Ophthalmic apparatus including hand-held measuring device and wireless data transmission

• US 5,528,323 A
• Filed: 10/29/1993
• Issued: 06/18/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nidek Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nidek Company Limited
• Inventors: Suzuki, Masamichi, Fujieda, Masanao, Mimura, Yoshiaki, Isogai, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Application Number:
  US08/142,941
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 351/20i0, 351/205, 351/211, 351/212, 351/218, 351/221
• US Class Current: 351/218
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/103 for determining refraction, e.g. refractometers, skiascopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/107 for determining the shape or measuring the curvature of the cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

An ophthalmic apparatus is provided with a measurement unit that includes a measurement device that projects measurement light onto an examinee'"'"'s eye and detects the measurement light reflected by the examinee'"'"'s eye, a grip that supports the measurement device, so that the examiner can hold the device in his hand, a wireless transmitting device that transmits data about the examinee'"'"'s eye to a receiving device separate from the measurement unit, the data being obtained based on light detected by the measurement device, and a signal generating device that generates a start signal to make the transmitting device start to transmit; the receiving device receives the transmitted data about the examinee'"'"'s eye and has a holding device that detachably holds the measurement unit for transmission of measurement data.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic apparatus comprising:

(A) a hand-held measurement unit comprising

(i) measurement means for projecting measurement light to an examinee'"'"'s eye and detecting the measurement light reflected by the examinee'"'"'s eye, and means for processing the detected measurement light to provide measurement data;

(ii) a hand-grip designed to be held by an examiner for placement of said measurement means;

(iii) wireless transmitting means for transmitting said measurement data to a receiving means separate from said measurement unit;

(iv) signal generating means for generating a start signal to initiate transmission of measurement data from the transmitting means;

(v) display means for displaying said measurement data; and

(vi) a battery for supplying electric power to said measurement unit;

(B) a receiving device separate from said measurement unit and having said receiving means for receiving said measurement data; and

a holding means for detachably holding the hand-held measurement unit during transmission of measurement data.

2. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving device comprises a printing device for printing measurement data.

3. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving device comprises wire communication means to input measurement data into a computer.

4. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding means includes a data receiving device for receiving data about the examinee'"'"'s eye, and is provided with an optical transmitting means and an optical receiving means so that, when the measurement unit is held at a predetermined position in the holding means, wireless optical communication may be performed.

5. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light source for the measurement means, said light source used in common with the wireless transmitting means, and a mode changing switch and control circuit changing means for controlling the turning on and off of the light source by said mode changing switch thereby to permit switching between the measurement mode and wireless transmitting mode.

6. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement unit includes optical receiving means and the receiving device includes optical transmitting means respectively.

7. An ophthalmic apparatus comprising:

(A) a hand-held measurement unit comprising;

(i) a measurement optical system for projecting luminous flux to an examinee'"'"'s eye and receiving the luminous flux reflected by the examinee'"'"'s eye at an optical detecting element,

(ii) a hand-grip for supporting said measurement optical system, and designed to be held by an examiner in his hand,

(iii) optical transmitting means for transmitting measurement data of the examinee'"'"'s eye to an optical receiving means separate from said measurement unit, the measurement data being obtained based on reflected luminous flux received by the measurement optical system;

(iv) signal generating means for generating a start signal to initiate transmission of measurement data from the optical transmitting means;

(v) a light source for said measurement optical system, said light source used in common with the optical transmitting means; and

(vi) a mode changing switch and control circuit changing means for controlling the turning on and off of the light source the mode changing switch thereby to permit switching between the measurement mode and the optical transmission mode,

(B) a receiving unit having said optical receiving means for receiving said measurement data about the examinee'"'"'s eye; and

holding means for detachable holding the measurement unit during transmission of measurement data.

8. An ophthalmic apparatus comprising a measurement unit and a printer unit,

said measurement unit being portable via one hand of an examiner and comprising:

an index projecting optical system for projecting index light for measuring the corneal shape of an examinee'"'"'s eye, and including an index projecting light source and a measurement control circuit,

a detecting system for detecting the position of a reflection image of the cornea formed by said index projecting optical system, and including a detecting means and a measurement detecting circuit,

a transmission control circuit,

a first changing means for connecting the index projecting light source of said index projecting optical system to either the measurement control circuit or the transmission control circuit,

a receiving detecting circuit, and

a second changing means for connecting the detecting means of said detecting system to either the measurement detecting circuit or the receiving detecting circuit,

said measurement unit transmitting a first optical signal containing measurement data when said index projecting light source is connected to said transmission control circuit;

said printer unit comprising;

a light receiving element for receiving said optical signal from said measurement unit,

a receiving detecting circuit for detecting the optical signal received at the receiving element and transmitting the detected signal to a microcomputer;

a communication control circuit connected to the microcomputer and outputting a communication signal in response to an output from the microcomputer; and

a light emission element responsive to the communication signal from said communication control circuit for optically transmitting a second optical signal to the measurement unit.

9. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said printer unit is provided with a measurement unit holder for holding removably the measurement unit.

10. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said light emission element is disposed at a position where light is emitted along an optical axis of said detecting system when said measurement unit is being held in the holder in the printer unit.

11. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said light receiving element is disposed in a position opposite to the index projecting light source of said index projecting optical system when said measurement unit is being held in the holder in said printer unit.

12. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said measurement unit is internally removably provided with a battery to supply electric power to the measurement unit, and said measurement unit holder comprises a contact through which to charge said battery.

13. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said printer unit is provided with a printer for printing out measurement data which is received from said measurement unit.

14. An ophthalmic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said measurement unit is provided with switch for switching one of measurement mode and between the communication mode.