Systems And Methods For Remotely Communicating With A Patient

{
  "publication_number": "US2010085418A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Systems And Methods For Remotely Communicating With A Patient",
  "abstract": "A system and methods to permit a health care provider and a patient to remotely communicate information corresponding to the patient's medical condition with each other, both visually and audibly, via communication link in real time. The system may comprise a first and second interface units each comprising a camera, a microphone, a display, and a speaker. The camera and microphone of the first interface unit may permit real-time video and audio, respectively, to be transferred to the display and speaker of the second unit. Likewise, the camera and microphone of the second interface unit may permit real-time video and audio, respectively, to be transferred to the display and speaker of the first unit.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for remote communication between a health care provider and a patient, the system comprising a first interface unit connectable to a communication link, and a second interface unit connectable to the communication link, wherein: the communication link is operable to transmit real-time video and audio between the first and second interface units; and the first and second interface units each comprise a camera, a microphone, a display, and a speaker such that upon the transmission of real-time video from the camera of one of the first and second interface units to the display of the other of the first and second interface units, and the transmission of real-time audio from the microphone of one of the first and second interface units to the speaker of the other of the first and second interface units, real-time remote visual and audio communication is established between the health care provider, when disposed at one of the first and second interface units, and the patient, when disposed at the other of the first and second interface units. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second interface units is a digital computing device comprising a central processing unit, input, output, working memory, and permanent memory. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the digital computing device is a desktop personal computer, a laptop personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone, or a smart phone. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second interface units further comprises a high-resolution camera and is operable to transmit images generated by the high-resolution camera to the display of the other of the first and second interface units via the communication link. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second interface units further comprises a location detector and is operable to transmit a location history generated by the location detector to the display of the other of the first and second interface units via the communication link. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein operating characteristics of the camera and microphone of at least one of the first and second interface units are controllable from the other of the first and second interface units via the communication link. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second interface units further comprises at least one sensor operable to detect at least one condition of the patient such that information corresponding to the at least one condition can be transmitted to the display of the other of the first and second interface units. 8. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional interface unit connectable to the communication link, wherein the communication link is operable to transmit real-time video and audio between the first or second interface unit and the at least one additional interface unit; the at least one additional interface unit comprises a camera, a microphone, a display, and a speaker such that the communication link is operable to transmit real-time video from the camera of the at least one additional interface unit to the display of the first or second interface unit, the communication link is operable to transmit real-time audio from the microphone of the at least one additional interface unit to the speaker of the first or second interface unit, the communication link is operable to transmit real-time video from the camera of first or second interface unit to the display of the at least one additional interface unit, and the communication link is operable to transmit real-time audio from the microphone of the first or second interface unit to the speaker of the at least one additional interface unit; and the system permits the health care provider, when disposed at the first or second interface unit, and the patient, when disposed at the at least one additional interface unit, to remotely communicate information corresponding to the patient's medical condition with each other, both visually and audibly, via the communication link in real time. 9. The system of claim 1 further operable to permit a health care teacher, when disposed at one of the first and second interface units, and one or more students, when disposed at the other of the first and second interface units, to remotely communicate educational information with each other, both visually and audibly, via the communication link in real time. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication link comprises the Internet. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first interface unit is a desktop personal computer, a laptop personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone, or a smart phone, and the second interface unit is a robot operable to autonomously move. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first interface unit is operable to control movement of the robot via the communication link, such that the system permits the health care provider, when disposed at the first interface, to move the robot to the patient and remotely communicate information corresponding to the patient's medical condition with each other, both visually and audibly, via the communication link. 