METHOD FOR CONNECTING WIRELESS ELECTRIC ACTUATING DEVICES TO A MEDICAL APPLIANCE

• US 20090058608A1
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Gottlich, Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 8,994,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00212 using remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/20 Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/25 Supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• 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: A61C 1/0023 Foot control
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices

Abstract

Method for connecting wireless electric actuating devices (2) to a medical appliance (1) via a wireless communication channel, having the steps of initiating the connection operation for a wireless electric actuating device (2) to a medical appliance (1) and performing a connection procedure, in which the actuating device (2) is assigned to the medical appliance (1), characterized in that the initiation of the connection operation is carried out from the medical appliance (1).

Claims

1. A method for connecting wireless electric actuating devices (2) to a medical appliance (1) via a wireless communication channel, having the steps of initiating the connection operation for a wireless electric actuating device (2) to a medical appliance (1) and performing a connection procedure, in which the actuating device (2) is assigned to the medical appliance (1), characterized in that the initiation of the connection operation is carried out from the medical appliance (1).

2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the transmitter power of the medical appliance (1) and/or of the actuating device (2) is reduced during the connection operation.

3. The method of claim 2, characterized in that the initiation of the connection operation triggers a reduction in the transmitter power of the transmitter (17) of the medical appliance (1) and a subsequent transmission of a request to perform the connection procedure with a reduced transmitter power.

4. The method of claim 3, characterized in that the request to perform the connection procedure is a broadcast request.

5. The method of claim 3, characterized in that, when a request to perform the connection procedure is received by an actuating device (2), the transmitter power of the transmitter (19) of the actuating device (2) is reduced before the latter transmits an answer to the request and the connection procedure is carried out.

6. The method of claim 5, characterized in that the reduction in the transmitter power and the answer to the request are made only when a connection is enabled by a user of the actuating device (2).

7. The method of claim 5, characterized in that an existing assignment of actuating devices (2) in the medical appliance (1) is canceled when an answer is received from the medical appliance (1).

8. The method of claim 3, characterized in that the connection operation is terminated by the medical appliance (1) if no actuating device (2) replies to the request from the medical appliance (1) within a predefined time interval.

9. The method of claim 1, characterized in that identification codes are exchanged during the connection procedure.

10. The method of claim 9, characterized in that the respective identification codes are stored in the medical appliance (1) and/or in the actuating device (2) in a nonvolatile memory.

11. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the assignment of actuating devices (2) already connected to the medical appliance (1) is maintained in the medical appliance (1) when a further actuating device (2) is connected to the medical appliance (1).

12. The method of claim 11, characterized in that the assignment of all the actuating devices (2) connected to the medical appliance (1) is canceled in the medical appliance (1) in response to a cancel command.

13. The method of claim 2, characterized in that, following the completion of the connection procedure, the transmitter power of the medical appliance (1) and/or the actuating device (2) is increased again.

14. A method for connecting wireless electric actuating devices (2) to a medical appliance (1) via a wireless communication channel, the method comprising the steps:

initiating the connection operation for a wireless electric actuating device (2) carried out from a medical appliance (1);

reducing the transmitter power of the transmitter (17) of the medical appliance (1);

transmitting a request to perform the connection operation by the medical appliance (1) with a reduced transmitter power;

upon receiving the request to perform the connection operation by the actuating device (2), reducing the transmitter power of the transmitter (19) of the actuating device (2) and transmitting an answer to the request, and

assigning the actuating device (2) to the medical appliance (1).

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the assigning step includes exchanging identification codes of the medical appliance (1) and/or the actuating device (2) during the connection procedure.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the respective identification codes are stored in the medical appliance (1) and/or in the actuating device (2) in a nonvolatile memory.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the reduction in the transmitter power and the answer to the request are made by the actuating device (2) only when a connection is enabled by a user of the actuating device (2).

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising cancelling an existing assignment of actuating devices (2) in the medical appliance (1) when an answer is received by the medical appliance (1).

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising terminating the connection operation by the medical appliance (1) if no actuating device (2) replies to the request from the medical appliance (1) within a predefined time interval.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein, following the completion of the connection procedure, increasing the transmitter power of the medical appliance (1) and/or the actuating device (2) to a regular operating value.