Method and apparatus to detect transponder tagged objects, for example during medical procedures

• US 10,369,067 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Blair, William A., Barnes, Bruce E., Poirier, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Samson, Sara B
• Application Number:
  US15/677,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20170348172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/10 Parts, details or accessories surgical drape sheets A61B46/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1265 having inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/127 having chambers filled with liquid or gel
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10079 the collision being resolved in the spatial domain, e.g. temporary shields for blindfolding the interrogator in specific directions
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10128 the step consisting of detection of the presence of one or more record carriers in the vicinity of the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/00 Arrangements for simultaneous operation of antennas on two or more different wavebands, e.g. dual-band or multi-band arrangements combinations of separate active antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system H01Q21/30
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

The presence or absence of objects (e.g., medical implements, medical supplies) tagged with transponders may be determined in an environment in which medical procedures (e.g., surgery) are performed via an interrogation and detection system which includes a controller and a plurality of antennas positioned along a patient support structure. The antennas may, for example, be positioned along an operating table, bed, a mattress or pad or a sheet and may be radiolucent. Respective antennas may successively be activated to transmit interrogation signals. Multiple antennas may be monitored for responses from transponders to the interrogation signals. For example, all antennas other than the antenna that transmitted the most recent interrogation signal may be monitored.

Claims

1. An apparatus to detect transponder tagged objects which are used in performing medical procedures, the apparatus comprising:

a support structure sized to hold a plurality of transponder tagged objects;

at least three antennas that are carried by the support structure; and

a control system communicatively coupled to the antennas and which causes respective interrogation signals to be transmitted successively via respective ones of at least two of the antennas, and which monitors at least some of the antennas other than the antenna from which a most recent interrogation signal was transmitted for a response to the interrogation signal after the transmission of the interrogation signal, and to end monitoring of each of the antennas before a transmission of the respective interrogation signal from a next successive one of the at least two antennas to successively transmit the interrogation signals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system monitors each of the antennas except the antenna from which a most recent interrogation signal was transmitted for a response to the interrogation signal after the transmission of the interrogation signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system monitors at least some of the antennas other than the antenna from which a most recent interrogation signal was transmitted for a response to the interrogation signal immediately after the transmission of the interrogation signals.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the antennas includes respective antenna coils, a portion of a projected area of each successive one of the antenna coils along the portion of a length of the support structure overlapping a portion of a projected area of at least one neighboring one of the antenna coils.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure comprises one of a pad, a table surface, a mattress, a sheet, or a drape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the antennas are carried on, in or under the support structure.

7. A method to detect transponder tagged objects which are used during medical procedures, the method comprising:

for each of at least two of at least three antennas carried by a support structure,

successively transmitting a number of interrogation signals via respective ones of the antennas;

beginning monitoring of at least one of the antennas except the antenna from which a most recent number of interrogation signals was transmitted for a response to the interrogation signals after the transmitting of the number of interrogation signals; and

ending the monitoring of each of the antennas before transmitting another number of interrogation signals via a next one of the antennas.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein successively transmitting a number of interrogation signals via respective ones of the antennas includes transmitting the interrogation signals from all of the antennas, one at a time, and wherein monitoring each of the antennas except the antenna from which a most recent number of interrogation signals was transmitted for a response to the interrogation signals includes monitoring each of the antennas except the antenna from which a most recent number of interrogation signals was transmitted for a response to each of the interrogation signals.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein beginning monitoring of at least one of the antennas except the antenna from which a most recent number of interrogation signals was transmitted for a response to the interrogation signals after the transmitting of the number of interrogation signals includes beginning monitoring of at least one of the antennas except the antenna from which a most recent number of interrogation signals was transmitted for a response to the interrogation signals immediately after the transmitting of the number of interrogation signals.