InTouch Technologies, Inc. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140156078 | SERVER CONNECTIVITY CONTROL FOR TELE-PRESENCE ROBOT - A robot system with a robot that has a camera and a remote control station that can connect to the robot. The connection can include a plurality of privileges. The system further includes a server that controls which privileges are provided to the remote control station. The privileges may include the ability to control the robot, joint in a multi-cast session and the reception of audio/video from the robot. The privileges can be established and edited through a manager control station. The server may contain a database that defines groups of remote control station that can be connected to groups of robots. The database can be edited to vary the stations and robots within a group. The system may also allow for connectivity between a remote control station at a user programmable time window. | 06-05-2014 |
20140156069 | MEDICAL TELE-ROBOTIC SYSTEM WITH A MASTER REMOTE STATION WITH AN ARBITRATOR - 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. | 06-05-2014 |
20140155755 | Enhanced Diagnostics for a Telepresence Robot - A telepresence device may autonomously check patients. The telepresence device may determine the frequency of checking based on whether the patient has a risk factor. The telepresence device may include an image sensor, a thermal camera, a depth sensor, one or more systems for interacting with patients, or the like. The telepresence device may be configured to evaluate the patient's condition using the one or more sensors. The telepresence device may measure physiological characteristics using Eulerian video magnification, may detect pallor, fluid level, or fluid color, may detect thermal asymmetry, may determine a psychological state from body position or movement, or the like. The telepresence device may determine whether the patient is experiencing a potentially harmful condition, such as sepsis or stroke, and may trigger an alarm if so. To overcome alarm fatigue, the telepresence device may annoy a care provider until the care provider responds to an alarm. | 06-05-2014 |
20140139616 | Enhanced Diagnostics for a Telepresence Robot - A telepresence device may autonomously check patients. The telepresence device may determine the frequency of checking based on whether the patient has a risk factor. The telepresence device may include an image sensor, a thermal camera, a depth sensor, one or more systems for interacting with patients, or the like. The telepresence device may be configured to evaluate the patient's condition using the one or more sensors. The telepresence device may measure physiological characteristics using Eulerian video magnification, may detect pallor, fluid level, or fluid color, may detect thermal asymmetry, may determine a psychological state from body position or movement, or the like. The telepresence device may determine whether the patient is experiencing a potentially harmful condition, such as sepsis or stroke, and may trigger an alarm if so. To overcome alarm fatigue, the telepresence device may annoy a care provider until the care provider responds to an alarm. | 05-22-2014 |
20140135990 | REMOTE PRESENCE SYSTEM INCLUDING A CART THAT SUPPORTS A ROBOT FACE AND AN OVERHEAD CAMERA - A tele-presence system that includes a cart. The cart includes a robot face that has a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker, a robot microphone, and an overhead camera. The system also includes a remote station that is coupled to the robot face and the overhead camera. The remote station includes a station monitor, a station camera, a station speaker and a station microphone. The remote station can display video images captured by the robot camera and/or overhead camera. By way of example, the cart can be used in an operating room, wherein the overhead camera can be placed in a sterile field and the robot face can be used in a non-sterile field. The user at the remote station can conduct a teleconference through the robot face and also obtain a view of a medical procedure through the overhead camera. | 05-15-2014 |
20140046485 | MOBILE VIDEOCONFERENCING ROBOT SYSTEM WITH NETWORK ADAPTIVE DRIVING - A remote control station that controls a robot through a network. The remote control station transmits a robot control command that includes information to move the robot. The remote control station monitors at least one network parameter and scales the robot control command as a function of the network parameter. For example, the remote control station can monitor network latency and scale the robot control command to slow down the robot with an increase in the latency of the network. Such an approach can reduce the amount of overshoot or overcorrection by a user driving the robot. | 02-13-2014 |
