Portable instrument and docking station with divided universal serial bus communication device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A docking station comprising:
- a housing having a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle sized and configured to receive and support at least a portion of a portable medical instrument and including electrical contacts arranged to electrically connect with the portable medical instrument, wherein the portable medical instrument includes a first portion of a USB communication device adapted to communicate in a serial data communication format; and
a second portion of the USB communication device enclosed in the housing, the second portion comprising;
a serial to USB converter arranged in the housing and electrically connected to the electrical contacts, wherein the serial to USB converter is arranged and configured to convert between the serial data communication format and a USB data communication format to facilitate communication between the portable medical instrument and a host device; and
electronic circuitry that detects the electrical connection of the portable medical instrument with the electrical contacts and initiates the communication with the host device after detecting the electrical connection;
wherein the electronic circuitry detects the electrical connection of the portable medical instrument by detecting a logic transition that occurs on at least one of the electrical contacts; and
wherein the initiation of the communication causes enumeration of the portable medical instrument at the host device.
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Abstract
A universal serial bus (USB) communication system includes a portable instrument and a docking station that communicate with a host device using a divided USB communication device. A first portion of the USB communication device is provided in the portable instrument. A second portion of the USB communication device is provided in the docking station. The first portion includes a non-USB communication device that communicates with the second portion in a non-USB format. The second portion converts the communications into a USB format suitable for the host device.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A docking station comprising:
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a housing having a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle sized and configured to receive and support at least a portion of a portable medical instrument and including electrical contacts arranged to electrically connect with the portable medical instrument, wherein the portable medical instrument includes a first portion of a USB communication device adapted to communicate in a serial data communication format; and a second portion of the USB communication device enclosed in the housing, the second portion comprising; a serial to USB converter arranged in the housing and electrically connected to the electrical contacts, wherein the serial to USB converter is arranged and configured to convert between the serial data communication format and a USB data communication format to facilitate communication between the portable medical instrument and a host device; and electronic circuitry that detects the electrical connection of the portable medical instrument with the electrical contacts and initiates the communication with the host device after detecting the electrical connection; wherein the electronic circuitry detects the electrical connection of the portable medical instrument by detecting a logic transition that occurs on at least one of the electrical contacts; and wherein the initiation of the communication causes enumeration of the portable medical instrument at the host device. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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2. A docking station comprising:
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a housing having a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle sized and configured to receive and support at least a portion of a portable medical instrument and including electrical contacts arranged to electrically connect with the portable medical instrument, wherein the portable medical instrument includes a first portion of a USB communication device adapted to communicate in a serial data communication format; and a second portion of the USB communication device enclosed in the housing, the second portion comprising; a serial to USB converter arranged in the housing and electrically connected to the electrical contacts, wherein the serial to USB converter is arranged and configured to convert between the serial data communication format and a USB data communication format to facilitate communication between the portable medical instrument and a host device; and electronic circuitry that detects the electrical connection of the portable medical instrument with the electrical contacts and initiates the communication with the host device after detecting the electrical connection; wherein the electronic circuitry detects the electrical connection of the portable medical instrument by detecting a logic transition that occurs on at least one of the electrical contacts; and wherein the electronic circuitry further detects the electrical disconnection of the portable medical instrument from the electrical contacts by detecting an absence of a logic signal and terminates the communication with the host device after detecting the electrical disconnection. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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5. A portable medical instrument comprising:
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instrument electronics adapted to generate data associated with a physiological characteristic of an individual; a first portion of a USB communication device, the first portion comprising; a processing device, the processing device programmed to generate messages, at least one of the messages including the data; and a serial communication device that receives the messages from the processing device and transmits the messages to a docking station in a non-USB serial data communication format an instrument including the electronics and the first portion of the USB communication device; and a cradle having a receptacle sized to receive at least a portion of the cradle therein, and electrically connected to the instrument when the instrument is in the receptacle, wherein the cradle includes electrical conductors for passing electrical signals from the instrument to the docking station. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification