Robots comprising projectors for projecting images on identified projection surfaces

{
  "publication_number": "US8983662B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Robots comprising projectors for projecting images on identified projection surfaces",
  "abstract": "Robots including projectors for projecting images on identified projection surfaces are disclosed. A robot includes a housing, an electronic control unit coupled to the housing, a projector coupled to the housing, a human recognition module coupled to the housing, and a projection surface identification module coupled to the housing. The projector, the human recognition module, and the surface identification module are communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit includes a non-transitory memory that stores a set of machine readable instructions and a processor for executing the machine readable instructions. When executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions cause the robot to recognize a human using the human recognition module, identify a projection surface using the projection surface recognition module, and project an image on the identified projection surface with the projector.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A robot comprising: a housing; an electronic control unit coupled to the housing, wherein the electronic control unit comprises a non-transitory memory that stores a set of machine readable instructions and a processor for executing the machine readable instructions; a projector coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit; a human recognition module coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit; and a projection surface identification module coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions cause the robot to: recognize a human using the human recognition module; identify a location of the human using the human recognition module; identify a projection area based on the identified location of the human using the projection surface recognition module; and project an image on the identified projection area with the projector.",
    "2. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a movement mechanism coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions further cause the robot to: cause the movement mechanism to move the robot to a position in which the image is projected on the identified projection area.",
    "3. The robot of claim 2, wherein the movement mechanism comprises: a drive wheel rotatably coupled to the housing; a drive motor coupled to the drive wheel and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit; and a steering mechanism coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit.",
    "4. The robot of claim 2, wherein the movement mechanism comprises a rotor and a drive motor coupled to the rotor.",
    "5. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a wireless communicator coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions further cause the robot to: receive data with the wireless communicator; and generate the projected image based on the received data.",
    "6. The robot of claim 1, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions further cause the robot to: determine a distance between the robot and the projection area; determine a size of the projection area; and scale the projected image based on the determined distance and the determined size, such that the entire projected image is displayed on the projection area.",
    "7. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a movement mechanism coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions further cause the robot to: identify an orientation of the human using the human recognition module; identify the projection area based on the orientation of the human; and cause the movement mechanism to move the robot to a position in which the image is projected on the identified projection area.",
    "8. The robot of claim 1, wherein the human recognition module comprises a camera communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit and the recognition of the human is based on facial recognition of an image received from the camera.",
    "9. The robot of claim 1, wherein the human recognition module comprises a microphone communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit and the recognition of the human is based on a mechanical vibration received by the microphone and transformed into a signal indicative of human speech that is transmitted to the electronic control unit.",
    "10. The robot of claim 1, wherein the projection surface identification module comprises a camera communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit.",
    "11. The robot of claim 1, wherein the projector is a pico projector.",
    "12. The robot of claim 1, wherein the projected image substantially resembles a human.",
    "13. The robot of claim 1, wherein the projected image comprises a face.",
    "14. The robot of claim 1 further comprising a speaker for providing an audible indication of the received information to the human, wherein the speaker is communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit.",
    "15. A robot comprising: a housing; an electronic control unit coupled to the housing, wherein the electronic control unit comprises a non-transitory memory that stores a set of machine readable instructions and a processor for executing the machine readable instructions; a projector coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit; and a camera coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions cause the robot to: recognize a human using the camera; identify a location of the human using the camera; identify a projection area based on the identified location of the human using the camera; and project an image on the identified projection area with the projector.",
    "16. The robot of claim 15 further comprising: a drive wheel rotatably coupled to the housing; a drive motor coupled to the drive wheel and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit; and a steering mechanism coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions further cause the robot to: cause the drive motor to rotate the drive wheel and the steering mechanism to steer the robot to a position in which the image may be projected on the identified projection area.",
    "17. The robot of claim 15 further comprising a wireless communicator coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions further cause the robot to: receive data with the wireless communicator; and generate the projected image based on the received data.",
    "18. A robot comprising: a housing; an electronic control unit coupled to the housing, wherein the electronic control unit comprises a non-transitory memory that stores a set of machine readable instructions and a processor for executing the machine readable instructions; a projector coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit; a microphone coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit; and a camera coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions cause the robot to: recognize a human based on a mechanical vibration received by the microphone and transforming the mechanical vibration into a signal indicative of human speech that is transmitted to the electronic control unit; identify a location of the human using the microphone; identify a projection area based on the identified location of the human using the camera; and project an image on the identified projection area with the projector.",
    "19. The robot of claim 18 further comprising a wireless communicator coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions further cause the robot to: receive data with the wireless communicator; and generate the projected image based on the received data.",
    "20. The robot of claim 18 further comprising: a drive wheel rotatably coupled to the housing; a drive motor coupled to the drive wheel and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit; and a steering mechanism coupled to the housing and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit, wherein when executed by the processor, the machine readable instructions further cause the robot to: cause the drive motor to rotate the drive wheel and the steering mechanism to steer the robot to a position in which the image may be projected on the identified projection area."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present specification generally relates to robots and, more specifically, robots comprising projectors for projecting images on identified projection surfaces.\n\nRobots, such as telepresence robots, may communicate image data to a human in the physical environment of the robot (e.g., image data of a remote party communicating via a telepresence robot to a party in the physical presence of the telepresence robot) by displaying the image data on a monitor, television, screen, display, or the like, for example. However, in the case where the image data is projected, it may be difficult to identify an appropriate surface on which to project the image data so that one or more humans communicating with the robot may easily view the projected image. For example, projection surfaces may be small, obstructed by objections, or behind one or more people in the physical environment. Accordingly, a need exists for alternative robots comprising projectors for projecting images on identified projection surfaces.\n\nIn one embodiment, a robot includes a housing, an electronic control unit coupled to the housing, a projector coupled to the housing, a human recognition module coupled to the housing, and a projection surface identification module coupled to the housing. The projector, the human recognition module, and the surface identification module are communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit includes a non-transitory memory that stores a set of machine readable instructions and a processor for executing the machine readable instructions.",
  "cpc": [
    "B25J 9/1697",
    "B25J 9/1694",
    "G05D 1/0094",
    "G06K 9/00362",
    "G06V 40/10",
    "G09G 3/002",
    "H04N 9/3179",
    "H04N 9/3194"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06K 9/00",
    "G06N 3/00",
    "G09G 3/00",
    "H04N 9/31"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "MOORE DOUGLAS ALAN",
    "TOYOTA ENG & MFG NORTH AMERICA"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "MOORE DOUGLAS ALAN"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2012-08-03",
  "publication_date": "2015-03-17",
  "grant_date": "2015-03-17",
  "priority_date": "2012-08-03",
  "application_number": "US-201213566219-A",
  "family_id": "48900896",
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}