UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE AND MEDICAL SUPPORT METHOD

• US 20170327223A1
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: Sekine, Yuusuke, Sano, Shinya, Iwakiri, Chisato, Yamane, Ryouta
• Granted Patent: US 10,696,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/002 with attached or incorporated article carrying means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1659 Free spatial automatic movement of interface within a working area, e.g. Robot
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/501 connected to external computer devices or networks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/00 Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04 ; applying electrical currents by contact electrodes for stimulating motor muscles, e.g. walking assistance A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/008 using suspension devices for supporting the body in an upright walking or standing position, e.g. harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/55 for life-saving or rescue operations; for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/00 UAVs characterised by their flight controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement

Abstract

Provided are an unmanned aerial vehicle executing medical support work and assisting in the work supposed to be performed by a health care worker or replacing the health care worker and a medical support method for performing medical support work by using an unmanned aerial vehicle. An unmanned aerial vehicle capable of performing autonomous flight includes a receiving unit receiving an input of medical support work from a health care worker and a control unit controlling the execution of the medical support work based on content of the input received by the receiving unit.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle capable of performing autonomous flight, the unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

a receiving unit receiving an input of medical support work from a health care worker; and

a control unit controlling execution of the medical support work based on content of the input received by the receiving unit.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the medical support work includes at least one of information transmission between health care workers, information transmission between a health care worker and a recipient of a medical service provided by the health care worker, article transport, and/or patient motion assistance.

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the information transmission between health care workers includes dispensing confirmation performed between different pharmacists, and

wherein the information transmission between the health care worker and the recipient includes medicine management guidance.

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the information transmission between the health care worker and the recipient includes patient examination by a doctor.

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit has a storage unit storing movement paths directed toward a medical site where the medical support work is executed, and

wherein the movement paths include at least one of a movement path for moving between different places in a hospital, a movement path for moving between different pharmacies, and/or a movement path for moving between a hospital or a pharmacy and a home care patient'"'"'s place of stay.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the receiving unit is configured to receive a transmission command transmitted from an information terminal device operated by the health care worker, and

wherein the control unit controls the execution of the medical support work in accordance with the processing content included in the transmission command.

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the information transmission between the health care worker and the recipient includes patient examination by a doctor.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit has a storage unit storing movement paths directed toward a medical site where the medical support work is executed, and

wherein the movement paths include at least one of a movement path for moving between different places in a hospital, a movement path for moving between different pharmacies, and a movement path for moving between a hospital or a pharmacy and a home care patient'"'"'s place of stay.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the control unit has a storage unit storing movement paths directed toward a medical site where the medical support work is executed, and

wherein the movement paths include at least one of a movement path for moving between different places in a hospital, a movement path for moving between different pharmacies, and a movement path for moving between a hospital or a pharmacy and a home care patient'"'"'s place of stay.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 4,

wherein the control unit has a storage unit storing movement paths directed toward a medical site where the medical support work is executed, and

wherein the movement paths include at least one of a movement path for moving between different places in a hospital, a movement path for moving between different pharmacies, and a movement path for moving between a hospital or a pharmacy and a home care patient'"'"'s place of stay.

12. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 8,

wherein the control unit has a storage unit storing movement paths directed toward a medical site where the medical support work is executed, and

wherein the movement paths include at least one of a movement path for moving between different places in a hospital, a movement path for moving between different pharmacies, and a movement path for moving between a hospital or a pharmacy and a home care patient'"'"'s place of stay.

13. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the receiving unit is configured to be capable of receiving a transmission command transmitted from an information terminal device operated by the health care worker, and

wherein the control unit controls the execution of the medical support work in accordance with the processing content included in the transmission command.

14. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein the receiving unit is configured to be capable of receiving a transmission command transmitted from an information terminal device operated by the health care worker, and

wherein the control unit controls the execution of the medical support work in accordance with the processing content included in the transmission command.

7. A medical support method for performing medical support work by using an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of performing autonomous flight, the medical support method comprising:

receiving processing content from a health care worker via a receiving unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

controlling the execution of the medical support work following the processing content by using a control unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

15. The medical support method according to claim 7,

wherein the medical support work includes at least one of information transmission between health care workers, information transmission between a health care worker and a recipient of a medical service provided by the health care worker, article transport, and/or patient motion assistance.

16. The medical support method according to claim 15,

wherein the information transmission between health care workers includes dispensing confirmation performed between different pharmacists, and

wherein the information transmission between the health care worker and the recipient includes medicine management guidance.

17. The medical support method according to claim 16,

wherein the information transmission between the health care worker and the recipient includes patient examination by a doctor.

18. The medical support method according claim 17,

wherein the control unit has a storage unit storing movement paths directed toward a medical site where the medical support work is executed, and

wherein the movement paths include at least one of a movement path for moving between different places in a hospital, a movement path for moving between different pharmacies, and a movement path for moving between a hospital or a pharmacy and a home care patient'"'"'s place of stay.

19. The medical support method according to claim 18,

wherein the receiving unit is configured to receive a transmission command transmitted from an information terminal device operated by the health care worker, and

wherein the control unit controls the execution of the medical support work in accordance with the processing content included in the transmission command.

20. An information terminal device capable of controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle that is capable of autonomous flight, the information terminal device comprising:

an input interface to receive an input of medical support work from a health care worker;

a transmitting and receiving unit in communication with the input interface, the transmitting and receiving unit to transmit the input of medical support work to the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

a control unit in communication with the input interface and the transmitting and receiving unit, the control unit to control the execution of the medical support work based on content of the input received by the receiving unit.