Chair preset icon sync

Abstract

A system and method for synchronizing icons across interfaces for a dental chair is disclosed. In an embodiment, the dental chair has a first interface and a second interface. Each interface includes a plurality of icons that graphically depict stored positions, and the icons can be actuated to control the chair to the stored positions. The position of the chair can be adjusted and the adjusted position can be stored in one of the icons. Once stored, the corresponding icon on both the first and second interfaces is updated to graphically depict the new stored position. Profiles can be provided that allow for selection of different sets of stored positions. Other embodiments may be described and / or claimed.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001]

[0001] Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Non-provisional Application No. 17 / 697,497, filed March 17, 2022, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0002] The disclosed embodiments relate to an operator interface for dental equipment, and more particularly, to an interface for an adjustable dental chair. [Background technology]

[0003] In most dental treatments, the patient sits in a chair specially configured for the practice of dentistry. Such chairs may be equipped with various accessories and tools used in dental treatments, such as dental handpieces, ultrasonic scalers, air / water syringes, intraoral cameras, suction instruments, mouthwash bowls, and surgical lights, to name a few possible tools. The chairs are typically adjustable to several different degrees, for example, manually or via actuator systems, such as electromechanical or hydraulic. For example, the chairs may be height adjustable and recline adjustable so that the dentist can properly position the patient for a given dental procedure, taking into account the dentist's comfort and ease of treatment. The type of control used for adjustments may vary widely depending on the configuration of a given chair and the equipped features of the chair. If the chair is adjusted by an actuation system, the chair's actuation system may be equipped with a controller that provides the ability to memorize positions and control the chair to the memorized positions.

[0004]

[0004] The background discussion provided herein is intended to provide an overall context for the present disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the material discussed in this section is not prior art to the claims of this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

[0005]

[0005] The embodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: To facilitate this description, like reference numerals denote like structural elements, and in which:

[0005] The embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a first exemplary interface for an adjustable dental chair having a touch screen that includes icons reflecting stored chair position presets, according to various embodiments. [Diagram 2] 1 illustrates a second exemplary interface for an adjustable dental chair according to various embodiments, the second exemplary interface including icons corresponding to separate buttons for adjusting the chair to previously stored positions, the icons reflecting stored chair position presets associated with the corresponding buttons. [Diagram 3] 1 illustrates several exemplary icons reflecting stored chair positions, according to various embodiments. [Figure 4] 13 illustrates the function of an icon reflecting a stored chair position when controlling a dental chair to a stored position, according to various embodiments. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates a process flow for adjusting a chair position and how storing the adjusted position changes the icon associated with the stored position, according to various embodiments. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart of method operations for loading and updating icons reflecting stored chair positions according to various embodiments. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example computer that may be used to implement some or all of the components of the interfaces, process flows, systems, and / or methods disclosed herein, according to various embodiments. [Figure 8]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer-readable storage medium that may be used to implement some of the components of the systems or methods disclosed herein, according to various embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007]

[0014] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in which like numerals denote like parts throughout the drawings, and in which embodiments that may be practiced are shown by way of example. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the embodiments is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0008]

[0015] Aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in the accompanying description. Alternative embodiments of the present disclosure and their equivalents may be devised without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. It should be noted that similar elements disclosed below are designated by similar reference numerals in the drawings.

[0009]

[0016] Various operations may be described as multiple discrete actions or operations in a manner that is most useful for understanding the claimed subject matter. However, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations may not be performed in the order presented. The operations described may be performed in a different order than in the described embodiment. In additional embodiments, various additional operations may be performed and / or the operations described may be omitted.

[0010]

[0017] The description may use perspective-based descriptions, such as above / below, back / front, and top / bottom, etc. Such descriptions are used merely for ease of description and are not intended to limit applications of the disclosed embodiments.

[0011]

[0018] The terms "coupled" and "connected," along with their derivatives, may be used. In embodiments, "connected" may be used to indicate that two or more elements are arranged so that they can interact with each other in some manner, including being electrically connected, such as via a data communication link, or wirelessly connected, such as via a wireless communication link. "Coupled," in embodiments, may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical contact. However, "coupled" may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0012]

[0019] For purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "A / B" or in the form "A and / or B" means (A), (B), or (A and B). For purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "at least one of A, B, and C" means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C). For purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "(A)B" means (B) or (AB), i.e., A is an optional element.

[0013]

[0020] The description may use the terms "embodiment" or "embodiments," each of which may refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Additionally, terms such as "comprising," "including," "having," and the like, used with respect to embodiments, are synonymous and are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but is not limited to," etc.).

[0014]

[0021] Callouts for components that are present in multiples may be numbered identically with a letter suffix that distinguishes each instance of the multiple components. For example, if component 1 is presented multiple times in a figure, each instance of component 1 may be designated 1a, 1b, 1c...1x. Referring to a component by a callout without a letter, e.g., component 1, should be understood to refer to any or all instances of components 1a-1x, and reference to a particular instance of component 1 includes that letter, e.g., component 1b.

[0015]

[0022] With respect to the use of any plural and / or singular terms herein, those of skill in the art may substitute the plural for the singular and / or the singular for the plural as appropriate to the context and / or application. Various singular / plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for clarity.

