Graphical interface for a remote presence system

• US 20070198130A1
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Yulun, Pinter, Marco, Brallier, Greg, Mears, Jon, Jordan, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• 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

Abstract

A robot system that includes a mobile robot and a portable control station that communicate through a cellular network. Utilizing a cellular network allows the control station to be a portable device such as a laptop computer or a personal digital assistant.

Claims

1. A robot system, comprising:

a mobile robot that has a camera that captures an image; and

,

a portable control station that is coupled to said mobile robot to receive and display said captured image, said portable control station transmits a plurality of cellular signals that control movement of said mobile robot.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said cellular signals contain information in TCP/IP format.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable control station includes a laptop computer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable control station includes a personal digital assistant.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile robot includes a mobile platform and a camera head, said portable control station includes an input that can be used to control said mobile platform and said camera head.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile robot includes a microphone, a speaker and a monitor, said portable control station includes one or more graphical user interfaces with selectable inputs to vary parameters of said mobile robot.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable control station includes a microphone, a speaker and a monitor, said portable control station includes one or more graphical user interfaces with selectable inputs to vary parameters of said mobile robot.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a base station that is coupled to said portable control station and wirelessly coupled to said mobile robot.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable control station includes a cellular transceiver card.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable control station includes a cellular transceiver card.

10. A robot system, comprising:

a cellular network;

a mobile robot that is coupled to said cellular network and has a camera that captures an image; and

,

a portable control station that is coupled to said cellular network and said mobile robot to receive and display said captured image, said portable control station transmits a plurality of cellular signals through said cellular network that control movement of said mobile robot.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said cellular signals contain information in TCP/IP format.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said portable control station includes a laptop computer.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said portable control station includes a personal digital assistant.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said mobile robot includes a mobile platform and a camera head, said portable control station includes an input that can be used to control said mobile platform and said camera head.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said mobile robot includes a microphone, a speaker and a monitor, said portable control station includes one or more graphical user interfaces with selectable inputs to vary parameters of said mobile robot.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said portable control station includes a microphone, a speaker and a monitor, said portable control station includes one or more graphical user interfaces with selectable inputs to vary parameters of said mobile robot.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising a base station that is coupled to said portable control station and wirelessly coupled to said mobile robot.

19. A method for operating a robot, comprising:

transmitting a plurality of cellular signals through a cellular network from a portable control station to a mobile robot;

moving the mobile robot in response to the cellular signals;

transmitting an image captured by a camera of the mobile robot to the portable control station through the cellular network; and

,

displaying the image at the portable control station.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the cellular signals contain information in TCP/IP format.