Tele-presence robot system with multi-cast features

• US 9,842,192 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teladoc Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Touch Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Wang, Yulun, Jordan, Charles S., Pinter, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Application Number:
  US12/218,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,441 Days
• Field of Search: 715750, 715751, 715753, 715756, 715755, 715758, 715759
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40136 Stereo audio and vision
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40146 Telepresence, teletaction, sensor feedback from slave to operator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40169 Display of actual situation at the remote site
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40174 Robot teleoperation through internet
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45117 Medical, radio surgery 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: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A graphical user interface for a remote controlled robot system that includes a robot view field that displays information provided by a robot and an observer view field that display observer information about one or more observers that can receive the robot information. The interface has various features that allow a master user to control the observation and participation of the observers.

Claims

1. A robot system, comprising:

a robot including a robot camera and a robot monitor;

a first remote station that is coupled to and controls a movement the robot, the first remote station includes a first station camera and a first station monitor that displays a display user interface including a robot view field that displays video provided by the robot camera;

a second remote station that is coupled to the robot, the second remote station includes a second station camera and a second station monitor that displays video provided by the robot camera, wherein the display user interface displayed at the first remote station includes an observer view field that displays observer information about an observer at the second remote station, a selectable feature that allows a user of the first remote station to transfer control of the movement of said robot to said second remote station while continuing to display video provided by the robot at said first remote station, and wherein the robot monitor displays an image provided by the first station camera and not the second station camera when the first remote station controls the robot and the robot monitor displays an image provided by the second station camera and not the first station camera when the second remote station controls the robot.

2. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a station view field that displays video provided by the camera of the first remote station.

3. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising one or more messages that allow an observer to join a session.

4. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a selectable feature that controls a transmission of audio from an observer remote control station to said robot.

5. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a selectable feature that controls a transmission of video from an observer remote control station to said robot.

6. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a selectable feature that controls a transmission of audio from said robot to an observer remote control station.

7. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a selectable feature that controls a transmission of video from said robot to an observer remote control station.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said movement of said robot is a movement of a camera on said robot.

9. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a selectable feature that allows an observer remote control station to receive instrument data from an instrument coupled to said robot.

10. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a selectable feature that allows an observer remote control station to annotate said robot videos, said annotation being displayed in said robot view field.

11. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a selectable feature that disconnects an observer remote control station.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said observer view field displays a video image provided by said second remote station.

13. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a dialog box that displays a system bandwidth usage and allows a user to vary said system bandwidth usage.

14. The system of claim 1, said display user interface further comprising a selectable feature that allows communication only between a plurality of remote control stations.