Smart instrument tray RFID reader
First Claim
1. A method for obtaining information concerning the contents of an instrument tray, comprising:
- tagging one or more instruments positioned in or on an instrument tray with a radio frequency identification tag;
positioning one or more antennas on the instrument tray;
positioning a transceiver device on the instrument tray;
presenting the instrument tray into a wireless radio frequency field of a reader device;
receiving data from the radio frequency tagged instruments;
transmitting an RF signal containing the data of the radio frequency tagged instruments by the transceiver; and
comparing the radio frequency tagged instrument data to a database that resides in the reader device, wherein the RF signal emitted from an instrument is picked up by the internal antennas and routed to the wireless transceiver on the tray.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatically identifying the contents of an instrument tray by use of a radio-frequency tag (RFID) is disclosed. The method, apparatus, and system enable the instrument tray to receive an interrogation signal from a reader and to respond to the interrogation signal with a code comprised of its identifying information as well as its contents of radio frequency tagged instruments. Both the instrument tray and/or the reader may be coupled by a proximity electromagnetic field, an inductive coupling, or may be units of a wireless LAN system such as a wireless fidelity local area network. The interrogation signal interrogates the tray to ascertain its contents, and the tray in turn transmits a signal to the reader to inform the reader of its contents. The method, apparatus, and system can track, inspect, and verify inbound and outbound surgical instrument trays and kits, to assess, for example, the surgical instruments'"'"' and trays'"'"' duty life cycle usage.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for obtaining information concerning the contents of an instrument tray, comprising:
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tagging one or more instruments positioned in or on an instrument tray with a radio frequency identification tag; positioning one or more antennas on the instrument tray; positioning a transceiver device on the instrument tray; presenting the instrument tray into a wireless radio frequency field of a reader device; receiving data from the radio frequency tagged instruments; transmitting an RF signal containing the data of the radio frequency tagged instruments by the transceiver; and comparing the radio frequency tagged instrument data to a database that resides in the reader device, wherein the RF signal emitted from an instrument is picked up by the internal antennas and routed to the wireless transceiver on the tray. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for obtaining information concerning the contents of an instrument tray, comprising:
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tagging one or more instruments positioned in or on one or more instrument trays with a radio frequency identification tag; positioning one or more antennas on the instrument tray; positioning a transceiver device on the instrument tray; providing a data output module on the instrument tray for displaying a signal; receiving data from the radio frequency identification tagged instruments; comparing the radio frequency tagged instrument data to a database to obtain information about the contents of the instrument tray; and activating the output module to output an output signal based on results of comparing. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for obtaining information concerning the contents of an instrument tray, comprising:
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tagging one or more instruments positioned in or on an instrument tray with a radio frequency identification tag; enabling the instrument tray for a wireless fidelity local area network; positioning one or more antennas on the instrument tray; positioning a transceiver device on the instrument tray; presenting the instrument tray into a wireless radio frequency field of one or more wireless fidelity local area network enabled reader devices; receiving data from the radio frequency tagged instruments; transmitting an RF signal containing the data of the radio frequency tagged instruments by the transceiver device on the tray to the one or more wireless fidelity local area network enabled reader devices; comparing the radio frequency tagged instrument data to a database to obtain information about the contents of an instrument tray, and activating an output device on the instrument tray to output an output signal based on results of comparing. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. An apparatus for obtaining information concerning the contents of an instrument tray, comprising:
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at least one radio frequency identification tag for identifying instruments; one or more antennas positioned on an instrument tray; a reader device that wirelessly receives and transmits a radio frequency field that the instrument tray is presented to; a transceiver device positioned on the instrument tray for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals to and from the reader device; a data decoder for comparing data from a radio frequency tagged instrument to a database to obtain information about the contents of the instrument tray; and a data output module on the instrument tray that is adapted to provide an output signal based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for obtaining information concerning the contents of an instrument tray, comprising:
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at least one radio frequency identification tag for identifying instruments; one or more antennas positioned on an instrument tray; a reader device that wirelessly receives and transmits a radio frequency field that the instrument tray is presented to; a data output module positioned on the instrument tray for displaying a signal; a transceiver device positioned on the instrument tray for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals to and from the reader device; and a data decoder for comparing the radio frequency tagged instrument data to a database to obtain information about the contents of the instrument tray, wherein the data output module is adapted to output a signal indicative of results of comparing. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for identifying the contents of an instrument tray, comprising:
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at least one radio frequency identification tag for identifying instruments; an instrument tray enabled for a wireless fidelity local area network; one or more antennas positioned on the instrument tray; one or more wireless fidelity local area network enabled reader devices that wirelessly receive and transmit a radio frequency field that the instrument tray is presented to; a transceiver device positioned on the instrument tray for receiving and transmitting radio frequency signals to and from the reader device; a data decoder for comparing data from a radio frequency tagged instrument to a database for obtaining information about the contents of the instrument tray; and a data output module positioned on the instrument tray adapted to output a signal based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification