Displaying Visual Elements On A Medical Device
Patent No. US12205703 (titled "Displaying Visual Elements On A Medical Device") was filed by Carefusion 303 Inc on May 30, 2024.
What is this patent about?
’703 is related to the field of medical devices, specifically addressing the problem of optimizing display screen visibility on devices like infusion pumps. Current medical devices often lack sufficient customization options for their displays, hindering optimal viewability under varying light conditions and failing to leverage color cues to inform users about device operation.
The underlying idea behind ’703 is to dynamically adjust the visual appearance of a medical device's display based on the device's state and environmental factors. This is achieved by using predefined visual profiles that dictate the color, brightness, and other visual characteristics of display elements. The system selects and applies these profiles automatically based on rules triggered by the device's operating state and ambient light conditions.
The claims of ’703 focus on an infusion pump with a multi-color display. The pump determines its state based on operating parameters related to the treatment it's providing. Based on this state, it activates a specific visual profile according to a predefined rule. The display then shows visual elements according to this profile. Furthermore, the pump adjusts its brightness based on signals from an ambient light sensor .
In practice, the infusion pump uses a rule engine to select the appropriate visual profile. For example, if the pump is in a 'priming' state, the display might use a specific color scheme to alert the user. The ambient light sensor continuously monitors the surrounding light, and the pump adjusts the display's brightness to maintain optimal visibility. This ensures that critical information is always clearly visible, regardless of the environment.
This approach differs from prior solutions that offer minimal display configurability, typically limited to basic backlight and contrast adjustments. ’703 introduces a more sophisticated system that allows for context-aware customization of the display, improving usability and reducing the risk of errors. By dynamically adapting the display's appearance to the device's state and the surrounding environment, the invention enhances the user's ability to quickly and accurately interpret the information presented on the screen.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2010s when ’703 was filed, at a time when medical devices commonly relied on dedicated hardware components for display control rather than software-defined interfaces, and when color customization on medical device displays was not yet a standard feature, adjusting display parameters for optimal viewability often presented a non-trivial engineering challenge.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the claims because they considered the combination of an infusion pump with an ambient light sensor to be a novel aspect not found in prior art. Specifically, the infusion pump uses the ambient light sensor to determine the pump's state relative to an operating parameter and adjusts the display brightness accordingly. The examiner also stated that the arguments made by the applicant regarding the 35 USC 112 rejection were persuasive and the rejection was withdrawn.
Claims
This patent contains 22 claims, with claims 1 and 16 being independent. The independent claims are directed to an infusion pump that uses a multi-color display and an ambient light sensor to adjust visual profiles and brightness. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific aspects of the visual elements, user inputs, rules for visual profile selection, and other functionalities related to the infusion pump's operation and display.
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Date
Description
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US12205703
- Application Number
- US18678556
- Filing Date
- May 30, 2024
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jan 10, 2031
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents