Joint Having Electrical Power Connection and Wireless Communication
AssigneeAgility Robotics, Inc.
InventorsElise Fermier, Jim Coy, Ryan Domres
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A joint supporting wireless communication includes a first structure having an attached first wireless transceiver and a second structure having an attached second wireless transceiver. The first and second structures are arranged to maintain electrical contact during rotation or other movements. In some embodiments, the first and second wireless transceivers can be RF transceivers or optical transceivers. In some embodiments, the first and second structures define at least a part of a mobile humanoid robot.
Claims20
A joint supporting electrical power connection and wireless communication comprising:
- a first structure having an attached first wireless transceiver;
- a second structure having an attached second wireless transceiver connectable with the first wireless transceiver;
- at least one electrical contact positioned in a manner that physically connects the first and second structures to allow electrical power to be transferred between the first and second structures;
- and wherein the first and second structures are movable with respect to each other.
A humanoid robot including a joint supporting wireless communication comprising:
- a first structure having an attached first wireless transceiver;
- a second structure having an attached second wireless transceiver connectable with the first wireless transceiver;
- and wherein the first and second structures are movable with respect to each other and define a portion of a mobile humanoid robot.
A rotary joint supporting electrical power connection and wireless communication comprising:
- a first structure having an attached first wireless transceiver;
- a second structure having an attached second wireless transceiver connectable with the first wireless transceiver;
- at least one electrical contact positioned in a manner that physically connects the first and second structures to allow electrical power to be transferred between the first and second structures;
- and wherein the first and second structures are rotatable with respect to each other.
A method for determining rotational angle for a rotary joint supporting wireless RF communication, the method comprising:
- associating first and second RF transceivers respectively positioned on mechanically connected first and second structures that can rotate relative to each other;
- measuring RF signals as the first and second structures are rotated with respect to each other, and
- determining rotational position based on measured RF signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.