Documentation through a remote presence robot

Abstract

A robotic system that is used in a tele-presence session. For example, the system can be used by medical personnel to examine, diagnose and prescribe medical treatment in the session. The system includes a robot that has a camera and is controlled by a remote station. The system further includes a storage device that stores session content data regarding the session. The data may include a video/audio taping of the session by the robot. The session content data may also include time stamps that allow a user to determine the times that events occurred during the session. The session content data may be stored on a server that accessible by multiple users. Billing information may be automatically generated using the session content data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A robotic system, comprising:
 a plurality of robots coupled to a network, each robot having a robot camera, a robot monitor, a robot microphone, and a robot speaker;   a plurality of remote stations coupled to the network, each remote station having a station camera, a station monitor, a station microphone, and a station speaker, each remote station is capable of establishing a communication session with any one of the plurality of robots, during which session a medical personnel at the remote station has access to video from the robot camera and audio from the robot microphone, the medical personnel provides a service for a patient located in the vicinity of the robot, and the session results in session content data that is stored in a server coupled to the network,   wherein the server includes a web interface accessible via a remote terminal, the web interface provides the stored session content data for display at the remote terminal, the session content data including an identifier of the patient, the medical personnel, the robot, and the service provided by the medical personnel to the patient.   
     
     
         2 . A robotic system, comprising:
 a robot that has a robot camera, a robot monitor, a robot microphone, and a robot speaker;   a remote station that has a station camera, a station monitor, a station microphone, and a station speaker, said remote station and said robot are capable of establishing a telepresence session during which said station monitor is coupled to said robot camera and displays a robot image captured by said robot camera, said robot monitor is coupled to said station camera and displays a station image captured by said station camera, said station speaker is coupled to said robot microphone, and said robot speaker is coupled to said station microphone to enable two-way audio communication between said robot and said remote station, said remote station controls said robot during said telepresence session and said telepresence session results in session content data that is associated with an identifier of the robot and includes video captured by the robot camera and tracked movements of the robot; and,   a storage device that stores the session content data during the telepresence session.