Specialized keyboard for dental examinations
First Claim
1. A dental examination system for use with a dental examination software tool, the dental examination software tool being able to record conditions of a patient'"'"'s teeth and store the records in an associated patient'"'"'s computer chart of the dental examination software tool, the system comprising:
- (a) a host computer having a central processor, at least one output screen or monitor device, and at least one input device, the dental examination software tool resident on the host computer;
(b) a specialized dental keyboard/input-output device having a plurality of input keys, said specialized dental keyboard/input-output device physically distinct from said host computer;
(c) each input key having an associated data string recognizable by the dental examination software tool; and
(d) groupings of input keys specific to dental procedures, wherein each grouping includes a plurality of said input keys, the distance between adjacent input keys of the grouping being smaller than the distance between the input keys of the grouping and input keys not associated with the grouping, comprising;
(i) a tooth surface grouping of input keys comprising;
an I/O (Incisal or Occlusal, the top side of the tooth or the chewing surface of the toothin the anterior teeth case that is called incisal) input key;
an M (Mesial, the front side of the tooth) input key;
a D (Distal, the back side of the tooth) input key;
an L (Lingual or Palatal, that is palate side or tongue side) input key; and
an F (Facial or Buccal) input key;
wherein the I/O input key is centrally positioned, the M input key is positioned above the I/O input key, the D input key is positioned below the I/O input key, the L input key is positioned to the left of the I/O input key, and the F input key is positioned to the right of the I/O input key, such that the I/O input key, the M input key, the D input key, the L input key, and the F input key are arranged in a cross pattern; and
(ii) a tooth grouping of tooth input keys, each tooth input key designating a specific tooth, consisting of;
a first set and a second set of tooth input keys, the first set and the second set each having 16 or 17 tooth input keys, the first set being consecutively numbered representing the correspondingly numbered teeth of the upper arch of a mouth, and the second set being reverse consecutively numbered representing the correspondingly numbered teeth of the lower arch of a mouth.
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Abstract
The present invention includes a device, system and method of use consisting of a specialized dental keyboard wherein the specialized keyboard resides as virtual keys on a touch screen panel on a device such as a tablet computer including such devices as an Apple iPad. The invention includes a software component that enables customer configurable keyboard layouts including a plurality of specialized keys that provide short-cut macros to streamline data entry during a dental exam.
57 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A dental examination system for use with a dental examination software tool, the dental examination software tool being able to record conditions of a patient'"'"'s teeth and store the records in an associated patient'"'"'s computer chart of the dental examination software tool, the system comprising:
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(a) a host computer having a central processor, at least one output screen or monitor device, and at least one input device, the dental examination software tool resident on the host computer; (b) a specialized dental keyboard/input-output device having a plurality of input keys, said specialized dental keyboard/input-output device physically distinct from said host computer; (c) each input key having an associated data string recognizable by the dental examination software tool; and (d) groupings of input keys specific to dental procedures, wherein each grouping includes a plurality of said input keys, the distance between adjacent input keys of the grouping being smaller than the distance between the input keys of the grouping and input keys not associated with the grouping, comprising; (i) a tooth surface grouping of input keys comprising; an I/O (Incisal or Occlusal, the top side of the tooth or the chewing surface of the tooth in the anterior teeth case that is called incisal) input key; an M (Mesial, the front side of the tooth) input key; a D (Distal, the back side of the tooth) input key; an L (Lingual or Palatal, that is palate side or tongue side) input key; and an F (Facial or Buccal) input key; wherein the I/O input key is centrally positioned, the M input key is positioned above the I/O input key, the D input key is positioned below the I/O input key, the L input key is positioned to the left of the I/O input key, and the F input key is positioned to the right of the I/O input key, such that the I/O input key, the M input key, the D input key, the L input key, and the F input key are arranged in a cross pattern; and (ii) a tooth grouping of tooth input keys, each tooth input key designating a specific tooth, consisting of; a first set and a second set of tooth input keys, the first set and the second set each having 16 or 17 tooth input keys, the first set being consecutively numbered representing the correspondingly numbered teeth of the upper arch of a mouth, and the second set being reverse consecutively numbered representing the correspondingly numbered teeth of the lower arch of a mouth. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A specialized dental keyboard/input-output device adapted for recording conditions of teeth in a patient during a dental exam using a dental examination software tool, the specialized dental keyboard/input-output device comprising:
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(a) a display area; (b) groupings of input keys specific to dental procedures, wherein each grouping includes a plurality of said input keys, the distance between adjacent input keys of the grouping being smaller than the distance between the input keys of the grouping and input keys not associated with the grouping, comprising; (i) a tooth surface grouping of input keys comprising; an I/O (Incisal or Occlusal, the top side of the tooth or the chewing surface of the tooth—
in the anterior teeth case that is called incisal) input key;an M (Mesial, the front side of the tooth) input key; a D (Distal, the back side of the tooth) input key; an L (Lingual or Palatal, that is palate side or tongue side) input key; and
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an F (Facial or Buccal) input key;wherein the I/O input key is centrally positioned, the M input key is positioned above the I/O input key, the D input key is positioned below the I/O input key, the L input key is positioned to the left of the I/O input key, and the F input key is positioned to the right of the I/O input key, such that the I/O input key, the M input key, the D input key, the L input key, and the F input key are arranged in a cross pattern; and (ii) a tooth grouping of tooth input keys, each tooth input key designating a specific tooth, consisting of; a first set and a second set of tooth input keys, the first set and the second set each having 16 or 17 tooth input keys, the first set being consecutively numbered representing the correspondingly numbered teeth of the upper arch of a mouth, and the second set being reverse consecutively numbered representing the correspondingly numbered teeth of the lower arch of a mouth. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification