REMOTE MONITORING OF TELEMEDICINE DEVICE

1 .- 75 . (canceled)

76 . A method of providing telemedicine visual monitoring of a subject comprising:

providing a subject with a telemedicine remote visualization system in a transport container, the telemedicine remote visualization system including:

an audio input device;

an imaging system;

a video output device;

an audio output device;

a controllable lighting system including at least one light source, the controllable lighting system built into or received in the container;

electrical control circuitry built into or received in the container, the electrical control circuitry configured to control operation of the audio input device, imaging system, video output device, audio output device, and controllable lighting system; and

communication circuitry configured to, when the telemedicine remote visualization system is at a first location, provide communication between the electrical control circuitry of the telemedicine remote visualization system and remote electrical control circuitry at a second location remote from the first location;

when the telemedicine remote visualization system is at the first location, receiving at the second location a first image of at least a portion of the subject via the communication circuitry, wherein the first image was captured at a first lighting condition with the imaging system, the first image including at least one feature;

detecting the at least one feature of the first image with image processing circuitry at the second location, the image processing circuitry including at least one of image processing hardware and software;

determining with lighting parameter control circuitry at the second location an adjustment to the controllable lighting system based at least in part on the at least one detected feature, wherein the adjustment to the controllable lighting system is determined to modify the amount or type of medically useful information in the image based upon analysis of the information content of the image determined from the at least one detected feature;

determining with the lighting parameter control circuitry at the second location a lighting control signal based at least in part on the determined adjustment to the controllable lighting system;

when the telemedicine remote visualization system is at the first location, transmitting the lighting control signal from the second location to the first location via the communication circuitry for controlling the adjustment to the controllable lighting system to provide a second lighting condition at the first location; and

receiving at the second location a second image of the at least a portion of the subject via the communication circuitry, wherein the second image was captured at the second lighting condition with the imaging system;

wherein at least one of the first image and the second image contains information indicative of a health status of the subject, and wherein the adjustment to the controllable lighting system influences at least one of the amount or type of medically useful information indicative of the health status of the subject in the second image of the subject.

77 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the at least one feature includes at least one of a contrast of at least a portion of the image, a spatial frequency content of at least a portion of the image, a shape within at least a portion of the image, a line within at least a portion of the image, an edge within at least a portion of the image, a corner within at least a portion of the image, and a measurement of polarization of at least a portion of the image.

78 . The method of claim 76 , including

transmitting an imaging system control signal for controlling an adjustment of the imaging system to the first location from the second location via the communication circuitry.

79 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the lighting control signal specifies separate adjustments of at least a first controllable light source and at least a second controllable light source at the first location.

80 . The method of claim 76 , including at least one of

determining an identity of the subject prior to providing the subject with the telemedicine remote visualization system in the transport container;

storing information regarding the provision of the telemedicine remote visualization system to the subject in a data storage device at the second location;

transmitting an image signal for display on the video output device to the first location from the second location via the communication circuitry; and

transmitting an audio signal for generating an audio output on the audio output device to the first location from the second location via the communication circuitry.

81 . (canceled)

82 . The method of claim 79 , wherein the lighting control signal specifies at least one of adjusting an intensity of light from at least one of the first controllable light source and the second controllable light source, adjusting an aiming of light from at least one of the first controllable light source and the second controllable light source, adjusting a light pulse duration of light from at least one of the first controllable light source and the second controllable light source, adjusting a divergence or convergence of light from at least one of the first controllable light source and the second controllable light source, adjusting a spectral content of light from at least one of the first controllable light source and the second controllable light source, and adjusting a polarization of light from at least one of the first controllable light source and the second controllable light source.

