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.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to electronic devices, and particularly to a combined data reader and infrared data transceiver for use in inputting data to a medical device, and to a method of inputting data to a medical device.  
           [0002]    Small handheld, portable electronic devices are used in various applications in today&#39;s society, e.g., as music players, radios, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and medical devices, such as, for example, Holter monitors and telemetry monitors. Often, because of physical and electrical limitations, these devices are provided with limited means by which to enter data into the device. For example, in the case of common Holter monitors, only one or two buttons are provided to input data such as patient names, times, dates, and other personal data about the patient. As an alternative to inputting data through any kind of push button data entry mechanism, some of these electronic devices are provided with a built-in infrared data transceiver. Typically, such transceivers communicate with similar devices using protocols established by the Infrared Data Association (IrDA). However, in order to effectively use the infrared data transceiver, it is necessary that any device with which a user of the electronic device wants to communicate also include an infrared data transceiver and be programmed to communicate the same protocol as the electronic device. Unfortunately, not all electronic devices are equipped with infrared data transceivers, and not all infrared data transceivers are programmed to communicate with the same protocol.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Accordingly, the invention provides an electronic device including a combination infrared data transceiver and data reader. The electronic device is preferably a medical device such as a Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor, etc., that includes a housing for the storage of electronic assemblies, an infrared filter window supported by the housing to exclude unwanted ambient light of certain frequencies, an infrared lens to focus the transmission and reception of infrared light, an infrared data (IrDA) transceiver for the transmission and reception of infrared light from another IrDA compatible electronic device, an infrared data reader for the illumination of and the reception of infra-red light from a reflective surface, a processor connected to the infrared data reader and the transceiver, and a software program to decode both infrared light reflected from a data source and infrared light that is received from another electronic device. The window and lens may be the same physical device. The IrDA transceiver and the data reader may be the same physical device.  
           [0004]    The invention also provides a method for inputting data into an electronic device having an infrared data transceiver. The method for storing data from a reflective surface into an electronic device includes positioning the infrared data transceiver adjacent a reflective surface, activating the infrared data transceiver to emit infrared light, and detecting infrared light reflected from the reflective surface.  
           [0005]    The Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor is an IrDA compatible device and is able to communicate and exchange information with other IrDA compatible electronic devices. In addition, the Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor is able to decode bar code symbols to store relevant information about a patient, i.e., name, age, sex, and patient identification number to correspond with the physiologic patient data collected from the sensors or transducers attached to the patient. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an application of a medical device embodying the invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the medical device.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial schematic representation of the combination data reader and infrared data transceiver in the medical device taken generally along line  3 - 3  in FIG. 2.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0009]    Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.  
         [0010]    Shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings is a medical device such as a Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor embodying the invention. The Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10  is a medical device for the acquisition of physiologic patient data. The Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10  acquires physiologic patient data via sensors or transducers  14  that are mounted on a patient  18  and placed in a particular arrangement. The Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10  stores the acquired physiologic patient data until such time as the data is analyzed or transferred to a long term data storage facility.  
         [0011]    As shown in FIG. 3, the Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10  has a housing  22  manufactured from typical medical device materials such as high-impact plastic. The housing  22  supports a combination infrared data transceiver and infrared data reader  24  (hereinafter transceiver/reader  24 ). Transceiver/reader  24  includes an infrared filter window  26 , typically supported by the housing  22 . The infrared filter window  26  may be located on any one side of the housing  22  and has an outer surface  62 .  
         [0012]    The transceiver/reader  24  is electrically connected to and controlled by control circuitry  32  that includes, but is not limited to a processor and software program. The housing  22  supports a connector  34  (as shown in FIG. 2), on any one side of the housing  22 , but preferably on the top side  30 , for connecting the sensors or transducers  14  to control circuitry  32  via  36  (FIG. 3 only) inside the housing  22 . A keypad  38 , or any similar mechanism, supported by the housing  22  is also connected to the control circuitry  32  inside the housing  22  for controlling the functions of the Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10 .  
         [0013]    As shown in FIG. 3, the transceiver/reader  24  includes a light-emitting diode  42  connected to the control circuitry  32 , a convex-shaped lens  50  positioned between the light-emitting diode  42  and the infrared filter window  26 , and two photodetectors  66  positioned near the infrared filter window  26  and connected to the control circuitry  32 .  
         [0014]    The transceiver/reader  24  is activated by applying force to the keypad  38 , or similar mechanism. The keypad  38 , or any similar mechanism, activates the control circuitry  32  which triggers the light-emitting diode  42  to emit an infrared beam of light  46  in the direction of the infrared filter window  26 . The infrared beam of light  46  forms an illumination cone of light. The infrared beam of light  46  intersects with the lens  50  positioned normal to the direction of the infrared beam of light  46 . The lens  50  focuses the illumination cone of light of the infrared beam of light  46  to an intersection point  58  at outer surface  62  of the infrared filter window  26 .  
         [0015]    At intersection point  58 , the infrared beam of light  46  is focused to a sufficiently small point to read data encoded on a reflective surface, e.g., a bar code symbol or other infrared reflective text or code. The data encoded on a reflective surface is reflected in the infrared beam of light  46  through the infrared filter window  26 . The reflected infrared beam of light is detected by the photodetectors  66  inside the housing  22 . The data in the reflected infrared beam of light that is detected by the photodetectors  66  is decoded by a processor and software program located within the control circuitry  32 . The decoded data is stored within the Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10 . In another embodiment (not shown), the keypad  38  is integral with the filter window  26  so that when the filter window  26  is pressed against the reflective surface (i.e., a force is applied to the filter window  26 ), the transceiver/reader  24  is automatically activated to illuminate, read and decode the data or text embodied in the reflective surface.  
         [0016]    The transceiver/reader  24  is capable of transmitting data when it is not used to read data on a reflective surface. Any data stored within the Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10  can be transmitted via an infrared beam of light to another IrDA compatible electronic device. When keypad  38  is activated, the infrared beam of light emitted by light-emitting diode  42  in the direction of the infrared filter window  26 , continues outside of the infrared filter window  26  in a path of an illumination cone outside of the infrared filter window  26  at an approximate 30° angle  70 . The minimum angle  70  of the illumination cone of the infrared beam of light is 30°. Any IrDA compatible device within the illumination cone may receive data encoded within the infrared beam of light.  
         [0017]    Similarly, another IrDA compatible electronic device may transmit data for storage to the Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10 . The photodetectors  66  detect the presence of infrared light through the infrared filter window  26  from another IrDA compatible electronic device emitting a similar 30° illumination cone of light in the direction of the Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10 . The minimum angle of the illumination cone at which the Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10  can detect data from another IrDA compatible device&#39;s infrared beam of light is 30°. The data transmitted in the infrared light from another IrDA compatible electronic device and detected by photodetectors  66  is decoded by the processor and software program located within the control circuitry  32 . The decoded data is stored within the Holter monitor or telemetry based patient monitor  10 .  
         [0018]    Other features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.