Medical tele-robotic system

• US 20050240310A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Laby, Keith Phillip, Southard, Jonathan, Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Butner, Steven Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,310,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

44. (canceled)

45. (canceled)

46. (canceled)

47. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

49. (canceled)

50. (canceled)

51. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

53. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

55. (canceled)

56. (canceled)

57. (canceled)

58. (canceled)

59. (canceled)

60. (canceled)

61. (canceled)

62. (canceled)

63. (canceled)

64. (canceled)

65. (canceled)

66. (canceled)

67. (canceled)

68. (canceled)

69. (canceled)

70. (canceled)

71. (canceled)

72. (canceled)

73. (canceled)

74. (canceled)

75. (canceled)

76. (canceled)

77. (canceled)

78. (canceled)

79. (canceled)

80. (canceled)

81. (canceled)

82. (canceled)

83. (canceled)

84. (canceled)

85. (canceled)

86. A robot that is coupled to a remote station operated by an operator, the remote station includes a camera that captures an image of the operator, comprising:

a housing;

a mobile platform attached to said housing;

a camera attached to said housing;

a monitor that is attached to said housing and displays the image of the operator; and

,

a controller that is attached to said housing and coupled to mobile platform.

87. The robot of claim 86, further comprising a broadband interface attached to said housing and coupled to the remote station.

88. The robot of claim 86, wherein the image is a video image of an operator.

89. The robot of claim 86, further comprising a speaker coupled to said housing.

90. The robot of claim 86, further comprising a microphone coupled to said housing.

91. The robot of claim 87, wherein said broadband interface includes a wireless transceiver.

92. The robot of claim 86, wherein said mobile platform includes a plurality of roller assemblies.

93. The robot of claim 86, further comprising a mass storage device that is coupled to said controller and stores an image that can be displayed by said monitor.

94. A remote controlled robotic system, comprising:

a broadband network;

a remote station coupled to said broadband network, said remote station including a camera that can capture an image of the operator that is transmitted through said broadband network; and

,

a mobile robot that is coupled to said broadband network, said robot having a camera, and a monitor that displays said image of the operator.

95. The system of claim 94, wherein said mobile robot moves in response to commands sent from said remote station.

96. The system of claim 94, wherein the image is a video image of an operator.

97. The system of claim 94, wherein said robot includes a speaker that emits sounds generated by the operator.

98. The system of claim 94, wherein said robot includes a microphone.

99. The system of claim 94, wherein said robot includes a wireless transceiver.

100. The system of claim 94, wherein said robot includes a mobile platform that has a plurality of roller assemblies.

101. The system of claim 94, wherein said robot includes a mass storage device that stores an image that can be displayed by said monitor.

102. A method for creating a tele-presence, comprising:

capturing an image of an operator operating a remote station;

transmitting the image of the operator to a mobile robot;

displaying the image of the operator on a monitor of the mobile robot;

transmitting a command from the remote station to move the mobile robot; and

,

moving the mobile in response to the command.

103. The method of claim 102, wherein the image of the operator is a video image.

104. The method of claim 102, wherein a sound generated by the operator is transmitted from the remote station and produced by the robot.

105. The method of claim 102, further comprising transmitting an image captured by a robot camera to the remote station.

106. The method of claim 102, wherein the image of the operator is transmitted through a broadband network.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein the command is transmitted through the broadband network.

108. The method of claim 102, further comprising displaying on the robot monitor an image stored in a mass storage device of the robot.