Granted Patent B2

US 8,384,755 · App. 12/548,122 · Granted Feb 26, 2013

Abstract

Claims (64)

1. A method for providing a remote medical consultation, comprising:

capturing an image of a physician with a station camera of a remote station, the remote station includes a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone;

transmitting the physician image to a portable robot face mounted to a platform, the robot face including a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker and a robot microphone;

displaying the physician image on the robot monitor;

capturing an image of a patient with the robot camera;

transmitting the patient image to the remote station;

displaying the patient image on the station monitor of the remote station;

transmitting an audio command from the station microphone to the robot speaker;

detaching the portable robot face from the platform; and,

attaching a wireless identification (ID) device to the patient and moving the patient into a healthcare facility that includes a robot face attached to a boom, the robot face receives a wireless signal from the wireless identification (ID) device and the remote station becomes coupled to the robot face attached to the boom.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the platform is attached to an ambulance.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching the portable robot face to a patient gurney.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the portable robot face to a healthcare facility network through a wireless transceiver of the portable robot face.

5. A method for providing a remote medical consultation, comprising:

capturing an image of a physician with a station camera of a remote station, the remote station includes a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone;

transmitting the physician image to a portable robot face mounted to a platform, the robot face including a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker and a robot microphone;

displaying the physician image on the robot monitor;

capturing an image of a patient with the robot camera;

transmitting the patient image to the remote station;

displaying the patient image on the station monitor of the remote station;

transmitting an audio command from the station microphone to the robot speaker;

moving the patient into a healthcare facility that includes a robot face attached to a boom, the robot face receives a wireless signal from a wireless identification (ID) device associated with the patient; and,

coupling the robot face of the healthcare facility to the remote station.

6. A method for providing medical consultation, comprising:

capturing an image of a physician with a station camera of a remote station, the remote station includes a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone;

transmitting the physician image to a first robot, the first robot includes a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker and a robot microphone;

displaying the physician image on the robot monitor;

capturing an image of a patient with the robot camera;

transmitting the patient image to the remote station;

displaying the patient image on the station monitor of the remote station;

transmitting an audio command from the station microphone to the robot speaker;

moving the patient into a vicinity of a second robot; and,

coupling automatically the remote station to the second robot, wherein the second robot of the healthcare facility receives a wireless signal from a wireless identification (ID) device associated with the patient that causes the remote station to become coupled to the second robot.

7. A method for providing a remote medical consultation, comprising:

capturing an image of a physician with a station camera of a remote station, the remote station includes a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone;

transmitting the physician image to a portable face mounted to an ambulance, the portable face including a face monitor, a face camera, a face speaker and a face microphone;

displaying the physician image on the face monitor;

capturing an image of a patient with the face camera;

transmitting the patient image to the remote station;

displaying the patient image on the station monitor of the remote station;

transmitting an audio command from the station microphone to the face speaker;

detaching the portable face from the ambulance; and,

attaching a wireless identification (ID) device to the patient and moving the patient into a healthcare facility that includes a robot face attached to a boom, the robot face receives a wireless signal from the wireless ID device and the remote station becomes coupled to the robot face.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising coupling the portable face to a healthcare facility network through a wireless transceiver of the portable face.

9. A method for providing a remote medical consultation, comprising:

capturing an image of a physician with a station camera of a remote station, the remote station includes a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone;

transmitting the physician image to a portable face mounted to a platform, the portable face including a face monitor, a face camera, a face speaker and a face microphone;

displaying the physician image on the face monitor;

capturing an image of a patient with the face camera;

transmitting the patient image to the remote station;

displaying the patient image on the station monitor of the remote station;

transmitting an audio command from the station microphone to the face speaker;

moving the patient into a healthcare facility that includes a robot face attached to a boom; and,

coupling the robot face of the healthcare facility to the remote station, wherein the robot face of the healthcare facility receives a wireless signal from a wireless identification (ID) device associated with the patient.

10. A method for providing medical consultation, comprising:

capturing an image of a physician with a station camera of a remote station, the remote station includes a station monitor, a station speaker and a station microphone;

transmitting the physician image to a portable face, the portable face includes a face monitor, a face camera, a face speaker and a face microphone;

displaying the physician image on the face monitor;

capturing an image of a patient with the face camera;

transmitting the patient image to the remote station;

displaying the patient image on the station monitor of the remote station;

transmitting an audio command from the station microphone to the face speaker;

moving the patient into a vicinity of a robot that has a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker and a robot microphone; and,

coupling automatically the remote station to the robot, wherein the robot of the healthcare facility receives a wireless signal from a wireless identification (ID) device associated with the patient that causes the remote station to become coupled to the robot.

Assignments (10)