20130271556 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VISUALIZING AND MANAGING TELEPRESENCE DEVICES IN HEALTHCARE NETWORKS - Disclosed herein are various embodiments of systems and methods for visualizing, analyzing, and managing telepresence devices operating in a telepresence network of healthcare facilities. The visualization and management system for telepresence devices may display a first viewing level that includes a geographical representation of the location of various telepresence devices. A user may selectively view a global view of all telepresence devices, telepresence devices within a particular region, and/or the details of a particular telepresence device. A user may also access a viewing level of a network of healthcare facilities. The user may view, analyze, and/or manage the healthcare network, telepresence device network, individual telepresence devices, connection rules, and/or other aspects of the healthcare network using the geographical visualization and management tool described herein. | 10-17-2013 |
20130155221 | MOBILE ROBOT WITH A HEAD-BASED MOVEMENT MAPPING SCHEME - A robotic system that includes a mobile robot and a remote input device. The input device may be a joystick that is used to move a camera and a mobile platform of the robot. The system may operate in a mode where the mobile platform moves in a camera reference coordinate system. The camera reference coordinate system is fixed to a viewing image provided by the camera so that movement of the robot corresponds to a direction viewed on a screen. This prevents disorientation during movement of the robot if the camera is panned across a viewing area. | 06-20-2013 |
20130131866 | Protocol for a Remotely Controlled Videoconferencing Robot - A robotic system that includes a robot and a remote station. The remote station can generate control commands that are transmitted to the robot through a broadband network. The control commands can be interpreted by the robot to induce action such as robot movement or focusing a robot camera. The robot can generate reporting commands that are transmitted to the remote station through the broadband network. The reporting commands can provide positional feedback or system reports on the robot. | 05-23-2013 |
20130113871 | TELE-PRESENCE SYSTEM WITH A USER INTERFACE THAT DISPLAYS DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION LINKS - 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. | 05-09-2013 |
20130066469 | MOBILE VIDEOCONFERENCING ROBOT SYSTEM WITH NETWORK ADAPTIVE DRIVING - A remote control station that controls a robot through a network. The remote control station transmits a robot control command that includes information to move the robot. The remote control station monitors at least one network parameter and scales the robot control command as a function of the network parameter. For example, the remote control station can monitor network latency and scale the robot control command to slow down the robot with an increase in the latency of the network. Such an approach can reduce the amount of overshoot or overcorrection by a user driving the robot. | 03-14-2013 |
20120191464 | Telerobotic System with a Dual Application Screen Presentation - A proctoring system that includes a communication device coupled to a remote station. The remote station has a visual display that displays first information relating to an action that causes an effect on an object, and simultaneously displays second information relating to the effect on the object. The remote station includes at least one input device that allows a communication to be transmitted by an operator to the communication device. By way of example, during the deployment of a heart stent, a specialist doctor may remotely view real-time fluoroscopy imagery and patient hemodynamics. The specialist can remotely proctor medical personnel on the proper orientation and timing requirements for installing the stent. | 07-26-2012 |
20110292193 | TELE-ROBOTIC SYSTEM WITH A ROBOT FACE PLACED ON A CHAIR - A robot system that includes a robot face with a monitor, a camera, a speaker and a microphone. The robot face is connected to a stand that can be placed in a chair. The stand is configured so that the robot face is at a height that approximates the location of a person's head if they were sitting in the chair. The robot face is coupled to a remote station that can be operated by a user. The face includes a monitor that displays a video image of a user of the remote station. The stand may be coupled to the robot face with articulated joints that can be controlled by the remote station. By way of example, the user at the remote station can cause the face to pan and/or tilt. | 12-01-2011 |
20110288417 | MOBILE VIDEOCONFERENCING ROBOT SYSTEM WITH AUTONOMY AND IMAGE ANALYSIS - A robot system that can move about two or more patient beds. The robot includes a monitor and an infrared camera that are coupled to a mobile platform. The robot also includes a controller that is programmed to autonomously move the mobile platform from one patient to another patient and process images captured by the infrared camera to determine if one or more of the patients needs assistance. By way of example, the robot can determine whether a patient is out of a bed, or in a position wherein they may fall out of the bed. The robot may be coupled to a remote station that allows an operator to move the robot and conduct a videoconference with the patient. The image captured by the infrared robot camera can be utilized to analyze blood flow of the patient. The robot can also be utilized to perform neurological analysis. | 11-24-2011 |
