near respective second ends of the side members. The robotic chassis may further include a first arm and a second arm having respective distal ends and respective proximal ends. Respective proximal ends of the first arm and the second arm may be rotatably coupled to the frame near opposite respective first ends of the first side member and the second side member. In addition, the robotic chassis may include a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining a target location and a target orientation for a tablet computer that is mounted to a rigid case of a robotic chassis, wherein a proximal end of the rigid case is rotatably coupled between respective side members of the robotic chassis at respective first ends of the side members about a first transverse axis;
causing one or more wheels that are rotatably coupled to the robotic chassis to rotate about respective wheel axes that are parallel to the first transverse axis to move the robotic chassis along a path to the target location;
initiating a rotation of the rigid case about the first transverse axis to position the tablet computer in the target orientation; and
after positioning the tablet computer at the target location, causing a perception sensor to generate imaging data from a perspective that is parallel to the target orientation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing the one or more wheels to rotate comprises causing rotation of at least one first wheel rotatably coupled to a first side member of the respective side members and at least one second wheel rotatably coupled to a second side member of the respective side members.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after initiating the rotation of the rigid case about the first transverse axis, determining that the tablet computer is at the target orientation based on data from at least one orientation sensor of the tablet computer; and
in response to determining that the tablet computer is at the target orientation, halting the rotation of the rigid case about the first transverse axis to position the tablet computer in the target orientation.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a target height for the tablet computer; and
initiating a rotation, by a first arm and a second arm having respective proximal ends that are rotatably coupled to the robotic chassis at respective second ends of the side members of the robotic chassis, downward towards a support surface and outside the respective side members about a second transverse axis that is parallel to the first transverse axis to lift the respective first ends of the side members upward relative to the respective second ends of the side members to position the tablet computer at the target height.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
after initiating the rotation of the rigid case about the second transverse axis, determining that the tablet computer is at the target height based on data from at least one height sensor of the tablet computer; and
in response to determining that the tablet computer is at the target height, halting the rotation of the first arm and the second arm about the second transverse axis to position the tablet computer at the target height.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more wheels comprise one or more second wheels rotatably coupled to the robotic chassis at the respective second ends of the side members, and the method further comprises:
while rotating the first arm and the second arm downward about the second transverse axis, causing an actuator to retard rotation of the one or more second wheels to hold the robotic chassis in a position relative to the support surface.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the tablet computer is at the target location based on data from at least one location sensor of the tablet computer; and
in response to determining that the tablet computer is at the target location, halting rotation of the one or more wheels to position the tablet computer at the target location.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
initiating a rotation, by a first arm and a second arm having respective proximal ends that are rotatably coupled to the robotic chassis at respective second ends of the side members of the robotic chassis, to position respective distal ends of the arms above the respective proximal ends.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein initiating the rotation of the rigid case comprises causing the robotic chassis to transform into a case-forward configuration in which a front side of the rigid case is facing away from the arms.

10. A method comprising:
determining a target location and a target orientation for a tablet computer that is mounted to a rigid case of a robotic chassis, wherein a proximal end of the rigid case is rotatably coupled between respective side members of the robotic chassis at respective first ends of the side members about a first transverse axis;
causing one or more wheels that are rotatably coupled to the robotic chassis to rotate about respective wheel axes that are parallel to the first transverse axis to move the robotic chassis along a path to the target location;
initiating a rotation of the rigid case about the first transverse axis to position the tablet computer in the target orientation;
after initiating the rotation of the rigid case about the first transverse axis, determining that the tablet computer is at the target orientation based on data from at least one orientation sensor of the tablet computer; and
in response to determining that the tablet computer is at the target orientation, halting the rotation of the rigid case about the first transverse axis to position the tablet computer in the target orientation.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein causing the one or more wheels to rotate comprises causing rotation of at least one first wheel rotatably coupled to a first side member of the respective side members and at least one second wheel rotatably coupled to a second side member of the respective side members.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a target height for the tablet computer; and
initiating a rotation, by a first arm and a second arm having respective proximal ends that are rotatably coupled to the robotic chassis at respective second ends of the side members of the robotic chassis, downward towards a support surface and outside the respective side members about a second transverse axis that is parallel to the first transverse axis to lift the respective first ends of the side members upward relative to the respective second ends of the side members to position the tablet computer at the target height.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
after initiating the rotation of the rigid case about the second transverse axis, determining that the tablet computer is at the target height based on data from at least one height sensor of the tablet computer; and
in response to determining that the tablet computer is at the target height, halting the rotation of the first arm and the second arm about the second transverse axis to position the tablet computer at the target height.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining that the tablet computer is at the target location based on data from at least one location sensor of the tablet computer; and
in response to determining that the tablet computer is at the target location, halting rotation of the one or more wheels to position the tablet computer at the target location.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
initiating a rotation, by a first arm and a second arm having respective proximal ends that are rotatably coupled to the robotic chassis at respective second ends of the side members of the robotic chassis, to position respective distal ends of the arms above the respective proximal ends.

16. A method comprising:
determining a target location and a target orientation for a tablet computer that is m

Assignees

• X Dev Llc

Inventors

• Morey Christopher Lynn

Classifications

• B60R99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G05D2201/0207

  Physics · mapped topic

• B62D55/075 Primary

  Tracked vehicles for ascending or descending stairs, {steep slopes or vertical surfaces}(magnetic or pneumatic ground-engaging parts B62D55/265; chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00) · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title

• B62D55/06

  with tracks without ground wheels · CPC title