Portable instrument and docking station with divided universal serial bus communication device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A docking station comprising:
- a housing having a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle sized and configured to receive and support at least a portion of a portable medical instrument and including electrical contacts arranged to electrically connect with the portable medical instrument, wherein the portable medical instrument includes a first portion of a USB communication device adapted to communicate in a serial data communication format; and
a second portion of the USB communication device enclosed in the housing, the second portion comprising;
a serial to USB converter arranged in the housing and electrically connected to the electrical contacts, wherein the serial to USB converter is arranged and configured to convert between the serial data communication format and a USB data communication format to facilitate communication between the portable medical instrument and a host device; and
electronic circuitry that detects the electrical connection of the portable medical instrument with the electrical contacts and initiates the communication with the host device after detecting the electrical connection, which causes enumeration of the portable medical instrument at the host device.
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Abstract
A universal serial bus (USB) communication system includes a portable instrument and a docking station that communicate with a host device using a divided USB communication device. A first portion of the USB communication device is provided in the portable instrument. A second portion of the USB communication device is provided in the docking station. The first portion includes a non-USB communication device that communicates with the second portion in a non-USB format. The second portion converts the communications into a USB format suitable for the host device.
27 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A docking station comprising:
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a housing having a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle sized and configured to receive and support at least a portion of a portable medical instrument and including electrical contacts arranged to electrically connect with the portable medical instrument, wherein the portable medical instrument includes a first portion of a USB communication device adapted to communicate in a serial data communication format; and a second portion of the USB communication device enclosed in the housing, the second portion comprising; a serial to USB converter arranged in the housing and electrically connected to the electrical contacts, wherein the serial to USB converter is arranged and configured to convert between the serial data communication format and a USB data communication format to facilitate communication between the portable medical instrument and a host device; and electronic circuitry that detects the electrical connection of the portable medical instrument with the electrical contacts and initiates the communication with the host device after detecting the electrical connection, which causes enumeration of the portable medical instrument at the host device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A portable medical instrument and cradle combination comprising:
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an instrument including; instrument electronics adapted to generate data associated with a physiological characteristic of an individual; and a first portion of a USB communication device, the first portion comprising; a processing device, the processing device programmed to send and receive messages including the data; and a serial communication device that receives the messages from the processing device and transmits the messages to a docking station in a non-USB serial data communication format; and a cradle having a receptacle sized to receive at least a portion of the cradle therein, and electrically connected to the instrument when the instrument is in the receptacle, wherein the cradle includes electrical conductors for passing electrical signals from the instrument to the docking station, wherein the portable instrument generates no voltage at the electrical conductors when the instrument and cradle are separated from the docking station. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A dockable instrument assembly including a divided universal serial bus (USB) communication device configured to communicate with a USB-enabled host device, the dockable instrument assembly comprising:
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a portable instrument comprising; instrument electronics operable to generate data to be communicated to the host device, the data being associated with a physiological characteristic of an individual; and a first portion of the divided USB communication device comprising a serial communication device, wherein the first portion is arranged and configured to receive the data from the instrument electronics and transmit the data in a serial format with the serial communication device; and a docking station comprising; a receptacle sized to receive at least a portion of the portable instrument therein; a second portion of the divided USB communication device, the second portion comprising a serial to USB converter arranged and configured to; detect when the portable instrument is inserted into the receptacle; after detecting insertion of the portable instrument into the receptacle, initiate communication with the host device which causes enumeration of the portable instrument at the host device; and facilitate communication between the portable instrument and the host device. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method of communicating with a USB-enabled host device, the method comprising:
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monitoring for insertion of a portable medical instrument into a docking station; detecting the insertion of the portable medical instrument into the docking station, the portable medical instrument configured to communicate with the docking station through a non-USB data communication device in a non-USB format; after detecting the insertion of the portable medical instrument, initiating communication with the host device to alert the host device to an arrival of the portable medical instrument and cause enumeration of the portable medical instrument at the host device; and facilitating communication between the portable medical instrument and the host device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A docking station comprising:
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a housing having a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle sized and configured to receive and support at least a portion of a portable medical instrument and including electrical contacts arranged to electrically connect with the portable medical instrument, wherein the portable medical instrument includes a first portion of a USB communication device adapted to communicate in a serial data communication format; and a second portion of the USB communication device enclosed in the housing, the second portion comprising; a serial to USB converter arranged in the housing and electrically connected to the electrical contacts, wherein the serial to USB converter is arranged and configured to convert between the serial data communication format and a USB data communication format to facilitate communication between the portable medical instrument and a host device; and electronic circuitry that detects the electrical connection of the portable medical instrument with the electrical contacts and initiates the communication with the host device after detecting the electrical connection, and wherein the electronic circuitry further detects the electrical disconnection of the portable medical instrument from the electrical contacts by detecting an absence of a logic signal and terminates the communication with the host device after detecting the electrical disconnection.
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Specification