83 .- 85 . (canceled)

86 . A telemedicine remote visualization system comprising:

an audio input device;

an imaging system adapted to acquire an image of a subject, the image containing information indicative of a health status of the subject;

a video output device;

an audio output device;

a controllable lighting system including at least one light source adapted to illuminate at least a portion of the subject during acquisition of the image of the subject and at least one controllable positioning system configured to adjust at least one of position, orientation, or aiming of the at least one light source, the controllable lighting system having at least one controllable lighting system parameter that influences at least one of the amount or type of medically useful information indicative of the health status of the subject in an acquired image of the subject;

first electrical control circuitry operatively connected to and configured to control operation of the audio input device, imaging system, video output device, audio output device, and controllable lighting system, wherein the first electrical control circuitry includes timing circuitry including a clock, timer, or counter device; and

communication circuitry configured to, when the telemedicine remote visualization system is at a first location, provide communication between the first electrical control circuitry of the telemedicine remote visualization system and second electrical control circuitry at a second location remote from the first location;

wherein the first electrical control circuitry is configured to control the at least one controllable parameter of the controllable lighting system responsive to receipt of a lighting control signal from the second electrical control circuitry at the second location to increase at least one of the amount or type of medically useful information in the acquired image of the subject, the at least one controllable parameter including at least one of position, orientation, or aiming of the at least one light source;

and wherein the first electrical control circuitry is configured to control the generation of a light pulse by the controllable lighting system, the light pulse having a pulse amplitude, pulse duration, and pulse delivery time, and wherein the pulse duration and pulse delivery time are controlled by the timing circuitry.

87 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , including at least one of a diagnostic device, a treatment delivery device, and a substance delivery device.

88 .- 89 . (canceled)

90 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , wherein the communication circuitry is configured to provide communication with the second electrical control circuitry at the second location via a wireless communication link.

91 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , including

a controllable mounting structure operable under control of at least one of the first electrical control circuitry and the second electrical control circuitry and configured to support the controllable lighting system.

92 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , including a container, the container including

the first electrical control circuitry built into or received in a receptacle in the container;

the controllable lighting system built into or received in a receptacle in the container;

at least one receptacle adapted to receive at least one of the imaging system, the video output device, the audio input device, and the audio output device; and

an outer shell adapted to contain and protect the first electrical control circuitry, controllable lighting system, and the at least one of the imaging system, the video output device, the audio input device, and the audio output device during transport.

93 . (canceled)

94 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , wherein the controllable lighting system includes at least one of

at least a first light source and a second light source, wherein the first light source differs from the second light source with regard to at least one of position, waveband, and polarization of light produced; and

at least one compound light source, the compound light source including at least two individual light sources.

95 .- 97 . (canceled)

98 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , wherein at least a portion of the telemedicine remote visualization system is configured as at least one of a hand-held unit, a mobile robot, a smart phone and a tablet computer.

99 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , wherein the imaging system includes at least one of a photocell, a charge-coupled device, a scanner, a 3D scanner, a 3D imager, a camera, a single pixel camera, a visual camera, an IR camera, a stereoscopic camera, a digital camera, a video camera, or a high speed video camera.

100 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , wherein the first electrical control circuitry is configured to control generation of the light pulse by the controllable lighting system, wherein controlling generation of the light pulse includes controlling the time of delivery of the light pulse, and wherein the first electrical control circuitry is configured to coordinate acquisition of the image by the imaging system with generation of the light pulse by the controllable lighting system.

101 .- 103 . (canceled)

104 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , wherein the controllable positioning system includes at least one of a controllable mechanical linkage, a controllable mirror, and a controllable reflector.

105 .- 108 . (canceled)

109 . A method of providing telemedicine visual monitoring of a subject comprising:

acquiring a first image of at least a portion of a subject at a first location at a first lighting condition with an imaging system located at the first location under control of electrical control circuitry, the first image including at least one first feature;

transmitting the acquired first image to a second location remote from the first location under control of the electrical control circuitry;

receiving a lighting control signal for controlling an adjustment to a lighting condition at the first location from the second location under control of the electrical control circuitry;

adjusting at least one controllable light source at the first location under control of the electrical control circuitry to provide a second lighting condition responsive to receiving the lighting control signal for controlling the adjustment to the lighting condition at the first location, wherein adjusting the at least one controllable light source includes adjusting at least one controllable positioning system to control at least one of position, orientation, or aiming of the at least one controllable light source;

acquiring a second image of the at least a portion of the subject at the first location at the second lighting condition with the imaging system located at the first location under control of the electrical control circuitry, the second image including at least one second feature; and

transmitting the acquired second image to the second location under control of the electrical control circuitry;

wherein at least one of the first image and the second image contains medically useful information indicative of a health status of the subject, and wherein adjusting the at least one controllable light source at the first location includes adjusting the at least one controllable light source to change at least one of the amount or type of medically useful information contained in the second image based upon analysis of the information content of the second image determined from the at least one second feature relative to information content of the first image determined from the at least one first feature.