[0016]

[0023] Existing adjustable chairs, if motorized, may be in communication with an interface that allows electronic storage and retrieval of chair positions. As used herein, "motorized" refers to any chair that may be adjusted by actuators that may be controlled by a controller or control unit in communication with the chair, regardless of the nature of the actuation mechanism (e.g., electrohydraulic, electropneumatic, electromechanical, etc.). The controller or control unit may be in communication with and / or generate the above-mentioned interfaces by which a user may instruct the controller or control unit to make adjustments to the chair, depending on the details of a given embodiment. It should be understood that when a chair is described as being controlled to a particular position, the mechanics of how such adjustments of the chair are made depend on the details of a given implementation, i.e., the chair interface may directly control or drive the associated chair actuators, or the interface may instead provide instructions to a controller or control unit configured for the chair, as described above. The particular format of such communications or instructions will depend on the details of a given implementation.

[0017]

[0024] A dentist using such a chair can set the chair, via the interface, to a desired position for repeated use and store that position as a preset in or presented by the interface, so that the chair can be easily controlled from the interface to return to the preset position when the chair is repositioned by other dentists and / or dental staff, etc., because different procedures may require different chair positions or because different dentists / assistants have different preferences. If the interface provides multiple memory presets, different memory presets can be assigned to different positions corresponding to different dentists and / or different types of procedures, e.g., one preset can be used for entry and exit, another preset can be used for performing treatment on the upper dental arch, another position can be used for performing treatment on the lower dental arch, etc.

[0018]

[0025] However, existing adjustable chair interfaces are deficient in several aspects. Known chair interfaces typically indicate memory presets using general identifiers, such as numbers or letters, that do not provide an indication as to the actual stored position, e.g., whether more reclined or upright, chair height, etc. Other known interfaces may only provide static, general indications of general positions, such as upright, reclined, or some intermediate position. These general indications may bear little resemblance to the actual stored positions, especially if the user does not take care to store a position that closely matches the general indication, or if the chair interface's controls do not force the user to store a position that somewhat approximates the general indication.

[0019]

[0026] The disclosed embodiments address these shortcomings by providing a chair interface with dynamic icons to indicate chair position memory presets. The icons reflect the actual stored chair positions, and the icons change to match new stored positions. Thus, a user of the chair interface can be provided with a relatively accurate depiction of the position the chair will be configured to when a given memory preset is triggered or activated, and can be assisted in identifying a particular stored position for a given practitioner and / or procedure.

[0020]

[0027] Additionally, the chair interface and / or associated inputs that may be in communication with the interface may allow for storage of multiple profiles, each profile including its own set of stored presets. If a practice has multiple practitioners, each practitioner may have access to their own set of custom presets. In some embodiments, the practitioner (or associated support staff) may select from several profiles using the chair interface, such as from a drop-down box, radio button, or other toggle or control that provides selection functionality. In other embodiments, the practitioner may log into the interface, such as by providing some form of login credentials. By logging into a given chair interface with the practitioner's profile, the practitioner's stored presets may be made available on the interface, allowing both expansion to additional stored presets and facilitating management of multiple practitioner preferences. In some embodiments, these multiple profiles may be stored on the interface or may be stored on a controller board for the chair in communication with the interface, where the controller board is not integrated with the interface. Still further, in some embodiments, the chair interface or control board may be configured to communicate over a network with one or more various devices that are different or separate from the chair interface or control board. Other possible embodiments are described herein.

[0021]

[0028] Interface FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary interface 100. The interface 100 includes a number of icons 102 that correspond to stored positions of an adjustable chair controlled by the interface 100. The chair may be adjusted directly using a number of adjustment controls 104a, 104b, which in the illustrated embodiment control the tilt of the backrest, and controls 106a and 106b, which control the seat height. The current chair position is reflected in a graphical depiction 108 that is updated as the chair position is adjusted. The interface 100 may further have one or more additional controls 110a, 110b to access useful features such as a timer, and / or to control various accessories attached to or in communication with the chair, the chair's control board, and / or the interface 100. The interface 100 may further display one or more additional features, such as the date and time, any running timers, system status, or other useful information. The interface 100, in the illustrated embodiment, is presented on a touch-sensitive screen such that buttons may be graphically represented as screen locations that can be pressed.

[0022]

[0029] As seen in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the plurality of icons 102 each reflect a different stored setting of the chair position. Because the interface 100 is implemented using a touch-sensitive screen in the illustrated embodiment, each icon 102 also functions as a button to control the chair to the stored position indicated by the icon 102. Thus, tapping or pressing an icon 102 controls the interface 100 to adjust the chair position or controls the chair's control board to adjust the chair position to match the graphical depiction of the activated icon 102. Whether the interface 100 directly controls the chair actuators to the stored positions or provides the stored position information to the control board depends on the details of a given implementation. Although the plurality of icons 102 depicts four icons, other embodiments may have fewer or more icons.

