Interfacing with a mobile telepresence robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11289192-B2
Application number	US-201916546711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2019
Priority date	Jan 28, 2011
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A telepresence robot comprising:
a drive system configured to move the telepresence robot about a facility according to one or more drive instructions;
a control system in communication with the drive system, the control system configured to generate the one or more drive instructions;
an imaging system in communication with the control system;
a mapping module in communication with the control system, the mapping module configured to access a map data source, the map data source comprising:
a robot map representative of robot-navigable areas of the facility;
at least one tag comprising:
tag coordinates that identify a region within the robot-navigable areas of the facility,
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; and
a tag annotation comprising a graphical icon displayable within a tagging view of a remote terminal, the tagging view comprising plan view of a robot-navigable area of the facility, wherein the tag annotation indicates a purpose or type of the at least one tag; and

a destination list including destination locations within the facility, each destination location comprising spatial coordinates locatable relative to the robot map;

a positioning system in communication with the control system configured to provide positioning information associated with a current position;
a communication system configured to provide a video feed from the imaging system to the remote terminal and receive control commands from the remote terminal, and wherein the control system is configured to generate the one or more drive instructions according to a control command received from the remote terminal, wherein the control command is generated by the remote terminal in response to a user input at the remote terminal, wherein the remote terminal is further configured to:
display the tagging view;
allow the user to drag and drop a tag annotation for a new tag onto a point within the tagging view;
create the new tag at a specific location of the robot map, wherein the tag coordinates for the at least one tag are determined from the point on the tagging view at which the tag annotation was dropped; and

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 the new tag, the robot action modifier for the new tag provides instructions to the control system of the telepresence robot to execute the behavior associated with the new tag.

2. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the user input includes selecting a movement of the telepresence robot from the current position to a destination location via one of a plurality of options on a single user interface, the options comprising:
selecting a velocity-based control specifying a direction of the movement of the telepresence robot;
selecting a destination location of the telepresence robot with respect to the destination list; and
selecting a destination location of the telepresence robot with respect to the video feed.

3. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of sensors configured to identify obstacles in the vicinity of the telepresence robot; and
an obstacle avoidance system in communication with the plurality of sensors and in communication with the control system, wherein the control system is further configured to generate additional drive instructions to avoid obstacles in the vicinity of the telepresence robot.

4. The telepresence robot of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a three-dimensional image sensor that forms a point cloud, including a three-dimensional occupancy of obstacles, and wherein the drive instructions are configured to avoid the three-dimensional occupancy of the obstacles.

5. The telepresence robot of claim 3 , further comprising:
a map generation system in communication with the control system, the map generation system configured to autonomously create the robot map, and wherein the control system generates drive instructions to cause the telepresence robot to move throughout the facility and obtain a plurality of measurements, and the map generation system uses the plurality of measurements to generate the robot map.

6. The telepresence robot of claim 3 , further comprising a navigation system configured to generate a navigation path, the navigation path comprising a sequence of coordinates from the current position on the robot map to the destination location on the robot map.

7. The telepresence robot of claim 6 , wherein the sequence of coordinates forming the navigation path is based at least in part on tag information associated with a tag associated with the robot map.

8. The telepresence robot of claim 6 , wherein the navigation system is configured to identify at least one tag relevant to the navigation path of the robot and generate the navigation path by selecting a navigation path from a plurality of potential navigation paths, and wherein the at least one tag relevant to the navigation path of the telepresence robot is associated with at least one of the plurality of potential navigation paths, and wherein the navigation system is configured to select the navigation path based at least in part on the at least one identified relevant tag.

9. The telepresence robot of claim 6 , wherein the sequence of coordinates forming the navigation path is transmitted via the communication system to the remote terminal.

10. The telepresence robot of claim 6 , wherein the telepresence robot is configured to create a new tag using the sequence of coordinates forming the navigation path, such that the new tag comprises the sequence of coordinates, and tagging information related to the navigation path.

11. The telepresence robot of claim 3 , wherein the control system is further configured to transmit coordinates relative to the robot map of a detected obstacle to the remote terminal via the communication system.

12. The telepresence robot of claim 3 , wherein the control system is further configured to receive a navigation path from the current position on the robot map to the destination location on the robot map, and wherein the control system is further configured to generate drive instructions to cause the drive system to move the telepresence robot to the destination location based on the navigation path.

13. The telepresence robot of claim 3 , wherein the communication system is configured to detect a disruption in communication between the telepresence robot and a remote terminal, and wherein the control system is further configured to continue to generate drive instructions to cause the telepresence robot to autonomously move to the destination location during the disruption in communication.

14. The telepresence robot of claim 7 , wherein the tag information relates to at least one of a position, a path, and a volume, and wherein the control system is configured to execute an action relative to the at least one of the position, the path, and the volume.

15. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the map data source is stored remotely, such that the mapping module is configured to access the map data source via the communication system.

16. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the

Assignees

• Intouch Tech Inc
• Irobot Corp

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

Classifications

• G16H40/67 Primary

  for remote operation · CPC title

• G05D1/622

  Obstacle avoidance (predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision of road vehicles B60W30/08) · CPC title

• G05D1/246

  using environment maps, e.g. simultaneous localisation and mapping [SLAM] · CPC title

• G05D1/244

  using passive navigation aids external to the vehicle, e.g. markers, reflectors or magnetic means · CPC title

• H04N7/142

  Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display · CPC title