TELEPRESENCE ROBOT WITH A CAMERA BOOM

• US 20100100240A1
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Sanchez, Daniel Steven, Hanrahan, Kevin, Wang, Yulun, Pinter, Marco, Jordan, Charles S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,996,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A remote controlled robot with a head that supports a monitor and is coupled to a mobile platform. The mobile robot also includes an auxiliary camera coupled to the mobile platform by a boom. The mobile robot is controlled by a remote control station. By way of example, the robot can be remotely moved about an operating room. The auxiliary camera extends from the boom so that it provides a relatively close view of a patient or other item in the room. An assistant in the operating room may move the boom and the camera. The boom may be connected to a robot head that can be remotely moved by the remote control station.

Claims

1. A remote controlled robot, comprising:

a mobile platform;

a head that supports a monitor and is coupled to said mobile platform;

a boom coupled to said mobile platform; and

,

an auxiliary camera coupled to said boom.

2. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a primary camera coupled to said head.

3. The robot of claim 1, wherein said boom has at least one passive joint.

4. The robot of claim 1, wherein said boom is connected to said head.

5. The robot of claim 4, wherein said head moves in at least two degrees of freedom.

6. The robot of claim 1, further comprising a microphone and a speaker coupled to said mobile platform.

7. The robot of claim 1, wherein said camera is coupled to said boom by a quick release mechanism.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said boom has at least one passive joint.

8. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a mobile robot that includes;

a mobile platform;

a head that supports a monitor and is coupled to said mobile platform;

a boom coupled to said mobile platform;

an auxiliary camera coupled to said boom; and

,

a remote control station that controls said mobile robot.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said mobile robot includes a primary camera coupled to said head.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said boom is connected to said head.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said head moves in at least two degrees of freedom.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a microphone and a speaker coupled to said mobile platform.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said remote control station includes a camera coupled to said monitor of said mobile robot.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein said remote control station displays a display user interface that includes a robot view field, a station view field and an auxiliary camera view field.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein an image from said auxiliary camera is displayed in said robot view field.

17. The robot of claim 8, wherein said camera is coupled to said boom by a quick release mechanism.

18. The robot of claim 8, wherein movement of said camera is controlled through said remote control station.

19. A method for controlling a mobile robot, comprising:

transmitting commands from a remote control station to a mobile robot that has a monitor;

moving the mobile robot in response to the commands; and

,

transmitting an image from an auxiliary camera that is coupled to a boom of the mobile robot to the remote control station.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising moving the boom and auxiliary camera.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting an image from a camera of the remote control station to a monitor of the mobile robot.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the image transmitted from the auxiliary camera is displayed in a display user interface of the remote control station.