Method and apparatus for reprogramming a programmed controller of a power driven wheelchair

Abstract

Apparatus for reprogramming a programmed controller of a power driven wheelchair comprises: a reprogrammable, non-volatile memory programmed with a plurality of programs executable by the controller to operate the wheelchair, the non-volatile memory disposed at the wheelchair and coupled to the wheelchair controller; a general-purpose computer programmed to reprogram the non-volatile memory while disposed at the wheelchair, the programmed computer for storing main programs for use in reprogramming the non-volatile memory, the programmed computer being coupleable to the wheelchair controller for accommodating an exchange of data therebetween; and wherein the wheelchair controller being operative to communicate with the programmed computer to reprogram the non-volatile memory with the main programs while the non-volatile memory is disposed at the wheelchair. Methods for reprogramming the non-volatile memory are also disclosed.

The following is claimed: 
     
         1 . Method of reprogramming a controller of a power driven wheelchair, said method comprising the steps of:
 reading a memory associated with said controller programmed with a plurality of programs;   determining if one or more of said plurality of programs of the memory are to be updated by polling for a command to replace one or more of said plurality of programs with a different preprogrammed version;   displaying an interactive screen image on a display of a computer coupled to said controller; and   updating said one or more of said plurality of programs of said memory based on commands received via said interactive screen image, wherein the different preprogrammed version replaces the one or more of said plurality of programs of said memory.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of updating includes downloading main programs into the computer from a portable memory device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of updating includes downloading main programs into the computer from a web site over the internet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of updating includes erasing portions of memory prior to the updating thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of updating includes main programs into the computer and communicating said main programs from the computer to the controller for updating the memory. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the different preprogrammed version is newer than a current program. 
     
     
         7 . A method of programming a wheelchair controller, said method comprising:
 a) polling said wheelchair controller for at least one of a product code or a version code associated with a current program loaded in a memory associated with said wheelchair controller, wherein said version code identifies a specific iteration of said program;   b) displaying information on an interactive screen image on a display of a computer coupled to said wheelchair controller, said displayed information comprising at least one of said product code or version code associated with said current program loaded in the memory and at least one of a product code or version code associated with preprogrammed data to be loaded in at least one portion of a program in said memory;   c) determining if said data should replace said at least one program portion based on the displayed information; and   d) modifying said memory by loading said preprogrammed data in at least one program portion based at least in part on a cursor position within the interactive screen image, wherein the preprogrammed data replaces the at least one program portion.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the preprogrammed data is newer than the current program. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of displaying further comprises:
 f) displaying communication port options associated with the computer for communicating said data to be loaded in said at least one program portion to said wheelchair controller.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of displaying further comprises:
 displaying a read status associated with said data to be loaded in said-at least one program portion.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of displaying further comprises:
 displaying a connection status between said wheelchair controller and the computer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 f) providing an activation device on the interactive screen image to initiate loading said data-in said at least one program portion.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the at least one program portion includes at least one of a memory section, a main program, a drive program, an application program, a page of registers, and a plurality of registers. 
     
     
         14 . Method of reprogramming a controller of a power driven wheelchair, said method comprising the steps of:
 reading a memory associated with said controller programmed with a plurality of programs;   determining if one or more of said plurality of programs of the memory are to be modified by monitoring for a command to replace one or more of said plurality of programs with a different preprogrammed version;   polling said wheelchair controller for a version code associated with a current program loaded in the memory, wherein said version code identifies a specific iteration of said program;   displaying information on an interactive screen image on a display of computer coupled to said controller, said displayed information comprising said version code associated with said current program loaded in the memory and a version code associated with preprogrammed data to be loaded in at least one portion of at least one of the plurality of programs in the memory;   determining if said preprogrammed data should replace said at least one program portion based on the displayed information; and   modifying said memory by loading said preprogrammed data in the at least one program portion based at least in part on a cursor position within the interactive screen image, wherein the preprogrammed data replaces the at least one program portion.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of modifying comprises downloading main programs into the computer from a portable memory device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of modifying comprises downloading main programs into the computer from a web site over the internet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of modifying comprises erasing portions of memory prior to the modifying thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of modifying comprises downloading main programs into the computer and communicating said main programs to the controller for modifying the memory. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of displaying further comprises:
 displaying communication port options associated with the computer for communicating said data to be loaded in said-at least one program portion to said wheelchair controller.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of displaying further comprises:
 displaying a read status associated with said data to be loaded in said-at least one program portion.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of displaying further comprises:
 displaying a connection status between said wheelchair controller and the computer.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 providing an activation device on the interactive screen image to initiate loading said data-in said at least one program portion.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the different preprogrammed version is newer than the current program. 
     
     
         24 . Method of reprogramming a controller of a power driven wheelchair, said method comprising the steps of:
 reading a memory associated with said controller programmed with at least one boot program and at least one main program;   determining if one or more of said main programs of the memory are to be updated by polling for a command to replace one or more of said main programs with a different preprogrammed version;   displaying an interactive screen image on a display of a computer coupled to said controller; and   updating said one or more of said main programs of said memory based on commands received via said interactive screen image, wherein the different preprogrammed version replaces the one or more of said main programs of said memory.   
     
     
         25 . Method of reprogramming a controller of a power driven wheelchair, said method comprising the steps of:
 reading a memory associated with said controller programmed with a plurality of programs;   determining if one or more of said plurality of programs of the memory are to be updated by polling for a command to replace one or more of said plurality of programs with a different preprogrammed version;   displaying an interactive screen image on a display of a programming device coupled to said controller; and   updating said one or more of said plurality of programs of said memory based on commands received via said interactive screen image and a user interface, wherein the different preprogrammed version replaces the one or more of said plurality of programs of said memory;   wherein the different preprogrammed version is loaded from said programming device to said memory associated with said controller while said programming device is coupled to said controller.   
     
     
         26 . A method of programming a wheelchair controller, said method comprising:
 a) polling said wheelchair controller for at least one of a product code or a version code associated with a current program loaded in a memory associated with said wheelchair controller, wherein said version code identifies a specific iteration of said program;   b) displaying information on an interactive screen image on a display of a programming device coupled to said wheelchair controller, said displayed information comprising at least one of said product code or version code associated with said current program loaded in the memory and at least one of a product code or version code associated with preprogrammed data to be loaded in at least one portion of a program in said memory;   c) determining if said data should replace said at least one program portion based on the displayed information; and   d) modifying said memory by loading said preprogrammed data in at least one program portion based at least in part on a cursor position within the interactive screen image, wherein the preprogrammed data replaces the at least one program portion;   wherein the preprogrammed data is loaded from said programming device to said memory associated with said controller while said programming device is coupled to said controller.