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US 9,179,051 B1Granted
Voice-activated hands-free camera holder systems
OwnerClara Stoudtinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A voice-activated hands-free camera holder system is removably-installable to a patient operating station for adjustably-positioning a micro-camera via a plurality of verbal commands to assist a medical provider, such as a surgeon, during a surgical procedure. The voice-activated hands-free camera holder system includes a voice-activation assembly and a manual controller unit enabling the user to manipulate the micro-camera such that both hands of the user remain free for use during the procedure while providing the user with an ideal vantage angle for observation.
Claims20
A voice-activated hands-free camera holder system comprising:
- a supporting bar;
- a voice-activation assembly comprising;
- a voice-activation housing;
- at least one voice-activation processor;
- at least one microphone;
- and
- a power source;
- an adjustable arm;
- a manual controller unit;
- and
- an extendable wand comprising at least one camera-housing for retaining at least one micro-camera;
- wherein said supporting bar, said voice-activation assembly, said adjustable arm, said manual controller unit, and said extendable wand comprises in functional combination said voice-activated hands-free camera holder system;
- wherein said supporting bar comprises a rectangular member having a proximal end and a distal end;
- wherein said distal end of said rectangular member comprises at least one clamp;
- wherein said proximal end of said rectangular member comprises a voice-activation assembly connecting point for connecting said voice-activation housing of said voice-activation assembly to said supporting bar;
- wherein said voice-activation housing, said at least one voice-activation processor, said at least one microphone, and said power source comprise in functional combination said voice-activation assembly;
- wherein said voice-activation housing comprises a box-like enclosure having a first-side, a second-side, a top-side, and a bottom-side;
- wherein said at least one voice-activation processor, said at least one microphone, and said power source are fixedly mounted within said voice-activation housing;
- wherein said at least one voice-activation processor, said at least one microphone, and said power source are in electrical communication;
- wherein said at least one voice-activation processor operates said voice-activation assembly when activated and verbally manipulated by a user;
- wherein said voice-activation assembly is powered by said power source, said power source comprising a power cable connectable to at least one external power supplier;
- wherein said voice-activation assembly connecting point is rotatably-connected to said first-side of said voice-activation housing via a ball-and-socket joint;
- wherein said top-side of said voice-activation housing comprises said microphone comprising an acoustic-to-electric transducer useful to cause said voice-activation assembly to be verbally manipulated by said user;
- wherein said adjustable arm comprises an elongated flexible member having a first-end and a second-end;
- wherein said second-side of said voice-activation housing comprises an adjustable arm opening for fixedly retaining said first-end of said adjustable arm;
- wherein an arm-receiving-side of said manual controller unit is fixedly attached to said second-end of said adjustable arm;
- wherein said manual controller unit comprises a plurality of camera-operating-buttons for manually controlling said at least one micro-camera of said extendable wand;
- wherein a camera-side of said manual controller unit is fixedly mounted to a proximal-receiving end of said extendable wand;
- wherein said at least one camera-housing is located on a distal-recording end of said extendable wand;
- wherein said at least one micro-camera is in communication with at least one monitor for display in real time;
- and wherein said voice-activated hands-free camera holder system is useful for enabling said user performing a surgical procedure on a patient to manipulate said at least one micro-camera in a hands-free manner by speaking aloud at least one camera-movement verbal command into said at least one microphone of said voice-activation assembly and alternatively enabling said user to manipulate said at least one micro-camera manually via said plurality of camera-operating-buttons of said manual controller unit and having an image displayed on said monitor for enabling use of both hands of said user during said surgical procedure.
28 more elements
A voice-activated hands-free camera holder system comprising:
- a supporting bar manufactured of sterilized stainless steel to withstand a sterilization process;
- a voice-activation assembly comprising;
- a voice-activation housing;
- at least one voice-activation processor;
- at least one microphone;
- and
- a power source;
- an adjustable arm manufactured of sterilized stainless steel to withstand said sterilization process;
- a manual controller unit;
- and
- an extendable wand manufactured of sterilized stainless steel to withstand said sterilization process, said extendable wand comprising at least one camera-housing for retaining at least one micro-camera, said extendable wand further comprising a plurality of telescopic-coils which enable said extendable wand to extend and retract;
- wherein said supporting bar, said voice-activation assembly, said adjustable arm, said manual controller unit, and said extendable wand comprises in functional combination said voice-activated hands-free camera holder system;
- wherein said supporting bar comprises a rectangular member having a proximal end and a distal end;
- wherein said distal end of said rectangular member comprises at least one clamp, said clamp comprising a C-clamp, said C-clamp useful for non-movably attaching said support bar to at least one rail of a patient operating station, said C-clamp further enabling said supporting bar to adjust vertically approximately 6-8″ for allowing said user to adjust said supporting bar to a user-preferred height;
- wherein said proximal end of said rectangular member comprises a voice-activation assembly connecting point for connecting said voice-activation housing of said voice-activation assembly to said supporting bar;
- wherein said voice-activation housing, said at least one voice-activation processor, said at least one microphone, and said power source comprise in functional combination said voice-activation assembly;
- wherein said voice-activation housing comprises a box-like enclosure having a first-side, a second-side, a top-side, and a bottom-side;
- wherein said at least one voice-activation processor, said at least one microphone, and said power source are fixedly mounted within said voice-activation housing;
- wherein said at least one voice-activation processor, said at least one microphone, and said power source are in electrical communication;
- wherein said at least one voice-activation processor operates said voice-activation assembly when activated and verbally manipulated by a user;
- wherein said voice-activation assembly is powered by said power source, said power source comprising a power cable connectable to at least one external power supplier;
