Graphical interface for a remote presence system

Abstract

A robot system that includes a robot and a remote station. The remote station may be a personal computer coupled to the robot through a broadband network. A user at the remote station may receive both video and audio from a camera and microphone of the robot, respectively. The remote station may include a display user interface that has a variety of viewable fields and selectable buttons.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A remote presence system, comprising:
 a first robotic device that has a monitor and a camera that can be panned and tilted relative to the robotic device;   a base station that transmits a wireless signal that carries video and control signals to the first robotic device; and,   a remote station that is coupled to the first robotic device through the base station, the remote station has a remote station camera coupled to the monitor of the first robotic device such that the first robotic device monitor displays video captured by the remote station camera, the remote station has a station monitor that displays a display user interface that displays video captured by the first robotic device camera on a first portion of the station monitor, video captured by the remote station camera on a second portion of the station monitor, a graphical element that can be used to select and control a second robotic device, and a location display that displays text indicative of a name of a location of the first robotic device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera of the first robotic device can be controlled from the remote station. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the display user interface includes a graphical input that can be selected to view a still picture image. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first graphical input is a slide bar that can be selected to view a plurality of still picture images. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein a still picture image provided by the camera of the robotic device can be stored at the remote station by selecting the first graphical input. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein selecting the first graphical input can initiate a storage of a video segment of the image. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the robotic device includes a battery and the display user interface depicts how much energy is left in the battery. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the display user interface depicts a signal strength of the signal transmitted between the base station and the first robot device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second graphical input that can be selected to vary a characteristic of the image. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first robotic device includes a microphone and the remote station includes a speaker, the display user interface including a second graphical input that can be selected to vary a characteristic of sound provided by the microphone.