USER INTERFACE FOR BREATHING APPARATUS

• US 20130112202A1
• Filed: 05/07/2010
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB (Getinge AB)
• Original Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB (Getinge AB)
• Inventors: Fogelbrink, Petter
• Application Number:
  US13/696,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20130112202A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A user interface for a breathing apparatuse has a contact-sensitive screen operable to cause a change in the operation of the breathing apparatus based on touch input from an operator. The contact-sensitive screen has a first touch area through which a breathing apparatus setting can be changed by the touch of the operator, and at least a second touch area at a distance from the first touch area. To avoid unintentional changes of the breathing apparatus setting, the user interface is configured such that the breathing apparatus setting can be changed only by touching the first and second touch areas simultaneously.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A user interface for a breathing apparatus, comprising:

a contact-sensitive screen configured to respond to touch inputs made by an operator;

a processor in communication with said contact-sensitive screen and configured to be in communication with a breathing apparatus to emit signals to said breathing apparatus dependent on entries made by touch inputs through said contact-sensitive screen;

said contact-sensitive screen comprising a first touch area configured to generate a setting for said breathing apparatus in response to a touch of said first touch area by an operator, and at least one second touch area located at said contact-sensitive screen at a distance from said first touch area; and

said processor being configured to emit said setting to said breathing apparatus only in response to a simultaneous touch by an operator to said first touch area and said second touch area.

18. A user interface as claimed in claim 17 wherein said first touch area comprises a contact-sensitive control element selected from the group consisting of a contact-sensitive button, a contact-sensitive slide control, a contact-sensitive switch, and a contact-sensitive rotary knob.

19. A user interface as claimed in claim 17 wherein said first and second touch areas are located at said distance from each other allowing an operator to simultaneously touch said first and second touch areas using only one hand.

20. A user interface as claimed in claim 19 wherein said first touch area comprises a contact-sensitive slide control that is curved and is located relative to said second touch area to allow a finger of the operator to be moved along said slide control while simultaneously contacting said second touch area with a thumb by implementing a rotary motion of a hand of the operator.

21. A user interface as claimed in claim 19 wherein said first touch area comprises a contact-sensitive slide control, said slide control and said second touch area being substantially straight, elongated areas proceeding in parallel at said distance from each other, said distance allowing an operator to change said setting by sliding two fingers of a same hand along said slide control and said second touch area.

22. A user interface as claimed in claim 17 wherein said contact-sensitive screen comprises a plurality of second touch areas, each associated with a respective breathing apparatus setting, and wherein said first touch area is a common touch area for all of said second touch areas and comprises a contact-sensitive control element with which any of the plurality of respective breathing apparatus settings can be changed by simultaneously touching a respective one of said second touch areas associated with a breathing apparatus setting that is to be changed, and said contact-sensitive control element of said first touch area.

23. A user interface as claimed in claim 17 wherein said contact-sensitive screen comprises a plurality of first touch areas, each associated with a respective breathing apparatus setting, and a common second touch area for said plurality of first touch areas, each of said plurality of first touch areas comprising a contact-sensitive control element with which the associated breathing apparatus setting can be changed by simultaneously touching the respective contact-sensitive control element and the common second touch area.

24. A user interface as claimed in claim 23 wherein said common second touch area is located at an edge of said contact-sensitive allowing an operator to make continuous contact with said second touch area while resting a hand against a supporting surface external to said contact-sensitive screen.

25. A user interface as claimed in claim 17 wherein at least one of said first touch area and said second touch area comprises an element having a first visual appearance when said second touch area is not touched, and having a second visual appearance, different from said first visual appearance, when said second touch area is touched.

26. A user interface as claimed in claim 17 wherein said breathing apparatus setting is a critical setting relating to an ongoing respiratory treatment of a patient provided by said breathing apparatus.

27. A user interface as claimed in claim 26 wherein said breathing apparatus setting is selected from the group consisting of a determinant for a composition of a breathing gas delivered to the patient by the breathing apparatus, a target pressure affecting operation of said breathing apparatus, a target flow affecting operation of said breathing apparatus, and a mode of ventilation in which said breathing apparatus operates.

28. A breathing apparatus comprising:

a breathing-assist device configured to interact with a patient to provide breathing assistance and/or anesthesia to the patient;

a contact-sensitive screen configured to respond to touch inputs made by an operator;

a processor in communication with said contact-sensitive screen and with said breathing-assist device to emit signals to said breathing-assist device dependent on entries made by touch inputs through said contact-sensitive screen;

said contact-sensitive screen comprising as first touch area configured to generate a setting for said breathing-assist device in response to a touch of said first touch area by an operator, and at least one second touch area located at said contact-sensitive screen at a distance from said first touch area; and

said processor being configured to emit said setting to said breathing-assist device only in response to a simultaneous touch by an operator to said first touch area and said second touch area.

29. A method for operating a breathing apparatus, comprising:

providing a contact-sensitive screen configured to respond to touch inputs made by an operator;

via a processor in communication with said contact-sensitive screen emitting signals to said breathing apparatus in communication with said processor dependent on entries made by touch inputs through said contact-sensitive screen;

providing said contact-sensitive screen with a first touch area configured to generate a setting for said breathing apparatus in response to a touch of said first touch area by an operator, and at least one second touch area located at said contact-sensitive screen at a distance from said first touch area; and

from said processor, emitting said setting to said breathing apparatus only in response to a simultaneous touch by an operator to said first touch area and said second touch area.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 comprising:

displaying said second touch area at said screen with a first visual appearance when said second touch area is not touched; and

displaying said second touch area at said screen with a second visual appearance, different from said first visual appearance, when said second touch area is touched.

31. A method as claimed in claim 29 comprising

displaying said first touch area at said screen with a first visual appearance when said second touch area is not touched;

and

displaying said first touch area at said screen with a second visual appearance that is different from said first visual appearance, when said second touch area is touched.