Medical device having a combination data reader and infrared data transceiver and method of using same
AssigneeGE Medical Systems Information Technologies, Inc.
InventorsPaul Schluter, Donald E. Brodnick
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Abstract
An electronic apparatus comprising: a housing; an infrared filter window supported by the housing; and an infrared transceiver mounted in the housing so that infrared light emitted by the infrared transceiver is focused in the vicinity of the infrared window, and radiates from the infrared filter window in an approximately 30 degree illumination cone.
Claims30
An electronic apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- sensing means coupled to the apparatus, wherein the sensing means are configured to provide a set of patient data to the apparatus;
- an infrared filter window supported by the housing;
- and
- an infrared transceiver mounted in the housing so that a focal point of infrared light emitted by the infrared transceiver to transmit data to another electronic apparatus is focused at the infrared filter window, and radiates from the infrared filter window in an illumination cone, such that the focal point of the infrared light illumination cone is on the outer surface of the infrared filter window.
An electronic apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- sensing means coupled to the apparatus, wherein the sensing means are configured to provide a set of patient data to the apparatus;
- an infrared filter window supported by the housing;
- a combination data reader and infrared data transceiver supported by the housing and configured to read data encoded on a data source and to transmit data to another electronic apparatus, wherein infrared light emitted by the combination data reader and infrared data transceiver to read data and to transmit data includes a common focal point at the infrared filter window;
- a processor connected to the combination data reader and infrared data transceiver;
- and
- a software program executed by the processor to decode both infrared light reflected from a data source and infrared data transmitted from another electronic apparatus, such that the common focal point of the infrared light is on the outer surface of the infrared filter window.
A method of inputting data into an electronic device having an infrared data transceiver and a filter window, the method comprising the acts of:
- positioning the infrared data transceiver adjacent a reflective surface having data encoded thereon;
- applying a force to the filter window using the reflective surface to activate the infrared data transceiver to emit infrared light;
- and
- detecting infrared light reflected from the reflective surface.
A method of inputting data into a medical device, the method comprising:
- providing a medical device having
- an infrared filter window supported by the housing,
- a combination data reader and infrared data transceiver supported by the housing and configured to read data encoded on a reflective surface and to transmit data to another infrared compatible electronic apparatus;
- providing a reflective surface having patient information encoded thereon;
- emitting infrared light from the combination data reader and infrared data transceiver to read data, the emitted infrared light being focused such that a focal point of the emitted infrared light is at the infrared filter window;
- decoding infrared light reflected from the reflective surface to obtain at least some of the patient information;
- and
- emitting infrared light from the combination data reader and infrared data transceiver to transmit data, the focal point of the emitted infrared light is focused at the infrared filter window, such that the focal point of the infrared light emitted for reading data and transmitting data is on the outer surface of the infrared filter window.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.