Remote dental display system

• US 7,002,469 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ormco Corporation (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ormco Corporation (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Saravis, Darren, Siemons, Alexander H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/729,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20050058962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.12, 340/438, 340/286.07, 340/825.36, 340/825.69, 340/573.1, 348 66- 74
• US Class Current: 340/539.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/00 Dental auxiliary appliances dental chairs or accessories therefor, working stands whether or not combined with chairs A61G15/00

Abstract

A remote display unit is positioned to display remotely generated data without requiring a doctor to turn his or her head away from the object of the doctor'"'"'s attention.

Claims

1. A method for communicating dental data to a user comprising:

providing a remote display unit including an enclosure attached to a fastener and a display for communicating dental data to the user such that the user concurrently views the dental data and an object of a dental procedure; and

fastening the enclosure in proximity of the object within view of the user to communicate the dental data to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the dental data at a dental base unit remote from the remote display unit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at the remote display unit a control signal conveying the dental data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the control signal further includes receiving a wireless transmission.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the dental data from a dental base unit to the remote display unit.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively communicating the dental data to the user via the remote display unit.

7. The method of claim 1, further communicating a remote control signal configured to affect operation of a dental base unit from the remote display unit to the dental base unit.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving the signal at the remote display unit further comprises receiving the signal from a base unit configured to measure a parameter selected from the group consisting of at least one of:

an instrument location, an instrument orientation, a power status, a direction of rotation, a motor speed, a torque level, a power level, a magnification setting, a reservoir capacity, a flow rate, a pressure reading, a temperature reading, a time hack and a display setting.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering the dental data communicated via the display in response to at least one of received user input and an occurrence of a preset condition.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the dental data to the user further includes at least one of initiating the display and generating an audio cue in response to a preset condition.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the dental data to the user further includes communicating dental data comprising a plurality of dental parameters.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the dental data to the user further includes communicating dental data comprising a product derived from a plurality of dental parameters.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the dental data.

14. A remote display unit comprising:

an enclosure having a fastener for attachment proximate to an object of a dental procedure;

a display coupled to the enclosure, the display configured to communicate dental data to the user such that the user concurrently views the dental data and the object of the dental procedure; and

a controller in communication with the display configured to receive a control signal that conveys the dental data from a dental base unit having an associated display remote from the enclosure, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the display to communicate the dental data to the user from the position.

15. The remote display unit of claim 14, wherein the dental data includes a parameter selected from the group consisting of at least one of:

an instrument location, an instrument orientation, power status, magnification power, a power status, a direction of rotation, a motor speed, a torque level, a power level, a reservoir capacity, a flow rate, a pressure reading, a temperature reading, a time reading, a patient condition and a display setting.

16. The remote display unit of claim 14, wherein transmission of the control signal to the controller is wireless.

17. The remote display unit of claim 14, wherein the controller effectively simultaneously receives the dental data from a plurality of dental base units.

18. The remote display unit of claim 14, wherein the controller initiates disabling at least a portion of the remote display.

19. The remote display unit of claim 14, wherein the controller communicates the dental data by conjunctively processing multiple dental parameters.

20. The remote display unit of claim 14, wherein the display includes a presentation device selected from the group consisting of at least one of:

a liquid crystal display, a television, a ray tube, a computer monitor, an eyepiece, eye wear, a light emitting diode and a laser projection device.

21. The remote display unit of claim 14, wherein the display is adjusted in response to at least one of user input and an occurrence of a preset condition.

22. The remote display unit of claim 14, wherein the dental data is communicated in a format selected from the group consisting of at least one of:

text, a graph, a color scheme, video, a photograph, a numerical readout, a symbol, a shape scheme and a light.

23. The remote display unit of claim 14, further comprising a circuit for generating an audio signal.

24. A remote dental display system comprising:

a dental unit for generating dental data, wherein the dental unit includes an associated display;

an enclosure having a fastener for attachment proximate to an object of a dental procedure;

a remote display coupled to the enclosure, the display configured to communicate dental data to the user such that the user concurrently views the dental data and the object of the dental procedure; and

a controller in communication with the display configured to receive a signal that conveys the dental data from the dental unit, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the display to communicate the dental data to the observer from the position.