Cycle counting
First Claim
1. An electronic thermometer comprising:
- a controlling base disposed within a housing that retains controlling electronics programmed to at least calculate a sensed temperature;
a probe assembly comprising a heat-conducting probe removably attached to the controlling base to communicate electrically with the controlling electronics; and
an electronic memory associated with the probe assembly programmed to store and use at least one piece of probe-specific service information, wherein the at least one piece of probe-specific service information comprises the usage count of the probe and at least one of probe warranty information and error codes for malfunctions related to said probe, said thermometer further comprising a counter for generating the probe usage count, the counter being electrically coupled to the electronic memory for storing the usage count and the thermometer being configured to provide an indication that at least one of a replacement heat-conducting probe and an entire replacement probe assembly should be replaced, said indication being displayed to the user when the usage count of the probe reaches a predetermined number wherein the heat-conducting probe must first be detached from said controlling base for at least a predetermined time in order for said counter to trigger a usage count.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a platform for a manufacturer of reusable medical apparatuses to provide timely post-sale service for replaceable parts. In one embodiment, the probe assembly of an electronic thermometer has a connector that is equipped with a memory device, e.g., EEPROM, that stores a variety of probe-specific service information including usage count of the probe, probe warranty information and error codes. The user can plug the connector, e.g., through an adapter module, to a local computer'"'"'s USB port and submit the stored service information to a website maintained by the probe manufacturer to check up and get service for the specific probe in a timely fashion. Automatic alert for replacement probe orders depending on the amount of usage, automatic generation of RMA numbers when the probe warranty is determined to be in effect, and automatic service calls for malfunctioning thermometers can all be accomplished accordingly without the need for manual record-keeping. A healthcare provider can simply set aside a day at a scheduled interval to check all of its reusable medial apparatuses equipped with the invented system to keep them safe and effective.
35 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An electronic thermometer comprising:
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a controlling base disposed within a housing that retains controlling electronics programmed to at least calculate a sensed temperature; a probe assembly comprising a heat-conducting probe removably attached to the controlling base to communicate electrically with the controlling electronics; and an electronic memory associated with the probe assembly programmed to store and use at least one piece of probe-specific service information, wherein the at least one piece of probe-specific service information comprises the usage count of the probe and at least one of probe warranty information and error codes for malfunctions related to said probe, said thermometer further comprising a counter for generating the probe usage count, the counter being electrically coupled to the electronic memory for storing the usage count and the thermometer being configured to provide an indication that at least one of a replacement heat-conducting probe and an entire replacement probe assembly should be replaced, said indication being displayed to the user when the usage count of the probe reaches a predetermined number wherein the heat-conducting probe must first be detached from said controlling base for at least a predetermined time in order for said counter to trigger a usage count. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for servicing a reusable medical apparatus, the system comprising:
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a reusable medical apparatus comprising a reusable part and an electronic memory associated with the reusable part, the electronic memory being programmed to use and store at least one piece of service information specific to the reusable part, and a remote processing system programmed to process the at least one piece of service information for servicing the reusable medical apparatus wherein said at least one piece of service information comprises a usage count of the reusable part and at least one of error codes relating to the reusable part and warranty information pertaining thereto, the reusable medical apparatus further comprising a counter for generating the usage count of said reusable part, the counter being electrically coupled to the electronic memory for storing the usage count and wherein the remote processing system is programmed to display information for ordering the reusable part generate a signal when the usage count of the reusable part reaches a predetermined number and to display information for ordering a replacement for the reusable part, and in which said counter is configured to generate a usage count of said reusable part, said usage count being generated only after said reusable part has been removed from said apparatus for a predetermined time period that is stored in said electronic memory, in which removal of said reusable part initiates the tolling of said predetermined time period and in which said time period must be exceeded before said counter generates a usage count of said reusable part, and wherein the medical apparatus is selected from at least one of the group consisting of a thermometer, spirometer, pulse oximeter, sphygmomanometer, electronic stethoscope, otoscope, ophthalmoscope, retinoscope, autorefractor, tympanometer, audiometer, illuminator, laryngoscope, and rhinolaryngoscope. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for cycle counting in regard to an electronic thermometer, said thermometer comprising a controlling base and a probe assembly tethered to said controlling base, said probe assembly including a temperature probe for measuring body temperature, said method comprising the steps of:
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disposing controlling electronics programmed to at least calculate a sensed temperature; providing a probe assembly comprising a replaceable heat-conducting probe removably attached to the controlling base to communicate electrically with the controlling electronics; providing an electronic memory associated with the probe assembly programmed to store at least one piece of probe-specific service information, wherein the at least one piece of probe-specific service information comprises a usage count of said thermometer; storing usage count in said electronic memory; and displaying information useful to the user for ordering at least one of a replacement heat-conducting probe and an entire replacement probe assembly when the usage count of the probe reaches a predetermined threshold and in which a valid usage count of said probe assembly is determined by the steps of; determining the amount of time the probe assembly of said thermometer has been detached from said controlling base; and if the amount of time the probe assembly has been detached has exceeded a predetermined amount of time, then generating a usage count for use in said storing step.
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Specification