Apparatus in dental environment and method for controlling a device belonging to the same

• US 8,620,462 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Planmeca Ov, Planmeca Oy
• Original Assignee: Planmeca Oy
• Inventors: Nyholm, Kustaa
• Primary Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US12/084,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20090162808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,596 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/83, 433/25, 433/215, 433/229, 340/539.11, 340/539.12, 340/539.13, 600/300, 600/301
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/51 for dentistry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0015 Electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/00 Dental auxiliary appliances dental chairs or accessories therefor, working stands whether or not combined with chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 15/02 Chairs with means to adjust position of patient; Controls therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/16 Touchpads
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus used in dental care environment and to a method for controlling a device belonging to the apparatus, especially to hygienic and ergonomic control of a device belonging to the apparatus in connection with dental care work. The invention includes at least one device (2, 3) used in connection with dental care work, such as a dental unit, a patient chair, a dental x-ray device and/or a computer and at least one user interface (1) for sending control commands to at least one of said devices (2, 3) used in connection with dental care work, whereby a fixed or a detachable means (4) is arranged in said user interface (1) for detachably connecting it to a person working in the dental care environment, to his/her clothing or to the dental unit, or the user interface is arranged as a fixed or a detachable part of clothing arranged to be separately dressed on the person in question or of some other structure to be dressed on.

Claims

1. An apparatus in a dental care environment, which apparatus includes at least one device adapted for use in dental care work in a dental care environment, said device selected from the group consisting of a dental unit, a patient chair, a dental x-ray device and a computer, and at least one user interface remote from the at least one device and adapted to send control commands to at least one of said devices used in connection with dental care work, wherein at least one of a fixed and a detachable means is arranged to said user interface to detachably connect the user interface to a person working in the dental care environment, to clothing of the person or to the dental unit, or said user interface is arranged as a fixed or a detachable part of clothing or a structure arranged to be dressed on a person or of some other structure to be dressed on the person and wherein, either,

i) the user interface comprises a means containing an identification code and a means for sending a signal including the identification code to the at least one device, which code individualizes the user interface or a type of the user interface, or

ii) the user interface comprises a means to receive and forward a signal including an identification code from or to the at least one device, which signal has been arranged to be received from a device or an identification card carried along by a user of the user interface and sending an identification signal, and further wherein

the apparatus contains at least two devices which are arranged in functional connection with said user interface in such a way that each of the devices provides an identification signal of substantially equal intensity, and wherein the user interface contains means to recognize, which of the identification signals received from the devices is the strongest, and means for locking the user interface to control the device sending the strongest signal, or wherein the apparatus includes means based on a GPS-technique for locating the location of the user interface with respect to at least two devices included in the apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus contains at least one display functionally connected to at least one of said devices.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus contains a display of said user interface.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one display is functionally associated with the at least one of the devices and the user interface, and wherein at least one of said devices contains a means to produce graphics, and the apparatus has a means to transmit graphics to said at least one display.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface contains a means to at least send information wirelessly.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises:

a component capable of storing energy; and

means to receive energy supplied by an energy source external to the component and the user interface, and to forward the energy to said component.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface includes at least a receiver of an induction link, which has been arranged to at least receive energy supplied by an energy source external to the user interface to thereby supply energy to a component capable of storing energy for use by the user interface, whereby the user interface either additionally includes a separate transmitter of a data link or said receiver of the induction link has been arranged to operate also as a transmitter of the data link.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus contains a wireless bidirectional data link between the user interface and at least one device included in the apparatus.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said user interface is hermetically tight so that a cold sterilization of the user interface by wiping or submerging the user interface in a sterilization liquid is possible or said user interface is incorporated with a structure having a surface allowing the user interface to endure autoclave sterilization.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said user interface includes a touch pad or a touch screen containing a display arranged in connection with said user interface.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface has functionalities corresponding mouse functions, including at least either a left click and a right click and a scrolling functionality.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means arranged to said user interface to receive and recognize an identification signal sent by a transmitter arranged in at least one of said devices.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus contains at least two devices used in connection with dental care work and a means arranged to the user interface to change an operation mode of the user interface between controlling at least a first and a second device.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus contains at least two devices connected to a network selected from the group consisting of a dental unit, a patient chair, an intraoral x-ray device, a panoramic x-ray device, a panoramic and skull x-ray imaging device, and a computer tomography imaging device of the skull area.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detachably connectable part arranged to the user interface, through which said detectably connectable part giving control commands of the user interface has been arranged to take place and which part is such by its structure or by its material that said user interface is autoclavable or otherwise thermally sterilizable.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for detachably connecting the user interface has a structure allowing the user interface to be attached to at least one of a person'"'"'s thigh, wrist, forearm and chest.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for detachably connecting the user interface contains at least one belt or tape for attaching the user interface to a person'"'"'s wrist.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for detachably connecting the user interface contains at least one magnetic part.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a position detector operable to recognize the position of the user interface and the user interface comprises a means to change the operating response of a touch pad included in the user interface as a response to recognizing at least one previously determined position of the user interface.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said user interface has been arranged to supply commands to software used in connection with dental care, wherein the software executes commands on at least one of said devices.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one device is a computer used in connection with dental care work, said computer containing a database into which at least one software application used in connection with dental care work is stored, which computer has been arranged in functional connection with at least one display for controlling said at least one software application from said user interface on said display.