[0023]

[0030] Further, in some embodiments, one of the icons 102 may be dedicated to a toggle function that, when the associated icon is tapped or pressed once, controls the chair from any current first position to a programmed position, and when the associated icon is tapped or pressed a second time, controls the chair from the programmed position back to the first position. The programmed position may be preset in the chair's control board or chair interface, and / or may subsequently be changed by the practitioner to the practitioner's preferred position, as well as other presets associated with each icon 102. Such a toggle function may be useful for positioning the chair so that a patient's x-ray may be taken or so that the patient may use a mouthwash bowl (also known as a cuspidor), and then returning the chair to a previous position so that the practitioner may resume treatment of the patient. The toggle function may be configured such that, when the associated icon is tapped or pressed once, only one adjustable aspect of the chair (e.g., the chair back) is repositioned to a programmed position, and any other adjustable aspects of the chair (e.g., the seat height) remain in their respective first positions. Alternatively, the toggle function may be configured such that multiple adjustable aspects of the chair, up to all possible adjustable aspects or a subset thereof, are repositioned to a programmed position with a single tap or press of the associated icon.

[0024]

[0031] In various embodiments, the toggle function icon may display a programmed position before being pressed once, and then update to display the previous position of the chair after being tapped or pressed once. The toggle function icon may return to displaying the programmed position after being tapped or pressed a second time. Alternatively, the toggle function icon may remain fixed when pressed once or twice, and display only the programmed position to which the chair will be controlled when pressed once when not already in a programmed position. In still other embodiments, the toggle function icon may be a static icon, indicating that the icon is for toggling the chair to the x-ray / gargle bowl position when pressed once and returning it to the previous position when pressed a second time, but in some cases may not indicate or reflect the actual position to which the chair will be controlled when pressed once or the position to which it will be recalled when pressed a second time.

[0025]

[0032] Whether or not the stored positions are controlled by activating an icon 102, in an embodiment, the chair position may be manually adjusted at any time. The interface 100 may provide touch controls for making manual adjustments, such as controls 104a, 104b, 106a, and 106b. As described above, controls 104a and 104b may raise or lower the back angle, respectively, and controls 106a and 106b may raise or lower the seat height, respectively. When such controls are activated, the chair representation 108 may be adjusted to provide a real-time representation of the chair's actual configuration. This representation 108 may also be the basis for a graphical representation of the stored positions of each icon 102, as described in more detail below. Although interface 100 is equipped with manual controls for two levels of chair movement (back tilt and seat height), other embodiments may have fewer or more manual controls corresponding to fewer or more levels of movement or adjustable aspects of a given chair, including the headrest, armrests and / or other portions of the chair to which interface 100 may be equipped.

[0026]

[0033] Additional controls 110a, 110b, and / or 110c may further be provided. The number and type of additional controls 110 may depend on the particular accessories and / or features configured for a given chair. In the illustrated example, controls 110a and 110b may be configured to be docked at the top and bottom of interface 100, respectively, to allow access to interface adjustments, chair configuration, system setup, profile switching, instrument control and configuration, system status, and / or any other necessary or convenient configuration or adjustment. Some controls, such as control 110c, may provide other functions, such as one or more timers for treatment. Additional controls may be implemented as icons or another suitable graphic device, depending on the capabilities of the screen of interface 100.

[0027]

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary interface 200 according to various embodiments. As described below, in some implementations, a chair may be equipped with or connected to both interface 100 as well as interface 200, with interface 100 typically used by a dentist or doctor and interface 200 used by an assistant. Similarly, a chair may be equipped with or connected to more than one interface 100 or more than one interface 200. Interface 200 may be equipped with controls substantially similar to those of interface 100. In the illustrated embodiment, interface 200 includes a plurality of icons 202 corresponding to the plurality of icons 102, adjustment buttons 206a, 206b, 208a, and 208b corresponding to adjustment controls 104a, 104b, 106a, and 106b, respectively, and additional controls 212 corresponding to additional controls 110a and 110b of interface 100. Chair representation 108 corresponds to representation 210. Depending on the implementation, the additional control unit 212 may include only a subset of the functionality provided by the additional control unit 110 .

[0028]

[0035] In some embodiments, the interface 200, in contrast to the interface 100, may be implemented using a non-touch-sensitive screen and a set of buttons separate from the screen. While the illustrated embodiment of the interface 200 is implemented using capacitive or membrane type buttons, other embodiments may use any suitable technology for implementing the controls, such as a touch-sensitive screen, mechanical buttons, momentary or toggle switches, dials, sliders, or any other control that is suitable for the aspect of the chair being controlled and may be used in a dental or medical setting. Thus, although the icons 202 are shown as not touch-sensitive, each of the icons 202 corresponds to one of the buttons 204, and in the illustrated embodiment, each is located beneath one of the icons 202 to indicate the correspondence between the icon and the button. As may be noted, one of the buttons 204 has a light to indicate its activation, i.e., the light indicates that the icon corresponding to the selected button indicates the current configuration of the chair. Upon selection of one of the icons 202 (by pressing the corresponding button 204) or adjustment of the chair via manual adjustment buttons 206a, 206b, 208a, or 208b, the graphical representation 210 may be updated to reflect the current chair configuration. As with interface 100, one of the icons 202 and its corresponding button 204 may be dedicated as a programmed setting toggle button, for example, for the x-ray / mouthwash bowl position.

