MOVEABLE MONITORING EQUIPMENT AND REMOTE MONITORING AND DIRECTING SYSTEM

• US 20080046911A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Hu, Hsueh-Hai, Kou, Shih-Yang, Choi, Wai-Mau, Lin, John, Chang, Wen-Chen, Lin, Tzeng-Yow, Chan, Kuo-Hung
• Granted Patent: US 8,045,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A remote monitoring and directing system including at least one video camera at the first-aid side to observe the situation of casualty and the operation on the casualty is provided. At least one microphone is disposed at the first-aid side for communicating with the first-aid personnel and directing a clinical operation. At least one medical instrument standard interface is disposed at the first-aid side for transmitting the electrocardiogram or other physiological information. At least one video/audio and data server is disposed at the monitoring side for managing information integration. A plurality of authorized computer systems is set up for conferring with and directing the first-aid station or the ambulance via the Internet, so as to give a direction. A wireless or cable connection is used for the conference between the first-aid side and the monitoring side.

Claims

1. A movable monitoring equipment, comprising:

a video capturing unit, capturing a video signal;

an audio unit, producing and receiving an audio communication signal;

an instrument interface unit, transmitting at least one medical instrument examination signal; and

a signal processing unit, coupled to the video capturing unit, the audio unit, and the instrument interface unit for processing the outputs and inputs of the video capturing unit, the audio unit, and the instrument interface unit respectively, outputting at least one signal string, transmitting information with a remote side through a network.

2. The movable monitoring equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit is a wireless unit or a cable unit for transmitting the signal string and receiving an input signal string from the remote side.

3. The movable monitoring equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the units are combined into a movable entity.

4. The movable monitoring equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the units are disposed in an ambulance.

5. The movable monitoring equipment as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a positioning system coupled to the signal processing unit for transmitting a spot location.

6. The movable monitoring equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network coupled to the signal processing unit is a wireless network or a cable network.

7. The movable monitoring equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instrument examination signal comprises a physiological signal or an instrument detecting signal.

8. A remote monitoring and directing system, being set up after occurrence of an event, the system comprising:

a spot-side subsystem and a monitoring-side subsystem, transmitting information back and forth through a network, wherein the spot-side subsystem comprises;

at least a video capturing unit, capturing a video signal;

at least an audio unit, producing and receiving an audio communication signal for communicating with the monitoring-side subsystem;

at least an instrument interface unit, transmitting at least one instrument examination signal; and

a signal processing unit, coupled to the video capturing unit, the audio unit, and the instrument interface unit for processing the outputs and inputs of the video capturing unit, the audio unit, and the instrument interface unit respectively, outputting at least one signal string, coupled to the monitoring-side subsystem through the network; and

the monitoring-side subsystem, directed and controlled by at least one director, comprising;

at least one information transceiver interface, receiving the signal string or sending a response signal;

at least one signal processing unit, processing the signal string, obtaining at least one information content carried by the signal string; and

at least one video/audio unit, receiving a video/audio content of the information content to display and communicate.

9. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 8 further comprising at least one video conference equipment for at least performing real-time communication and direction operations with the spot-side subsystem.

10. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the video conference equipment provides a medical person to instantly direct a person on the spot to perform clinical operation.

11. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a first-aid unit for providing an engineering truck or an ambulance.

12. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 8 further comprising at least one first-aid-side subsystem connected to the spot-side subsystem and the monitoring-side subsystem and controlled by the monitoring-side subsystem to cooperate with the spot-side subsystem, wherein the first-aid-side subsystem comprises at least one first-aid unit which comprises:

at least one video capturing unit, capturing a video signal;

at least one audio unit, producing and receiving an audio communication signal, communicating with the monitoring-side subsystem;

at least one instrument interface unit, transmitting at least one instrument examination signal; and

a signal processing unit, coupled to the video capturing unit, the audio unit, and the instrument interface unit for processing the outputs and inputs of the video capturing unit, the audio unit, and the instrument interface unit respectively, outputting at least one signal string, coupled to the monitoring-side subsystem through the network.

13. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first-aid unit of the first-aid-side subsystem comprises a movable first-aid unit which moves under direction of the monitoring-side subsystem.

14. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the director at the monitoring-side subsystem can decide a hospital transfer operation through the movable first-aid unit according to the situation of a casualty.

15. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first-aid unit of the first-aid-side subsystem is further disposed with a positioning system to provide a location of the first-aid unit instantly.

16. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first-aid unit of the first-aid-side subsystem is an ambulance.

17. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the location of the ambulance and the physiological information and a video of a casualty are transmitted to a reaching destination hospital.

18. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the video signal captured by the video capturing unit comprises a spot video.

19. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the video signal captured by the video capturing unit comprises an instant video of a casualty.

20. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the video capturing unit and the audio unit are movable.

21. The remote monitoring and directing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the instrument examination signal of the instrument interface unit comprises physiological information, and the physiological information comprises an electrocardiogram or signals produced by medical instruments.