22. An apparatus in a dental care environment, which apparatus includes at least one device adapted for use in dental care work in a dental care environment, said device selected from the group consisting of a dental unit, a patient chair, a dental x-ray device and a computer, and at least one user interface remote from the at least one device and adapted to send control commands to at least one of said devices used in connection with dental care work, wherein at least one of a fixed and a detachable means is arranged to said user interface to detachably connect the user interface to a person working in the dental care environment, to clothing of the person or to the dental unit, or said user interface is arranged as a fixed or a detachable part of clothing or a structure arranged to be dressed on a person or of some other structure to be dressed on the person, wherein the apparatus contains at least two devices which are arranged in functional connection with said user interface in such a way that each of the devices provides an identification signal of substantially equal intensity, and wherein the user interface contains means to recognize, which of the identification signals received from the devices is the strongest, and means for locking the user interface to control the device sending the strongest signal, or wherein the apparatus includes corresponding means based on a GPS-technique, for locating the location of the user interface with respect to at least two devices included in the apparatus.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the user interface includes at least a receiver of an induction link, which has been arranged to at least receive energy supplied by an energy source external to the user interface to thereby supply energy to a component capable of storing energy for use by the user interface, whereby the user interface either additionally includes a separate transmitter of a data link or said receiver of the induction link has been arranged to operate also as a transmitter of the data link.

24. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the apparatus contains a wireless bidirectional data link between the user interface and at least one device included in the apparatus.

25. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said user interface is hermetically tight so that a cold sterilization of the user interface by wiping or submerging the user interface in a sterilization liquid is possible or said user interface is incorporated with a structure having a surface allowing the user interface to endure autoclave sterilization.

26. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the apparatus contains at least two devices used in connection with dental care work and a means arranged to the user interface to change an operation mode of the user interface between controlling at least a first and a second device.

27. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the apparatus contains at least two devices connected to a network selected from the group consisting of a dental unit, a patient chair, an intraoral x-ray device, a panoramic x-ray device, a panoramic and skull x-ray imaging device, and a computer tomography imaging device of the skull area.

28. The apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising a detachably connectable part arranged to the user interface, through which said detectably connectable part giving control commands of the user interface has been arranged to take place and which part is such by its structure or by its material that said user interface is autoclavable or otherwise thermally sterilizable.

29. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said means for detachably connecting the user interface has a structure allowing the user interface to be attached to at least one of a person'"'"'s thigh, wrist, forearm and chest.

30. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said user interface has been arranged to supply commands to software used in connection with dental care, wherein the software executes commands on at least one of said devices.

31. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said at least one device is a computer used in connection with dental care work, said computer containing a database into which at least one software application used in connection with dental care work is stored, which computer has been arranged in functional connection with at least one display for controlling said at least one software application from said user interface on said display.

32. A method for controlling at least one device selected from the group consisting of a dental unit, a patient chair, a dental x-ray device and a computer, said at least one device being disposed in an apparatus located in dental care environment and used in connection with dental care work, which apparatus includes at least one user interface remote from the at least one device and adapted to send control commands to at least one of said devices used in connection with dental care work, said method comprising:

controlling said at least one device by using the user interface, said user interface;

(1) being incorporated with a fixed or a detachable means forming a detachable connection of the user interface to a person working in the dental care environment or to clothing of a person, or

(2) being arranged on a fixed or a detachable part of clothing or another structure arranged to be dressed on a person in such a way that said user interface is attached by said means for detachably connecting said user interface to a person working in the dental care environment, or to a person'"'"'s clothing;

the controlling including dressing said user interface on a person, and giving at least one control command by said user interface to at least one of said devices, wherein, prior to giving said at least one control command to said at least one device, a user of the user interface takes an instrument from an instrument table of the dental unit in hand, which operation the dental unit recognizes, and gives at least one control command from the user interface to said instrument.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein at least one of a dental unit and the computer is controlled by said user interface.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein said user interface is attached to said person'"'"'s wrist or forearm.

35. A method for controlling at least one device selected from the group consisting of a dental unit, a patient chair, a dental x-ray device and a computer, said at least one device being disposed in an apparatus located in dental care environment and used in connection with dental care work, which apparatus includes at least one user interface remote from the at least one device and adapted to send control commands to at least one of said devices used in connection with dental care work, said method comprising:

controlling said at least one device by using the user interface, said user interface;

(1) being incorporated with a fixed or a detachable means forming a detachable connection of the user interface to a person working in the dental care environment or to clothing of a person, or

(2) being arranged on a fixed or a detachable part of clothing or another structure arranged to be dressed on a person in such a way that said user interface is attached by said means for detachably connecting said user interface to a person working in the dental care environment, or to a person'"'"'s clothing;

the controlling including dressing said user interface on a person, and giving at least one control command by said user interface to at least one of said devices, wherein, prior to giving said at least one control command to said at least one device, a user of the user interface takes an instrument from an instrument table of the dental unit in hand, and while keeping the instrument in hand changes, in case needed, the operation mode of said user interface to a computer controlling mode by a control command giving means arranged in the user interface and gives at least one control command for controlling a computer from said user interface.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein at least one of a dental unit and the computer is controlled by said user interface.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein said user interface is attached to said person'"'"'s wrist or forearm.