Medical tele-robotic system

• US 8,209,051 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Yulun, Laby, Keith Phillip, Jordan, Charles S., Butner, Steven Edward, Southard, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US11/529,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20070021871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,099 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/233, 700/235, 700/242, 700/243, 700/244, 700/245, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.13, 318/568.16, 318/568.21, 318/568.25, 600/117, 600/118, 600/407, 600/426, 600/429, 600/587, 600/595, 606/1, 606/102, 606/130, 606/139, 901/1, 901/2, 901/27
• 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 interacting with a patient, comprising:

transmitting commands from a control station to a robot that has a camera, a monitor, a speaker and a microphone;

moving the robot in response to the commands;

capturing a still image of a patient with the robot camera;

capturing a live video image of the patient with the robot camera, the still image is not a part of the live video image;

displaying simultaneously the still image of the patient and the live video image of the patient on a monitor of control station capturing an image of an operator with a control station camera, transmitting the captured operator image to the robot and displaying the transmitted captured operator image on a robot monitor;

transmitting a voice message from the control station to the robot; and

,

transmitting a patient voice message from the robot to the control station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the still image of the patient is stored in the robot.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the robot moves across a surface.