TIP-BASED COMPUTER CONTROLLED SYSTEM FOR A HAND-HELD DENTAL DELIVERY DEVICE

• US 20100036535A1
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Feine
• Original Assignee: James Feine
• Inventors: Jamnia, Mohammad Ali, Feine, James, Bollig, William L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,204,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0061 Air and water supply systems; Valves specially adapted therefor A61C1/052 takes precedence; rinsing or air-blowing devices A61C17/02
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials

Abstract

A tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device is disclosed. The system automatically controls an operating characteristic such as power control or fluid flow based on tip identification and history. The operating characteristic may also be controlled in response to particular conditions throughout the dental procedure, such as (but not limited to) temperature, dental hygiene material, fluid type, etc. The system may provide an alert or shut off if unsafe conditions occur and/or error circumstances are detected. An operator interface is provided to configure the system and augment/override an executing control algorithm during a procedure. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device comprising:

a dental delivery device in connection with an operating characteristic source, the dental delivery device comprising a handpiece and a tip;

an operating characteristic controller enabled to control a value of an operating characteristic delivered to the dental delivery device from the operating characteristic source; and

a microprocessor in connection with the operating characteristic controller comprising an operating characteristic control algorithm corresponding to at least one of a group of detected conditions, the group comprising;

a tip device profile corresponding to the tip, a proximity to one or more operating boundary parameters, a power level, a dental site temperature, a dental delivery device temperature, a dental hygiene material, a fluid type contained in a fluid supply, a safety feedback loop, and an error circumstance, wherein during a period of use of the tip for a dental procedure, the operating characteristic control algorithm;

automatically determines a desired value of the operating characteristic delivered to the dental delivery device based on the tip and the at least one of the group of detected conditions, and

automatically adjusts a current value of the operating characteristic to the desired value via the operating characteristic controller so that the dental device operates in conjunction with the desired value of the operating characteristic during at least a portion of the period of use of the tip.

2. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising an operator interface enabled to:

receive data representing the at least one of the group of detected conditions, and

enable an operator of the tip-based computer controlled system to configure at least one portion of the operating characteristic control algorithm.

3. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, wherein the tip device profile is obtainable via at least one of a network connection, a download, a data transfer mechanism, a database access mechanism or an operator input.

4. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising a log corresponding to the tip, the log including an indication of the period of use of the tip and an indication of at least one event occurring during the period of use of the tip.

5. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, wherein:

the tip of the dental delivery device has a distinguishing characteristic detectable by one of the dental delivery device or the microprocessor,

the tip comprises one of an insert, a head or a cartridge, and

the microprocessor further comprises a tip identification algorithm enabled to automatically identify an identity of the tip based on the distinguishing characteristic.

6. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 2, wherein the data representing the at least one of the group of detected conditions is obtainable via at least one of a network connection, a download, a data transfer mechanism, a database access mechanism or an operator input.

7. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, wherein the operating characteristic source comprises at least one of a fluid flow source or a power source.

8. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, wherein the power level corresponds to a power indication received at an operator power control input mechanism.

9. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, wherein the dental site temperature is detectable by at least one of a first sensor associated with the tip of the dental delivery device or a second sensor associated with the handpiece of the dental delivery device.

11. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, further comprising an operator operating characteristic control input mechanism, and wherein the operator operating characteristic control input mechanism enables an operator to at least one of supplement, override, or replace the operating characteristic control algorithm.

12. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, wherein if the at least one of the group of detected conditions comprises an error circumstance, the safety feedback loop generates at least one of an operator alert or a shutoff.

40. The tip-based computer controlled system of claim 1, wherein during the period of use of the tip, the microcontroller receives an indication of a change to the at least one of the group of conditions, and the operating characteristic control algorithm automatically determines an updated desired value based on the change and automatically adjusts the current level of the operating characteristic to the updated desired value.

10. (canceled)

13. A tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device, comprising:

a dental delivery device in connection with a fluid source, the dental delivery device comprising a handpiece and a tip, the handpiece having a fluid conduit therein in fluid connection with a fluid supply having a fluid therein, the fluid supply associated with a generator, the fluid type comprising at least one of water, a medicament, a gas, or a steriulant;

a fluid flow controller enabled to control a fluid rate received at the dental delivery device from the fluid source; and

a microprocessor in connection with the fluid flow controller comprising a fluid flow control algorithm corresponding to at least one of a group of conditions, the group comprising;

a tip device profile corresponding to the tip, a proximity to one or more operating boundary parameters, a power level, a dental site temperature, a dental delivery device temperature, a dental hygiene material, the fluid type, a safety feedback loop, and an error circumstance, wherein during a period of use of the tip for a dental procedure, the operating characteristic control algorithm;

automatically determines a desired value of the fluid rate based on the tip and a detected value of the at least one of the group of conditions, and

automatically directs the fluid flow controller to adjust the fluid rate to the desired value.

