Apparatus and method for synchronizing a wireless remote control to a central control unit so as to allow remote control of a medical device over a secure wireless connection

• US 7,846,150 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Hilldoerfer, Michael G., Hamel, Andrew J., Wells, Brannon P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUPCZEY, JR, RONALD JAMES
• Application Number:
  US11/263,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20060116667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/34, 606/101, 600/118, 600/471, 600/126, 607/60, 709/223, 709/224, 128/920, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A system for controlling one or more medical devices by a remote console. The remote console communicates wirelessly with a central control unit that connects to one or more of the medical devices. To minimize the possibility that a medical device will be activated by a stray or unauthorized wireless command signal, the central control unit must synchronize with the remote console and establish a secure communication link with it before the central control unit will respond to a wireless command signal transmitted by the remote console.

Claims

1. A system for controlling at least two medical devices by a secure wireless connection, comprising:

a remote console having at least two user-operable controls and configured to wirelessly transmit console command signals with an identification code unique to the remote console for selecting one of the medical devices and for actuating the selected medical device;

an identification device associated with the remote console and programmed with the identification code with which the identification device is associated;

a central controller in communication with both of the medical devices and controlling at least one of said medical devices in response to the console command signals wirelessly transmitted by the remote console; and

an identification reader associated with the central controller which places the central controller and the remote console in a synchronized state when the remote console is brought within a predetermined distance of the central controller so as to permit the identification reader to wirelessly retrieve the identification code programmed in the identification device,

wherein the central controller processes console command signals associated with the identification code that corresponds to the remote console with which the central controller is synchronized, and wherein the central controller is configured to detect the connection of said at least two medical devices thereto.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the identification device associated with the remote console comprises one of a RFID tag and a barcode, the identification device providing the identification code to the identification reader.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the console command signals comprise generic control signals that the central controller subsequently translates into device control signals having a specified format and protocol compatible with the selected medical device being controlled.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote console comprises a first remote console and the system further includes a second remote console having a second identification device with a second identification code that is provided to the identification reader, wherein the first and second remote consoles are both synchronized with the central controller, and both the first and the second console are configured to operate the at least two medical devices.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first synchronized remote console and the second synchronized remote console are configured to control the same medical device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured for the user to select the medical device to control from the at least two medical devices in communication with the central controller by repeated activation of one of the at least two user-operable controls to cycle between available ones of the at least two medical devices.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote console and the central controller communicate with one another using one of infrared and laser.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central controller further comprises at least one of a visual indicator and an audible indicator to indicate which one of the two medical devices is selected.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote console comprises a footswitch.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central controller is configured for initiating all wireless communication with the synchronized remote console by polling the synchronized remote console at a predefined interval of. time.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the central controller is configured to provide the controlled medical device with a non-operating state if the central controller fails to receive a valid wireless communication from the synchronized remote console in control of the medical device within a predetermined amount of time.

6. A system for controlling at least two medical devices by a secure wireless connection, comprising:

a remote console having a first user-operable control and a second user-operable control, the remote console being configured to wirelessly transmit console command signals with an identification code unique to the remote console for selecting one of the medical devices and for actuating the selected medical device;

an identification device associated with the remote console and programmed with the identification code with which the identification device is associated;

a central controller in communication with both of the medical devices and controlling a first one of said medical devices in response to console command signals from the first control, and the central controller controlling a second one of said medical devices in response to console command signals from the second control; and

an identification reader associated with the central controller which places the central controller and the remote console in a synchronized state when the remote console is brought within a predetermined distance of the central controller so as to permit the identification reader to wirelessly retrieve the identification code programmed in the identification device,

wherein the central controller processes console command signals associated with the identification code that corresponds to the remote console with which the central controller is synchronized.

8. A system for controlling at least two medical devices by a secure wireless connection, comprising:

a remote console having at least two user-operable controls and configured to wirelessly transmit console command signals with an identification code unique to the remote console for selecting one of the medical devices and for actuating the selected medical device;

an identification device associated with the remote console and programmed with the identification code with which the identification device is associated;

a central controller in communication with both of the medical devices and controlling at least one of said medical devices in response to the console command signals wirelessly transmitted by the remote console; and

an identification reader associated with the central controller which places the central controller and the remote console in a synchronized state when the remote console is brought within a predetermined distance of the central controller so as to permit the identification reader to wirelessly retrieve the identification code programmed in the identification device,

wherein the central controller processes console command signals associated with the identification code that corresponds to the remote console with which the central controller is synchronized, and

wherein said at least two medical devices connect to the central controller by a direct connection or by a common wired communication medium.

14. A method of controlling at least two medical devices by a secure wireless connection, comprising the steps of:

providing a remote console including an identification device which is programmed with a unique identification code unique to the remote console and having at least one user-operable control for remotely controlling at least one function of at least one of said two medical devices;

connecting the at least two medical devices to a central controller capable of communicating wirelessly with the remote console, the central controller including a transmitter, a receiver and an identification reader;

wirelessly synchronizing the remote console with the central controller by placing the remote console within a predetermined distance of the identification reader to wirelessly retrieve the identification code from the identification device with the identification reader regardless of the remote console providing a wireless remote console command signal and independently of the transmitter and the receiver of the central controller;

generating with the synchronized remote console at least one wireless remote console command signal that is indicative of a state of the at least one user-operable control and which includes the identification code unique to that remote console; and

preventing the central controller from processing any other wireless remote console control signals unless the control signals include the identification code that is unique to the remote console that is synchronized with the central controller.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the wireless control signals generated by the remote console are generic control signals that the central controller subsequently translates into device control signals having a specified format and protocol compatible with the selected medical device being controlled.

