Patent · US Active

Mobile tele-presence system with a microphone system

US8170241B2 · kind B2 · utility

1,411Cited by
93References
33Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 17, 2008
Grant dateMay 1, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 26, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG16H40/67
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A remote controlled robot system that includes a robot and a remote control station. The robot includes a binaural microphone system that is coupled to a speaker system of the remote control station. The binaural microphone system may include a pair of microphones located at opposite sides of a robot head. The location of the microphones roughly coincides with the location of ears on a human body. Such microphone location creates a mobile robot that more effectively simulates the tele-presence of an operator of the system. The robot may include two different microphone systems and the ability to switch between systems. For example, the robot may also include a zoom camera system and a directional microphone. The directional microphone may be utilized to capture sound from a direction that corresponds to an object zoomed upon by the camera system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.