[0029]

[0036] As mentioned above, the illustrated embodiment shows interface 100 implemented using a touchscreen and interface 200 implemented using a non-touchscreen and corresponding buttons / controls. In other embodiments, both interface 100 and interface 200 may be implemented using a touchscreen interface, where the touchscreen of interface 200 may be similar to or different from the touchscreen of interface 100, or interface 100 may be implemented using a non-touchscreen interface with corresponding buttons / controls and interface 200 is implemented using a touchscreen, or both interface 100 and interface 200 are each implemented using a non-touchscreen interface.

[0030]

[0037] In some embodiments, interface 100 is used primarily by the dentist and interface 200 is used by an assistant. In such embodiments, interface 200 may have a more limited set of controls since an assistant may not need access to the full functionality provided to a dentist or other primary practitioner, e.g., management tools, profile switching, etc. Both interface 100 and / or interface 200 may be directly connected, e.g., hardwired, to the chair or chair control board, or may be connected by another suitable communication technology, such as a wired or wireless data link, as described below. When so connected, adjustments to the stored positions of the plurality of icons 102 are automatically reflected in the plurality of icons 202 of interface 200, and vice versa.

[0031]

[0038] In embodiments, it may be preferable to have interface 100 and / or interface 200 physically coupled to or in close proximity to the chair. However, in embodiments, one or more of interface 100 and interface 200 may be separated from the chair but remain connected and instead be accessible in other areas of the treatment room (such as on a wall, counter, desk, or furniture) in certain circumstances.

[0032]

[0039] Although not shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, interface 100 and interface 200 may communicate with the chair and / or attached controller or control board via a suitable networking technology. In some embodiments, interface 100 and / or interface 200 may connect to the chair, any control boards, and each other using a local networking technology such as CANBUS. Other suitable communication methods may include other cable networking technologies, such as Ethernet or fiber optics, or wireless technologies, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, or another suitable networking protocol. In still other embodiments, a combination of technologies and / or protocols may be used. Still further, interface 100 and / or interface 200, as well as other components of the treatment room, such as the chair and any associated control boards, may be capable of data communication with other individual devices, such as via a suitable data network.

[0033]

[0040] Preset activation and icon sync FIG. 3 illustrates a plurality of icons, each graphically depicting a representation or approximation of a stored chair position, corresponding to one of the icons in a plurality of icons 102 and 202 associated with interface 100 and / or interface 200, respectively. Icons 302 and 306 each depict a stored chair position. Upon activation or depression of icon 302 or 306, in the case of a touch screen, or a corresponding button in the case of a non-touch screen interface, the chair associated with the interface assumes the position depicted on the respective icon. Thus, activation of icon 302 places the chair in configuration 304, and activation of icon 306 places the chair in configuration 308. As can be seen, configuration 304 is substantially identical to the depiction in icon 302, and configuration 308 is substantially identical to the depiction in icon 306. Icons 302 and 306 may each be part of a plurality of icons of stored positions, such as a plurality of icons 102 or 202, and may be reprogrammed with different stored positions, as described below with respect to FIG. 5.

[0034]

[0041] FIG. 4 illustrates a process flow 400 when one of a plurality of icons, such as a plurality of icons 102 or 202, or one of a corresponding plurality of buttons 204, is selected to configure the chair to the position indicated by the selected icon. The chair is in a first configuration 402 with a relatively high seat height and a backrest at a reclined angle. An icon 404 is selected by either pressing the icon on a touch screen interface or pressing a corresponding button on a non-touch screen interface. Following the selection, the interface commands the chair (or a control board or module connected to the chair and in communication with the interface) to assume the position reflected in the icon 404. Thus, the chair assumes a second configuration 406 identical to the depiction of the icon 404 with the backrest raised to a more upright angle and the seat height relatively low.

[0035]

[0042] 5 illustrates a process flow 500 in which an icon depicting a stored chair position is updated when an existing stored chair position is overwritten by a new position. In the process flow 500, the chair in a first configuration 502 is actuated, such as with the adjustment controls 104 and 106 or the adjustment buttons 206 and 208, to place the chair in a second configuration 504. The icon 506 illustrates a first stored position 506a that is different from either the first configuration 502 or the second configuration 504. As can be seen, activating the icon 506 when it illustrates the first stored position 506a causes the interface to control the chair to move to the stored position 506a. In some embodiments, activating icon 506 causes the interface to signal the control board (or the control interface, in implementations where the interface and control board are integrated or otherwise combined) of the selected preset, at which point the control board uses the stored preset position information to command the chair to the preset position, and the signaling interface simply indicates which preset was selected.

[0036]

[0043] The user may decide to save a second configuration 504 to the icon 506 following adjustment of the chair with the adjustment control, overwriting the current stored position. When the user selects to set a new configuration icon 506, such as the second configuration 504, the position of the chair in the second configuration 504 overwrites the existing stored position 506a. In response, the icon 506 is updated to show the second stored position 506b. Once the second configuration 504 is saved, the icon 506 then reflects this new stored configuration as a second stored position 506b, identical to the second configuration 504. As will be appreciated, activating the icon 506 having the second stored position 506b will move the chair to the second configuration 504.

