# US 2021/0241902 A1 · Medical tele-robotic system with a master remote station with an arbitrator

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- Number: US 2021/0241902 A1
- Document ID: US20210241902A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/146,129
- Filed: 2021-01-11
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2002-07-25
- Assignees: Teladoc Health, Inc.
- Applicants: Teladoc Health, Inc.
- Inventors: Yulun Wang; Charles S. Jordan; Keith Phillip Laby; Jonathan Southard
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210241902A1

## CPC

- G16H 40/67: for remote operation
- B25J 9/1689: {Teleoperation}
- B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems}
- B25J 19/023: {including video camera means}
- G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)}
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- Y10S 901/01: Mobile robot
- Y10S 901/47: Optical
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A robotic system that includes a mobile robot linked to a plurality of remote stations. One of the remote stations includes an arbitrator that controls access to the robot. Each remote station may be assigned a priority that is used by the arbitrator to determine which station has access to the robot. The arbitrator may include notification and call back mechanisms for sending messages relating to an access request and a granting of access for a remote station.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-60. (canceled)

### Claim 61

A robotic teleconferencing system, comprising:
a first teleconferencing device and a second teleconferencing device that each has a camera that can generate video and be remotely controlled in at least three degrees of freedom, a monitor, a speaker, and a microphone that can generate audio;
a first remote station that can access the first or second teleconferencing device, the first remote station including a camera, a monitor that can receive video from the first or second teleconferencing device, a microphone, a speaker that can produce audio provided by the first or second teleconferencing device, and an input device that can be used to control the camera of the first or second teleconferencing device;
a second remote station that can access the first or second teleconferencing device, the second remote station including a camera, a monitor that can receive video from the first or second teleconferencing device, a microphone, a speaker that can produce audio provided by the first or second teleconferencing device, and an input device that can be used to control the camera of the first or second teleconferencing device; and,
a server coupled to the first and second teleconferencing devices and the first and second remote stations, the server allows exclusive access to the first teleconferencing device by the first remote station wherein the camera of the first teleconferencing device is controlled by the input device of the first remote station, the video and audio from the first teleconferencing device is provided to the first remote station, the image and audio are not provided to the second remote station, and the camera of the first teleconferencing device is not controlled by the input device of the second remote station, and even though the second remote station is prevented from accessing the first teleconferencing device the server allows the second remote station to access the second teleconferencing device.

### Claim 62 (depends on 61)

The system of claim 61, wherein the server includes a notification mechanism.

### Claim 63 (depends on 61)

The system of claim 61, wherein the server includes a timeout mechanism.

### Claim 64 (depends on 61)

The system of claim 61, wherein the server includes a queue mechanism.

### Claim 65 (depends on 61)

The system of claim 61, wherein the server includes a call back mechanism.

### Claim 66 (depends on 61)

The system of claim 61, wherein the first and second remote stations each have a priority and the server provides teleconferencing device access to the remote station with a highest priority.

### Claim 67 (depends on 66)

The system of claim 66, wherein the remote stations are given priority as a local user, a doctor, a caregiver, a family member, a service user or another teleconferencing device.

### Claim 68

A method for controlling access to a plurality of teleconferencing devices, comprising:
providing a first teleconferencing device and a second teleconferencing device that each have a monitor, a camera that can generate video and be remotely controlled in at least two degrees of freedom, a speaker, and a microphone that can generate audio;
providing a plurality of remote stations, including a first remote station and a second remote station, each remote station including a camera, a monitor that can receive video from the first or second teleconferencing device, a microphone, a speaker that can produce audio provided by the first or second teleconferencing device, and an input device that can be used to control the camera of the first or second teleconferencing device;
transmitting a request to access the first teleconferencing device from the first remote station;
transmitting a request to access the first teleconferencing device from the second remote station;
allowing exclusive access to the first teleconferencing device by the first remote station wherein the video and audio from the first teleconferencing device is provided to the first remote station and the image, the camera of the first teleconferencing device is controlled by the input device of the first remote station, the video audio are not provided to the second remote station, and the camera of the first teleconferencing device is not controlled by the input device of the second remote station;
transmitting a request to access the second teleconferencing device from the second remote station; and,
accessing the second teleconferencing device by the second remote station.

### Claim 69 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, further comprising receiving a request to access the first teleconferencing device from the second remote station and notifying the first remote station of the request.

### Claim 70 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, further comprising creating a time interval in which the first remote station must relinquish access to the first teleconferencing device.

### Claim 71 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, wherein the request from the second remote station is placed in a waiting list queue.

### Claim 72 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, further comprising transmitting a call back message to the second remote station to indicate the granting of access to the first teleconferencing device.

### Claim 73 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, wherein the access request includes a priority that is evaluated to determine access to the first teleconferencing device.

### Claim 74 (depends on 73)

The method of claim 73, wherein the remote stations are given priority as a local user, a doctor, a caregiver, a family member, a service user or another teleconferencing device.

### Claim 75 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, wherein the second teleconferencing device operates in either an exclusive mode or a sharing mode.

### Claim 76 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, wherein the second remote station's request to access the first teleconferencing device is initially transmitted to a server.

### Claim 77 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, wherein the second remote station's request to access the first teleconferencing device is initially transmitted to the first teleconferencing device.