System and method for the central control of devices used during an operation

• US 20030171740A1
• Filed: 03/04/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Endoscopy-America Incorporated (Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg)
• Original Assignee: Storz Endoskop GmbH
• Inventors: Stiller, Heinz-Werner, Novak, Pavel, Irion, Klaus M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,485,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for the central control of devices (20, 52) used during an operation, comprising a first control unit (12) for control of said devices. The system is characterized in that a second control unit (14) is provided which is connected to the first control unit for exchange of information. The first control unit is embodied as closed system for control of at least those devices (20; 22-26) which carry out safety-related functions (safety-related devices), and the second control unit (14) is embodied as open system for control of the remaining devices (52) which carry out non safety-related functions (non safety-related devices). The invention further relates to a method for the central control of devices.

Claims

1. System for the central control of devices used during an operation, comprising a first control unit for control of said devices, wherein a second control unit is provided which is connected to the first control unit for exchange of information, and the first control unit is embodied as closed system for control of at least those devices which carry out safety-related functions (safety-related devices), and the second control unit is embodied as open system for control of the remaining devices which carry out non safety-related functions (non safety-related devices).

2. System of claim 1, wherein the first control unit and the safety-related devices are interconnected via a bus system.

3. System of claim 2, wherein the non safety-related devices and the second control unit are interconnected via a further bus system.

4. System of claim 3, wherein both bus systems are different.

5. System of claim 1, wherein an interface unit is provided which is connected with both control units on the one hand and peripheral devices on the other hand and which connects each of the control units with the peripheral devices.

6. System of claim 5, wherein the interface unit is controlled by the first control unit via a control line.

7. System of claim 5, wherein the peripheral devices include a monitor device and/or an input device, preferably a keyboard and a mouse.

8. System of claim 7, wherein the monitor device is provided as a touch-screen also allowing an input.

9. System of claim 5, wherein the second control unit comprises a receiving means to capture error messages from the first control unit and to display them on one of the peripheral devices.

10. System of claim 1, wherein the safety-related devices comprises endoscopic devices, preferably insufflators, pumps, light sources, video devices etc.

11. System of claim 1, wherein the non safety-related devices may comprise picture archiving, OP-lighting, room lighting, telephone, air conditioning, pager, internet, hospital system, consumption parts, management systems, etc.

12. System of claim 1, wherein both control units are interconnected via an Ethernet bus.

13. System of claim 1, wherein the first control unit comprises an embedded operating system, which is protected against external interventions.

14. System of claim 1, wherein the first control unit comprises a voice control unit.

15. System of claim 1, wherein both control units are provided as a dual processor (CPU) computer unit.

16. System of claim 5, wherein the first control unit comprises a check means which cyclically checks the connection to the interface unit and outputs an error message if a connection is not present.

17. Method for the central control of devices used during an operation, wherein the devices for carrying out safety-related functions are controlled by a first control unit and the devices for carrying out non safety-related functions are controlled by a second control unit.

18. Method of claim 17, wherein both control units communicate with each other, particularly the first control unit checking the second control unit for faults.

19. Method of claim 17, wherein an interface unit is provided which is controlled by the first control unit and dependent thereon forwards signals either from the first or the second control unit to a common peripheral device.

20. Method of claim 18, wherein the first control unit drives the interface unit upon an error of the second control unit such that the signals of the first control unit are forwarded to the peripheral devices.

21. Method of claim 19, wherein the interface unit immediately forwards the signals of the first control unit to the peripheral devices if a safety-related function is to be carried out.

22. Method of claim 19, wherein after activating a non safety-related function the interface unit forwards the signals of the second control unit to the peripheral devices only if the safety-related function is completed.