MULTI-CAMERA MOBILE TELECONFERENCING PLATFORM

• US 20160046024A1
• Filed: 10/27/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Pinter, Marco, Southard, Jonathan, Laby, Keith Phillip, Herzog, John Cody
• Granted Patent: US 10,259,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/06 Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/021 Optical sensing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/00 Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages B25J1/00 takes precedence; programme-controlled manipulators B25J9/00 ; vehicle aspects B60, B62, e.g. remote-controlled steering for motor vehicles B62D1/24; control of position of vehicles G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• 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. A user can control movement of the robot from the remote control station. The mobile robot includes a camera system that can capture and transmit to the remote station a zoom image and a non-zoom image. The remote control station includes a monitor that displays a robot view field. The robot view field can display the non-zoom image. The zoom image can be displayed in the robot view field by highlighting an area of the non-zoom field. The remote control station may also store camera locations that allow a user to move the camera system to preset locations.

Claims

1. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a mobile robot with a camera system that can capture a zoom image and a non-zoom image; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said mobile robot, said remote control station includes a monitor that displays a robot view field and a graphical user interface function that switches said robot view field to display said zoom image or said non-zoom image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said graphical user interface function includes a highlighted area.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said highlighted area is initiated by depressing a mouse.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said camera system includes a first camera that provides said zoom image and a second camera that provides said non-zoom image.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said camera system moves to a center of said highlighted area.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said remote control station includes at least one stored camera position.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said remote control station includes a keyboard and said stored camera position is stored by depressing a key on said keyboard.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said mobile robot moves said camera system to said stored camera position in response to said key being depressed.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said monitor displays an indication that said stored camera position has been stored.

10. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a mobile robot with a movable camera system; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said mobile robot, said remote control station stores a camera position and transmits a command to said mobile robot to move said camera system to said stored camera position.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said remote control station includes a keyboard and said stored camera position is stored by depressing a key on said keyboard.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said robot moves said camera system to said stored camera position in response to said key being depressed.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said monitor displays an indication that said stored camera position has been stored.

14. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a mobile robot with camera means for capturing a zoom image and a non-zoom image; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said mobile robot, said remote control station includes a monitor that displays a robot view field and switching means for switching said robot view field to display said zoom image or said non-zoom image.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said switching means includes a highlighted area.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said highlighted area is initiated by depressing a mouse.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said camera means includes a first camera that provides said zoom image and a second camera that provides said non-zoom image.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said camera means moves to a center of said highlighted area.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said remote control station includes at least one stored camera position.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said remote control station includes a keyboard and said stored camera position is stored by depressing a key on said keyboard.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said robot moves said camera system to said stored camera position in response to said key being depressed.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein said monitor displays an indication that said stored camera position has been stored.

23. A remote controlled robot system, comprising:

a mobile robot with a movable camera system; and

,

a remote control station that transmits commands to control said mobile robot, said remote control station having storing means for storing a camera position, and transmits a command to said mobile robot to move said camera system to said stored camera position.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said remote control station includes a keyboard and said stored camera position is stored by depressing a key on said keyboard.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said robot moves said camera system to said stored camera position in response to said key being depressed.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein said monitor displays an indication that said stored camera position has been stored.

27. A method for remotely controlling a robot that has a camera, comprising:

transmitting a robot control command from a remote control station;

receiving the robot control command at a robot that has a camera;

moving the robot in accordance with the robot control command;

displaying on a monitor of the remote control station a non-zoom image in a robot view field; and

,

switching the robot view field to display a zoom image.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the zoom image corresponds to an area of the non-zoom image that is highlighted.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising storing a camera position.

30. A method for remotely controlling a robot that has a camera, comprising:

transmitting a robot control command from a remote control station;

receiving the robot control command at a robot that has a camera;

moving the robot in accordance with the robot control command;

storing a camera position in the remote control station;

transmitting the camera position to the robot; and

,

moving the camera to the stored camera position.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the camera position is stored by depressing a key of a keyboard.