Method and apparatus for setting or modifying programmable parameter in power driven wheelchair

• US 8,793,032 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invacare Corporation
• Original Assignee: Invacare Corporation
• Inventors: Peters, Darryl, Jaenke, Bruce A., Burke, Carrie L., Chopcinski, Gary E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US13/311,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20120143393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/1, 180/907
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/14 Joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/04 motor-driven A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/10 Parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1059 adjusting the height of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1075 tilting the whole seat backwards tilting forwards for standing-up or sitting-down aids A61G5/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1089 Anti-tip devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/12 Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or the feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/128 for feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05784 with ventilating means, e.g. mattress or cushion with ventilating holes or ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/84 Wheelchairs
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/106 for selecting a programme, variable or parameter
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23128 Switch from one kind of display to other when parameter is changed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23129 Animated display, changes as function of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23159 Display plurality of parameters simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23193 Memory stores lifetime, different settings, configurations of controlled device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23332 Overide stored parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23388 Mixture of different means, joystick, keys, pedals, fader, potentiometer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 21/18 Estimation of position or speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A method and apparatus for setting or modifying a programmable operating parameter associated with a power driven wheelchair is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes: a) operating a user interface device associated with a power driven wheelchair in a programming mode, b) selecting a programmable operating parameter associated with operation of the power driven wheelchair using the user interface device, c) selecting a value for the programmable operating parameter using the user interface device, and d) saving the selected value for the programmable operating parameter in a portion of a storage device associated with the power driven wheelchair using the user interface device. A method and apparatus for selecting one or more programmable parameter sets from a portable storage medium and saving the selected sets to a local storage device associated with a power driven wheelchair and vice versa is also provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus associated with a power driven wheelchair capable of setting or modifying programmable parameters, including:

a user interface device associated with the power driven wheelchair and adapted to operate in a programming mode; and

a first storage device in operative communication with the user interface device with at least a portion designated for storage of a programmable operating parameter associated with operation of the power driven wheelchair;

a microcontroller in operative communication with the user interface device;

wherein, prior to programming the programmable operating parameter, the microcontroller performs a security check to determine a privilege associated with a user, wherein the privilege identifies which features of the power driven wheelchair that the user has access to; and

wherein, if the user has access to programming the programmable operating parameter, the user interface device is used to select the programmable operating parameter, select a value for the programmable operating parameter, and save the selected value for the programmable operating parameter in the portion of the first storage device, such that when the power driven wheelchair exits the programming mode, the programmable operating parameter is set to the selected value for operation of the wheelchair.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a storage medium interface in operative communication with the microcontroller; and

a portable storage medium in operative communication with the storage medium interface; and

wherein the portable storage medium comprises a key that indicates the privilege associated with the user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a programmer in operative communication with the microcontroller; and

wherein the programmer comprises a key that indicates the privilege associated with the user.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including:

a programmer in operative communication with the microcontroller, wherein the programmer comprises a storage medium interface; and

a portable storage medium in operative communication with the storage medium interface; and

wherein the portable storage medium comprises a key that indicates the privilege associated with the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the privilege associated with the user is one of a plurality of privileges, wherein each privilege is associated with a user type.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein different user types have different access to features of the power driven wheelchair.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the privilege associated with the user allows the user to access all programming features of the power driven wheelchair.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the privilege associated with the user allows the user to access a group of programming features of the power driven wheelchair.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the security check is performed before allowing access to each programmable operating parameter.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller displays an error message on a display device if the security check fails to allow access to programming the programmable operating parameter.

11. A method associated with a power driven wheelchair for setting or modifying programmable parameters, including:

operating a user interface device in a programming mode;

performing a security check to determine a privilege associated with a user, wherein the privilege identifies which features of the power driven wheelchair that the user has access to;

in response to allowing programming access to a programmable operating parameter;

selecting the programmable operating parameter associated with operation of the power driven wheelchair using the user interface device;

selecting a value for the programmable operating parameter using the user interface device; and

saving the selected value for the programmable operating parameter in a portion of a storage device associated with the power driven wheelchair using the user interface device, such that when the power driven wheelchair exits the programming mode, the programmable operating parameter is set to the selected value for operation of the wheelchair.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

retrieving a key from a portable storage medium via a storage medium interface, wherein the key indicates the privilege associated with the user.

13. The method of claim 11, further including:

retrieving a key from a programmer, wherein the key indicates the privilege associated with the user.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein retrieving the key from the programmer comprises the transmission of a key status signal from the programmer to a microcontroller.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the privilege associated with the user is one of a plurality of privileges, wherein each privilege is associated with a user type.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein different user types have different access to features of the power driven wheelchair.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the privilege associated with the user allows the user to access all programming features of the power driven wheelchair.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the privilege associated with the user allows the user to access a group of programming features of the power driven wheelchair.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the security check is performed before allowing access to each programmable operating parameter.

20. The method of claim 11, further including:

displaying an error message on a display device if the security check fails to allow programming access to the programmable operating parameter.