Medical tele-robotic system with a master remote station with an arbitrator

• US 20040162637A1
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Inventors: Laby, Keith Phillip, Southard, Jonathan, Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S.
• Application Number:
  US10/783,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162637A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical

Abstract

A robotic system that includes a mobile robot linked to a plurality of remote stations. One of the remote stations includes an arbitrator that controls access to the robot. Each remote station may be assigned a priority that is used by the arbitrator to determine which station has access to the robot. The arbitrator may include notification and call back mechanisms for sending messages relating to an access request and a granting of access for a remote station.

Claims

1. A robot system, comprising:

a mobile robot that has a camera and a monitor;

a first remote station that can access said mobile robot; and

,

a second remote station that includes an arbitrator that can control access to said mobile robot by said first and second remote stations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said arbitrator includes a notification mechanism.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said arbitrator includes a timeout mechanism.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said arbitrator includes a queue mechanism.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said arbitrator includes a call back mechanism.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said second remote station can access said mobile robot, and said first and second remote stations each have a priority and said arbitrator provides robot access to said remote station with a highest priority.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said remote stations may be given priority as a local user, a doctor, a caregiver, a family member, a service user or another mobile robot.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile robot operates in either an exclusive mode or a sharing mode.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said first remote station transmits a communication for said mobile robot that is initially transmitted to said second remote station.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first remote station sends a communication for said mobile robot that is initially transmitted to said mobile robot.

11. A robot system, comprising:

a mobile robot that has a camera and a monitor;

a first remote station that can access said mobile robot; and

,

a second remote station that includes arbitration means for controlling access to said mobile robot by said first and second remote stations.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said arbitrator means includes notification means for notifying said first remote station that said second remote station is requesting access to said mobile robot.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said arbitrator means includes timeout means that creates a time interval in which one of said remote stations must relinquish access to said mobile robot.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said arbitrator means includes queue means for establishing a waiting list of remote stations seeking access to said mobile robot.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said arbitrator means includes call back means for providing a message to one of said remote stations that said mobile robot can be accessed.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said second remote station can access said mobile robot, and said first and second remote stations each have a priority and said arbitrator means provides robot access to said remote station with a highest priority.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said remote stations may be given priority as a local user, a doctor, a caregiver, a family member, a service user or another mobile robot.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein said mobile robot operates in either an exclusive mode or a sharing mode.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein said first remote station transmits a communication for said mobile robot that is initially transmitted to said second remote station.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein said first remote station sends a communication for said mobile robot that is initially transmitted to said mobile robot.

21. A method for controlling access to a remote controlled robot, comprising:

transmitting a request to access a mobile robot from a first remote station;

determining whether the first remote station should have access to the mobile robot at a second remote station;

allowing access to the mobile robot; and

,

transmitting video images between the robot and the first remote station.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising requesting access to the mobile robot from the second remote station and notifying the first remote station of the request.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second remote station creates a time interval in which the first remote station must relinquish access to the mobile robot.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the request from the second remote station is placed in a waiting list queue.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting a call back message from the second remote station to the first remote station to indicate the granting of access to the mobile robot.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the access request includes a priority that is evaluated by the second remote station to determine access to the mobile robot.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the remote stations may be given priority as a local user, a doctor, a caregiver, a family member, a service user or another mobile robot.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the mobile robot operates in either an exclusive mode or a sharing mode.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the access request is initially transmitted to the second remote station.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the access request is initially transmitted to the mobile robot.

31. A robot system, comprising:

a broadband network;

a mobile robot that is coupled to said broadband network, and has a camera and a monitor;

a first remote station that can access said mobile robot through said broadband network; and

,

a second remote station that includes an arbitrator that can control access to said mobile robot by said first and second remote stations.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said arbitrator includes a notification mechanism.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said arbitrator includes a timeout mechanism.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein said arbitrator includes a queue mechanism.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein said arbitrator includes a call back mechanism.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein said second remote station can access said mobile robot, and said first and second remote stations each have a priority and said arbitrator provides robot access to said remote station with a highest priority.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said remote stations may be given priority as a local user, a doctor, a caregiver, a family member, a service user or another mobile robot.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein said mobile robot operates in either an exclusive mode or a sharing mode.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein said first remote station transmits a communication for the mobile robot that is initially transmitted to said second remote station.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein said first remote station sends a communication for said mobile robot that is initially transmitted to said mobile robot.

41. A robot system, comprising:

a broadband network;

a mobile robot that is coupled to said broadband network, and has a camera and a monitor;

a first remote station that can access said mobile robot through said broadband network; and

,

a second remote station that includes arbitration means for controlling access to said robot by said first and second remote stations.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said arbitrator means includes notification means for notifying said first remote station that said second remote station is requesting access to said mobile robot.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein said arbitrator means includes timeout means that creates a time interval in which one of said remote stations must relinquish access to said mobile robot.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein said arbitrator means includes queue means for establishing waiting list of remote stations seeking access to said mobile robot.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein said arbitrator means includes call back means for providing a message to one of said remote stations that said mobile robot can be accessed.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein said second remote station can access said mobile robot, and said first and second remote stations each have a priority and said arbitrator means provides robot access to said remote station with a highest priority.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said remote stations may be given priority as a local user, a doctor, a caregiver, a family member, a service user or another mobile robot.

48. The system of claim 41, wherein said mobile robot operates in either an exclusive mode or a sharing mode.

49. The system of claim 41, wherein said first remote station transmits a communication for said mobile robot that is initially transmitted to said second remote station.

50. The system of claim 41, wherein said first remote station sends a communication for said mobile robot that is initially transmitted to said mobile robot.

51. A method for controlling access to a remote controlled robot, comprising:

transmitting a request to access a mobile robot from a first remote station through a broadband network;

determining whether the first remote station should have access to the mobile robot at a second remote station;

allowing access to the mobile robot through the broadband network; and

,

transmitting video images between the robot and the first remote station between the broadband network.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising requesting access to the mobile robot from the second remote station and notifying the first remote station of the request.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the second remote station creates a time interval in which the first remote station must relinquish access to the mobile robot.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the request from the second remote station is placed in a waiting list queue.

55. The method of claim 51, further comprising transmitting a call back message from the second remote station to the first remote station to indicate the granting of access to the mobile robot.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein the access request includes a priority that is evaluated by the second remote station to determine access to the mobile robot.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the remote stations may be given priority as a local user, a doctor, a caregiver, a family member, a service user or another mobile robot.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein the mobile robot operates in either an exclusive mode or a sharing mode.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein the access request is initially transmitted to the second remote station.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the access request is initially transmitted to the mobile robot.