SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PAIRING A COMMAND DEVICE INCORPORATING A MICROPHONE TO A REMOTELY CONTROLLED MEDICAL SYSTEM

• US 20140153747A1
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Storz Endoskop Produktions GmbH (Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg)
• Original Assignee: Storz Endoskop Produktions GmbH (Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg)
• Inventors: Contolini, Matteo, Applebaum, Ted H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/122
• 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: G10L 2015/223 Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

The system includes a remotely controlled medical system having a controller in communication with a command device incorporating a microphone. The system further includes a medical device operable by the controller and a sound generator coupled to the controller. The command device incorporating a microphone is paired to the controller for operating the medical device by detecting the sound. The command device incorporating a microphone transmits a signal in response to the sound to the controller to verify the pairing of the command device incorporating a microphone to the controller such that the controller will only operate the medical device in response to a command issued near the sound generator.

Claims

1. A system for pairing a command device incorporating a microphone to a remotely controlled medical system, comprising:

a command device incorporating a microphone;

a controller in communication with the command device incorporating a microphone;

a medical device operable by the controller; and

a generator coupled to the controller that generates a sound;

said command device incorporating a microphone is paired to said controller for operating said medical device by;

said generator produces said sound;

said microphone transmits a signal in response to the sound to said controller to verify the pairing of the microphone to the controller such that the controller will only operate the medical device in response to a command issued near the generator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sound is one of:

a beep, a tone, a sequence of tones, a chord, a sequence of chords, a voice speech sound.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sound is unique to the controller in a particular operating room.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device associated with the microphone that sends the command to the controller.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the input device is one of:

a tablet, a phone, a portable personal computer, or a dedicated remote control unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the command device incorporating a microphone communicates with the controller wirelessly.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the command device incorporating a microphone is a component of a wireless voice control headset.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the command is a voice command spoken by a user and the sound is generated after the controller recognizes the command.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the command is a digital command generated in response to one of:

touching a button on the command device, making a gesture on a touch screen on the command device, or speaking a voice command.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device is an insufflator, a suction device, a light source, a video camera, a video control unit, a pressure gauge, a pump, an electrosurgical unit, a surgical table, a telephone, room lights, a personal digital assistant, a room camera, or an endoscope.

11. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

software executing on said input device for detecting said sound;

software executing on said input device for comparing said sound with a lookup table to determine the corresponding controller; and

software executing on said input device for transmitting pairing and logon instructions to said corresponding controller.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

software executing on said controller for calibrating the volume of said sound.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

software executing on said controller to determine the authenticity of the sound by evaluating it based on at least one criterion; and

software executing on said controller to adjust the specificity of the evaluation.

14. A method of pairing a command device incorporating a microphone to a remotely controlled medical system, comprising:

(a) receiving a command for controlling a medical device;

(b) producing a sound;

(c) detecting the sound through the microphone;

(d) if the sound is detected, transmitting a signal in response to the sound; and

(e) executing the command to control the medical device only upon receiving the signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sound is one of:

a beep, a tone, a sequence of tones, a chord, a sequence of chords, a voice speech sound.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein an input device associated with the microphone generates the command.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the input device is one of:

a tablet, a phone, a portable personal computer, or a dedicated remote control unit.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the command device incorporating a microphone communicates with the controller wirelessly.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the command device incorporating a microphone is a component of a wireless voice control headset.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the command is spoken by a user.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the medical device is an insufflator, a suction device, a light source, a video camera, a video control unit, a pressure gauge, a pump, an electrosurgical unit, a surgical table, a telephone, room lights, a personal digital assistant, a room camera, or an endoscope.

22. A method of pairing a command device incorporating a microphone to a remotely controlled medical system, comprising:

(a) receiving an audio input from a user via a microphone;

(b) reviving a controller from a standby mode;

(c) producing a sound;

(d) detecting the sound through the microphone;

(e) if the sound is detected, transmitting a signal in response to the sound;

(f) receiving a first command for controlling a medical device; and

(g) executing the first command to control a medical device only upon receiving the signal;

(h) receiving a subsequent command for controlling a medical device;

(i) executing the subsequent command to control a medical device;

(j) repeating steps (h) and (i);

(k) putting the controller in standby mode after a standby condition has been met.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the audio input in step (a) is a keyword.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the audio input in step (a) is a wakeup command.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the wakeup command is a device command.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the standby condition is the lapsing of a period of time when no audio input is received.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the standby condition is the controller rejecting a selected number of commands.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the standby condition is the controller receiving a command to enter standby mode.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the sound is unique a controller in a particular operating room.