Mobile teleconferencing system that projects an image provided by a mobile robot

• US 20070291128A1
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Pinter, Marco
• Application Number:
  US11/455,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20070291128A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.2
• 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: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A remote controlled robot system that includes a mobile robot and a remote control station. The mobile robot includes a camera that captures an image. The remote control station may include a monitor that displays the image captured by the robot camera. A projector is coupled to the remote control station to project the image. The system allows for the projection of the image captured by the robot to a relatively large viewing audience. The audience can thus view images provided by a moving robot.

Claims

1. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a mobile robot with a screen and a robot camera that captures a robot image;

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said mobile robot, said remote control station includes a monitor that displays the robot image captured by said robot camera, said remote control station including a camera that can capture a station image that is displayed by said mobile robot screen; and

,

a projector that is coupled to said remote control station and projects the image captured by said robot camera.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said projector is connected to an I/O port of said remote control station.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said robot camera provides a zoom image and a non-zoom image.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said robot includes an I/O port that is connected to an electronic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic device provides a feed image that is projected by said projector.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said feed image is graphical.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said feed image is video.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said mobile robot is wirelessly coupled to a wireless transmitter.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a broadband network coupled to said wireless transmitter and said remote control station.

10. A method for projecting a remotely captured image, comprising:

capturing a robot image with a robot camera of a mobile robot;

transmitting the robot image captured by the robot camera to a remote control station used to control movement of the mobile robot;

displaying the image captured by the robot camera on a monitor of the remote control station;

projecting the image captured by the robot camera;

capturing a station image with a camera of the remote station;

transmitting the station image to the mobile robot; and

,

displaying the station image on a screen of the mobile robot.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the robot camera captures either a zoom image or a non-zoom image.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting a feed image from an electronic device connected to the mobile robot to the remote control station and projecting the feed image.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the feed image is graphical.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the feed image is video.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the image is transmitted through a wireless transmitter and a broadband network.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting movement commands from the remote control station to the mobile robot and moving the mobile robot in response to the movement commands.