Whiteboard functions in a mobile teleconference system for homecare services

A teleconference system via mobile internet connections is developed for homecare services. An important purpose of such a system is the realization of real time instruction from a service station (doctors) to service providers (nurses) in mobile conditions. In this paper, we present a whiteboard system as an interactive communication platform between the station site and home site. The following four features of this system are summarized: 1) two distinct layers including image layer and memo layer are used to save mouse motions; 2) a snapshot from USB camera presents medical images or illustrations to all participants' computers in a teleconference; 3) the synchronization of any data and operations (such as displaying an image, drawing a line, and so on) within all participants' computers; 4) a realization via mobile internet connections, where communication abilities are limited.