Dental position tracking system for a toothbrush

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9277979-B2
Application number	US-201414199284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2014
Priority date	Feb 27, 2008
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

The dental position tracking system includes a toothbrush ( 30 ) which has a system ( 20 ) for determining the orientation of the toothbrush in the mouth of a user relative to the earth, based on measured stored information. Information is stored in the toothbrush concerning target ranges of expected measured toothbrush orientations for each of a plurality of dental zones ( 22 ). A processor ( 24 ) compares the measured toothbrush orientation information with the target orientation ranges, following conversion of both the target orientation information and the measured toothbrush orientation information to the same coordinate system. The processor then determines which if any of the target ranges matches, within a selected tolerance thereof, with the toothbrush orientation information. Any difference between the target range and the measured toothbrush orientation information is then used to partially adjust the target information range, in order to compensate for a change of position of the user's head.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dental zone tracking system for a toothbrush which compensates for head movement during brushing, comprising:
a toothbrush which includes a system ( 20 ) for determining the orientation of the toothbrush during brushing by a user;
stored target information ( 22 ) for toothbrush orientation for each of a plurality of selected dental zones;
a processing system ( 24 ) for comparing the toothbrush orientation information with the target orientation information, once the toothbrush orientation information and the target orientation information are both in the same coordinate system and for determining which, if any, target information matches, within a selected tolerance, the toothbrush orientation information;
a compensation system ( 24 ) which produces adjusted target information for the dental zones based on differences between the toothbrush orientation information and previous target information, wherein the compensation system includes using a pre-selected initial dental zone being brushed to determine an initial head orientation information and wherein the head orientation information is updated by determining the difference between the toothbrush orientation information and the target range orientation information at time intervals; and
a feedback system ( 28 ) responsive to the processing system for communicating brushing information to the user concerning brushing in the selected dental zones.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the target information is in the form of a range of target orientations for each selected dental zone.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the adjustment to the target information is less than the full difference between the toothbrush orientation information and previous target information.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein intermediate orientations within the range of target orientations are obtained by turning about a single rotation axis.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the information system provides information to the user concerning the time spent brushing in each selected dental zone.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user feedback information is provided from the toothbrush.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user feedback information is in the form of audible communication.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user feedback information is provided by a device separate from the toothbrush.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the separate device is a toothbrush-dedicated device, a PDA or a mobile phone.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user feedback information is in the form of audible information or a visual display.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of dental zones includes the following teeth divisions: (1) of the outside teeth surfaces, the teeth chewing surfaces, the inside teeth surface; (2) one of the upper jaw, the lower jaw; and (3) one of the right jaw half and the left jaw half.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the difference between the toothbrush orientation information and the target orientation information is determined by the angle of the shortest rotation to turn between the toothbrush orientation information and the target orientation information.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the toothbrush orientation information is determined using measurements obtained by an accelerometer and a magnetometer, located on the toothbrush.

14. A method of dental zone tracking for a toothbrush which compensates for head movement during brushing of teeth by the toothbrush, comprising the steps of:
determining an initial head orientation information using a pre-selected initial dental zone being brushed;
determining ( 20 ) the orientation of the toothbrush within a user's mouth during brushing by a user;
storing target information ( 22 ) for toothbrush orientation for each of a plurality of selected dental zones;
comparing ( 24 ) the toothbrush orientation information with the target orientation information, once the toothbrush orientation information and the target orientation information are both in the same coordinate system and determining which, if any, target information matches, within a selected tolerance, the toothbrush orientation information, including using the determined initial head orientation information and updating the head orientation information by determining the difference between the toothbrush orientation information and the target range information at time intervals;
adjusting ( 24 ) target information for the dental zones based on differences between the toothbrush orientation information and previous target information; and
providing feedback ( 28 ) information to the user concerning brushing in the selected dental zones.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the target information is in the form of a range of target orientations for each dental zone.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the adjustment to the target orientation information is less than the full difference between the toothbrush orientation information and previous target information.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the feedback information includes information concerning the time spent brushing in each dental zone.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user feedback information is provided from the toothbrush.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user feedback information is provided by a device separate from the toothbrush.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the toothbrush orientation information is determined using measurements obtained by an accelerometer and a magnetometer, located on the toothbrush.

Assignees

• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Ikkink Teunis Jan
• Boeve Hans Marc Bert

Classifications

• A46B2200/1066

  Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures (A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04) · CPC title

• A46B15/004

  with an acoustic signalling means, e.g. noise · CPC title

• A46B15/0006

  with a controlling brush technique device, e.g. stroke movement measuring device · CPC title

• A61C17/22

  with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like (brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B) · CPC title

• A46B15/0038

  with signalling means · CPC title