16. The method according to claim 14, the remote console comprising a first remote console, and further comprising the steps of:

providing a second remote console; and

wirelessly synchronizing the second remote console with the central controller after the first remote console has been synchronized with the central controller so that the first and second remote consoles are capable of controlling the same selected medical device concurrently.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the at least one user-operable control comprises a first control and a second control associated with the remote console, and further comprising the steps of:

controlling a first medical device in communication with the central controller with the first control of the remote console; and

controlling a second medical device in communication with the central controller with the second control of the remote console.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of selecting a medical device to control from a plurality of medical devices in communication with the central controller by cycling between available medical devices in communication with the central controller by repeatedly activating the at least one user-operable control of the remote console.

19. A system for controlling at least one medical device by a secure wireless connection, comprising:

a remote console having at least one user-operable control and configured to wirelessly transmit console command signals indicating a state of the at least one user-operable control and an identification code unique to the remote console;

an identification device associated with the remote console and programmed with the identification code with which the identification device is associated;

a central controller in communication with and controlling at least one medical device in response to console command signals wirelessly transmitted by the remote console; and

an identification reader associated with the central controller which places the central controller and the remote console in a synchronized state when the remote console is brought within a predetermined distance of the central controller so as to permit the identification reader to wirelessly retrieve the identification code programmed in the identification device, wherein the identification reader is configured for communicating with the identification device separately and independently of the communication between the central controller and the remote console;

wherein the central controller will only process console command signals associated with the identification code that corresponds to the remote console with which the central controller is synchronized.

20. A system for controlling at least one medical device by a secure wireless connection, comprising:

a wireless remote console having at least one user-operable control and configured to wirelessly transmit console command signals indicating a state of the at least one user-operable control and an identification code unique to the remote console;

an identification device associated with the remote console and programmed with the identification code unique to the remote console;

a central controller in communication with and controlling the at least one medical device in response to console command signals wirelessly transmitted by the remote console, the central controller including a transceiver for receiving the unique identification code and the console command signals from the remote console; and

an identification reader associated with the central controller for automatically placing the central controller and the remote console in a synchronized state when the remote console is brought within a predetermined distance of the identification reader, which enables the identification reader to retrieve the unique identification code from the identification device independently of the transceiver,

wherein the central controller is configured to process console command signals associated with the identification code that corresponds to the remote console after the central controller is synchronized with the remote console by the identification reader retrieving the identification code from the identification device independently of the transceiver, the console command signals controlling actuation of the at least one medical device.

21. The system according to claim 20, the remote console comprising a first remote console and the identification code comprises a first unique identification code, the system further comprising a second remote console including a second identification device with a second unique identification code, wherein the identification reader places the central controller and the second remote console in a synchronized state when the second remote console is brought within a predetermined distance of the identification reader, which enables the identification reader to wirelessly retrieve the second identification code from the second identification device independently of the transceiver.

22. A method of controlling at least two medical devices by a secure wireless connection, comprising the steps of:

providing a remote console associated with a unique identification code, said remote console having at least one user-operable control for remotely controlling at least one function on at least one of the two medical devices and an identification device storing the unique identification code;

connecting the at least two medical devices to a central controller capable of communicating wirelessly with the remote console, the central controller including a transmitter, a receiver and an identification reader not in communication with the receiver;

detecting with the central controller the at least two medical devices connected thereto;

wirelessly synchronizing the remote console with the central controller by placing the remote console within a predetermined distance of the central controller so that the identification reader reads the identification code from the identification device;

generating with the synchronized remote console at least one wireless remote console command signal that is indicative of a state of the at least one user-operable control and which includes the identification code unique to that remote console;

maintaining in the central controller knowledge of the at least two medical devices for selective operation thereof; and

preventing the central controller from processing any other wireless remote console control signals unless the control signals include the identification code that is unique to the remote console that is synchronized with the central controller.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the remote console is free from knowledge of the medical device selected for operation.

24. The method according to claim 22, including the step of the central controller communicating which of the at least two medical devices is selected for control by at least one of visual indicators and an audible indicator.

25. A system for controlling at least two medical devices by a secure wireless connection, comprising:

a remote console having at least two user-operable controls and configured to wirelessly transmit console command signals with an identification code unique to the remote console for selecting one of the medical devices and for actuating the selected medical device;

an identification device associated with the remote console and programmed with the identification code with which the identification device is associated;

a central controller in communication with both of the medical devices and controlling at least one of said medical devices in response to the console command signals wirelessly transmitted by the remote console, the central controller storing knowledge of said at least two medical devices for translating the console control signals into control signals having a format and protocol for recognition by the at least two said medical devices; and

an identification reader associated with the central controller which places the central controller and the remote console in a synchronized state when the remote console is brought within a predetermined distance of the central controller so as to permit the identification reader to wirelessly retrieve the identification code programmed in the identification device,

wherein the central controller processes console command signals associated with the identification code that corresponds to the remote console with which the central controller is synchronized.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the remote console is free from medical device identification codes.

27. A system for controlling at least two medical devices by a secure wireless connection, comprising:

a remote console having at least two user-operable controls and configured to wirelessly transmit console command signals with an identification code unique to the remote console for selecting one of the medical devices and for actuating the selected medical device;

an identification device associated with the remote console and programmed with the identification code with which the identification device is associated;

a central controller in communication with both of the medical devices and configured to selectively control both of the at least two medical devices in response to the console command signals wirelessly transmitted by the remote console; and

an identification reader associated with the central controller which places the central controller and the remote console in a synchronized state when the remote console is brought within a predetermined distance of the central controller so as to permit the identification reader to wirelessly retrieve the identification code programmed in the identification device,

wherein the central controller processes console command signals associated with the identification code that corresponds to the remote console with which the central controller is synchronized.