- wherein said voice-activation assembly connecting point is rotatably-connected to said first-side of said voice-activation housing via a ball-and-socket joint;
- wherein said top-side of said voice-activation housing comprises said microphone comprising an acoustic-to-electric transducer useful to cause said voice-activation assembly to be verbally manipulated by said user;
- wherein said adjustable arm comprises an elongated flexible member having a first-end and a second-end;
- wherein said second-side of said voice-activation housing comprises an adjustable arm opening for fixedly retaining said first-end of said adjustable arm;
- wherein an arm-receiving-side of said manual controller unit is fixedly attached to said second-end of said adjustable arm;
- wherein said manual controller unit comprises a plurality of camera-operating-buttons for manually controlling said at least one micro-camera of said extendable wand;
- wherein a camera-side of said manual controller unit is fixedly mounted to a proximal-receiving end of said extendable wand;
- wherein said at least one camera-housing is located on a distal-recording end of said extendable wand;
- wherein said at least one camera-housing comprises a camera-panner enabling said at least one micro-camera to pan left, pan right, pan up, or pan down;
- wherein an extension of said extendable wand comprises a zoom in function;
- wherein a retraction of said extendable wand comprises a zoom out function;
- wherein said user is able to execute at least one camera-movement verbal command by vocalizing said at least one camera-movement verbal command aloud into said microphone;
- wherein said at least one camera-movement verbal command comprises said zoom in function and alternatively said zoom out function for causing said extendable wand to extend and alternatively retract in said hands-free manner accordingly;
- wherein said user is able to speak aloud said at least one camera-movement verbal command for panning said at least one micro-camera left, right, up, and down via said camera panner;
- wherein said at least one micro-camera is in communication with at least one monitor;
- wherein said at least one micro-camera is fittable into a 5 mm trocar device;
- wherein said 5 mm trocar device is insertable into an abdomen of said patient during said surgical procedure;
- and
- wherein said voice-activated hands-free camera holder system is useful for enabling a user performing a surgical procedure on a patient to manipulate said at least one micro-camera in a hands-free manner by speaking aloud at least one camera-movement verbal command into said at least one microphone of said voice-activation assembly and alternatively enabling said user to manipulate said at least one micro-camera manually via said plurality of camera-operating-buttons of said manual controller unit and having an image displayed on said monitor for enabling use of both hands of said user during said surgical procedure.
37 more elements
A method of providing and using a voice-activated hands-free camera holder system comprising the steps of:
- providing a voice-activated hands-free camera holder system comprising:
- a supporting bar;
- a voice-activation assembly comprising;
- a voice-activation housing;
- at least one voice-activation processor;
- at least one microphone;
- and
- a power source;
- an adjustable arm;
- a manual controller unit;
- and
- an extendable wand comprising at least one camera-housing for retaining at least one micro-camera;
- wherein said supporting bar, said voice-activation assembly, said adjustable arm, said manual controller unit, and said extendable wand comprises in functional combination said voice-activated hands-free camera holder system;
- wherein said supporting bar comprises a rectangular member having a proximal end and a distal end;
- wherein said distal end of said rectangular member comprises at least one clamp;
- wherein said proximal end of said rectangular member comprises a voice-activation assembly connecting point for connecting said voice-activation housing of said voice-activation assembly to said supporting bar;
- wherein said voice-activation housing, said at least one voice-activation processor, said at least one microphone, and said power source comprise in functional combination said voice-activation assembly;
- wherein said voice-activation housing comprises a box-like enclosure having a first-side, a second-side, a top-side, and a bottom-side;
- wherein said at least one voice-activation processor, said at least one microphone, and said power source are fixedly mounted within said voice-activation housing;
- wherein said at least one voice-activation processor, said at least one microphone, and said power source are in electrical communication;
- wherein said at least one voice-activation processor operates said voice-activation assembly when activated and verbally manipulated by a user;
- wherein said voice-activation assembly is powered by said power source, said power source comprising a power cable connectable to at least one external power supplier;
- wherein said voice-activation assembly connecting point is rotatably-connected to said first-side of said voice-activation housing via a ball-and-socket joint;
- wherein said top-side of said voice-activation housing comprises said microphone comprising an acoustic-to-electric transducer useful to cause said voice-activation assembly to be verbally manipulated by said user;
- wherein said adjustable arm comprises an elongated flexible member having a first-end and a second-end;
- wherein said second-side of said voice-activation housing comprises an adjustable arm opening for fixedly retaining said first-end of said adjustable arm;
- wherein an arm-receiving-side of said manual controller unit is fixedly attached to said second-end of said adjustable arm;
- wherein said manual controller unit comprises a plurality of camera-operating-buttons for manually controlling said at least one micro-camera of said extendable wand;
- wherein a camera-side of said manual controller unit is fixedly mounted to a proximal-receiving end of said extendable wand;
- wherein said at least one camera-housing is located on a distal-recording end of said extendable wand;
- wherein said at least one micro-camera is in communication with at least one monitor for display in real time;
- and
- wherein said voice-activated hands-free camera holder system is useful for enabling said user performing a surgical procedure on a patient to manipulate said at least one micro-camera in a hands-free manner by speaking aloud at least one camera-movement verbal command into said at least one microphone of said voice-activation assembly and alternatively enabling said user to manipulate said at least one micro-camera manually via said plurality of camera-operating-buttons of said manual controller unit and having an image displayed on said monitor for enabling use of both hands of said user during said surgical procedure;
- installing said supporting bar to a patient operating station;
- activating said voice-activation assembly;
- positioning said adjustable arm;
- recording said surgical procedure;
- and
- viewing a user-preferred viewing angle of said surgical procedure on at least one said monitor for display in real time.
36 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.