Identification system for a surgical cassette

• US 6,902,542 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Inventors: Gordon, Raphael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han, Mark K.
• Application Number:
  US10/153,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20030221694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 604/19, 604/22, 604/27, 604/28, 604/30, 604/32, 604/34, 604/35, 604/43, 604/45, 604/93.01, 604/118, 604/119, 604/120, 604/246, 604/247, 604/256, 604/257, 604/317, 604/319, 604/320, 604/324, 604/540, 604/542, 604/543, 604/902, 417/477.2
• US Class Current: 604/35
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• 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: A61M 1/00 Suction or pumping devices for medical purposes; Devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body-liquids; Drainage systems catheters A61M25/00; tube connectors, tube couplings, valves or branch units specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; devices for taking samples of blood A61B5/15; filters implantable into blood vessels A61F2/01
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/123 with incorporated reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems

Abstract

A surgical system and cassette, the cassette having a series of identifying tabs that are variably opaque to translucent. By varying the opaqueness of the tabs, the surgical system can readily identify the type of cassette being used.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a surgical cassette from a plurality of surgical cassettes, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a surgical console having a cassette receiving portion;

b) providing control system having a plurality of light emitting diodes and corresponding photodetectors in the cassette receiving portion of the surgical console;

c) calibrating the control system by adjusting the output of the light emitting diodes until a predetermined output is measured by the photodetectors;

d) inserting a cassette into the cassette receiving portion of the surgical console, the cassette having a plurality of tabs, the tabs having variable opaqueness and at least partially block the light emitted by the light emitting diodes from reaching the photodetectors;

e) increasing the output of the light emitting diodes to a maximum;

f) measuring a relative opaqueness of the tabs based on a relative variability of the amount of light reaching the photodetectors through the tabs from the light emitting diodes when the light emitting diodes are at the maximum output; and

g) identifying the cassette based on the relative opaqueness of the tabs.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the tabs are arranged in a pattern based on the opaqueness of the individual tabs.