METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REPROGRAMMING A PROGRAMMED CONTROLLER OF A POWER DRIVEN WHEELCHAIR

• US 20080269959A1
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invacare Corporation
• Original Assignee: Invacare Corporation
• Inventors: WAKEFIELD, THEODORE D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

Apparatus for reprogramming a programmed controller of a power driven wheelchair comprises: a reprogrammable, non-volatile memory programmed with a plurality of programs executable by the controller to operate the wheelchair, the non-volatile memory disposed at the wheelchair and coupled to the wheelchair controller; a general-purpose computer programmed to reprogram the non-volatile memory while disposed at the wheelchair, the programmed computer for storing main programs for use in reprogramming the non-volatile memory, the programmed computer being coupleable to the wheelchair controller for accommodating an exchange of data therebetween; and wherein the wheelchair controller being operative to communicate with the programmed computer to reprogram the non-volatile memory with the main programs while the non-volatile memory is disposed at the wheelchair. Methods for reprogramming the non-volatile memory are also disclosed.

Claims

1. Method of reprogramming a controller of a power driven wheelchair, said method comprising the steps of:

coupling a memory programmed with a plurality of programs to said controller;

determining if said plurality of programs of the memory are to be reprogrammed;

coupling a computer to said controller based on the result of the determining step;

displaying an interactive screen image on a display of the computer; and

interacting with said screen image to control reprogramming said memory.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of interacting includes interacting with the screen image to download main programs into the computer from a portable memory device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of interacting includes interacting with the screen image to download main programs into the computer from a web site over the internet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of interacting includes interacting with the screen image to erase portions of memory prior to reprogramming thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of interacting includes interacting with the screen image to download main programs into the computer and to communicate said main programs from the computer to the controller for reprogramming the memory.

6. The method of claim 1, the determining further comprising:

accessing one or more registers in the memory in which a corresponding one or more predetermined coded words associated with said plurality of programs are stored; and

comparing the one or more accessed coded word to the corresponding one or more predetermined coded words.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the one or more predetermined coded words include at least one of a signature byte, a check sum value, and a cyclic redundancy value.

8. A method of programming a wheelchair controller, said method comprising:

a) coupling a computer to said wheelchair controller to load at least one portion of a program in a memory associated with said wheelchair controller;

b) displaying an interactive screen image on a display of the computer; and

c) interacting with said screen image to control loading said at least one program portion based at least in part on a cursor position within the interactive screen image.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

d) selecting said data to be loaded in said at least one program portion using the interactive screen image.

10. The method of claim 8, the interacting in c) further comprising:

d) selecting a communication port associated with the computer for communicating said data to be loaded in said at least one program portion to said wheelchair controller.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

d) displaying, on the interactive screen image, at least one of a product code, a version, and a read status associated with said data to be loaded in said at least one program portion.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

d) displaying, on the interactive screen image, at least one of i) a product code associated with a current program loaded in the memory associated with said wheelchair controller, ii) a version of said current program, and iii) a connection status between said wheelchair controller and the computer.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

d) selecting an activation device on the interactive screen image to initiate loading data in said at least one program portion.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one program portion includes at least one of a memory section, a main program, a drive program, an application program, a page of registers, and a plurality of registers.

15. A method of programming a wheelchair controller, said method comprising:

a) coupling a computer to said wheelchair controller to load data in at least one register of a plurality of registers in a memory associated with said wheelchair controller;

b) displaying an interactive screen image on a display of the computer; and

c) interacting with said screen image to control loading said data in said at least one register based at least in part on a cursor position within the interactive screen image.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

d) selecting said data to be loaded in said at least one register using the interactive screen image.

17. The method of claim 15, the interacting in c) further comprising:

d) selecting a communication port associated with the computer for communicating said data to be loaded in said at least one register to said wheelchair controller.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

d) displaying, on the interactive screen image, at least one of a product code, a version, and a read status associated with said data to be loaded in said at least one register.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

d) displaying, on the interactive screen image, at least one of i) a product code associated with a current program loaded in the memory associated with said wheelchair controller, ii) a version of said current program, and iii) a connection status between said wheelchair controller and the computer.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

d) selecting an activation device on the interactive screen image to initiate loading data in said at least one register.