# US 12,594,671 B2 · Teleoperation system for robotic manipulation, and methods, apparatus, and systems thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,594,671 B2 - Document ID: US12594671B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/185,186 - Filed: 2025-04-21 - Published: 2025-10-23 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2024-04-19 - Assignees: Watney Robotics Inc. - Applicants: Watney Robotics Inc. - Inventors: Ryan Gannon; Sean Cheong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594671B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/1689: {Teleoperation} - B25J 9/1692: {Calibration of manipulator} - B25J 17/00: Joints - G05B 2219/40195: Tele-operation, computer assisted manual operation - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A teleoperation system, including a robotic controller configured to translate a plurality of user inputs to a plurality of robotic control signals. A robotic manipulator, configured to operate separately from the robotic controller and to receive robotic control signals from the robotic controller, the robotic manipulator comprising a plurality of first joints and an end effector, wherein the robotic manipulator is configured to assume a plurality of poses, and wherein each respective pose of the plurality of poses corresponds to a respective configuration of the plurality of first joints. A feedback system, operatively coupled to the robotic manipulator, the feedback system configured to generate feedback information and transmit the feedback information to the robotic controller, wherein the feedback information includes information that indicates a current pose of the robotic manipulator, including the respective configuration of the plurality of first joints corresponding to the current pose of the robotic manipulator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: at a robotic controller: receiving a plurality of user inputs; translating the plurality of user inputs to a plurality of robotic control signals; transmitting the plurality of robotic control signals from the robotic controller to a robotic manipulator that is configured to operate separately from the robotic controller, wherein the plurality of robotic control signals, when received by the robotic manipulator, causes the robotic manipulator to move a plurality of first joints and an end effector of the robotic manipulator in accordance with the plurality of robotic control signals; and receiving, from a feedback system, operatively coupled to the robotic manipulator, feedback information comprising a current pose of the robotic manipulator and a current configuration of the plurality of first joints, wherein the robotic controller comprises one or more joysticks, a plurality of second joints, and one or more triggers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method claim 1, wherein a number of joints in the plurality of first joints is same as a number of joints in the plurality of second joints. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the joints of the plurality of first joints are connected in a first manner, and the joints of the plurality of second joints are connected in the first manner. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic controller is operatively coupled to a haptic interface that is configured to generate haptic feedback in accordance with the feedback information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic manipulator is located at least 50 meters from the robotic controller. ### Claim 6 A teleoperation system, comprising: a robotic controller comprising one or more joysticks, a plurality of second joints, and one or more triggers and configured to translate a plurality of user inputs to a plurality of robotic control signals; a robotic manipulator, configured to operate separately from the robotic controller and to receive robotic control signals from the robotic controller, the robotic manipulator comprising a plurality of first joints and an end effector, wherein the robotic manipulator is configured to assume a plurality of poses, and wherein each respective pose of the plurality of poses corresponds to a respective configuration of the plurality of first joints; and a feedback system, operatively coupled to the robotic manipulator, the feedback system configured to generate feedback information and transmit the feedback information to the robotic controller, wherein the feedback information includes information that indicates a current pose of the robotic manipulator, including the respective configuration of the plurality of first joints corresponding to the current pose of the robotic manipulator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The teleoperation system of claim 6, wherein a number of joints in the plurality of first joints is same as a number of joints in the plurality of second joints. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The teleoperation system of claim 6, wherein joints of the plurality of first joints are connected in a first manner, and joints of the plurality of second joints are connected in the first manner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The teleoperation system of claim 6, further comprising a haptic interface, operatively coupled to the robotic controller and configured to generate haptic feedback in accordance with the feedback information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The teleoperation system of claim 9, wherein the haptic interface is a haptic display interface comprising one or more of a set of calibration bars, a message display, an overview feed, and an end effector feed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The teleoperation system of claim 10, wherein a number of calibration bars in the set of calibration bars corresponds to a number of the one or more joysticks. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The teleoperation system of claim 9, wherein the haptic interface is operatively coupled to a virtual reality (VR) device or an augmented reality (AR) device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The teleoperation system of claim 6, wherein the robotic manipulator has a plurality of degrees of freedom. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The teleoperation system of claim 6, wherein the robotic manipulator is located at least 50 meters from the robotic controller. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The teleoperation system of claim 6, wherein the robotic controller comprises one or more local displays configured for viewing an operating environment proximate to the robotic manipulator, such as a current pose of the plurality of poses, interaction of the robotic manipulator with an object, and a current position of the plurality of first joints. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) The teleoperation system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of second joints of the robotic controller comprises motors for providing haptic feedback and assisting in moving the robotic controller into a same position as the robotic manipulator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 6) The teleoperation system of claim 6, wherein the robotic controller is configured to calibrate by calculating a 360-degree rotation offset for each of the plurality of second joints. ### Claim 18 (depends on 6) The teleoperation system of claim 6, wherein the one or more joysticks are configured to provide encoder readings for one or more of the plurality of first joints of the robotic manipulator to be manipulated. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: at a robotic controller comprising a plurality of first joints corresponding to a plurality of second joints of a robotic manipulator that is in communication with the robotic controller: while the robotic controller is operating in a calibration mode, receiving a plurality of user inputs manipulating the plurality of first joints of the robotic controller; in response to receiving the plurality of user inputs manipulating the plurality of first joints of the robotic controller, transmitting controller pose information to a robotic manipulator in communication with the robotic controller, wherein the controller pose information is based on a current pose of the plurality of first joints of the robotic controller; receiving feedback information from the robotic controller, wherein the feedback information includes information corresponding to a pose of the plurality of second joints of the robotic manipulator; in accordance with a determination that the current pose of the plurality of first joints is different than the pose of the plurality of second joints of the robotic manipulator, generating haptic feedback based on an amount by which the current pose of the plurality of first joints differs from the pose of the plurality of second joints of the robotic manipulator; and in accordance with a determination that the current pose of the plurality of first joints is same as the pose of the plurality of second joints of the robotic manipulator, switching the robotic controller to operate in a control mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising while the robotic controller is operating in the control mode, receiving a user input; in response to receiving the user input, translating the user input to a robotic control signal; and transmitting the robotic control signal to the robotic manipulator, wherein the robotic control signal, when received by the robotic manipulator, causes the robotic manipulator to change a pose and/or position of the robotic manipulator.