Electrically Self-Powered Surgical Instrument with Cryptographic Identification of Interchangeable Part

• US 20190314024A1
• Filed: 04/24/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Smith, Kevin W., Bales, JR., Thomas O., Deville, Derek Dee, Rivera, Carlos, Palmer, Matthew A.
• Granted Patent: US 11,172,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/08021 of the patient or his organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/10 with particular housing, physical features or manual controls

Abstract

A method for operating a surgical instrument, which comprises providing a surgical instrument handle, electrically connecting a controller disposed within the surgical instrument handle to a communication connection of a receiving portion of the surgical instrument, removably securing an interchangeable part at the receiving portion, the interchangeable part having an encryption device electrically connected to the communication connection when the interchangeable part is at the receiving portion, authenticating the interchangeable part upon an exchange between the controller and the encryption device, and after at least a partial use of the interchangeable part, storing within the encryption device a used status of the interchangeable part.

Claims

1. A method for operating a surgical instrument, which comprises:

providing a surgical instrument handle;

electrically connecting a controller disposed within the surgical instrument handle to a communication connection of a receiving portion of the surgical instrument;

removably securing an interchangeable part at the receiving portion, the interchangeable part having an encryption device electrically connected to the communication connection when the interchangeable part is at the receiving portion;

authenticating the interchangeable part upon an exchange between the controller and the encryption device; and

after at least a partial use of the interchangeable part, storing within the encryption device a used status of the interchangeable part.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the encryption device is programmed to cryptographically authenticate the interchangeable part upon an encrypted information exchange with the controller.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the interchangeable part comprises a plurality of interchangeable parts forming an inventory wherein each of the interchangeable parts has a unique identifier in the inventory.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising preventing subsequent use of the interchangeable part dependent upon the used status.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the encryption device has a microprocessor.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein one wire forms the electrical connection between the communication connection and the controller.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein:

the controller has a power supply; and

the encryption device is a 1-wire device;

powered by the power supply through the one wire; and

receiving data from and transmitting data to the controller through the one wire.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the controller has a circuit board with a second microprocessor connected to the microprocessor through the one wire.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the interchangeable part has a seated position in the receiving portion and an unseated position with respect to the receiving portion; and

the electrical connection between the encryption device and the communication connection exists to allow authentication of the interchangeable part only when the part is in the seated position.

10. A method for operating a surgical instrument, which comprises:

providing a surgical instrument handle;

electrically connecting through one wire a controller disposed within the surgical instrument handle to a communication connection of a receiving portion of the surgical instrument, wherein the one wire transmits both power and data;

removably securing an interchangeable part at the receiving portion, the interchangeable part having an encryption device electrically connected to the communication connection when the interchangeable part is at the receiving portion; and

authenticating the interchangeable part upon an exchange between the controller and the encryption device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the encryption device is programmed to cryptographically authenticate the interchangeable part upon an encrypted information exchange with the controller.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the interchangeable part comprises a plurality of interchangeable parts forming an inventory wherein each of the interchangeable parts has a unique identifier in the inventory.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the encryption device is programmed to, after at least a partial use of the interchangeable part, store a used status of the interchangeable part.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the used status of the interchangeable part prevents subsequent use of the part.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the encryption device has a microprocessor.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein:

the controller has a power supply; and

the encryption device is a 1-wire device;

powered by the power supply through the one wire; and

receiving data from and transmitted data to the controller through the one wire.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the controller has a circuit board with a second microprocessor connected to the microprocessor through the one wire.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein:

the interchangeable part has a seated position in the receiving portion and an unseated position with respect to the receiving portion; and

the electrical connection between the encryption device and the communication connection exists to allow authentication of the interchangeable part only when the part is in the seated position.