[0037]

[0044] It should be further appreciated that in some embodiments where an icon is configured to toggle between a current setting and a preprogrammed setting (e.g., x-ray or mouthwash position) as described above with respect to FIG. 1, the icon may change in a manner similar to process flow 500, but without the user having to explicitly set or store a new configuration. When such an icon is first activated, the current configuration is automatically saved before the chair is adjusted to the preset configuration. In some embodiments, the icon associated with the preset toggle may also be automatically updated to graphically depict the stored previous configuration. In the context of FIG. 5, if the chair is in configuration 504 and icon 506 is configured to toggle to a preset (different from configuration 504), then when activated to place the chair in the previous configuration, configuration 504 is automatically stored. Icon 506 may then change to reflect configuration 504. Thus, activating icon 506 again without an intervening adjustment will return the chair to configuration 504, and icon 506, if updated, will return to showing the preset configuration.

[0038]

[0045] 6 is a flow chart of the operations of an exemplary method 600 for storing and updating an icon with a new chair position preset. Method 600 may be implemented on a dental chair having an interface such as interface 100 and / or interface 200. Depending on the needs of a given implementation, the operations of method 600 may be performed in order or out of order as the operations permit, operations may be performed in whole or in part, operations may be omitted or added. Method 600 may further be performed on an interface that supports multiple user profiles, where different users may select different profiles, each profile being associated with a different set of stored chair position presets.

[0039]

[0046] In operation 602, a user of the chair may select a desired profile from an interface such as interface 100 or interface 200, or via another interface or control terminal. Depending on the details of a given embodiment, the user may simply select a profile on the interface, such as from a drop-down list or radio button. In other embodiments, the user may need to provide login or authentication credentials as part of logging in to the interface. Once a profile is selected, in some embodiments, the interface signals the selected user profile to the chair's control board (or control interface). The control board then activates the stored position presets associated with the profile and signals the active profile to any other interfaces attached to or otherwise in communication with the chair control board. In embodiments where the interface is combined or integrated with the chair's controller, the interface may directly signal the active stored profile to any other attached interfaces. It should be understood that operation 602 may be unnecessary when there are no profiles or there is only one profile.

[0040]

[0047] Depending on the details of a given implementation, the stored position presets may be stored in memory or other suitable storage on the chair controller board and / or within the interface that accepts the profile selection, especially when the interface also functions as a chair controller. In some implementations, upon receiving notification of the selected profile, each interface may retrieve any stored presets associated with the signaled active profile from storage local to the interface and update the interface icon to reflect the stored preset. In such implementations, each interface may independently store preset information in memory or storage local to the interface, which may include information usable by the interface to create an icon that graphically corresponds to each stored preset. In other implementations, a device that stores position presets for controlling the chair to each preset, e.g., a control board, may provide the necessary preset information to some or all attached interfaces when a profile is selected, in addition to or instead of signaling the active profile. In such implementations, it may be possible to use interfaces that are not equipped with local storage, such as interfaces that simply provide icons and buttons for signaling the selected preset, but in some cases rely on the control board or another interface to provide the preset information.

[0041]

[0048] Other configurations may be possible, for example, the presets may be stored in a separate connected memory module or storage device, or an attached interface may, for example, store the presets and provide them to the chair control board. Furthermore, the information about the stored presets, if transmitted to the communicating device or devices, may vary depending on the details of a given embodiment. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the control board or control interface may signal only the selected active profile to each interface. In other embodiments, only the information necessary to generate an icon reflecting the stored preset may need to be transmitted. In still other embodiments, sufficient information may be transmitted to enable the chair to be controlled to the position preset. In still other embodiments, the information transmitted may depend on the receiving device, for example, a second interface may need to receive only the information necessary to generate an icon, but the control board may need information to enable the chair to be controlled to the position preset, such as when a first interface both receives the profile selection and stores the preset information, but relies on a control board for chair control that lacks stored presets.

[0042]

[0049] In operation 604, upon receiving the profile selection, the interface retrieves information about stored position presets associated with the profile from local storage and updates associated icons, such as icons 102 or 202, to graphically depict the various stored position presets. If the chair is equipped with two (or more) interfaces, such as a dentist interface and an assistant interface, each interface may follow the same procedure, i.e., each interface retrieves from its respective local storage any stored position preset information associated with the selected profile and updates the icons accordingly. Depending on the details of a given embodiment, an interface that directly receives a profile selection from a user (e.g., an interface with which a user interacts to select a user profile) may signal the profile selection to all other connected interfaces and / or may send such selection to a control board, which may then signal all connected interfaces. It should be further appreciated that in embodiments in which stored position preset information is transmitted from a control board to an interface, as described above with respect to operation 602, operation 604 may be unnecessary or significantly simplified.

