Server connectivity control for tele-presence robot

• US 9,138,891 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Herzog, John Cody, Whitney, Blair, Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Pinter, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US12/277,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,492 Days
• Field of Search: 700/12, 700/14, 700/245, 700/248, 700/259, 901/1, 901/46, 901/47, 318/568.12, 318/568.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• 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: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24158 Access only for service, hide, forbidden tamperfree keys, program
• 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 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/035 Improving the acoustic characteristics by means of constructional features of the housing, e.g. ribs, walls, resonating chambers or cavities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2834 for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 : portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/061 : sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/069 : Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 : Optical

Abstract

A robot system with a robot that has a camera and a remote control station that can connect to the robot. The connection can include a plurality of privileges. The system further includes a server that controls which privileges are provided to the remote control station. The privileges may include the ability to control the robot, joint in a multi-cast session and the reception of audio/video from the robot. The privileges can be established and edited through a manager control station. The server may contain a database that defines groups of remote control station that can be connected to groups of robots. The database can be edited to vary the stations and robots within a group. The system may also allow for connectivity between a remote control station at a user programmable time window.

Claims

1. A remote controller robot system, comprising:

a robot that has a robot camera and a robot monitor;

a remote control station that has a station camera and a station monitor and can connect to said robot; and

,

a server that controls connectivity between said remote control station and said robot, said connectivity is enabled during a user pre-programmed time window that includes a pre-programmed end time, said connectivity is not enabled outside said user pre-programmed time window, wherein a user of said remote control station can connect said remote control station to said robot during said pre-programmed time window and cannot connect said remote control station to said robot outside said pre-programmed time window, and when said robot and said remote control station are connected, said robot monitor displays an image captured by said station camera and said station monitor displays an image captured by said robot camera.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said robot includes a microphone.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said robot includes a mobile platform.

4. A method for connecting a remote control station to a robot, comprising:

programming a time window during which a user of a remote control station can establish a connection with and control a movement of a robot, said time window includes an end time said connection between said remote control station and said robot is terminated and said user cannot control a movement of said robot, said remote control station has a station camera and a station monitor and said robot has a robot camera and a robot monitor;

enabling connectivity between the remote control station and the robot during said time window; and

,

not enabling connectivity between the remote control station and the robot at the end time of the time window, wherein a user of said remote control station can connect said remote control station to said robot during said pre-programmed time window and cannot connect said remote control station to said robot outside said pre-programmed time window, and when said robot and said remote control station are connected, said robot monitor displays an image captured by said station camera and said station monitor displays an image captured by said robot camera.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting a sound captured by a microphone of the robot to the remote control station.