Tele-presence system with a user interface that displays different communication links

• US 9,715,337 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Roe, David, Ballantyne, James, Temby, Kelton, Rosenthal, James
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US14/454,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20140347269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7465 Arrangements for interactive communication between patient and care services, e.g. by using a telephone network telemetry of measured physiological signal A61B5/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• 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 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN

Abstract

A tele-presence system that includes a remote device coupled to a control station through a communication link. The remote device includes a remote monitor, a remote camera, a remote speaker and a remote microphone. Likewise, the control station includes a station monitor, a station camera, a station speaker and a station microphone. The control station displays a plurality of graphical icons that each represents a different type of communication link between the control station and the remote device. The graphical icons can be selected to allow a user of the control station to change the communication link between the remote device and its initial node.

Claims

1. A control station, at a first location, that establishes a communication session with a remote device at a second location through at least an initial node, the remote device has a remote camera, a remote monitor, a remote speaker and a remote microphone, the control station comprising:

a station camera;

a station monitor;

a station speaker; and

,

a station microphone, wherein, during said communication session, said station monitor displays a graphical interface including a plurality of graphical icons that each represent a different type of communication link between the remote device and the initial node, and wherein said graphical interface is not displayed on the remote monitor.

2. The control station of claim 1, wherein said graphical icons are selectable to change the type of communication link.

3. The control station of claim 1, wherein said graphical icons display whether a type of communication link is available.

4. The control station of claim 1, wherein a graphical dialog box is displayed that informs a user that a better type of communication is available and allows the user to select the better type of communication.

5. A telepresence system that is coupled to at least an initial node, comprising:

a remote device at a first location, the remote device includes a remote camera, a remote monitor, a remote speaker and a remote microphone; and

,

a control station at a second location, the control station includes a station camera, a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone, wherein said control station establishes a communication session with said remote device and, during said communication session, said station monitor displays a graphical interface including a plurality of graphical icons that each represent a different type of communication link between said remote device and the initial node, and wherein said graphical interface is not displayed on said remote monitor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said graphical icons are selectable to change the type of communication link.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said graphical icons display whether a type of communication link is available.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein a graphical dialog box is displayed that informs a user that a better type of communication is available and allows the user to selected the better type of communication.

9. A method for communicating between a control station at a first location and a remote device at a second location, the control station and the remote device are coupled by at least an initial node, comprising:

establishing, by the control station, a communication session with the remote device;

transmitting an image that is captured by a station camera to the remote device;

transmitting an image that is captured by a remote camera to the control station;

transmitting an audio instruction from the control station to the remote device; and

,

displaying, on a monitor of the control station, an image captured by the remote camera and a graphical interface including a plurality of graphical icons that each represent a different type of communication link between the remote device and the initial node; and

,

displaying, on a monitor of the remote device, an image captured by the station camera and not displaying the graphical interface on the monitor of the remote device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting one of the graphical icons to change the type of communication link.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the graphical icon is selected while a user of the remote device is moving with a patient through a healthcare facility.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the graphical icons display whether a type of communication link is available.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a graphical dialog box that informs a user that a better type of communication is available, and selecting the better type of communication.