PORTABLE REMOTE PRESENCE ROBOT

• US 20140267552A1
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Pinter, Marco, Sanchez, Daniel Steven, Hanrahan, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 9,602,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.05
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/14 Systems for two-way working H04N7/12, H04N7/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A tele-presence system that includes a portable robot face coupled to a remote station. The robot face includes a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker and a robot microphone. The remote station includes a station monitor, a station camera, a station speaker and a station microphone. The portable robot face can be attached to a platform mounted to the ceiling of an ambulance. The portable robot face can be used by a physician at the remote station to provide remote medical consultation. When the patient is moved from the ambulance the portable robot face can be detached from the platform and moved with the patient.

Claims

1. A tele-presence system, comprising:

a portable robot face that has a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker and a robot microphone; and

,

a remote station that is coupled to said portable robot face and has a station monitor, a station camera, a station speaker and a station microphone.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a platform that is coupled to said portable robot face and has at least two degrees of freedom.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an ambulance that supports said platform.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a patient gurney that supports said platform.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a stand that supports said portable robot face.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said robot face includes a wireless transceiver.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable robot face includes an actuator system that can move said robot camera and is controlled by said remote station.

8. A method for providing a remote medical consultation, comprising:

capturing an image of a physician with a station camera of a remote station, the remote station includes a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone;

transmitting the physician image to a portable robot face mounted to a platform, the robot face including a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker and a robot microphone;

displaying the physician image on the robot monitor;

capturing an image of a patient with the robot camera;

transmitting the patient image to the remote station;

displaying the patient image on the station monitor of the remote station;

transmitting an audio command from the station microphone to the robot speaker;

detaching the portable robot face from the platform; and

,

moving the patient and the portable robot to a new location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the platform is attached to an ambulance.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising attaching the portable robot face to a patient gurney.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising coupling the portable robot face to a healthcare facility network through a wireless transceiver of the portable robot face.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising attaching a wireless ID device to the patient and moving the patient into a healthcare facility that includes a robot face attached to a boom, the robot face receives a wireless signal from the wireless ID device and the remote station becomes coupled to the robot face attached to the boom.

13. A portable robot face that is adapted to be coupled to a remote station that has a station monitor, a station camera, a station speaker and a station microphone, comprising:

a housing;

a camera coupled to said housing;

a monitor that is coupled to said housing and is adapted to display images captured by the station camera;

a speaker that is coupled to said housing and is adapted to generate a sound provided through the station microphone;

a microphone coupled to said housing;

a battery coupled to said housing; and

,

a wireless transceiver coupled to said housing.

14. The portable robot face of claim 13, further comprising a mechanical connector adapted to attach said housing to a platform.

15. The portable robot face of claim 14, further comprising an electrical connector adapted to be attached to said platform.

16. A method for providing a remote medical consultation, comprising:

capturing an image of a physician with a station camera of a remote station, the remote station includes a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone;

transmitting the physician image to a portable robot face mounted to a platform, the robot face including a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker and a robot microphone;

displaying the physician image on the robot monitor;

capturing an image of a patient with the robot camera;

transmitting the patient image to the remote station;

displaying the patient image on the station monitor of the remote station;

transmitting an audio command from the station microphone to the robot speaker;

moving the patient into a healthcare facility that includes a robot face attached to a boom; and

,

coupling the robot face of the healthcare facility to the remote station.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the robot face of the healthcare facility receives a wireless signal from a wireless ID device associated with the patient.

18. A method for providing medical consultation, comprising:

capturing an image of a physician with a station camera of a remote station, the remote station includes a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone;

transmitting the physician image to a first robot, the first robot includes a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker and a robot microphone;

displaying the physician image on the robot monitor;

capturing an image of a patient with the robot camera;

transmitting the patient image to the remote station;

displaying the patient image on the station monitor of the remote station;

transmitting an audio command from the station microphone to the robot speaker;

moving the patient into a vicinity of a second robot; and

,

coupling automatically the remote station to the second robot.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second robot of the healthcare facility receives a wireless signal from a wireless ID device associated with the patient that causes the remote station to become coupled to the second robot.