Display and control device for medical equipment

• US 20070052683A1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LivaNova Deutschland GmbH (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sorin Group Deutschland GmBh (LivaNova Plc)
• Inventors: Knott, Erwin, Penka, Ottmar
• Granted Patent: US 7,961,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/02 Composition of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/08 Fault-tolerant or redundant circuits, or circuits in which repair of defects is prepared
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/08 Biomedical applications
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A display and control device for medical equipment, comprising several identically configured display/control units, which are located on a base unit. The base unit is equipped with a bus, to which the display/control units and components of the medical equipment are connected. The base unit comprises connection devices, which are used to connect the display/control units to the bus. Once a display/control unit has been connected, a configuration unit transmits configuration data to the display/control unit and only then defines which function the display/control unit is to fulfill. This permits defective display/control units to be simply replaced. The construction of the display/control units is likewise simple and not susceptible to malfunctions.

Claims

1. A display and control device for medical equipment including units connectable to an electric bus, the display and control device comprising:

at least one display/control unit including;

a display device having a plurality of activatable pixels,

a display activation device which activates the pixels of the display device on the basis of data supplied,

a transparent input device disposed on a surface of the display device that is to face an observer,

an input evaluation device which evaluates inputs made via the input device, and

unit connector with which the display activation device and the input evaluation device are connected and by which the display/control unit can be connected to an electric bus, and

a base unit including;

an electric bus for the communication of units connected thereto,

a plurality of connector devices at which the display/control unit can be connected to the electric bus via the unit connector, and

a configuration device which is connected with the electric bus and which, after connection of the display/control unit to the electric bus, transmits configuration data determining display contents and input areas of the display/control unit via the electric bus.

2. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein for each of the connector devices of the base unit, it is determined in the configuration device which configuration data are transmitted to a display/control unit connected to a respective connector device.

3. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein in the configuration device the configuration data transmitted to connected display/control units are determined depending on the sequence in which the display/control units are connected to the base unit.

4. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein several areas to display contents and to receive inputs are logically defined in the display device of the display/control unit.

5. The display and control device according to claim 4, wherein several of the logical areas are combinable to form a connected area.

6. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one display/control unit includes several display/control devices that are constructed identically.

7. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein the display/control unit is fixed to the base unit by way of the connection between the unit connector and the connector device.

8. The display and control device according to claim 7, wherein the display/control unit is fixed on the base unit via additional fixing elements.

9. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein data for displaying digits, numbers and map pixels are stored in the display activation device of the display/control unit.

10. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein the display/control unit and the configuration device are arranged such that data for display contents can be transmitted to the display/control unit by the configuration device and stored in the display/control unit.

11. The display and control device according to claim 10, wherein the display/control unit informs the configuration device of which data for display contents are stored in the display activation device.

12. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein the display/control unit includes a bus communication device via which the display activation device and the input evaluation device are connected to the bus.

13. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein no further control elements are provided.

14. The display and control device according to claim 1, wherein apart from an on/off switch, no further control elements are provided.

15. A display/control unit adapted for use in a display and control device according to claim 1.