Medical device including a capacitive slider assembly that provides output signals wirelessly to one or more remote medical systems components

• US 8,127,046 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Grant, Kevin L., Young, Douglas J., Harris, Matthew C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US11/999,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20080177900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 710/1, 710 65- 67, 710/8, 600 9- 11, 600/302, 715/733, 345/173, 345/156
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/58 Means for facilitating use, e.g. by people with impaired vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A medical system includes an input assembly for receiving one or more user inputs. The input assembly includes at least one slider assembly for providing an input signal. Processing logic receives the input signal from the input assembly and provides a first output signal and a second output signal. A display assembly is configured to receive, at least in part, the first output signal from the processing logic and render information viewable by the user. The second output signal is provided to one or more medical system components. The information rendered on the display assembly may be manipulatable by the user and at least a portion of the information rendered may be magnified.

Claims

1. A medical system comprising:

an input assembly for receiving one or more user inputs, the input assembly including at least one capacitive slider assembly for providing an input signal in response to the one or more user inputs;

decision logic configured to provide compensation to the input signal for at least one environmental factor;

processing logic for receiving the input signal from the input assembly and for generating a first output signal based on the input signal and a second output signal based on the input signal; and

a display assembly configured to;

receive, at least in part, the first output signal from the processing logic; and

render information viewable by the user;

wherein the second output signal is provided wirelessly to one or more remote medical system components; and

wherein the second output signal is configured to, at least in part, control the one or more remote medical system components.

2. The medical system of claim 1 wherein the at least one slider assembly is configured, at least in part, to enable the user to manipulate the information rendered on the display assembly.

3. The medical system of claim 2 wherein manipulating the information includes, at least in part, magnifying at least a portion of the information rendered on the display assembly.

4. The medical system of claim 1 wherein the medical system components include a drug delivery mechanism.

5. The medical system of claim 1 wherein the input assembly includes:

a selection confirmation assembly configured to generate a selection confirmation signal in response to a confirmatory user input.

6. The medical system of claim 5 wherein the selection confirmation assembly is included within the at least one slider assembly.

7. The medical system of claim 1 wherein the input assembly includes:

an activation assembly configured to generate an activation signal in response to an activation input from the user.

8. The medical system of claim 1 further comprising:

a conductive housing electrically grounded to at least one of the input assembly, the display assembly, and the processing logic.

9. The medical system of claim 1 wherein the display assembly is configured to scroll at least a portion of the information rendered on the display assembly.

10. The medical system of claim 9 wherein the at least one slider assembly is configured to enable the user to regulate the rate at which the information is scrolled on the display assembly.

22. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the input assembly is a portable input assembly.

23. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the input assembly is configured to allow the user to manipulate the information rendered on the display assembly in a multi-axial manner.

24. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the medical system and at least one of the remote medical system components each include a capacitive slider assembly.

11. A medical system comprising:

an input assembly for receiving one or more user inputs, the input assembly including at least one capacitive slider assembly for providing an input signal in response to the one or more user inputs;

decision logic configured to provide compensation to the input signal for at least one environmental factor;

processing logic for receiving the input signal from the input assembly and for generating a first output signal based on the input signal and a second output signal based on the input signal; and

a display assembly configured to;

receive, at least in part, the first output signal from the processing logic; and

render information viewable by the user;

wherein the second output signal is provided wirelessly to one or more remote medical system components;

wherein the medical system components include a drug delivery mechanism; and

wherein the second output signal is configured to, at least in part, control the one or more remote medical system components.

12. The medical system of claim 11 wherein the at least one capacitive slider assembly is configured, at least in part, to enable the user to magnify at least a portion of the information rendered on the display assembly.

13. The medical system of claim 11 wherein the input assembly includes:

a selection confirmation assembly configured to generate a selection confirmation signal in response to a confirmatory user input.

14. The medical system of claim 13 wherein the selection confirmation assembly is included within the at least one capacitive slider assembly.

15. The medical system of claim 11 wherein the input assembly includes:

an activation assembly configured to generate an activation signal in response to an activation input from the user.

16. A method comprising:

receiving an input signal in response to one or more user inputs from a user of a medical system that includes at least one capacitive slider assembly;

providing compensation to the input signal for at least one environmental factor;

processing the input signal to generate a first output signal based on the input signal and a second output signal based on the input signal;

rendering information on a display assembly that is viewable by the user, wherein the information rendered is based at least in part upon the first output signal;

wirelessly providing the second output signal to one or more remote medical system components; and

controlling the one or more remote medical system components based upon, at least in part, the second output signal.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

manipulating the information rendered on the display assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein manipulating the information includes:

magnifying at least a portion of the information rendered on the display assembly.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

generating a selection confirmation signal in response to a confirmatory user input.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

generating an activation signal in response to an activation input from the user.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

grounding at least one of the input assembly, the display assembly, and the processing logic to an electrically conductive housing.