Remote Robot Interface With Dual Screens for Target Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing remote operation systems for mobile robots require users to manually recognize and respond to the robot's surroundings, which can be cumbersome and inefficient, especially when interacting with objects or navigating through complex environments.

Innovation Solution

A remote operation system with a mobile robot and operation terminal that includes a camera for capturing surroundings, a terminal display unit showing dual screens for monitoring and operation, and features for recognizing and communicating with target objects, allowing users to easily select and interact with objects and navigate through environments by displaying relevant information and icons.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a single monitor image is displayed on the terminal, then the user can see the robot's surroundings, but the user cannot efficiently select communication targets or navigate through complex environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser operation efficiencyVSAvoidsurroundings information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the operation screen into multiple sub-screens: a first sub-screen displaying the monitor image from the camera, and a second sub-screen displaying operation icons and selected object information. This segmentation allows the user to simultaneously view the robot's surroundings and interact with the environment without information loss or operational difficulty.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the user manually recognizes and responds to the robot's surroundings, then the user can control the robot, but the operation becomes cumbersome and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverobot operation efficiencyVSAvoidoperation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by automatically detecting objects in the robot's surroundings and pre-displaying them as selectable icons on the second sub-screen. This allows the user to quickly select communication targets or navigation destinations without manually scanning the entire monitor image, significantly improving operation efficiency while the system handles the complex object recognition automatically.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the operation screen displays only the monitor image, then the interface is simple, but the user cannot easily select communication targets or navigate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetarget selection easeVSAvoidscreen display area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adds a second dimension to the display by introducing a second sub-screen that overlays operation icons and selected object information alongside the monitor image. This dimensional expansion allows the user to access target selection and navigation functions without reducing the area available for viewing the robot's surroundings, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and screen space utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4002046B1Remote operation system comprising a robot and an operation terminal
Publication Date: 2024.04.03 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP4002046B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4002046B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4002046B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A remote operation system includes a mobile robot (10) and an operation terminal (100) both configured to communicate with each other. The mobile robot (10) transmits, to the operation terminal (100), monitor image information based on a captured image by a camera (62). The operation terminal (100) receives the monitor image information, and displays, on a terminal display unit (141), an operation screen including a monitor image based on the captured image. A screen display controller (31) displays the operation screen on the terminal display unit (141), the operation screen including a first sub screen for displaying the monitor image and a second sub screen different from the first sub screen, and changes a display content of the second sub screen in accordance with a predetermined display mode.