[0043]

[0050] As discussed above with respect to FIG. 5, in an embodiment, selection of one of the plurality of icons, such as by actuation of the icon or an associated button, signals a selection of the associated position preset to the control board (or control interface). The control board then configures the chair to conform to the selected stored position preset based on its stored position preset information. Furthermore, upon selection of one of the plurality of icons, the interface receiving the selection from the user may signal the selection to all other interfaces, such that each interface may be updated to reflect which preset is currently selected. For example, interface 200 may illuminate a light on button 204 corresponding to the selected preset, and interface 100 may change the color of icon 102 corresponding to the selected preset.

[0044]

[0051] In various embodiments, each interface stores chair position information locally for each stored position preset of a given profile, and only receives an indication of a preset selection change following receipt of a profile selection. In such an embodiment, the interface may lack a given stored position preset information if it has not "seen" a preset before, for example, if the interface is connected to a newly installed chair that has not yet been assigned a preset, or if the interface has just been added to an existing chair and is being used for the first time. If there is no stored position preset information available for a given icon on the interface, such as when the interface is newly installed, a predefined default image for the icon, such as a generic representation of a chair or another graphic device such as a question mark or dash, may be displayed to indicate that the interface lacks information about stored position presets. Similarly, when a new profile is created in the interface or controller, a default initial position preset may be provided for each icon under the new profile. In such a case, the interface may query the control board for the current position of the chair following selection of a preset to obtain the stored position preset information. When the interface "sees" a stored position from the control board, the interface can store the position information and update the icon associated with the stored position preset.

[0045]

[0052] It will be appreciated that in embodiments where stored position preset information is transmitted to the interfaces, each interface can rely on the transmitted preset information to generate an appropriate icon for each stored position preset. In such embodiments, an interface receiving the stored position preset information may not need to query the controller for the current chair position.

[0046]

[0053] In operation 606, a chair user may manually adjust the chair if none of the stored position presets are suitable or desired, or if a new chair configuration is desired to be stored as a new preset. Manual adjustments may be made through an interface, such as interface 100 or interface 200, using manual adjustment controls, such as adjustment icons 104, 106, or adjustment buttons 206, 208. Depending on the implementation of a given interface, the interface may graphically reflect the current position / configuration of the chair as it is adjusted. Still further, if the chair includes multiple interfaces that can graphically reflect the current position / configuration of the chair as it is adjusted, all interfaces may graphically reflect the position of the chair as it is adjusted. Updating the graphical depiction on each of the interfaces may be accomplished in various ways depending on the details of a given implementation. For example, in some embodiments, the control board may broadcast chair position updates to all interfaces, while in other embodiments, each interface may periodically query the control board for current position information.

[0047]

[0054] Once the desired configuration of the chair is obtained, in operation 608 the new position may be stored as a preset associated with one of a plurality of icons on the interface, such as a plurality of icons 102 or 202. The user may select the desired icon through the interface for which the new preset is to be stored. Once the desired icon is selected indicating that a new preset is to be stored, the interface receiving the selection, in embodiments, signals the control board (or control interface) that the new chair position is to be stored in the stored position preset corresponding to the selected icon. If the position preset corresponding to the icon selected for storage has a previously stored preset, the new position to be stored overwrites the previously stored position preset. Storing the new position may be accomplished by any method appropriate for the interface being used. In some implementations, the icon (or corresponding button) for which the new configuration is to be saved is pressed and held for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 1-5 seconds) until the icon is updated to reflect the new configuration, indicating that the new configuration has been saved as a new preset. In other implementations, a particular key, button, or press combination may be entered to indicate the intent to store the new configuration and the icon to which the configuration should be stored. In response, the interface may further be updated to reflect that the chair is at the stored position preset. For example, the interface 200 may light up the adjustment button associated with the icon of the newly saved position preset.

[0048]

[0055] Finally, in operation 610, each connected interface may receive notification from the chair control board or control interface that the chair has been positioned at the stored position preset, and may therefore obtain the current chair position data from the control board or interface. Each connected interface may then store the updated position preset in local storage. The icons on all interfaces connected to the chair associated with the updated position preset are then updated to reflect the new stored configuration, so that the new configuration may be easily identified in subsequent uses of the chair. It should be understood that in embodiments in which the stored position preset information is distributed or broadcast from the control board to the interfaces, operation 610 may be simplified or made practically meaningless.

[0049]

[0056] Computer Systems and Software 7 illustrates an exemplary architecture of a computing device 1500 that may be used by the apparatus and / or methods described herein, according to various embodiments. It should be understood that computing device 1500 is intended to illustrate a general computer architecture. Systems implementing interface 100 or interface 200, as well as components such as control boards for chairs, may have some of the components illustrated in FIG. 7, omit others, and may have additional or different components as necessary for a given implementation.

[0050]

[0057] As shown, the computing device 1500 may include several components, such as one or more processors 1504 (one shown) and at least one communications chip 1506. In various embodiments, the one or more processors 1504 may each include one or more processor cores. In various embodiments, the one or more processors 1504 may include hardware accelerators to complement the one or more processor cores. In various embodiments, the at least one communications chip 1506 may be physically and electrically connected to the one or more processors 1504. In further implementations, the communications chip 1506 may be part of the one or more processors 1504. In various embodiments, the computing device 1500 may include a printed circuit board (PCB) 1502. In these embodiments, the one or more processors 1504 and the communications chip 1506 may be provided on the PCB. In alternative embodiments, the various components may be connected without the use of the PCB 1502.