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the system permits the health care provider, when disposed at the robot, and the patient, when disposed at the first interface unit, to remotely communicate information corresponding to the patient's medical condition with each other, both visually and audibly, via the communication link. 14. The system of claim 11 further comprising at least one additional interface unit connectable to the communication link, wherein the communication link is operable to transmit real-time video and audio between the robot or the first interface unit and the at least one additional interface unit; the at least one additional interface unit comprises a camera, a microphone, a display, and a speaker such that the communication link is operable to transmit real-time video from the camera of the at least one additional interface unit to the display of the robot or first interface unit, the communication link is operable to transmit real-time audio from the microphone of one of the at least one additional interface unit to the speaker of the robot or first interface unit, the communication link is operable to transmit real-time video from the camera of robot or first interface unit to the display of the at least one additional interface unit, and the communication link is operable to transmit real-time audio from the microphone of the robot or first interface unit to the speaker of the at least one additional interface unit; and the system permits the health care provider, when disposed at the robot or first interface unit, and the patient, when disposed at the at least one additional interface unit, to remotely communicate information corresponding to the patient's medical condition with each other, both visually and audibly, via the communication link in real time. 15. The system of claim 11 further comprising a first operating mode and a second operating mode, wherein: when operating in the first operating mode, the system permits the health care provider, when disposed at the first interface unit, and the patient, when disposed at the robot, to remotely communicate information corresponding to the patient's medical condition with each other, both visually and audibly, via the communication link; and when operating in the second operating mode, the system permits the health care provider, when disposed at the robot, and the patient, when disposed at the first interface unit, to remotely communicate information corresponding to the patient's medical condition with each other, both visually and audibly, via the communication link. 16. A method for remote communication between a health care provider and a patient, the method comprising: establishing a communication link between a first interface unit and a second interface unit, wherein the first and second interface units each comprise a camera, a microphone, a display, and a speaker such that, upon establishment of the communication link, real-time video from the camera of one of first and second interface units is transmitted to the display of the other of the first and second interface units, and real-time audio from the microphone of one of the first and second interface units is transmitted to the speaker of the other of the first and second interface units; disposing one of the first and second interface units at the health care provider; disposing the other of the first and second interface units at the patient; communicating information corresponding to the patient's medical condition, both visually and audibly, between the health care provider and the patient via the communication link in real time. 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the communicating of video and audio via the communication link is performed over the Internet. 18. A method for remote communication between a health care provider and a patient, the method comprising: establishing a communication link between a robot and an interface unit, wherein the robot and interface unit each comprise a camera, a microphone, a display, and a speaker such that, upon establishment of the communication link, real-time video from the camera of one of the robot and the interface unit is transmitted to the display of the other of the robot and interface unit, and real-time audio from the microphone of one of the robot and interface unit is transmitted to the speaker of the other of the robot and interface unit; determining whether to operate in a first operating mode or a second operating mode such that when operating in the first operating mode, moving the robot to the patient and disposing the health care provider at the interface unit, and when operating in the second operating mode, disposing the patient at the robot and disposing the health care provider at the interface unit; and communicating information corresponding to the patient's medical condition, both visually and audibly, between the health care provider and the patient via the communication link in real time. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the communicating of video and audio via the communication link is performed over the Internet."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/102,953, filed Oct. 6, 2008.\n\nThe subject matter described herein relates to the field of medicine and, more particularly, to systems and methods for remotely communicating with a patient.\n\nAs background, there is a growing need to be able to provide remote health care to patients having a variety of medical conditions. To minimize costs, it is desirable to be able to provide home care for many such patients. Such home care requires periodic visits by health care providers such as nurses or health care aides. Due to financial and/or staffing issues, doctors and senior or supervisory nursing personnel cannot be used on a regular basis to make home visits. It would be desirable to provide a system which permits remote monitoring and interaction with patients from a central location in a way that permits doctors and senior nursing staff to actively participate in the home care of patients.\n\nRemote robotic systems have been used in the medical field to permit remotely-located doctors to interact with patients and staff in a hospital environment. See, e.g., Wang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,218,992. Such remote robotic systems, which comprise a mobile robot equipped with a camera and two-way communications capabilities, provide the remotely-located physician with the ability to interact within a hospital environment as if the physician were actually present.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04N 7/173",
    "H04L 51/04",
    "H04N 21/41407",
    "H04N 21/42202",
    "H04N 21/42203",
    "H04N 21/4223",
    "H04N 21/4788",
    "H04N 7/142"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04N 7/14"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Debi Sampsel",
    "Diane Mehling"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2009-10-06",
  "publication_date": "2010-04-08",
  "priority_date": "2008-10-06",
  "application_number": "US-57427309-A",
  "family_id": "42075490",
  "cited_by_count": 15,
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}