Dual processor architecture for electro generator

• US 6,231,569 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Somnus Medical Technologies, Inc. (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Wills, David, Bek, Robin, Koenig, Franklin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ruddy, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/167,508
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 607/96, 607/98-102, 606/34, 606/35, 606/38, 606/41, 606/42, 606/31, 606/48, 606/50, 128/902, 128/905, 128/920, 128/922, 128/923, 600/513, 600/123
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0075 Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1273 including multiple generators in one device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/923 by comparison of patient data to other data

Abstract

The present invention provides for an electro-surgical instrument with a rich graphical user interface (GUI) capability and a verifiable hardware and software platform meeting Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements. The rich GUI makes for a device which is more easily operated than prior art devices which lacked a sophisticated user interface. The increased functionality is achieved without sacrificing the ability to validate the device for FDA purposes. This goal is achieved by a dual processor design. In the dual processor design a control or master processor with verifiable source code implements the functions of: power delivery, temperature measurement, power measurement and power control. A display or slave processor, is functionally isolated from the first processor receiving only messages from the first processor.

In a first embodiment of the invention an electro-surgical instrument is disclosed. The electro-surgical instrument includes a power delivery channel, at least one electrode and a display. The electro-surgical instrument also includes a control unit and a display unit. The control unit controls the operation of the power delivery channel and at least one electrode to deliver power to the surgical site. The control unit also determines at least one parameter of the power delivery channel and passing the parameter to the display unit. The display unit is coupled to the control unit and the display. The display unit accepts the at least one parameter, generates the graphical user interface on the display and displays the at least one parameter on the graphical user interface.

In another embodiment of the invention a method for providing a graphical user interface in an electro-surgical instrument is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for providing a graphical user interface in an electro-surgical instrument with a power delivery channel, at least one electrode and a display, and the electro-surgical instrument for delivering power to a surgical site, and the method for providing comprising the acts of:

controlling with a control unit the operation of the power delivery channel and at least one electrode to deliver power to the surgical site;

determining with the control unit at least one parameter of the power delivery channel and computing for the at least one parameter a first error detection indicia;

passing the at least one parameter and the first error detection indicia from the control unit to a display unit;

accepting at the display unit the at least one parameter and verifying the integrity of the at least one parameter utilizing the first error detection indicia and a second error detection indicia calculated by the display unit; and

displaying the at least one parameter on a graphical user interface generated by the display unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying act further comprises the act of:

notifying the control unit of a loss of integrity of the least one parameter.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the act subsequent to the accepting act of:

terminating operation of the power delivery channel responsive to said notifying act.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first error detection indicia in said act of computing comprises a cyclical redundancy check.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the accepting and displaying acts are implemented utilizing non-verified program code.