WIRELESS OPERATING ROOM COMMUNICATION SYSTEM INCLUDING VIDEO OUTPUT DEVICE AND VIDEO DISPLAY

• US 20110193949A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Talbert, Joshua, Mahadik, Amit, Shen, John, Nambakam, Vasudev
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/74
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• 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 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation

Abstract

A wireless operating room communication system provides wireless transmission of video signals from a wireless camera or a wireless transmitter unit to a portable wireless display unit. A wireless multiple device control unit is in wireless communication with the transmitter unit, the display unit, and a plurality of surgical devices disposed within the operating room. Each of the surgical devices has a video receiver to obtain a video signal to synchronize the devices and units. The video transmitter unit has a video transmitter and the other units or devices have a non-video transmitter. The arrangement enables transmission of device control signals on the same channel as the video signal. In response to changes in bandwidth, the video transmitter unit reduces the video signal to enable transmission thereof to the video display unit, while maintaining robustness of the control signals.

Claims

1. A wireless operating room communication system comprising:

a multiple device control unit including a non-video transmitter and a video receiver;

an endoscope camera and a wireless video transmitter unit for outputting video signals;

at least one surgical device, said at least one surgical device including a non-video transmitter and a video receiver; and

a wireless video display unit including a non-video transmitter and a video receiver for receiving and displaying video signals from the wireless video transmitter unit;

wherein the multiple device control unit, the wireless transmitter unit, the at least one said device and the wireless video display unit are configured to synchronize with the video signal, and

wherein the at least one device and the multiple device control unit are capable of transmitting control signals on the same frequency channel as the video signals transmitted by said wireless video transmitter unit.

2. The wireless operating room communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless operating room communication system is synchronized on a first frequency channel for transmitting the video signals and the control signals, and

wherein each of the multiple device control unit, the video transmitter unit, the at least one surgical device and the wireless video display unit are configured to change to a second frequency channel when channel data capacity for the first frequency channel is not sufficiently capable of transmitting the video signals and the control signal, and electromagnetic interference provides a signal to noise ratio below a minimum tolerable ratio.

3. The wireless operating room communication system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple device controller unit, the transmitter unit, the at least one surgical device and the wireless video display unit are configured to provide high priority data protection for the control signals transmitted with the video signals and low priority video data protection for the video signals by prioritizing the video signals with most significant bits and lowest significant bits, so that the lowest significant bits of the video signal are lost to reduce the video signals transmitted while transmission of the control signals is maintained if channel characteristics deteriorate.

4. The wireless operating room communication system according to claim 3, wherein bit prioritization of the video signal is provided with a limited time delay to provide a low latency video signal transmission so that time delay in providing a video image to the video display unit is less than 30% of the time required to obtain a frame from the image sensor of the camera.

5. The wireless operating room communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless operating room communication system further comprises a wireless stored video transmission unit including a video transmitter for wireless transmission of stored video signals, the wireless stored video transmission unit including a reader for reading stored surgical video and surgical images, the reader providing at least one of the surgical video or surgical images to the video transmitter of the wireless stored video transmission unit for transmission therefrom, wherein the stored video transmission unit operates on a different channel than the wireless video transmitter unit.

6. The wireless operating room communication system according to claim 5, wherein during system synchronization, the wireless operating room communication system determines and rates the characteristics of plural frequency channels and assigns a highest rated frequency channel as the different channel to the wireless video transmitter unit for transmission of camera video signals thereon and assigns another frequency channel to the wireless stored video transmission unit for transmission of pre-recorded video signals thereon.

7. The wireless operating room communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless operating room system is capable of providing system software upgrades to each of the multiple device control unit, the wireless transmitter unit, the at least one said surgical device and the wireless video display unit.

8. The wireless operating room communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless operating room communication system continuously monitors the signal characteristics of a frequency channel for the video signals transmitted by the wireless video transmitter unit, and when the signal to noise ratio is below a minimum value, switches the wireless video transmitter unit, and the devices of the operating room communication system, to a different frequency channel.

9. The wireless operating room communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless video transmitter unit is integral with the endoscope camera within a camera head secured to the endoscope.

10. The wireless operating room communication system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one surgical device comprises at least one of an insufflator device, an electrocautery probe device, and an endoscope light source device.

11. A wireless operating room communication system comprising:

a wireless video transmitter unit including a transmitter for wireless transmission of video signals and a key input port, the wireless transmission unit having a reader for reading stored surgical video and surgical images and for providing at least one of the surgical video or images to the transmitter;

a portable wireless video display unit having a wireless receiver for receiving wireless video signals and a key input port, the video display unit having a battery for supplying power thereto; and

a key device for insertion into the key input port of the wireless transmission unit and the key input port of the wireless video display unit, the key device including data thereon for synchronizing the wireless video display to the wireless transmission unit, wherein the surgical video or surgical images are transmitted by the wireless transmission unit and received by the wireless video display for display thereon.