Modular Control System for Eye Exam Device Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current eye examination devices lack interoperability between different manufacturers and models, requiring practitioners to equip themselves exclusively with devices from a single manufacturer, leading to limitations in device replacement, user interface variability, and restricted access to diagnostic aids and third-party enhancements.
Innovation Solution
A modular control system that enables communication and interoperability between eye examination devices from various manufacturers by using a modular box with protocol management cards to convert physical protocols and a control box with a graphic and technical interface to translate human logic language into machine logic language, allowing devices to communicate and function seamlessly regardless of manufacturer or model.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If devices from different manufacturers are used, then device choice and flexibility improve, but interoperability and communication compatibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control system as an intermediary device that mediates communication between eye examination devices from different manufacturers. The control system includes a control unit with a communication interface that can translate and manage data exchange between incompatible devices, allowing practitioners to use devices from various manufacturers while maintaining reliable interoperability through the mediating control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed with universal functionality to work with multiple types of eye examination devices from different manufacturers. The communication interface can handle various data formats and protocols, enabling a single control system to manage diverse devices including autorefractometers, focimeters, and patient management software, thereby providing versatility without sacrificing compatibility.
2Ease of operation
If proprietary control consoles are used, then device-specific control precision improves, but system flexibility and manufacturer independence deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the user interface and manufacturer-specific devices. It provides a standardized control interface that translates user commands into device-specific protocols, maintaining ease of operation while enabling manufacturer independence. The control unit can adapt to different device types without requiring proprietary control consoles for each manufacturer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the control function from the device-specific communication functions. The control unit handles high-level control logic and user interaction, while communication with individual devices is handled through standardized interfaces. This segmentation allows the control system to maintain ease of operation while being independent of any single manufacturer's proprietary control console design.
3Device complexity
If manual data transfer between devices is used, then device simplicity improves, but time consumption and error probability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system serves as an intermediary that automatically manages data transfer between eye examination devices. It receives data from devices such as autorefractometers and focimeters, processes it, and transmits it to patient management software or other devices, eliminating manual data entry. This automated intermediary approach maintains simple device designs while dramatically reducing data transfer time and error probability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system enables devices to communicate and transfer data automatically without human intervention. The control unit manages the entire data flow between devices, including format conversion and protocol adaptation, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring practitioners to manually transfer data between devices.
4Device complexity
If thermal printers are used for result output, then device simplicity improves, but information transfer efficiency and accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The control system acts as an intermediary between measurement devices and output devices. Instead of relying on simple thermal printers that require manual transcription, the control unit automatically receives digital data from measurement devices, processes it, and transmits it directly to patient management software or display devices, eliminating information loss associated with manual transfer while keeping the overall system architecture simple.
Data Source
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AI summary
One aspect of the invention concerns a system for controlling at least one eyesight testing device (Ap1), each device (Ap1) communicating in a certain machine logic language and according to a certain physical protocol; the control system comprising a modular housing (1) connected to a control box (2); the modular housing (1) being configured to be connected with each device (Ap1) and to ensure communication between each device (Ap1) which uses its own physical protocol and the control box (2) which uses its own physical protocol, by converting these physical protocols; the control box (2) being configured to ensure communication between a user who uses a human logic language and each device (Ap1) which uses its own machine logic language, by converting these logic languages.