Apparatuses, systems and methods for enhancing telemedicine

Abstract

A telesuite is provided which includes a camera rotatable about at least one axis, the camera being rotatably mounted to a fixed structure. A plurality of predetermined viewing positions are also provide, each of which includes a predetermined coordinate upon which the camera is focused. A camera controller is configured to rotate the camera to view a designated one of the predetermined viewing positions upon receipt of a control signal corresponding to the designated one of the predetermined viewing positions.

1 . A telesuite comprising:
 a camera rotatable about at least one axis, said camera being rotatably mounted to a fixed structure;   a plurality of predetermined viewing positions, each of said predetermined viewing positions comprising a predetermined coordinate upon which the camera is focused; and   a camera controller configured to rotate said camera to view a designated one of the predetermined viewing positions upon receipt of a control signal corresponding to the designated one of the predetermined viewing positions,   wherein said camera is rotatable about at least two axes,   wherein said at least two axes comprise a substantially horizontal axis and a substantially vertical axis, and   wherein one of said plurality of predetermined viewing positions comprises a radiograph viewing area.   
   
   
       2 . A telesuite according to  claim 1 , wherein said radiograph viewing area comprises a high resolution display device, and wherein the radiograph comprises a digital radiograph. 
   
   
       3 . A telesuite according to  claim 1 , wherein said radiograph viewing area comprises a radiograph light box. 
   
   
       4 . A telesuite comprising:
 a camera configured to rotate about at least one axis, to translate along at least one axis, or to rotate about at least one axis and to translate along at least one axis;   a first predetermined viewing position comprising a first predetermined coordinate upon which the camera is configured to be automatically focused, the first predetermined coordinate having a first focal length from the camera;   a second predetermined viewing position comprising a second predetermined coordinate upon which the camera is configured to be automatically focused, the second predetermined coordinate having a second focal length from the camera;   a camera controller configured to automatically focus the camera to the second focal length from the first focal length while moving the camera from a position focused on the first predetermined coordinate to focus on the second predetermined coordinate and to automatically focus the camera to the first focal length from the second focal length while moving the camera from a position focused on the second predetermined coordinate to focus on the first predetermined coordinate, and   wherein the first predetermined coordinate or the second predetermined coordinate comprises a part of a radiograph viewing area.   
   
   
       5 . A telesuite according to  claim 4 , wherein the radiograph viewing area comprises a high resolution display device, and wherein the radiograph comprises a digital radiograph. 
   
   
       6 . A telesuite according to  claim 4 , wherein the radiograph viewing area comprises a radiograph light box. 
   
   
       7 . A telesuite according to  claim 4 , wherein the first predetermined coordinate comprises a part of a first radiograph viewing area and wherein the second predetermined coordinate comprises a part of a second radiograph viewing area. 
   
   
       8 . A telesuite according to  claim 7 , wherein the first radiograph viewing area and the second radiograph viewing area each comprise a high resolution display device. 
   
   
       9 . A telesuite according to  claim 8 , wherein the first radiograph viewing area and the second radiograph viewing area each comprise a radiograph light box. 
   
   
       10 . A telemedicine system comprising:
 a first movable camera in a first location; and   a first controller communicatively coupled to one or more actuators, the one or more actuators being configured to move the first movable camera relative to at least one axis to automatically focus the first camera at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined viewing areas in the first location responsive to an input from a first computer in a second location remote from the first location,   wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined viewing areas comprises a radiograph viewing area.   
   
   
       11 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 10 , wherein the radiograph viewing area comprises a high resolution display device, and wherein the radiograph comprises a digital radiograph. 
   
   
       12 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 10 , wherein the radiograph viewing area comprises a radiograph light box. 
   
   
       13 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a second movable camera in the first location; and   a second controller communicatively coupled to one or more actuators, the one or more actuators being configured to move the second movable camera relative to at least one axis to automatically focus the second camera at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined viewing areas in the first location responsive to an input from a first computer in a second location remote from the first location or a second computer in a third location remote from the first location.   
   
   
       14 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a second movable camera in the first location, the second movable camera being communicatively coupled to the first controller, the second movable camera being associated with one or more actuators controlled by the first controller, the one or more actuators being configured to move the second movable camera relative to at least one axis to automatically focus the second camera at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined viewing areas in the first location responsive to an input from a first computer in a second location remote from the first location or a second computer in a third location remote from the first location.   
   
   
       15 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 10 , wherein the first controller is configured to be accessed over the internet. 
   
   
       16 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a second movable camera in a fourth location; and   a second controller communicatively coupled to one or more actuators, the one or more actuators being configured to move the second movable camera relative to at least one axis to automatically focus the second camera at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined viewing areas in the fourth location responsive to an input from the first computer in the second location remote from the first location and the fourth location.   
   
   
       17 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 10 , wherein the first controller and the second controller are each configured to be accessed over the internet. 
   
   
       18 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 13 , wherein the radiograph viewing area comprises a high resolution display device, and wherein the radiograph comprises a digital radiograph. 
   
   
       19 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 14 , wherein the radiograph viewing area comprises a high resolution display device, and wherein the radiograph comprises a digital radiograph. 
   
   
       20 . A telemedicine system according to  claim 16 , wherein the radiograph viewing area comprises a high resolution display device, and wherein the radiograph comprises a digital radiograph.