Medical tele-robotic system
AssigneeIntouch Health
InventorsYulun Wang, Keith Phillip Laby, Charles S. Jordan, Steven Edward Butner, Jonathan Southard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A robotic system that includes a remote controlled robot. The robot may include a camera, a monitor and a holonomic platform all attached to a robot housing. The robot may be controlled by a remote control station that also has a camera and a monitor. The remote control station may be linked to a base station that is wirelessly coupled to the robot. The cameras and monitors allow a care giver at the remote location to monitor and care for a patient through the robot. The holonomic platform allows the robot to move about a home or facility to locate and/or follow a patient.
Claims78
A method for remotely operating a robot to monitor a patient, comprising:
- transmitting a first command to move a mobile robot from a first remote control station;
- transmitting a second command to move the mobile robot from a second remote control station;
- determining which command has priority;
- and,
- moving the mobile robot in response to the transmitted command with priority.
A robot, comprising:
- a housing;
- a movement platform attached to said housing;
- a camera attached to said housing;
- a mass storage device that stores a pre-existing video image of a patient;
- and,
- a controller coupled to said movement platform.
A method for monitoring a patient, comprising:
- storing a pre-existing video image of a patient;
- capturing an existing video image of the patient;
- and,
- transmitting the pre-existing video image and the existing video image to a remote control station.
A robot system, comprising:
- a battery recharger station;
- a robot housing;
- a battery coupled to said robot housing;
- a movement platform attached to said robot housing;
- a camera attached to said robot housing;
- and,
- a controller that is attached to said robot housing and coupled to said movement platform, said controller operates a power management software routine that causes said movement platform to move said robot housing so that said battery is coupled to said battery recharger.
A method for operating a robot, comprising:
- operating a software routine within a robot to determine whether the robot needs power;
- and,
- moving the robot to a battery recharger station when the robot needs power.
A system for remotely visiting a person located in a healthcare facility, comprising:
- a broadband network;
- a remote station that is coupled to said broadband network, said remote station includes a monitor, a speaker and an input device to generate a robot command;
- and,
- a robot that is coupled to said remote station through said broadband network, said robot having a camera that captures video of a person that is transmitted to said remote station and a microphone that captures audio from the person that is transmitted to said remote station, said robot moves across a surface of the healthcare facility in response to receiving said robot command from said remote station.
A system for remotely visiting a person located in a healthcare facility, comprising:
- broadband network means for transmitting information;
- remote station means for receiving video and audio transmitted through said broadband network means and generating a robot command that is transmitted through said broadband network means;
- and,
- robot means for capturing video and audio of a person that is transmitted to said remote station means through said broadband network means, and moving across a surface of the healthcare facility in response to receiving said robot command from said remote station means through said broadband network means.
A robot system, comprising:
- a mobile robot that has a camera and a monitor;
- a first remote station that can access said mobile robot;
- a second remote station that can access said mobile robot;
- and,
- an arbitrator that can control access to said mobile robot by said first and second remote stations.
A robot system, comprising:
- a mobile robot that has a camera and a monitor;
- a first remote station that can access said mobile robot;
- a second remote station that can access said mobile robot;
- and,
- arbitration means for controlling access to said mobile robot by said first and second remote stations.
A robot system, comprising:
- a broadband network;
- a mobile robot that is coupled to said broadband network, and has a camera and a monitor;
- a first remote station that can access said mobile robot through said broadband network;
- a second remote station that can access said mobile robot through said broadband network;
- and,
- an arbitrator that can control access to said mobile robot by said first and second remote stations.
A robot system, comprising:
- a broadband network;
- a mobile robot that is coupled to said broadband network, and has a camera and a monitor;
- a first remote station that can access said mobile robot through said broadband network;
- a second remote station that can access said mobile robot through said broadband network;
- and,
- arbitration means for controlling access to said robot by said first and second remote stations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.