Electronic containment system for storing and charging an instrumented intra-oral appliance, and transmitting data therefrom

Abstract

The present invention is a holding case for an instrumented intra-oral appliance containing recorded data, which charges the intra-oral appliance while not in use and transmits recorded data to storage for review and analysis. The transferred data may be subjected to downloading, validation, storage, analysis, measuring, database fusion (with for example data from other devices), data output, and data recording. Output may be further transferred to a computer, processor, phone, tablet computer, or other hardware for review by a user or technical, research, medical, or other oversight personnel. The holding case can also send data to the appliance including firmware or other onboard operating instructions. The holding case can include additional features such as custom dentition of the user, UV light, or a visual user interface.

1 . A container system for an electronic intra-oral appliance comprising:
 an electronic intra-oral appliance, comprising one or more sensors and one or more memory units configured to store data received from the one or more sensors;   a container comprising a cavity for holding and/or resting the electronic intra-oral appliance;   circuitry configured to physically and/or wirelessly connect the electronic intra-oral appliance to the container;   one or more computer processing units, wherein the one or more computer processing units are configured to receive data from the intra-oral appliance; and   a wired or wireless link configured to transmit data from the one or more computer processing units and/or the electronic intra-oral appliance to one or more remote electronic devices.   
     
     
         2 . The container system of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source configured to charge the electronic intra-oral appliance and/or the container. 
     
     
         3 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the wired or wireless link is also configured to receive data sent from the one or more remote electronic devices. 
     
     
         4 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the container is open on one or more sides of the container. 
     
     
         5 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the container is fully enclosed. 
     
     
         6 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more remote electronic devices are chosen from one or more of a server, a computer, a computer processing unit, a phone, a television, or a storage medium. 
     
     
         7 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are chosen from an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an oxygen level monitor, a blood oxygen level monitor, a heart rate monitor, a head kinematic monitor, a load cell, a force sensor, a strain gauge, a pressure sensor, a microphone, a blood osmolality sensor, a blood glucose sensor, a PPG sensor, a NIR sensor, an ECG, and/or a light sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity comprises a full or partial dental geometry of a wearer of the electronic intra-oral appliance and/or a full or partial dental imprint of a wearer of the electronic intra-oral appliance. 
     
     
         9 . The container system of  claim 8 , wherein the full or partial dental geometry of the wearer of the electronic intra-oral appliance and/or the full or partial dental imprint of the wearer of the electronic intra-oral appliance in the cavity of the container is configured to receive the electronic intra-oral appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The container system of  claim 8 , wherein the full or partial dental geometry of the wearer of the electronic intra-oral appliance and/or the full or partial dental imprint of the wearer of the electronic intra-oral appliance in the cavity of the container is configured to align with all or a portion of the electronic intra-oral appliance shape. 
     
     
         11 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein when the electronic intra-oral appliance is placed in the cavity of the container, transfer is initiated of data stored on the electronic intra-oral appliance to the one or more processing units and/or the one or more remote electronic devices. 
     
     
         12 . The container system of  claim 2 , wherein the power source is chosen from one or more of a battery, an inductive coil, a wired source of electricity, or an electrical outlet. 
     
     
         13 . The container system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors, gauges, circuit boards, memory units, storage media, light sources, sound sources, user interfaces, and/or antennas. 
     
     
         14 . The container system of  claim 1 , further comprising a visual user display and/or interface. 
     
     
         15 . The container system of  claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user display and/or interface. 
     
     
         16 . The container system of  claim 1 , further comprising an ultra-violet light element to partially or completely sterilize the electronic intra-oral appliance. 
     
     
         17 . The container system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to measure physical and/or electronic contact between the container and the electronic intra-oral appliance. 
     
     
         18 . The container system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to quantify the mechanical and/or electrical integrity of the connection between the container and the electronic intra-oral appliance. 
     
     
         19 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein upon insertion of the electronic intra-oral appliance into the container a mechanical, structural, and/or electrical integrity check of the electronic intra-oral appliance is initiated. 
     
     
         20 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein upon insertion of the electronic intra-oral appliance into the container the one or more computer processing units is prompted to record, store, transfer, transmit, send, read, analyze, download, upload, export, import, and/or process data from the electronic intra-oral appliance. 
     
     
         21 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the data is capable of being analyzed to determine the mechanical, structural, and/or electrical integrity of the electronic intra-oral appliance. 
     
     
         22 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the data is capable of being analyzed to measure and/or monitor human performance or health metrics, head trauma, possibility of injury, blood oxygen level, heart rate, blood osmolality, blood glucose, elevated risk of injury, and/or head kinematics. 
     
     
         23 . The container system of  claim 1 , wherein the container is one of a plurality of containers, and wherein the plurality of containers are associated with a plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances. 
     
     
         24 . The container system of  claim 23 , wherein each one of the plurality of containers is paired to a single electronic intra-oral appliance of the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances. 
     
     
         25 . The container system of  claim 23 , wherein information from the plurality of containers and/or the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances is capable of being transmitted to a server, a computer, a processor, a storage unit, a computer processing unit, a controller, a phone, and/or a television. 
     
     
         26 . A method of collecting data from a plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances comprising:
 providing a plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances;   storing data on the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances;   pairing the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances to one or more of a plurality of containers, wherein the containers comprise a processor configured to receive and send the data from one or more of the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances;   transmitting data stored on the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances to one or more remote electronic devices; and   analyzing data received from the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein each one of the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances is paired to one container of the plurality of containers. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the one container of the plurality of containers is capable of recognizing the electronic intra-oral appliance paired to said one container by wired or wireless communication between said one container and the electronic intra-oral appliance paired to said one container. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising identifying one or more of the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances using a low power wireless protocol. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising sending information from the one or more electronic devices to one or more of the plurality of electronic intra-oral appliances and/or to one or more of the plurality of containers.