Motion sensitive and capacitor powered handheld device

• US 9,153,994 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Wood, Robert J., Salvati, Jon R., Curry, Michael, McMahon, Michael T., Slawson, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro, Victor
• Application Number:
  US13/650,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 606/30, 606/19, 623/24, 704/2, 463/36, 340/573.1, 340/669, 600/178, 335/12, 345/156
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/227 for ears, i.e. otoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0409 Specification of type of protection measures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/75 Manipulators having means for prevention or compensation of hand tremors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/00 Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges protective face masks A41D13/11; surgeon's or patient's gowns or dresses A41D13/12; devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body liquids A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8237 Charging means
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A handheld device includes an electronic instrument and a capacitive power supply for storing and delivering power to the electronic instrument. The capacitive power supply includes at least one capacitor, and an electronic circuit operable to boost a voltage from the capacitor to a higher voltage for use by the electronic instrument. The capacitive power supply can be rapidly recharged. Some configurations include an accelerometer which permits the handheld device to detect movement and perform various operations responsive to detected movement. A dual charging station is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A handheld medical device comprising:

an electronic device;

a power source;

an accelerometer operable to detect movement and orientation of the handheld medical device;

a processing device communicatively coupled to the accelerometer; and

a memory device storing instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to automatically adjust an ON/OFF state of the electronic device based at least in part on (i) a detected movement of the medical device, and (ii) a detected orientation of the medical device at a time of the detected movement.

2. The handheld medical device of claim 1, wherein the ON/OFF state is automatically adjusted upon insertion or removal of the handheld medical device into or from a charging cradle.

3. The handheld medical device of claim 1, wherein the handheld medical device is automatically turned ON when the accelerometer detects:

(i) vertically upward movement of the handheld medical device, and (ii) a vertical orientation of the handheld medical device.

4. The handheld medical device of claim 1, wherein the handheld medical device is automatically turned OFF when the accelerometer detects:

(ii) vertically downward movement of the handheld medical device, and (ii) a vertical orientation of the handheld medical device.

5. The handheld medical device of claim 1, wherein the handheld medical device is automatically turned OFF when (i) no movement is detected for a predetermined time period, and (ii) the orientation of the medical device is determined to be one of:

substantially vertical and substantially horizontal.

6. The handheld medical device of claim 1, wherein the handheld medical device turns OFF when a tap input is detected.

7. The handheld medical device of claim 6, wherein the tap input is at least two taps on the handheld medical device.

8. The handheld medical device of claim 6, wherein the handheld medical device turns ON when a second tap input is detected.

9. The handheld medical device of claim 8, wherein while the handheld medical device is OFF the handheld medical device operates in a transportation mode, and wherein, when in the transportation mode, the handheld medical device continues monitoring for the second tap input.

10. A handheld medical device comprising:

an electronic device;

a power source;

an accelerometer operable to detect movement and orientation of the handheld medical device;

a processing device communicatively coupled to the accelerometer; and

a memory device storing instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the processing device to automatically adjust an ON/OFF state of the electronic device based at least in part on (i) a detected vertical movement of the medical device, and (ii) a detected vertical orientation of the medical device at a time of the detected movement.

11. The handheld medical device of claim 10, wherein the electronic device is a light source.

12. The handheld medical device of claim 10, wherein the power source, the accelerometer, and the processing device are housed within a power handle, and wherein the light source is part of an otoscope instrument.

13. The handheld medical device of claim 10, wherein the handheld medical device includes a portion arranged and configured to be inserted into a receptacle of a charging cradle when the portion of the handheld medical device is vertically aligned with a vertical axis of the receptacle of the charging cradle.

14. The handheld medical device of claim 13, wherein the detected vertical movement and the detected vertical orientation are aligned with the vertical axis of the receptacle of the charging cradle.

15. The handheld medical device of claim 14, wherein the electronic device turns ON automatically when the handheld medical device is removed from the charging cradle.

16. The handheld medical device of claim 14, wherein the electronic device turns OFF automatically when the handheld medical device is placed into the charging cradle.

17. The handheld medical device of claim 14, wherein the electronic device does not turn off automatically when the handheld medical device is laid horizontally on a table until a predetermined period of time has lapsed without detecting movement.