20110213210 | PORTABLE TELEPRESENCE APPARATUS - A telepresence system that includes a portable telepresence apparatus coupled to a remote control station. The telepresence apparatus comprises a monitor, a camera, a speaker, a microphone and a viewfinder screen coupled to a housing. The view finder screen allows the user to view the image being captured by the camera. The portable telepresence apparatus is a hand held device that can be moved by a holder of the device in response to audio commands from the remote station. The telepresence apparatus can be used by medical personnel to remotely view a patient in a fast and efficient manner. | 09-01-2011 |
20110190930 | ROBOT USER INTERFACE FOR TELEPRESENCE ROBOT SYSTEM - A robot system that includes a remote control station and a robot that has a camera, a monitor and a microphone. The robot includes a user interface that allows a user to link the remote control station to access the robot. By way of example, the user interface may include a list of remote control stations that can be selected by a user at the robot site to link the robot to the selected control station. The user interface can display a connectivity prompt that allows a user at the robot site to grant access to the robot. The connectivity prompt is generated in response to a request for access by a remote control station. The robot may include a laser pointer and a button that allows a user at the robot site to turn the laser pointer on and off. | 08-04-2011 |
20110187875 | ROBOT FACE USED IN A STERILE ENVIRONMENT - A robot system that includes a robot face with a monitor, a camera, a speaker and a microphone. The system may include a removable handle attached to the robot face. The robot face may be controlled through a remote controller. The handle can be remove and replaced with another handle. The remote controller can be covered with a sterile drape or sterilized after each use of the system. The handle and remote controller allow the robot to be utilized in a clean environment such as an operating room without requiring the robot face to be sterilized after a medical procedure. The robot face can be attached to a boom with active joints. The robot face may include a user interface that allows a user to individually move the active joints of the boom. | 08-04-2011 |
20100131103 | SERVER CONNECTIVITY CONTROL FOR TELE-PRESENCE ROBOT - A robot system with a robot that has a camera and a remote control station that can connect to the robot. The connection can include a plurality of privileges. The system further includes a server that controls which privileges are provided to the remote control station. The privileges may include the ability to control the robot, joint in a multi-cast session and the reception of audio/video from the robot. The privileges can be established and edited through a manager control station. The server may contain a database that defines groups of remote control station that can be connected to groups of robots. The database can be edited to vary the stations and robots within a group. The system may also allow for connectivity between a remote control station at a user programmable time window. | 05-27-2010 |
20100070079 | MOBILE VIDEOCONFERENCING ROBOT SYSTEM WITH NETWORK ADAPTIVE DRIVING - A remote control station that controls a robot through a network. The remote control station transmits a robot control command that includes information to move the robot. The remote control station monitors at least one network parameter and scales the robot control command as a function of the network parameter. For example, the remote control station can monitor network latency and scale the robot control command to slow down the robot with an increase in the latency of the network. Such an approach can reduce the amount of overshoot or overcorrection by a user driving the robot. | 03-18-2010 |
20090125147 | REMOTE CONTROLLED ROBOT SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES MEDICAL IMAGES - A remote controlled robot system that includes a mobile robot and a remote control station. The mobile robot is controlled by the remote control station and includes a robot monitor, and a robot camera that captures a robot image. The system also includes a medical image device that can be coupled to the robot. The remote control station includes a camera that captures a remote station image, and a monitor that displays the robot image captured by the robot camera in a robot view field, displays the remote station image in a station view field. The robot transmits the robot and medical images to the remote control station such that a larger portion of a network bandwidth is allocated for the medical image than the robot image. | 05-14-2009 |
20090105882 | Medical Tele-Robotic System - 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. | 04-23-2009 |
20090105881 | Medical Tele-Robotic System - 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. | 04-23-2009 |