Tip-based computer controlled system for a hand-held dental delivery device
First Claim
1. A method for automatically controlling an operating characteristic in a tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device in connection with an operating characteristic source, the dental delivery device comprising a handpiece and a tip, the method comprising:
- automatically determining the tip;
automatically configuring the tip-based computer controlled system, comprising obtaining an operating characteristic control algorithm corresponding to a tip device profile corresponding to the determined tip and one or more operating boundary parameters;
during a time period of use of the tip during a dental procedure, detecting at least one of a group of conditions, the group comprising;
a power level, a dental site temperature, a dental hygiene material, a fluid type, a proximity to the one or more operating boundary parameters, and an error circumstance determined by a safety feedback loop;
automatically determining, based on the operating characteristic control algorithm and the detected at least one of the group of conditions, a desired level of the operating characteristic; and
automatically adjusting a current level of the operating characteristic received at the dental delivery device to the desired level via an operating characteristic controller so that the dental device operates in conjunction with the desired level of the operating characteristic during at least a portion of the time period of use of the tip, wherein the operating characteristic controller is coupled to the operating characteristic source and is responsive to instructions from a microprocessor, wherein the method further comprises logging an indication of the determined tip and one or more events associated with the time period of use of the determined tip.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device is disclosed. The system automatically controls an operating characteristic such as power control or fluid flow based on tip identification and history. The operating characteristic may also be controlled in response to particular conditions throughout the dental procedure, such as (but not limited to) temperature, dental hygiene material, fluid type, etc. The system may provide an alert or shut off if unsafe conditions occur and/or error circumstances are detected. An operator interface is provided to configure the system and augment/override an executing control algorithm during a procedure. A method and a computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed.
62 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for automatically controlling an operating characteristic in a tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device in connection with an operating characteristic source, the dental delivery device comprising a handpiece and a tip, the method comprising:
- automatically determining the tip;
automatically configuring the tip-based computer controlled system, comprising obtaining an operating characteristic control algorithm corresponding to a tip device profile corresponding to the determined tip and one or more operating boundary parameters;
during a time period of use of the tip during a dental procedure, detecting at least one of a group of conditions, the group comprising;
a power level, a dental site temperature, a dental hygiene material, a fluid type, a proximity to the one or more operating boundary parameters, and an error circumstance determined by a safety feedback loop;
automatically determining, based on the operating characteristic control algorithm and the detected at least one of the group of conditions, a desired level of the operating characteristic; and
automatically adjusting a current level of the operating characteristic received at the dental delivery device to the desired level via an operating characteristic controller so that the dental device operates in conjunction with the desired level of the operating characteristic during at least a portion of the time period of use of the tip, wherein the operating characteristic controller is coupled to the operating characteristic source and is responsive to instructions from a microprocessor, wherein the method further comprises logging an indication of the determined tip and one or more events associated with the time period of use of the determined tip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- automatically determining the tip;
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14. A computer-readable storage medium embodying a program of computer-executable instructions for enabling a computer to perform a method of automatically controlling an operating characteristic in a tip-based computer controlled system for a dental delivery device in connection with an operating characteristic source, the dental delivery device comprising a handpiece and a tip, the method comprising:
- obtaining an identification indication corresponding to the tip;
obtaining a tip device profile corresponding to the tip;
configuring the tip-based computer controlled system, comprising obtaining an operating characteristic control algorithm corresponding to the tip device profile;
periodically obtaining, during a period of use of the tip for a dental procedure, an updated condition indication of at least one of a group of conditions, the group comprising;
a power level, a dental site temperature, a dental hygiene material, a fluid type, a proximity to one or more operating boundary parameters, and an error circumstance determined by a safety feedback loop;
determining, based on the operating characteristic control algorithm and the updated condition indication, an updated desired level of operating characteristic; and
communicating the updated desired level of operating characteristic to an operating characteristic controller, the operating controller enabled to control a current level of operating characteristic delivered to the dental delivery device from the operating characteristic source during the period of use of the tip wherein the method further comprises logging the identification indication of the tip and one or more events associated with the period of use of the tip. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- obtaining an identification indication corresponding to the tip;
Specification