Instrument having radio frequency identification systems and methods for use

• US 20070249901A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Belson, Amir, Ohline, Robert, Justice, Christopher, Whitin, Katherine
• Granted Patent: US 8,882,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/005 Flexible endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/062 penetration depth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/397 electromagnetic other than visible, e.g. microwave
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/068 using impedance sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders

Abstract

One RFID equipped instrument includes an elongate body with a plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips spaced along the length of the elongate body. One system used for determining the position of an instrument includes an instrument; a plurality of radio frequency identification chips attached to the instrument; a reader connected to an antenna and adapted to communicate with each radio frequency identification chip using the antenna. One method for determining the position of an instrument using radio frequency identification chips includes providing a radio frequency identification chip reader and antenna; providing an instrument having a longitudinal axis and comprising a plurality of radio frequency identification chips placed along the longitudinal axis; moving the instrument relative to the antenna; and using information about a radio frequency identification chip detected by the antenna to determine the position of the instrument.

Claims

1. An instrument, comprising:

An elongate body; and

A plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips spaced along the length of the elongate body.

2. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

a covering over the elongate body that contains the plurality of radio frequency identification chips.

3. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

A plurality of hinged segments along the length of the elongate body wherein each hinged segment of the plurality of hinged segments contains at least one uniquely identified radio frequency identification chip of the plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips.

4. The instrument of claim 3 wherein an antenna of at least one radio frequency identification chip of the plurality of radio frequency identification chips wraps at least partially around at least one hinged segment of the plurality of hinged segments.

5. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips are evenly spaced along the length of the elongate body.

6. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips are spaced at different intervals along the length of the elongate body.

7. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips operate at a frequency of about 13.56 MHz.

8. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips operate at a frequency of about 2.45 GHz.

9. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein one or more one radio frequency identification chips are contained within a 2 mm spacing along the length of the elongate body.

10. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein one or more radio frequency identification chips are contained within a 1 cm spacing along the length of the elongate body.

11. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein each radio frequency identification chip of the plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips is encoded with position information about the location of the radio frequency identification chip on the elongate body.

12. A system for determining the position of an instrument, comprising:

An instrument;

A plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips attached to the instrument;

A reader connected to an antenna and adapted to communicate with each radio frequency identification chip in the plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips using the antenna.

13. The system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 12 further comprising:

A uniquely identified radio frequency identification chip separate from the radio frequency identification chips attached to the instrument and positioned within the detectable field of the antenna to always be detected by the reader without regard to the position of the instrument.

14. The system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 12 wherein at least one radio frequency identification chip in the plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips attached to the instrument is configured to transmit an authentication code.

15. A system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 12 wherein the antenna and the radio frequency identification chips are configured to operate at a frequency of about 13.56 MHz.

16. A system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 12 wherein the antenna and the radio frequency identification chips are configured to operate at a frequency of about 2.45 GHz.

17. A system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 12 wherein the instrument is an endoscope or a colonoscope.

18. A system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 12 wherein the instrument is a segmented instrument having a controllable distal tip and a plurality of controllable proximal segments.

19. A system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 12 wherein the antenna is straight.

20. A system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 12 wherein the antenna has a circular shape sized to allow the instrument to pass through the circular shape.

21. A system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 20 wherein the circular shape is a circle.

22. A system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 13 further comprising:

a flexible substrate wherein the uniquely identified radio frequency identification chip separate from the radio frequency identification chips attached to the instrument and the antenna are mounted.

23. A system for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 22 the flexible substrate further comprising an aperture sized to allow the passage of the instrument.

24. A method for determining the position of an instrument using radio frequency identification chips, comprising:

Providing a radio frequency identification chip reader and antenna;

Providing an instrument having a longitudinal axis and comprising a plurality of radio frequency identification chips placed along the longitudinal axis;

Moving the instrument relative to the antenna;

Using information about a radio frequency identification chip detected by the antenna to determine the position of the instrument.

25. The method of determining the position of an instrument according to claim 24 wherein the moving step comprises passing the instrument through a hoop formed by the antenna.

26. The method of determining the position of an instrument according to claim 24 further comprising:

Providing information about the position of the instrument relative to the antenna to a system used to control the instrument.

27. The method of determining the position of an instrument according to claim 24 wherein the step of providing a radio frequency identification chip reader and antenna comprises placing the antenna adjacent an opening in the body of a mammal.

28. The method of determining the position of an instrument according to claim 27 wherein the opening in the body of a mammal is a natural opening.

29. The method of determining the position of an instrument according to claim 27 wherein the opening in the body of a mammal is created surgically.

30. The method of determining the position of an instrument according to claim 24 wherein the using step comprises using information about a radio frequency identification chip detected by the antenna to determine the position of the instrument relative to the antenna.

31. A method for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 27, wherein the information about a radio frequency identification chip includes an indication that the radio frequency identification chip has entered the opening in the body of the mammal.

32. A method for determining the position of an instrument according to claim 31, wherein the indication is that the reader no longer detects the radio frequency identification chip.