Wireless telepresence collaboration system
First Claim
1. A system, comprising a portable wireless unit disposed to be used by a technician at a remote location, said portable wireless unit comprising a miniature video camera, display, microphone, speaker/earphone, wireless tranceiver and controls;
- and a presence server disposed to relay video and audio between the portable wireless unit and said management console, said presence server comprising video and audio compression, video and audio formatting, a communication interface to said portable wireless unit, and a communication interface to said communication link; and
a management console disposed to be used by an expert at home base, said management console comprising software; and
a communication link disposed to support data communications between the presence server and said management console, said communication link comprising a public or private, narrowband or broadband data connection;
wherein said portable wireless unit is disposed to capture, transmit, receive and display video and audio;
wherein said portable wireless unit is of size and weight so to allow it to be easily carried, worn or temporarily affixed to another object by said technician;
wherein said miniature video camera is of size and weight so to allow it to be worn in a manner that captures said technician'"'"'s first-person perspective (e.g. on the forehead, on the shoulder, adjacent to or in front of an eye) while keeping said technician'"'"'s hands free;
wherein said display is disposed to allow said technician to visualize images from said camera or said alternate video source, said display is disposed to allow said technician to visualize images being received from said management console, as in a videoconference;
wherein said microphone is disposed to allow said technician'"'"'s voice and other sounds to be captured;
wherein said speaker/earphone is disposed to allow said technician to hear audio being received from said management console, as in a videoconference;
wherein said wireless tranceiver disposed to relay video and audio from said miniature video camera and said microphone to said presence server, relay video and audio from said presence server to said display and said speaker/earphone, accept input of alternate video and audio from a source other than said miniature video camera and said microphone;
wherein said controls are disposed to allow said technician to change the wireless radio frequency being used by said portable wireless unit to transmit and receive video and audio, said controls are disposed to allow said technician to select and adjust the video images being displayed on the said display, said controls are disposed to affect start, stop, pause, record, and playback of the video and audio being captured or transmitted;
wherein said presence server is disposed to compress, decompress and format video and audio, record and playback video and audio; and
wherein said management console is disposed to receive and display video from said presence server, send video images to said presence server, compress, decompress and format video and audio, record and playback video and audio, exchange two-way audio with said presence server, and exchange control messages with said presence server, said management console comprising software; and
whereby said expert, using said management console, may view images of said task being performed by said technician, communicate with said technician and send video images to said technician.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system providing wireless personal telepresence facilitating collaboration by two or more persons, each in different locations, on a task at one of the locations and requiring visualization by multiple persons. A portable wireless unit captures/transmits video depicting the technician'"'"'s first-hand field of view while keeping her hands free to perform the task. The expert employs a management console for visualization of the task being performed by the technician while communicating in real time with the technician. The management console also provides control over video and audio functions including record, playback, freeze frame and image attributes. Communication between the two persons is accomplished by exchanging digitally compressed video and audio via a voice or data network, either public or private. A community server augments the system by supporting three or more participants and enabling communication across public networks.
363 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system, comprising
a portable wireless unit disposed to be used by a technician at a remote location, said portable wireless unit comprising a miniature video camera, display, microphone, speaker/earphone, wireless tranceiver and controls; - and
a presence server disposed to relay video and audio between the portable wireless unit and said management console, said presence server comprising video and audio compression, video and audio formatting, a communication interface to said portable wireless unit, and a communication interface to said communication link; and
a management console disposed to be used by an expert at home base, said management console comprising software; and
a communication link disposed to support data communications between the presence server and said management console, said communication link comprising a public or private, narrowband or broadband data connection;
wherein said portable wireless unit is disposed to capture, transmit, receive and display video and audio;
wherein said portable wireless unit is of size and weight so to allow it to be easily carried, worn or temporarily affixed to another object by said technician;
wherein said miniature video camera is of size and weight so to allow it to be worn in a manner that captures said technician'"'"'s first-person perspective (e.g. on the forehead, on the shoulder, adjacent to or in front of an eye) while keeping said technician'"'"'s hands free;
wherein said display is disposed to allow said technician to visualize images from said camera or said alternate video source, said display is disposed to allow said technician to visualize images being received from said management console, as in a videoconference;
wherein said microphone is disposed to allow said technician'"'"'s voice and other sounds to be captured;
wherein said speaker/earphone is disposed to allow said technician to hear audio being received from said management console, as in a videoconference;
wherein said wireless tranceiver disposed to relay video and audio from said miniature video camera and said microphone to said presence server, relay video and audio from said presence server to said display and said speaker/earphone, accept input of alternate video and audio from a source other than said miniature video camera and said microphone;
wherein said controls are disposed to allow said technician to change the wireless radio frequency being used by said portable wireless unit to transmit and receive video and audio, said controls are disposed to allow said technician to select and adjust the video images being displayed on the said display, said controls are disposed to affect start, stop, pause, record, and playback of the video and audio being captured or transmitted;
wherein said presence server is disposed to compress, decompress and format video and audio, record and playback video and audio; and
wherein said management console is disposed to receive and display video from said presence server, send video images to said presence server, compress, decompress and format video and audio, record and playback video and audio, exchange two-way audio with said presence server, and exchange control messages with said presence server, said management console comprising software; and
whereby said expert, using said management console, may view images of said task being performed by said technician, communicate with said technician and send video images to said technician. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method, comprising
operating said portable wireless unit; -
operating said miniature video camera;
adjusting said miniature video camera;
adjusting said microphone;
operating said earphone/speaker;
selecting the source of the video to be viewed on said display;
adjusting said display;
controlling communication start, stop, pause, record, playback functions;
compressing said video and audio for transmission across said communication link;
decompressing said video and audio for user on said display and said earphone/speaker;
formatting said video and audio for transmission across said network;
establishing a connection between said presence server to said management console, as in a videoconference;
transmitting and receiving said video and audio via wireless means;
adjusting the image size, frame rate and picture quality of said video being transmitted;
whereby said technician and said expert may collaborate on said task, wherein said task requires visualization of said task by both parties. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification