CONDITION STATUS-BASED DEVICE SYSTEM AND OPERATION

• US 20140247109A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PJC Investments, LLC
• Original Assignee: PJC Investments, LLC
• Inventors: Curry, Patrick J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,460,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0057 for the hiring or rent of vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or wheelchairs car rental G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A device, system or method may optionally include a processor, remote to a device, configured to generate information to control, at least in part, a function of the device based, at least in part, on a condition of conveyance of the device, and a transmitter, remote to the device, configured to transmit the information related to the condition of conveyance to the device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor, remote to a device, configured to generate information to control, at least in part, a function of the device based, at least in part, on a condition of conveyance of the device; and

a transmitter, remote to the device, configured to transmit the information related to the condition of conveyance to the device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition of conveyance is a payment status of the medical device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the payment status of the medical device is based, at least in part, on a payment amount and a payment schedule.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the function is at least one of disabled and or impaired based on the updated payment status indicating that the payment amount has not been paid according to the payment schedule.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the condition of conveyance is a maintenance status of the device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the maintenance status is based on a maintenance requirement having been met.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information is a command configured to control the function of the device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the information is data relating to a current status of the condition of conveyance.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the function of the device is an output, and wherein the processor is configured to control the function by at least one of disabling and impairing the function.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the function is one of a plurality of functions of the medical device and wherein the processor is configured to selectively control ones of the plurality of functions.

11. A method of controlling a function of a device, comprising:

obtaining a condition status based on a condition of conveyance of the device; and

providing information related to the condition status of the device, wherein the information is configured to cause the device to at least one of disable and impair the function based on the condition status, wherein, upon disabling or impairing the function, the device does not deliver the output corresponding to the function.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the condition of conveyance is a payment condition having a payment status based, at least in part, on a payment amount and a payment schedule.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the function is at least one of disabled and impaired based on the payment status indicating that the payment amount has not been paid according to the payment schedule.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising enabling the function upon the updated payment status indicating that the payment amount has been paid.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the payment status is based, at least in part, on at least one of an installment plan, a lease, a subscription, and a maintenance plan.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the condition of conveyance is a maintenance condition having a maintenance status based, at least in part, on a maintenance schedule and a maintenance procedure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the maintenance status is based on an indication of the maintenance procedure having been performed according to the maintenance schedule.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the maintenance procedure relates to maintaining the function.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the function is one of a plurality of functions, wherein the output is delivered corresponding to the plurality of functions, wherein ones of the plurality of functions are selectively at least one of disabled and impaired based on the condition of conveyance of the device, and wherein, upon selectively disabling or impaired ones of the plurality of functions, the device does not deliver the output corresponding to the selectively disabled or impaired functions.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing updated information related to the condition status of the device, wherein the updated information is configured to cause the device to enable a previously disabled or impaired function based on an updated condition status, wherein, upon enabling the function, the device delivers the output corresponding to the function.

21. A device, comprising:

an output module configured to deliver an output to a user corresponding to a function;

a controller configured to

enable the function based on a condition of conveyance of the device;

at least one of disable and impair the function based on information relating to a condition status of the medical device, the condition status being based on the condition of conveyance, wherein, upon disabling or impairing the function, the output module does not deliver the output corresponding to the function.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the condition of conveyance is a payment condition having a payment status based, at least in part, on a payment amount and a payment schedule.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the function is disabled or impaired based on the payment status indicating that the payment amount has not been paid according to the payment schedule.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising enabling the function upon the updated payment status indicating that the payment amount has been paid.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the payment status is based, at least in part, on at least one of an installment plan, a lease, a subscription, and a maintenance plan.

26. The device of claim 21, wherein the condition of conveyance is a maintenance condition having a maintenance status based, at least in part, on a maintenance schedule and a maintenance procedure.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the maintenance status is based on an indication of the maintenance procedure having been performed according to the maintenance schedule.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the maintenance procedure relates to maintaining the function.

29. The device of claim 21, wherein the function is one of a plurality of functions of the device, wherein the output is delivered corresponding to the plurality of functions, wherein ones of the plurality of functions are selectively at least one of disabled and inhibited based on the condition of conveyance of the device, and wherein, upon selectively disabling or inhibiting ones of the plurality of functions, the device does not deliver the output corresponding to the selectively disabled or inhibited functions.

30. The device of claim 21, further comprising a communication module configured to receive the information and updated information related to the condition status of the device, wherein the updated information is configured to cause the device to enable a previously the function based on an updated condition status, wherein, upon enabling the function, the device delivers the output corresponding to the function.

31. The device of claim 21, wherein the device is at least one of a medical device, a consumer electronic device, an appliance, and a machine.

32. A system, comprising:

a device having controllable operations; and

a controller for controlling at least one of the controllable operations based, at least in part, on a condition of conveyance associated with the device.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the controller is remote to the device.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the controller is internal to the device.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the device and the controller include circuitry permitting wireless communication between the device and the controller.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the device and the controller are adapted to communicate by direct electronic connection.

37. A method for controlling a device based on the status of a condition of conveyance, comprising:

determining whether the condition of conveyance is such that the device should be controlled; and

controlling the device consistent with the condition of conveyance.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the condition of conveyance is a payment condition having a payment status based, at least in part, on a payment amount and a payment schedule.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the device is controlled by at least one of disabling and impairing a function of the device based on the payment status indicating that the payment amount has not been paid according to the payment schedule.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the payment status is based, at least in part, on at least one of an installment plan, a lease, a subscription, and a maintenance plan.