Time-dependent navigation of telepresence robots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11468983-B2
Application number	US-202016817497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2020
Priority date	Jan 28, 2011
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 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 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 map, or by using a joystick or other peripheral device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A telepresence robot, comprising:
a plurality of drive wheels;
at least one drive motor to rotate one or more of the plurality of drive wheels;
a processor to control the at least one drive motor to move the telepresence robot along a navigation path including a location in a robot environment; and
a memory to store a map of the robot environment including a schedule of at least one time-dependent navigation tag, the at least one time-dependent navigation tag comprising:
an indication of the location within the robot environment;
an indication of a triggering time of day; and
at least one instruction to be performed when the telepresence robot is at the location at the triggering time of day;

wherein the processor accesses the map and the schedule of the at least one time-dependent navigation tag during movement of the telepresence robot along at least a portion of the navigation path and, when the telepresence robot is at the location and a current time of day coinciding with the triggering time of day, the processor performs the at least one instruction specified in the at least one time-dependent navigation tag according to the schedule, wherein the at least one instruction causes the processor to change a movement speed of the telepresence robot while the telepresence robot is at the location at the triggering time of day.

2. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction is configured to cause the processor to decrease the movement speed of the telepresence robot along the at least a portion of the navigation path.

3. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction is configured to cause the processor to increase the movement speed of the telepresence robot along the at least a portion of the navigation path.

4. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction is configured to cause the processor to move the telepresence robot at a particular movement speed along the at least a portion of the navigation path.

5. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of sensors monitoring at least one of time-dependent obstacles, time-dependent environmental conditions and time-dependent occupancy conditions, wherein the plurality of sensors are mounted on the telepresence robot and in remote communication with the telepresence robot.

6. The telepresence robot of claim 5 , wherein the telepresence robot is configured to create the at least one time-dependent navigation tag based on information from the plurality of sensors and time of day information.

7. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the map is stored remotely, such that the processor is configured to access the map via a communication system.

8. The telepresence robot of claim 1 , wherein the map is stored within the telepresence robot.

9. The telepresence robot of claim 8 , wherein the map stored within the telepresence robot is synced with a remotely stored map.

10. A method comprising:
obtaining a navigation path for moving a telepresence robot about a robot environment on a schedule;
accessing a map of the robot environment including a location of at least one time-dependent navigation tag, the at least one time-dependent navigation tag including:
an indication of a location within the robot environment;
an indication of a triggering time of day; and
at least one instruction to be performed when the telepresence robot is at the location at the triggering time of day, the at least one instruction configured to cause a processor to control a drive motor to change a movement speed of the telepresence robot while the telepresence robot is at the location at the triggering time of day; and

while the telepresence robot moves along at least a portion of the navigation path and reaches the location according to the schedule:
determining a current time of day; and
when the current time of day coinciding with the triggering time of day, changing the movement speed of the telepresence robot according to the at least one instruction while the telepresence robot is at the location.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one instruction is configured to cause the processor to decrease the movement speed of the telepresence robot along the at least a portion of the navigation path.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one instruction is configured to cause the processor to increase the movement speed of the telepresence robot along the at least a portion of the navigation path.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one instruction is configured to cause the processor to move the telepresence robot at a particular movement speed along the at least a portion of the navigation path.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the telepresence robot includes a plurality of sensors for monitoring at least one of time-dependent obstacles, time-dependent environmental conditions and time-dependent occupancy conditions, the method further comprising:
creating at least one time-dependent navigation tag based on information from the plurality of sensors and time of day information.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the map is stored remotely, and wherein accessing comprises accessing the map via a communication system.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the map is stored within the telepresence robot.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
synching the map stored within the telepresence robot with a remotely stored map.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method comprising:
obtaining a navigation path for moving a telepresence robot about a robot environment on a schedule;
accessing a map of the robot environment including a location of at least one time-dependent navigation tag, the at least one time-dependent navigation tag including:
an indication of a location within the robot environment;
an indication of a triggering time of day; and
at least one instruction to be performed when the telepresence robot is at the location at the triggering time of day, the at least one instruction configured to cause the processor to control a drive motor to change a movement speed of the telepresence robot while the telepresence robot is at the location at the triggering time of day; and

while the telepresence robot moves along the at least a portion of the navigation path and reaches the location according to the schedule:
determining a current time of day; and
when the current time of day coinciding with the triggering time of day, changing the movement speed of the telepresence robot according to the at least one instruction while the telepresence robot is at the location.

Assignees

• Intouch Tech Inc
• Teladoc Health 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

• G06T11/00

  Two-dimensional [2D] image generation · CPC title

• B25J11/009

  Nursing, e.g. carrying sick persons, pushing wheelchairs, distributing drugs · CPC title

• G16H40/67 Primary

  for remote operation · CPC title

• B25J9/1689

  Teleoperation · CPC title

• G05D1/0261

  using magnetic plots · CPC title