[0051]

[0058] The computing device 1500 may include other components that may be physically and electrically coupled to the PCB 1502 depending on its application. These other components may include, but are not limited to, a memory controller 1526, a volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 1520), a non-volatile memory such as a read only memory (ROM) 1524, a flash memory 1522, a storage device 1554 (e.g., a hard disk drive (HDD)), an I / O controller 1541, a digital signal processor (not shown), a cryptographic processor (not shown), a graphics processor 1530, one or more antennas 1528, a display, a touch screen display 1532, a touch screen controller 1546, a battery 1536, an audio codec (not shown), a video codec (not shown), a global positioning system (GPS) device 1540, a compass 1542, an accelerometer (not shown), a gyroscope (not shown), a speaker 1550, a camera 1552, and a mass storage device (hard disk drive, solid state drive, compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), etc.) (not shown).

[0052]

[0059] In some embodiments, the one or more processors 1504, flash memory 1522, and / or storage device 1554 may include associated firmware (not shown) that stores programming instructions configured to enable computing device 1500 to implement all or selected aspects of interface 100, interface 200, process flow 400, process flow 500, and / or method 600 described herein in response to execution of the programming instructions by the one or more processors 1504. In various embodiments, these aspects may additionally or alternatively be implemented using hardware separate from the one or more processors 1504, flash memory 1522, or storage device 1554.

[0053]

[0060] The communications chip 1506 may enable wired and / or wireless communications for the transfer of data to and from the computing device 1500. The term "wireless" and its derivatives may be used to describe circuits, devices, systems, methods, techniques, communications channels, etc. that may communicate data through the use of modulated electromagnetic radiation over a non-solid medium. The term does not imply that the associated devices do not include any wiring, although in some embodiments the associated devices may not include any wiring. The communications chip 1506 may implement any of a number of wireless standards or protocols, including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.20, Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE Advanced (LTE-A), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Evolution Data Optimized (Ev-DO), Evolved High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA+), Evolved High Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA+), Evolved High Speed ​​Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA+), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Bluetooth, derivatives thereof, and any other wireless protocols designated as 3G, 4G, 5G, and beyond. The computing device 1500 may include multiple communications chips 1506. For example, a first communications chip 1506 may be dedicated to shorter range wireless communications such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a second communications chip 1506 may be dedicated to longer range wireless communications such as GPS, EDGE, GPRS, CDMA, WiMAX, LTE, Ev-DO, etc.

[0054]

[0061] In various implementations, the computing device 1500 may be a laptop, a netbook, a notebook, an ultrabook, a smartphone, a computing tablet, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a desktop computer, smart glasses, or a server. In further implementations, the computing device 1500 may be any other electronic device that processes data.

[0055]

[0062] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present disclosure may be embodied as a method or computer program product. Thus, in addition to being embodied in hardware as described above, the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.) or an embodiment combining software aspects with hardware aspects, all of which may be generally referred to as a "circuit," "module," or "system." Furthermore, the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied in any tangible or non-transitory medium of expression having computer usable program code embodied in the medium. FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that may be suitable for use to store instructions that cause a device to practice selected aspects of the present disclosure in response to execution of the instructions by the device. As shown, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium 1602 may include a number of programming instructions 1604. The programming instructions 1604 may be configured to enable a device, e.g., computer 1500, to perform (aspects of) interface 100, interface 200, process flow 400, process flow 500, and / or method 600 in response to execution of the programming instructions. In alternative embodiments, the programming instructions 1604 may instead be located on multiple computer-readable non-transitory storage media 1602. In yet other embodiments, the programming instructions 1604 may be located on a computer-readable transitory storage medium 1602, such as a signal.

[0056]

[0063] Any combination of one or more computer usable or computer readable media may be utilized. The computer usable or computer readable medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples of computer readable media (non-exhaustive list) include an electrical connection with one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a transmission medium such as one that supports the Internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. It should be noted that the computer usable or computer readable medium may be a paper or another suitable medium on which the program is printed, since the program may be captured electronically, for example, via optical scanning of the paper or other medium, and then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in an appropriate manner as required, and then stored in computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer usable or computer readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer usable medium may include a propagated data signal having computer usable embodied therein computer usable program code, either in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. The computer usable program code may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, fiber optic cable, RF, etc.

[0057]

[0064] Computer program code for performing the operations of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may run entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or a connection may be made to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

[0058]

[0065] The present disclosure will be described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a general-purpose computer, a processor of a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to manufacture a machine such that the instructions, which execute via a processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device, create means for performing the functions / operations specified in one or more blocks of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams.

[0059]

[0066] These computer program instructions may also be stored on a computer-readable medium, which may instruct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner to produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the functions / acts specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, the instructions stored on the computer-readable medium.

[0060]

[0067] Computer program instructions may also be loaded into a computer or other programmable data processing device to cause a series of operational steps to be executed on the computer or other programmable device to generate a computer-implemented process such that the instructions executing on the computer or other programmable device provide a process for performing the functions / operations specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams.

