Drive manager for power wheelchair and related methods

A drive manager device for managing the controls of a power wheelchair equipped with one or more motors capable of actuating a plurality of wheels, the power wheelchair being further equipped with a drive controller operatively connected to the one or more motors and to the drive manager device, the drive manager device comprising:

• a set of communication interfaces;
• one or more memories;
• and
• one or more processors, operatively coupled to the one or more memories, to:
• communicate with an input collection/display unit via a first wired communication interface of the set of communication interfaces, the input collection/display unit operable by a user in the power wheelchair,
• determine a command made by the user by processing command data received in a communication with the input collection/display unit, the command being a request to drive the power wheelchair,
• in response to determining the command, cause voltage to be applied to the drive controller via a second wired communication interface of the set of communication interfaces, wherein the voltage causes the drive controller to interact with the one or more motors to actuate one or more wheels of the plurality of wheels,
• establish a communication session with a caregiver unit via a wireless communication interface, such that the input collection/display unit and the caregiver unit are permitted to engage in concurrent communications, wherein the caregiver unit is external to the power wheelchair and operable by a caregiver,
• determine that the input collection/display unit is a controlling device that is presently controlling the power wheelchair, where the caregiver unit is a non-controlling device, and
• cause a user interface to be provided for display on the non-controlling device such that the user interface omits buttons corresponding to directional drive controls so as to prevent the non-controlling device from driving the power wheelchair, and displays one or more buttons corresponding to controls other than the directional drive controls.

A method for managing the controls of a power wheelchair equipped with one or more motors, a plurality of wheels, a drive controller operatively connected to the one or more motors and mounted to the power wheelchair, and a drive manager device operatively connected to the drive controller;

• the method comprising:
• receiving, by the drive manager device, command data for a command to drive the power wheelchair, wherein the command data is received from an input collection/display unit via a first communication interface, the input collection/display unit being operable by a user in the power wheelchair;
• determining, by the drive manager device, the command made by the user by processing the received command data;
• causing, by the drive manager device, voltage to be applied through a second communication interface and to the drive controller, wherein the voltage causes the drive controller to interact with the one or more motors to actuate one or more wheels of the plurality of wheels;
• establishing, by the driver manager device, a communication session with a caregiver unit via a third communication interface, wherein the caregiver unit is external to the power wheelchair and operable by a caregiver, and wherein the first communication interface and third communication interface permit the drive manager device to engage in concurrent communications with the input collection/display unit and the caregiver unit;
• preventing, by the drive manager device, the caregiver unit and the input collection/display unit from controlling the power wheelchair concurrently,
• determining, by the drive manager device, that the input collection/display unit is a controlling device that is presently controlling the power wheelchair, where the caregiver unit is a non-controlling device, and
• causing, by the drive manager device, a user interface to be provided for display on the non-controlling device such that the user interface omits buttons corresponding to directional drive controls so as to prevent the non-controlling device from driving the power wheelchair, and displays one or more buttons corresponding to controls other than the directional drive controls.