Head mounted display for remote operation of machinery
AssigneeAltec Industries, Inc.
InventorsWestin Sykes, Timothy J. Mourlam, Aaron Beck, William Naber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for providing real-time, sensory information associated with a remote location using a remote capture device and a head-mounted display. In some embodiments, the system comprises a fiber-optic cable to transmit a signal comprising sensory information collected by the remote capture device to the head-mounted display. Further, the remote capture device may be secured onto a boom of an aerial device.
Claims20
A system configured to be coupled to an end of a boom assembly and disposed in a remote operating environment for remote operation, the system comprising:
- a frame portion;
- a controller;
- one or more robotic arms coupled to the frame portion;
- a camera-supporting robotic arm coupled to the frame portion, the camera-supporting robotic arm comprising a plurality of pivotable joints, wherein the camera-supporting robotic arm is independently moveable from the one or more robotic arms;
- a remote capture device fixed to a distal end of the camera-supporting robotic arm and operable to capture real-time sensory information including video data from the remote operating environment, the remote capture device comprising one or more cameras operable to capture the video data;
- one or more microphones operable to capture audio data from the remote operating environment;
- and
- a communication portion operable to transmit a signal comprising the real-time sensory information from the remote capture device to an operator and to receive a signal comprising control inputs from the operator to the controller, the control inputs including instructions for controlling motion of at least one of the one or more robotic arms and the camera-supporting robotic arm,
- wherein a portion of the real-time sensory information is selected for presentation to the operator based at least in part on a viewing angle of the operator.
A robotic assembly configured to be coupled to an end of a boom assembly and disposed in a remote operating environment for remote operation, the robotic assembly comprising:
- a frame portion;
- a controller;
- one or more robotic arms coupled to the frame portion;
- a camera-supporting robotic arm coupled to the frame portion, the camera-supporting robotic arm comprising a plurality of pivotable joints, wherein the camera-supporting robotic arm is independently moveable from the one or more robotic arms;
- a remote capture device fixed to a distal end of the camera-supporting robotic arm and operable to capture real-time sensory information including video data from the remote operating environment, the remote capture device comprising:
- one or more cameras configured to capture the video data from the remote operating environment;
- and
- a communication portion operable to transmit a signal comprising the real-time sensory information from the remote capture device to an operator and to receive a signal comprising control inputs from the operator to the controller, the control inputs including instructions for controlling motion of at least one of the one or more robotic arms and the camera-supporting robotic arm,
- wherein the control inputs include a change in viewing angle and viewing position of the operator such that the camera-supporting robotic arm is moved responsive to the change in viewing angle and viewing position of the operator.
A remote capture device configured to be coupled to an end of a boom assembly and disposed in a remote operating environment for remote operation, the remote capture device comprising:
- a frame portion;
- a controller;
- a camera-supporting robotic arm coupled to the frame portion, the camera-supporting robotic arm comprising a plurality of pivotable joints;
- a rotatable camera mount fixed to a distal end of the camera-supporting robotic arm and operable to capture real-time sensory information including video data from the remote operating environment, the rotatable camera mount comprising:
- a first camera mounted on a front portion of the rotatable camera mount;
- and
- a second camera mounted on the front portion of the rotatable camera mount proximate to the first camera;
- at least one microphone mounted to the frame portion, the at least one microphone configured to capture audio data from the remote operating environment;
- and
- a communication portion operable to transmit a signal comprising the real-time sensory information from the remote capture device to an operator and to receive a signal comprising control inputs from the operator to the controller, the control inputs including instructions for controlling motion of the camera-supporting robotic arm,
- wherein the control inputs include a change in viewing angle and viewing position of the operator such that the camera-supporting robotic arm is moved responsive to the change in viewing angle and viewing position of the operator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.