Protocol for a remotely controlled videoconferencing robot

• US 9,296,107 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Pinter, Marco, Southard, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US13/468,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20130131866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• 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 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical

Abstract

A robotic system that includes a robot and a remote station. The remote station can generate control commands that are transmitted to the robot through a broadband network. The control commands can be interpreted by the robot to induce action such as robot movement or focusing a robot camera. The robot can generate reporting commands that are transmitted to the remote station through the broadband network. The reporting commands can provide positional feedback or system reports on the robot.

Claims

1. A robot system that communicates through a broadband network, comprising:

a robot that has a camera and a monitor, said robot generates at least one reporting command that is transmitted through the broadband network; and

,

a remote station that has a camera and a monitor, said remote station generates at least one control command that is transmitted through the broadband network and received by said robot, said at least one control command includes a USERTASK command that identifies a current user of said remote station, and said remote station receives the reporting command from said robot.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said robot includes a head and said remote station generates a HEAD command that causes said robot to move said head.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote station generates a STOP command that causes said robot to stop moving.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote station generates a TIMING command that is utilized to determine a latency in the transmission of the control and reporting commands through the broadband network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote station generates a SETCAMERAFOCUS command that causes said robot camera to focus.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote station generates a CAMERAZOOM command that causes said robot camera to zoom.

7. A method for controlling a robot through a broadband network, comprising:

generating at least one control command at a remote station that has a camera and a monitor, said at least one control command includes a USERTASK command that identifies a current user of said remote station;

transmitting the control command to a robot that has a camera and a monitor;

receiving said control command at said robot;

generating at least one reporting command at the robot;

transmitting the reporting command through the broadband network; and

receiving the reporting command at the remote station.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said robot includes a head and said remote station generates a HEAD command that causes said robot to move said head.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said remote station generates a STOP command that causes said robot to stop moving.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said remote station generates a TIMING command that is utilized to determine a latency in the transmission of the control and reporting commands through the broadband network.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said remote station generates a SETCAMERAFOCUS command that causes said robot camera to focus.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the said remote station generates a CAMERAZOOM command that causes said robot camera to zoom.

13. A robot system that communicates through a broadband network, comprising:

a robot that has a camera and a monitor, said robot generates a BODYTYPE command that is transmitted through the broadband network; and

,

a remote station that has a camera and a monitor, said remote station generates at least one command that is transmitted through the broadband network, and receives the BODYTYPE command from said robot, wherein said BODYTYPE command informs said remote station of a type of said robot.

14. A method for controlling a robot through a broadband network, comprising:

generating at least one control command at a remote station that has a camera and a monitor;

transmitting the control command at a robot that has a camera and a monitor;

generating a BODYTYPE command at the robot;

transmitting the BODYTYPE command through the broadband network; and

receiving the BODYTYPE command at the remote station, wherein said BODYTYPE command informs said remote station of a type of the said robot.