# US 2013/0158748 A1 · Mobile robot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158748 A1 - Document ID: US20130158748A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/819,156 - Filed: 2011-09-05 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-03 - Assignees: Aldebaran Robotics - Inventors: Jean-Christophe Baillie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158748A1 ## CPC - G05D 1/0276: {using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle (involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058)} - G05D 1/0038: {by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation (images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246)} - G05D 1/0225: {involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay (parking aids B62D15/027)} - G05D 1/0246: {using a video camera in combination with image processing means} - G05D 1/0255: {using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals (sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93)} - G05D 1/028: {using a RF signal} - Y10S 901/01: Mobile robot - Y10S 901/47: Optical - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A control device for a mobile robot, the robot comprising a camera and a communication unit, comprises a display unit displaying an image corresponding to the image taken by the camera and transmitted by the communication unit, and a user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to control a position of a pointer on the image displayed by the display unit, and the user interface comprises a selection unit allowing the user to select a position of the pointer on the image displayed by the display unit, the control device further comprising a computation unit and a communication system, the computation unit being configured to compute displacement commands and send them through the communication system to the robot, said displacement commands being computed to make the robot move to a physical position corresponding to the pointer's position selected by the user on the image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control device for a mobile robot, the robot comprising a camera and a communication unit, the control device comprising: a display unit, which displays an image corresponding to the image taken by the camera and transmitted by the communication unit, and a user interface, wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to control a position of a pointer on the image displayed by the display unit, and the user interface comprises a selection unit allowing the user to select a position of the pointer on the image displayed by the display unit, the control device further comprising a computation unit and a communication system, the computation unit being configured to compute displacement commands and send them through the communication system to the robot, said displacement commands being computed to make the robot move to a physical position corresponding to the pointer's position selected by the user on the image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the pointer is a pattern which aspect depends on the space orientation and/or position of the pointer in the image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the pointer is a pattern which is represented in perspective and parallel to a plane of a physical environment in which the robot is moving. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The control device according to claim 3, wherein the plane corresponds to a plane of a wall, or a plane of a floor, or a plane of an object located in the physical environment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the size of the pointer depends on the distance between: the robot, and the physical position corresponding to the position on which the pointer is located in the image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A system for mobile robot, comprising: a mobile robot, the robot comprising a camera and a communication unit, and a control device according to claim 1. ### Claim 7 A method for controlling a mobile robot, the robot comprising a camera and a communication unit, the control device comprising: a display unit, which displays an image corresponding to the image taken by the camera and transmitted by the communication unit, a user interface, a computation unit, and a communication system, configured to communicate with the communication unit of the robot, the method comprising the following steps: a user controls, through the user interface, the position of a pointer on the image displayed by the display unit, the user selects, through a selection unit, a position for the pointer of the image displayed by the display unit, the computation unit computes displacement commands and sends them through the communication system to the robot, said displacement commands being computed to make the robot move to a physical position corresponding to the pointer's position selected by the user on the image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the pointer is a pattern which aspect depends on the space orientation and/or position of the pointer in the image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the pointer is a pattern which is represented in perspective and parallel to a plane of a physical environment in which the robot is moving. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the plane corresponds to a plane of a wall, or a plane of a floor, or a plane of an object located in the physical environment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the size of the pointer depends on the distance between: the robot, and the physical position corresponding to the position on which the pointer is located in the image.