Multifunctional conferencing systems and methods

• US 9,584,760 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Power, James M., Licursi, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US13/768,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20130215213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1403, 348/14.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A conferencing system for providing remote assistance according to the present disclosure includes a service requester device configured to execute a service requester application, a service provider device configured to execute a service provider application and a server application executing on a computer server remotely located from the service requester and service provider devices, the service requester and service provider applications are configured to dynamically connect to each other through the at least one server application.

Claims

1. A conferencing system for providing remote assistance comprising:

a service requester device configured to execute a service requester application and to capture an image of a surgical device;

a service provider device configured to execute a service provider application; and

a computer server remotely located from the service requester device and remotely located from the service provider device, the computer server configured to execute at least one server application and to select the service provider device from a plurality of service provider devices based on a location of the service requester device, the service requester application and the service provider application configured to dynamically connect to each other through the at least one server application,

wherein at least one of the service requester device, the service provider device, or the at least one server application is configured to identify the surgical device based on the image of the surgical device captured by the service requester device, and wherein the service provider device is configured to control the surgical device via a communication established between the service requester device and the surgical device.

2. The conferencing system according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic connection between the service requester device and the service provider device is dependent on a bandwidth of the connection therebetween.

3. The conferencing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one server application dynamically selects a connection between the service requester device and the service provider device wherein the connection is selected between one of an audio connection, an audio and video connection, an audio and still image connection and a SMS messaging connection.

4. The conferencing system according to claim 1, wherein a mode of connection between the service requester device and the at least one server application is selected from a wireless communication network and a wireless phone communication network.

5. The conferencing system according to claim 1, wherein the service provider device is configured to identify the surgical device based on a wireless communication between the service requester device and the surgical device.

6. The conferencing system according to claim 1, wherein the service provider device is configured to identify the surgical device based on a connection between the service requester device and the surgical device.

7. A conferencing system for providing remote assistance comprising:

a service requester device networked with a service provider device through a server application, the service requester device having at least one video camera, a video monitor, a speaker and a microphone, the service requester device configured to capture an image of a surgical device, the service provider device configured to enable and/or disable at least one of the at least one video camera, the video monitor, the speaker and the microphone, wherein at least one of the service requester device, the service provider device, or the at least one server application is configured to identify the surgical device based on the image of the surgical device captured by the service requester device and the server application is configured to select the service provider device from a plurality of service provider devices based on a location of the service requester device, and wherein the service provider device is configured to control the surgical device via a communication established between the service requester device and the surgical device.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service provider device is configured to direct content to the video monitor of the service requester device.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service provider device enables the at least one video camera and receives a stream of images generated by the at least one video camera wherein the steam of images is streamed to the service provider device through the network formed between the service requester device and the service provider device.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the service provider device is configured to capture an image from the stream of images.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the service provider device is configured to display the captured image on the video monitor of the service requester device.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein pixel resolution of the captured image is greater than pixel resolution of each image forming the stream of images.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service provider device is configured to display an annotation on the video monitor of the service requester device.

14. The system according to claim 7, wherein the service provider device is configured to display content on the video monitor of the service requester device.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the content displayed on the service requester device is a video.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the content displayed on the service requester device is an image.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the content displayed on the service requester device is a text document.

18. A conferencing system for providing remote assistance comprising:

a service requester device configured to execute a service requester application and to capture an image of a surgical device;

a plurality of service provider devices each configured to execute a service provider application; and

a computer server remotely located from the service provider device and remotely located from the service requester device, the computer server configured to execute at least one server application and to select a particular service provider device from the plurality of service provider devices based on a location of the service requester device, the service requester application configured to simultaneously connect to the plurality of service provider devices, wherein at least one of the service requester device, at least one of the plurality of service provider devices, or the at least one server application is configured to identify the surgical device based on the image of the surgical device captured by the service requester device, and wherein the particular service provider device is configured to control the surgical device via a communication established between the service requester device and the surgical device.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of service provider devices are dynamically selected by the service requester device.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the dynamic selection of the plurality of service provider devices is related to a dynamic selection parameter selected by a user on the service requester device.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the dynamic selection parameter is selected from one of a selected instrument or device, a selected location, a selected description of needed assistance, a selected medical procedure, an identifying feature and an identification code.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein the dynamic selection of the plurality of service provider devices is related to a dynamic selection parameter generated by the service requester device.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the dynamic selection parameter is selected from one of a global position coordinate and a wireless network coordinate.