14. A method for automatically controlling an operating characteristic in a tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device in connection with an operating characteristic source, the dental delivery device comprising a handpiece and a tip, the method comprising:

automatically determining the tip;

automatically configuring the tip-based computer controlled system, comprising obtaining an operating characteristic control algorithm corresponding to a tip device profile corresponding to the determined tip and one or more operating boundary parameters;

during a time period of use of the tip during a dental procedure, detecting at least one of a group of conditions, the group comprising;

a power level, a dental site temperature, a dental hygiene material, a fluid type, a proximity to the one or more operating boundary parameters, and an error circumstance determined by a safety feedback loop;

automatically determining, based on the operating characteristic control algorithm and the detected at least one of the group of conditions, a desired level of the operating characteristic; and

automatically adjusting a current level of the operating characteristic received at the dental delivery device to the desired level via an operating characteristic controller so that the dental device operates in conjunction with the desired level of the operating characteristic during at least a portion of the time period of use of the tip, wherein the operating characteristic controller is coupled to the operating characteristic source and is responsive to instructions from a microprocessor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising logging an indication of the determined tip and one or more events associated with the time period of use of the determined tip.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising notifying an operator of the one or more logged events.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the operating characteristic source comprises one of a fluid flow source or a power source.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically determining the tip comprises detecting a tip identification of one of an insertable tip, an insert, a head or a cartridge.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically configuring the tip-based computer controlled system comprises obtaining at least one of the tip device profile, the one or more operating boundary parameters or the operating characteristic control algorithm via at least one of a network connection, a download, a data transfer mechanism, a database access mechanism or an operator input.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically configuring the tip-based computer controlled system comprises automatically configuring the tip-based computer controlled system immediately after the tip is determined.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the power level comprises receiving a power indication corresponding to an operator power control input mechanism.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the dental site temperature comprises receiving a tip temperature indication corresponding to a tip temperature detected by at least one of a first temperature sensor at the tip of dental delivery device or a second temperature sensor at the handpiece of the dental delivery device.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving, at an operator operating characteristic control input mechanism, an indication to at least one of supplement, override, or replace a current operating characteristic level.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the error circumstance determined by the safety feedback loop results in generating at least one of an operator alert or a shutoff.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the at least one of the group of conditions comprises receiving data representing the at least one of the group of conditions via an operator interface.

41. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a change to the at least one of the group of conditions,

automatically determining an updated desired level of operating characteristic corresponding to the change, and

automatically adjusting the current level of the operating characteristic to the updated desired level.

42. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the group of conditions further comprises an indication corresponding to an operator operating characteristic control input mechanism.

23. (canceled)

27. A method for automatically controlling fluid flow in a tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device in connection with a fluid flow source, the dental delivery device comprising a handpiece and a tip, the handpiece having a fluid conduit therein in fluid connection with a fluid supply having a fluid therein, the fluid supply associated with a generator, the method comprising:

automatically determining the tip;

automatically configuring the tip-based computer controlled system, comprising;

determining at least one of a dental hygiene material or a fluid type, the fluid type comprising at least one of water, a medicament, a gas or a steriulant; and

obtaining a fluid flow control algorithm corresponding to a tip device profile corresponding to the determined tip;

periodically detecting, during a period of use of the tip for a dental procedure, at least one of a group of conditions, the group comprising;

a power level, a dental site temperature, an indication corresponding to an operator fluid flow control input mechanism, a proximity to one or more operating boundary parameters, and an error circumstance determined by a safety feedback loop;

automatically determining, based on the fluid flow algorithm and the detected at least one of the group of conditions, an updated desired level of fluid flow; and

automatically adjusting a current level of fluid flow delivered from the fluid supply to the dental delivery device to the updated desired level via a fluid flow controller responsive to instructions from a microprocessor.

28. A computer-readable storage medium embodying a program of computer-executable instructions for enabling a computer to perform a method of automatically controlling an operating characteristic in a tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device in connection with an operating characteristic source, the dental delivery device comprising a handpiece and a tip, the method comprising:

obtaining an identification indication corresponding to the tip;

obtaining a tip device profile corresponding to the tip;

configuring the tip-based computer controlled system, comprising obtaining an operating characteristic control algorithm corresponding to the tip device profile;

periodically obtaining, during a period of use of the tip for a dental procedure, an updated condition indication of at least one of a group of conditions, the group comprising;

a power level, a dental site temperature, a dental hygiene material, a fluid type, a proximity to one or more operating boundary parameters, and an error circumstance determined by a safety feedback loop;

determining, based on the operating characteristic control algorithm and the updated condition indication, an updated desired level of operating characteristic; and

communicating the updated desired level of operating characteristic to an operating characteristic controller, the operating controller enabled to control a current level of operating characteristic delivered to the dental delivery device from the operating characteristic source during the period of use of the tip.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises logging the identification indication of the tip and one or more events associated with the period of use of the tip.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the one or more events comprises at least one of:

the at least one condition indication of the at least one of the group of conditions, the current level of operating characteristic, or a timestamp.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises updating the tip device profile corresponding to the period of use of the tip.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the step of obtaining the tip device profile is executed immediately after the step of obtaining the identification indication corresponding to the tip.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein obtaining the identification indication corresponding to the tip comprises at least one of:

receiving an indication of a distinguished shank shape of the tip, receiving an indication from a communication mechanism enabled to interpret an identifier of the tip, and receiving operator input.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein obtaining the tip device profile corresponding to the tip comprises receiving the tip device profile via a network connection, a download, a data transfer mechanism, a local database or an operator input.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein obtaining at least one of the operating characteristic control algorithm, the one or more operating boundary parameters, or the at least one condition indication comprises receiving the operating characteristic control algorithm via a network connection, a download, a data transfer mechanism, a local database or an operator input.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein communicating the updated desired level of operating characteristic to an operating characteristic controller comprises communicating via a direct or networked connection.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the operating characteristic controller is co-located with one of the computer, the dental delivery device, or the operating characteristic source.

43. The method of claim 28, wherein the at least one of the group of conditions further comprises an indication corresponding to an operator operating characteristic control input mechanism.

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)