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US 6,523,629 B1Granted
Tandem mobile robot system
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsJames H. Buttz, David L. Shirey, David R. Hayward
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotic vehicle system for terrain navigation mobility provides a way to climb stairs, cross crevices, and navigate across difficult terrain by coupling two or more mobile robots with a coupling device and controlling the robots cooperatively in tandem.
Claims21
A robotic vehicle system for terrain navigation mobility, comprising.
- a) two robots, comprising a first robot and a second robot, wherein each of the two robots has dual tracks;
- and
- b) a coupling device, comprising:
- i) a connector, mounted with the first robot;
- and
- ii) a companion receiver, mounted with the second robot, mate-able with the connector to form the coupling device to connect the two robots in tandem, wherein the companion receiver substantially limits angular motion in the horizontal plane relative to the first robot and the second robot
- wherein, the coupling device has remote de-couple capability.
4 more elements
A robotic system for terrain navigation mobility comprising:
- a) a plurality of coupling devices;
- and
- b) a plurality of robots, connectable with the plurality of coupling devices to form the robotic system, wherein each robot has dual tracks, wherein each coupling device in the plurality of coupling devices operably connects each robot to another robot to substantially limit angular motion in the horizontal plane, wherein each coupling device has remote de-couple capability.
A robotic vehicle system for navigation mobility, comprising:
- a) two robots, each robot comprising:
- i) a robot data transceiver;
- ii) a robot video unit;
- and
- iii) dual tracks;
- b) a coupling device, operably connecting the two robots in tandem, wherein the coupling device substantially limits angular motion in the horizontal plane relative to the two robots, wherein the coupling device has remote de-couple capability;
- c) an input-output system, comprising:
- i) a motion command device, generating multiple-axis commands proportionally responsive to input from an operator;
- and
- ii) a mode selector, adapted to receive mode-input from the operator and modify operation of the robotic vehicle system;
- d) a control unit data transceiver, capable of bi-directional communication with each robot data transceiver;
- e) a video receiver, responsive to each robot video unit;
- f) a video display apparatus, responsive to the video receiver;
- g) a microprocessor, responsive to the input-output system and responsive to the control unit data transceiver;
- and
- h) a power source, powering the robotic vehicle system except for the two robots and the coupling device.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.