Control system for limited-use device

• US 20030208196A1
• Filed: 05/03/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Stone, Robert T.
• Application Number:
  US10/139,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208196A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use

Abstract

This relates generally to limited use devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a control system for limited use devices, particularly, medical devices and instruments which can detect utilization history and compare the history to utilization factors to disable the device.

Claims

1. A limited-use device for use with a power supply comprising,

a device body having a proximal and distal portions;

at least one active component located on the distal portion, the component adapted to be activated by the power supply;

a control module attached to the device body, the module adapted to store and compare at least one utilization factor and a utilization history, and being adapted to provide an enablement signal upon comparing the utilization factor and utilization history;

an enablement circuit in communication between the device and the power supply, the enablement circuit including an effective SCR that is adapted to enable the device in response to the enablement current.

3. The limited-use device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the control module comprises a memory module and a processing module, where the processing module and memory module are in communication.

4. The limited-use device of claim 3, wherein the memory module is selected from a device selected from the group consisting of electrically erasable programmable read only memory, non-volatile random access memory, battery backed up random access memory, magnetic data storage apparatus, and optical data storage.

5. The limited-use device of claim 3, wherein the utilization factor and the utilization history are stored in the memory module.

6. The limited-use device of claim 3, wherein the processing module is adapted for comparing the utilization factor and the utilization history.

2. A limited-use device for use with a power supply, the power supply having an energized and de-energized state, the device comprising,

a device body having a proximal and distal portions;

at least one active component located on the distal portion, the component adapted to be activated by the power supply;

a control module attached to the device body, the module adapted to register a utilization history based on connection of the device to the power supply when the power supply is in the energized state, the control module also adapted to provide an enablement signal upon comparing a utilization factor to the utilization history;

an enablement circuit in communication between the device and the power supply, and adapted to enable the device in response to the enablement current.

7. A control system for a limited-use device, comprising:

a control module, said control module having a memory module and a processing module, said memory module being adapted to store an execution program, a plurality of utilization factors and utilization history, said processing module being adapted to monitor said utilization history and provide an enablement current in response to said plurality of utilization factors; and

an enablement circuit, said enablement circuit including an effective SCR that is adapted to enable said device in response to said enablement current.