Method & apparatus for remotely operating a robotic device linked to a communications network

A method for remotely controlling at least one robotic device connected to a communications network to perform at least one action comprising:

• creating at least one robot control file and storing the at least one robot control file on the at least one robotic device connected to the communications network;
• creating an indirect reference to each one of the at least one stored robot control files and storing the indirect reference on the remote control device, the indirect reference being an abstract representation of a robot control file in graphical or alpha numeric format;
• displaying on the remote control device one or more of the indirect references;
• selecting at least one of the one or more displayed indirect reference to a robot control file and including it in a robot control message;
• the remote control device establishing a communications link over the communications network with the at least one robot and sending the robot control message including the indirect reference to the robot control file over the communications network to the at least one robot;
• and
• the at least one robot receiving the robot control message, retrieving the stored robot control file indirectly referenced in the robot control message and performing at least one action according to an instruction contained in the robotic control file.

An apparatus for remotely controlling the operation of a robotic device connected to a communications network comprising:

• a transceiver;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory that includes a communications module, a robot message generation module, a robot control file generation module, a robot control file store, and a store for an indirect reference to the robot control file;
• wherein the robot control file generation module operates to:
• create at least one robot control file and store the at least one robot control file on a remote control device, create an abstract representation in graphical or alpha numerical format for each one of the at least one stored robot control files and store the abstract representation on the remote control device, display on the remote control device one or more of the abstract representations for selection;
• and
• move the robot control file associated with a selected abstract representation into the robot control message for transmission over the communications network to the robotic device which receives the robot control message and performs at least one action according to at least one instruction included in the robot control file.