US5523745A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tongue activated communications controller
Assignee: NEW ABILITIES SYSTEMS Inc
•
Filing: 1994-04-18
•
Granted: 1996-06-04
•
Expires: 2014-04-18
Abstract
Abstract A tongue activated communications controller for use by disabled or other persons to control a wide variety of devices, and which includes a dental appliance fitted to the user's palate, and a keyboard with a plurality of tongue activatable switches for generating a signal depending upon which switch has been selected, and upon the status of a battery voltage level. The communications controller includes a radio frequency transmitter which uses magnetic flux linkage for transmitting the signal. The communications controller further includes a receiver for converting the transmitted signal into digital form, and also includes a micro-processor based controller unit for processing the received data, and for communicating with the attached devices which the user wishes to control. Data is sent from the transmitter using a fixed transmission time, digital pulse code modulation technique to achieve ultra low power consumption in the transmitter. The controller unit processes the encoded data signal from the receiver by measuring and storing the intervals between level transitions, and then by processing these intervals in non-real time.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel Fortune
- 👤 John E. Ortiz
- 👤 Hien N. Tran
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 17:02
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B21/00; A; A61; A61F; A61F4/00; H; H01; H01H; H01H3/00; H01H3/02; H01H3/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
An intraoral tongue activated communications controller comprising: an input unit having a plurality of user tongue selectable inputs; an encoder connected to the plurality of user selectable inputs, the encoder producing a first encoded signal corresponding to the user selectable input activated; and a transmitting unit for receiving the first encoded signal as an input and transmitting a second encoded signal with a carrier signal as a low frequency amplitude modulated flux field signal which is emitted by an inductor having an inductance between about 2.8 and 10 μH by the passage of current through the inductor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
An intraoral tongue activated communications controller comprising: an input unit having a plurality of user tongue selectable inputs; an encoder connected to the plurality of user selectable inputs, the encoder producing a first encoded signal corresponding to the user selectable input activated; and a transmitting unit for receiving the first encoded signal as an input and transmitting a second encoded signal with a carrier signal as a low frequency amplitude modulated flux field signal which is emitted by an inductor having an inductance between about 2.8 and 10 μH by the passage of current through the inductor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A controller according to claim 1, wherein the flux field signal has a frequency of about 2 MHz.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A controller according to claim 1, wherein the inductor is an air core inductor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A controller according to claim 3, wherein the air core inductor is formed of a wire coil positioned around the periphery of the input unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller further includes an RF choke, the encoder sending the first encoded signal through the RF choke to the transmitting unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
A controller according to claim 1, wherein the first and second encoded signals are pulsed signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A controller according to claim 6, wherein the first and second encoded signals include a different pulsed signal corresponding to each user selectable input.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
153 words
A tongue activated communication controller system comprising: an intraoral tongue activated communications controller, the controller including an input unit having a plurality of user tongue selectable inputs, an encoder connected to the plurality of user selectable inputs, the encoder producing a first encoded signal corresponding to the user selectable input activated, and a transmitting unit for receiving the first encoded signal as an input and transmitting a second encoded signal with a carrier signal as a low frequency amplitude modulated flux field signal which is emitted by a first inductor having an inductance between about 2.8 and 10 μH by the passage of current through the first inductor; a receiving unit external to the oral cavity including a second inductor for receiving the amplitude modulated flux field signal; and a processing unit for processing the received amplitude modulated flux field signal and producing a command signal corresponding to the user selectable input activated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
153 words
A tongue activated communication controller system comprising: an intraoral tongue activated communications controller, the controller including an input unit having a plurality of user tongue selectable inputs, an encoder connected to the plurality of user selectable inputs, the encoder producing a first encoded signal corresponding to the user selectable input activated, and a transmitting unit for receiving the first encoded signal as an input and transmitting a second encoded signal with a carrier signal as a low frequency amplitude modulated flux field signal which is emitted by a first inductor having an inductance between about 2.8 and 10 μH by the passage of current through the first inductor; a receiving unit external to the oral cavity including a second inductor for receiving the amplitude modulated flux field signal; and a processing unit for processing the received amplitude modulated flux field signal and producing a command signal corresponding to the user selectable input activated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A controller system according to claim 8, wherein the flux field signal has a frequency of about 2 MHz.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A controller system according to claim 8, wherein the first and second inductors are air core inductors which combine to form an air core RF transformer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A controller system according to claim 10, wherein the first inductor is formed of a wire coil positioned around the periphery of the input unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A controller system according to claim 8, wherein the controller further includes an RF choke, the encoder sending the first encoded signal through the RF choke to the transmitting unit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
A controller system according to claim 8, wherein the first and second encoded signals are pulsed signals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A controller system according to claim 13, wherein the first and second encoded signals include a different pulsed signal corresponding to each user selectable input.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
64 words
A controller system according to claim 8, wherein the receiving unit includes an input connected to the second inductor for receiving the amplitude modulated flux field signal; a filter which filters out the carrier signal from the received amplitude modulated flux field signal to produce a received encoded signal, and an output connected to the filter on which the received encoded signal is placed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
A controller system according to claim 15, wherein the processing unit is a computer having, an input connected to the filter output for receiving the received encoded signal, a program unit operating on the received encoded signal to generate a command signal corresponding to each corresponding received encoded signal, and a computer output on which the command signals are placed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
A controller system according to claim 16, wherein the program unit includes a plurality of routines which generate a plurality of command signals for controlling a plurality of devices.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
126 words
An intraoral tongue activated communications controller comprising: an input unit having a plurality of user selectable inputs; an encoder connected to the plurality of user selectable inputs, the encoder producing a first encoded signal corresponding to the user selectable input activated; a transmitting unit for receiving the first encoded signal as an input and transmitting a second encoded signal with a carrier signal as a low frequency amplitude modulated flux field signal which is emitted by an inductor having an inductance between about 2.8 and 10 μH by the passage of current through the inductor; a battery for providing current to pass through the inductor to generate the amplitude modulated flux field signal; and a battery level detector for detecting the voltage level of the battery.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
126 words
An intraoral tongue activated communications controller comprising: an input unit having a plurality of user selectable inputs; an encoder connected to the plurality of user selectable inputs, the encoder producing a first encoded signal corresponding to the user selectable input activated; a transmitting unit for receiving the first encoded signal as an input and transmitting a second encoded signal with a carrier signal as a low frequency amplitude modulated flux field signal which is emitted by an inductor having an inductance between about 2.8 and 10 μH by the passage of current through the inductor; a battery for providing current to pass through the inductor to generate the amplitude modulated flux field signal; and a battery level detector for detecting the voltage level of the battery.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
A controller according to claim 18, wherein the battery level detector causes the transmitting unit to modify the amplitude modulated flux field signal generated when the voltage level of the battery is below a threshold level.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A controller according to claim 19, wherein the battery level detector causes the transmitting unit to generate a signal indicating the voltage level of the battery is below the threshold level.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
A controller according to claim 19, wherein the battery level detector is an input to the encoder.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4243846A
Cited
US4334542A
Cited
US4310002A
Cited
US4263485A
Cited
US4353064A
Cited
US4482895A
Cited
US4539699A
Cited
US4616213A
Cited
US4629924A
Cited
US4605927A
Cited
US4733215A
Cited
US5212476A
Cited
US5233662A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-06-04 | 1999-12-04 | 2000-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-04 | 2003-12-04 | 2004-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-04 | 2007-12-04 | 2008-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |