Medical tele-robotic system

• US 7,310,570 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Laby, Keith Phillip, Southard, Jonathan, Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Butner, Steven Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc; McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US11/138,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20050240310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/189, 700/248, 700/249, 700/250, 700/251, 700/254, 700/262, 700/246, 700/260, 700/261, 700/247, 702/1, 702/2, 702/7, 702/23, 702/24, 702/25, 702/26, 702/188, 318/568.12, 901/1, 901/3, 901/461, 901/2
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0005 Manipulators having means for high-level communication with users, e.g. speech generator, face recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/022 using lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1602 characterised by the control system, structure, architecture
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/162 Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/163 learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• 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 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A robotic system that includes a remote controlled robot. The robot may include a camera, a monitor and a holonomic platform all attached to a robot housing. The robot may be controlled by a remote control station that also has a camera and a monitor. The remote control station may be linked to a base station that is wirelessly coupled to the robot. The cameras and monitors allow a care giver at the remote location to monitor and care for a patient through the robot. The holonomic platform allows the robot to move about a home or facility to locate and/or follow a patient.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a patient within their home with a tele-presence robot, comprising:

providing a mobile robot in the patient'"'"'s home, the mobile robot being controlled from a remote station;

capturing an image of an operator operating the remote station;

transmitting the image of the operator to the mobile robot;

displaying the image of the operator on a monitor of the mobile robot;

transmitting a command from the remote station to move the mobile robot;

moving the mobile robot within the patient'"'"'s home in response to the command;

capturing an image of the patient with a robot camera; and

,

transmitting the patient'"'"'s image to the remote station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image of the operator is a video image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a sound generated by the operator is transmitted from the remote station and produced by the robot.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the image of the operator is transmitted through a broadband network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the command is transmitted through the broadband network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on the robot monitor an image stored in a mass storage device of the robot.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator is a doctor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator is a caregiver.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator is a family member.