[0061]

[0068] While specific embodiments have been shown and described herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a wide variety of alternative and / or equivalent embodiments or implementations calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the embodiments may be implemented in a wide variety of ways.

[0062]

[0069] This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein. Thus, it is manifestly intended that the embodiments be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. 1. An interface for an adjustable dental chair, comprising: a plurality of icons, each of the plurality of icons associated with a stored position of the dental chair, each of the plurality of icons graphically depicting the stored position; a plurality of buttons, each of the plurality of buttons being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of icons; Including, the stored location associated with each of the plurality of icons is reprogrammable, and a graphical depiction of the reprogrammed icon is updated to reflect the reprogrammed stored location; when one of the plurality of icons is updated to reflect the reprogrammed stored location, a corresponding icon of a second plurality of icons on a second interface is updated to reflect the reprogrammed stored location.

2. 2. The interface of claim 1, wherein the interface is a first interface, the first interface and the second interface are each connected to the dental chair, and the first interface is of a different type than the second interface.

3. The interface of claim 1 , wherein the first interface causes the second interface to update the corresponding icon of the second plurality of icons by data communication via a dental chair control board.

4. The interface of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of icons is displayed on a touch screen, and each of the plurality of icons includes a corresponding button.

5. The interface of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of icons is separate from a corresponding button.

6. The interface of claim 1 , wherein the interface includes a graphical representation of the position of the dental chair that is updated as a dental chair position is adjusted.

7. 2. The interface of claim 1, wherein the interface further includes a selector for selecting a user profile from a plurality of stored user profiles, each of the profiles having a plurality of stored locations, and wherein selecting the user profile causes the plurality of icons to reflect the plurality of stored locations of the selected user profile.

8. 2. The interface of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of buttons is configured, upon each actuation, to toggle between the stored position associated with the button's corresponding icon and the current position of the dental chair.

9. a dental chair that is adjustable within a range of possible positions; a first interface for adjusting the dental chair within the range of possible positions, the first interface comprising: a first plurality of icons, each of the first plurality of icons associated with a stored location within the range of possible locations, each of the first plurality of icons graphically depicting the stored location; a plurality of buttons, each of the plurality of buttons being associated with a corresponding one of the first plurality of icons; a first interface including: A system comprising: the stored positions associated with each of the first plurality of icons are reprogrammable, and a graphical depiction of the reprogrammed icon is updated to reflect the reprogrammed stored position; when one of the first plurality of icons is updated to reflect the reprogrammed stored location, a corresponding icon of a second plurality of icons on a second interface is updated to reflect the reprogrammed stored location.

10. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first interface is of a different type than the second interface, and activating one of the buttons causes the dental chair to move to the stored position associated with the button's corresponding icon.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first interface is a touch screen interface, and each of the first plurality of icons also functions as a corresponding one of the plurality of buttons.

12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of buttons is a first plurality of buttons, and the second interface includes a second plurality of buttons that are separate from the second plurality of icons, each of the second plurality of buttons being associated with a corresponding one of the second plurality of icons.

13. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein one of the first plurality of buttons and one of the second plurality of buttons are each configured, upon each activation, to toggle between the stored position associated with each button's corresponding icon and a current position of the dental chair.

14. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the interface further includes a selector for selecting a user profile from a plurality of stored user profiles, each of the profiles having a plurality of stored locations, and wherein selection of the user profile causes the plurality of icons to reflect the plurality of stored locations of the selected user profile.

15. When executed by an apparatus, the apparatus: displaying a first plurality of icons on a first interface, each of the first plurality of icons associated with a stored location of a dental chair, each of the first plurality of icons graphically depicting the stored location; receiving one or more commands to adjust the position of the dental chair; receiving a command to store the adjusted position of the dental chair; updating a graphical depiction on one of the first plurality of icons to reflect the adjusted position; and causing a graphical depiction on one of a second plurality of icons located on a second interface to be updated to reflect said adjusted position; A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) comprising instructions for causing the

16. 16. The CRM of claim 15, wherein the first interface further includes a plurality of buttons, each of the plurality of buttons corresponding to one of the first plurality of icons, and the instructions are such that when one of the plurality of buttons is actuated, the position of the dental chair is further adjusted to match a graphical depiction of the icon corresponding to the actuated button.

17. 16. The CRM of claim 15, wherein the device is the first interface and the instructions cause the device to update the graphical depiction of one of the second plurality of icons located on the second interface by signaling to the second interface that the adjusted position of the dental chair has been stored.

18. 20. The CRM of claim 17, wherein the device signals to the second interface via a control board connected to the dental chair, the first interface, and the second interface.

19. The instructions further include causing the device to: receiving a selection of a user profile from a plurality of user profiles, each of the plurality of user profiles having a plurality of stored locations; causing the first plurality of icons and the second plurality of icons to reflect the plurality of stored locations from the selected user profile; The CRM of claim 15 .

20. 16. The CRM of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the device to toggle one of the plurality of buttons, upon each actuation, between the stored position associated with the button's corresponding icon and the current position of the dental chair.

Images