110 . The method of claim 109 , including acquiring at least one of the first image and the second image through a compressive imaging technique.

111 . The method of claim 109 , including recording the acquired second image to a data storage device at the first location.

112 . The method of claim 109 , including adjusting the imaging system located at the first location.

113 . The method of claim 112 , including

receiving at least one imaging system control signal from the second location for controlling an adjustment of at least one of the filtration, pan, tilt, or zoom of the imaging system; and

adjusting the imaging system in response to the at least one imaging system control signal.

114 . The method of claim 112 , including

adjusting the imaging system based at least in part on at least one feature detected from the first image.

115 . The method of claim 109 , wherein the at least one controllable light source at the first location is a first controllable light source at the first location, and wherein the method includes separately adjusting at least the first controllable light source at the first location and at least a second controllable light source at the first location.

116 . An article of manufacture comprising:

one or more non-transitory machine-readable data storage media bearing

one or more instructions for providing a subject with a telemedicine remote visualization system in a transport container, the telemedicine remote visualization system including an audio input device; an imaging system; a video output device; an audio output device; a controllable lighting system including at least one light source, the controllable lighting system built into or received in the container; electrical control circuitry built into or received in the container, the electrical control circuitry configured to control operation of the audio input device, imaging system, video output device, audio output device, and controllable lighting system; and communication circuitry configured to, when the telemedicine remote visualization system is at a first location, provide communication between the electrical control circuitry of the telemedicine remote visualization system and remote electrical control circuitry at a second location remote from the first location;

one or more instructions for, when the telemedicine remote visualization system is at the first location, receiving a first image of at least a portion of a subject at the second location via the communication circuitry, wherein the first image was captured at a first lighting condition with the imaging system located at the first location;

one or more instructions for detecting the at least one feature of the first image with image processing circuitry at the second location, the image processing circuitry including at least one of image processing hardware and software;

one or more instructions for determining with lighting parameter control circuitry at the second location an adjustment to the controllable lighting system based at least in part on the at least one detected feature, wherein the adjustment to the controllable lighting system is determined to modify the amount or type of medically useful information in the image based upon analysis of the information content of the image determined from the at least one detected feature;

one or more instructions for determining with the lighting parameter control circuitry at the second location a lighting control signal based at least in part on the determined adjustment to the controllable lighting system;

one or more instructions for, when the telemedicine remote visualization system is at the first location, transmitting a lighting control signal from the second location to the first location via the communication circuitry for controlling an adjustment to the controllable lighting system to provide a second lighting condition at the first location, wherein at least one of the first image and the second image contains information indicative of a health status of the subject, and wherein the adjustment to the controllable lighting system influences at least one of the amount or type of medically useful information indicative of the health status of the subject in the second image of the subject; and

one or more instructions for receiving at the second location a second image of the at least a portion of the subject via the communication circuitry, wherein the second image was captured at the second lighting condition with the imaging system at the first location.

117 . The telemedicine remote visualization system of claim 86 , wherein the controllable lighting system includes one or more of an ultraviolet light source; an infrared light source; a visible light source; a long-wave infrared light source; a plurality of light sources each capable of producing a different spectral wavelength of light, wherein the plurality of light sources are separately controllable to control the spectral content of light from the controllable lighting system; a controllable optical system; a reflector; a lens; a lens controllable to modify the divergence or convergence of the light from the at least one light source; a reflector controllable to modify the aiming of the light from the at least one light source; or a controllable filter adapted to control the intensity, wavelength, wavelength band, polarization orientation, or range of polarization orientations of light produced by the at least one light source.