DIALYSIS SYSTEM HAVING VIDEO DISPLAY WITH AMBIENT LIGHT ADJUSTMENT

• US 20080200868A1
• Filed: 02/15/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: One Baxter Parkway
• Inventors: Gilbert, Rick, Bedingfield, John, Hopping, Pete, Alberti, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,870,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/152 Details related to the interface between cassette and machine
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/153 the cassette being adapted for heating or cooling the treating fluid, e.g. the dialysate or the treating gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/159 specially adapted for peritoneal dialysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1621 Constructional aspects thereof semi-permeable membranes for separation processes characterised by their properties B01D69/00; semi permeable membranes characterised by their material B01D71/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/28 Peritoneal dialysis ; Other peritoneal treatment, e.g. oxygenation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/284 Continuous flow peritoneal dialysis [CFPD]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/288 Priming priming in extracorporeal blood circuits A61M1/3643
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/33 Controlling, regulating or measuring
• 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 2205/587 Lighting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6081 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336

Abstract

A medical therapy machine includes: an enclosure; a medical therapy machine component located inside the enclosure; a video monitor supported by the enclosure and displaying at least one of information and indicia relating to the medical therapy; an ambient light sensor positioned with respect to the enclosure so as to be able to sense a level of ambient light impinging the enclosure; and a logic implementor configured to control a level of backlight brightness for the video monitor based on the level of ambient light sensed by the sensor.

Claims

1. A medical therapy machine comprising:

an enclosure;

a medical therapy machine component located inside the enclosure;

a video monitor supported by the enclosure and displaying at least one of information and indicia relating to the medical therapy;

an ambient light sensor positioned with respect to the enclosure so as to be able to sense a level of ambient light impinging the enclosure; and

a logic implementor configured to control a level of backlight brightness for the video monitor based on the level of ambient light sensed by the sensor.

2. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, wherein the sensor includes a photoreceptor having a spectral response approximating that of a human eye.

3. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, wherein the logic implementor includes at least one of:

a dedicated analog circuit, a dedicated digital circuit, a microcontroller, a hybrid circuit and microcontroller and a functional element of a shared applications processor.

4. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, which includes interface circuitry configured to interface an output of the sensor with the logic implementor.

5. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, which includes a manual brightness input device coupled operably to the logic implementor, the implementor and input device configured to enable a user of the machine to set an initial level of backlight brightness.

6. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, wherein the logic implementor is configured to do at least one of:

(i) increase the level of backlight brightness for the video monitor when the sensor senses an increased level of ambient light; and

(ii) decrease the level of backlight brightness for the video monitor when the sensor senses a decreased level of ambient light.

7. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, wherein the medical therapy machine is a peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis machine.

8. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, wherein the video monitor is operable with a touch screen, the touch screen are configured to provide at least one selectable input for controlling a parameter relating to the medical therapy, the logic implementor configured to control the level of backlight brightness for the at least one selectable input individually based on the level of ambient light sensed by the sensor.

9. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, which includes a keypad operable with the video monitor, the logic implementor configured to control the level of backlight brightness for the keypad based on the level of ambient light sensed by the sensor.

10. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, wherein the keypad includes a plurality of selectable buttons for controlling a parameter relating to the medical therapy, the logic implementor configured to selectively and individually backlight at least one of the buttons.

11. The medical therapy machine of claim 1, wherein the keypad includes a plurality of buttons, the display configured to show indicia relating to one of the buttons, the logic implementor configured to backlight the button while the indicia is shown on the video monitor.

12. A medical therapy machine comprising:

an enclosure;

a medical therapy machine component located inside the enclosure;

a video display supported by the enclosure and displaying at least one of information and indicia relating to the medical therapy;

an ambient light sensor positioned with respect to the enclosure so as to be able to sense a level of ambient light impinging the enclosure; and

a logic implementor configured to control a level of backlight brightness for the video display based on the level of ambient light sensed by the sensor.

13. The medical therapy machine of claim 12, wherein the logic implementor includes at least one of:

a dedicated analog circuit, a dedicated digital circuit, a microcontroller, a hybrid circuit and microcontroller and a functional element of a shared applicator'"'"'s processor.

14. The medical therapy machine of claim 12, which includes a manual brightness input device coupled operably to the logic implementor, the implementor and input device configured to enable a user of the machine to set an initial level of backlight brightness.

15. The medical therapy machine of claim 12, wherein the logic implementor is configured to do at least one of:

(i) increase the level of backlight brightness for the display when the sensor senses an increased level of ambient light; and

(ii) decrease the level of backlight brightness for the display when the sensor senses a decreased level of ambient light.

17. The medical therapy machine of claim 12, wherein the logic implementor is further configured to control the level of backlight brightness based on a person'"'"'s natural night vision adjustment.

18. A medical therapy machine comprising:

an enclosure;

a medical therapy machine component located inside the enclosure;

a video display supported by the enclosure and displaying at least one of information and indicia relating to the medical therapy;

a keypad operable with the video display, the keypad including a plurality of buttons; and

a logic implementor configured to increase a level of backlight brightness for at least one of;

(i) the display; and

(ii) at least one of the buttons when a level of ambient light impinging on the enclosure increases.

16. The medical therapy machine of claim 18, wherein at least one of the buttons includes at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of:

(i) having a three dimensional shape;

(ii) being raised;

(iii) having an associated unique icon inset from a surface of the button;

(iv) being color-coded;

(v) being individually capable of being backlit;

(vi) being hidden and locatable via identifying markings on the keypad;

(vii) being configured to provide tactile feedback when pressed; and

(viii) being configured as at least one of an up and down parameter adjuster.

19. The medical therapy machine of claim 18, wherein the logic implementor is configured to additionally do at least one of:

(i) decrease the level of backlight brightness when the level of ambient light impinging on the enclosure decreases; and

(iii) compensate for a human eye'"'"'s change in sensitivity due to the level of ambient light sensed over time.

20. The medical therapy machine of claim 18, wherein the logic implementor includes at least one of:

a dedicated analog circuit, a dedicated digital circuit, a microcontroller, a hybrid circuit and microcontroller and a functional element of a shared applicator'"'"'s processor.

21. The medical therapy machine of claim 18, which includes an ambient light sensor positioned with respect to the enclosure so as to be able to sense a level of ambient light impinging the enclosure, the logic implementor operable with the sensor.

22. The medical therapy machine of claim 18, which includes interface circuitry configured to interface an output of the sensor with the logic implementor.

23. The medical therapy machine of claim 18, wherein the display is configured to show indicia relating to one of the buttons, the logic implementor configured to backlight the button while the indicia is shown on the display.