Systems and methods for voice control of a medical device

• US 20080021711A1
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Medical Optics Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Staggs, James W., Claus, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00203 with speech control or speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00736 Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments A61F9/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

The invention is generally directed to systems and methods for medical care, and more particularly to systems and methods for voice control of a medical device. A first embodiment includes a voice controlled surgical system, such as a phacoemulsification system, a microphone coupled to the surgical system, and a voice controlled computer interface coupled with the surgical system. The voice controlled interface is configured to receive a request to invoke a voice command via the microphone, to listen for a voice command upon receipt of a valid request to invoke a voice command, and to forward a valid voice command upon receipt of the valid voice command to the surgical system for execution.

Claims

1. A voice controlled surgical system comprising:

a surgical system;

a microphone coupled to the surgical system; and

a voice controlled computer interface coupled with the surgical system configured to receive a request to invoke a voice command via the microphone, to listen for a voice command upon receipt of a valid request to invoke a voice command, to interpret a valid voice command into a command recognizeable by the surgical system upon receipt of the valid voice command, and to forward the command recognizeable by the surgical system to the surgical system for execution.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the surgical system is a phacoemulsification system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the request to invoke a voice command is a vocal request.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a foot pedal coupled with the surgical system, wherein the foot pedal includes a switch configured to invoke a request to invoke a voice command.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a peripheral device coupled to the surgical system configured to invoke a request to invoke a voice command.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice controlled surgical system is configured to generate a confirmation signal upon receipt of a valid request to invoke a voice command, wherein the confirmation is in the form of an audio signal or a visual signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the voice controlled surgical system is configured to generate a confirmation signal upon receipt of a valid voice command, wherein the confirmation is in the form of an audio signal or a visual signal.

8. A computer program product that includes a computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes said processor to execute a process for providing a voice controlled interface coupled to a surgical system, said process comprising:

receiving a request to invoke a voice command associated with a function of the surgical system;

listening for a voice command upon receipt of a valid request to invoke a voice command;

interpreting a valid voice command into a command recognizeable by the surgical system upon receipt of the valid voice command; and

forwarding the command recognizeable by the surgical system to the surgical system for execution.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the surgical system is a phacoemulsification system.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the request to invoke a voice command is a vocal request.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the request to invoke a voice command comes from a foot pedal coupled to the surgical system.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the request to invoke a voice command comes from a computer peripheral device coupled to the surgical system.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product is configured to generate a confirmation signal upon receipt of a valid request to invoke a voice command, wherein the confirmation is in the form of an audio signal or a visual signal.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product is configured to generate a confirmation signal upon receipt of a valid voice command, wherein the confirmation is in the form of an audio signal or a visual signal.

15. A method for providing a voice controlled interface coupled to a surgical system, said process comprising:

receiving a request to invoke a voice command associated with a function of the surgical system;

listening for a voice command upon receipt of a valid request to invoke a voice command;

interpreting a valid voice command into a command recognizeable by the surgical system upon receipt of the valid voice command; and

forwarding the command recognizeable by the surgical system to the surgical system for execution.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the surgical system is a phacoemulsification system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the request to invoke a voice command is a vocal request.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the request to invoke a voice command comes from a foot pedal coupled to the surgical system.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the request to invoke a voice command comes from a computer peripheral device coupled to the surgical system.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating a confirmation signal upon receipt of a valid request to invoke a voice command, wherein the confirmation is in the form of an audio signal or a visual signal.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating a confirmation signal upon receipt of a valid voice command, wherein the confirmation is in the form of an audio signal or a visual signal.