Medical device communications network

• US 8,001,975 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Innovations LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: DiSilvestro, Mark R., Sherman, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II; Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hopkins; Christine D
• Application Number:
  US11/024,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20060140139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,428 Days
• Field of Search: 128/899, 600/37, 600/463, 600/485, 600/486, 600/365, 600/510, 607/23, 607/60, 607/9, 370/310, 370/252, 340/7.3, 340/309.4, 700/214, 700/232, 700/236
• US Class Current: 128/899
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/00 Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0028 Body tissue as transmission medium, i.e. transmission systems where the medium is the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

A medical device communications network comprises a plurality of medical devices including either or both of a first number of surgical instruments and a second number of implants configured for subcutaneous implantation in a biological body. A corresponding plurality of wireless communication circuits are each mounted to a different one of the plurality of medical devices. Each of the plurality of wireless communication circuits is configured to broadcast medical device information relating to the medical device to which it is mounted and to receive information relating to any other of the plurality of medical devices. The network may or may not include a master wireless communications circuit configured to receive the medical device information broadcast by any of the plurality of slave wireless communication circuits and to broadcast the information relating to any other of the plurality of medical devices.

Claims

1. A medical device communications network comprising:

a plurality of medical devices including a first number of surgical instruments and a second number of implants configured for subcutaneous implantation in a living biological body,

a corresponding plurality of slave wireless communication circuits each mounted to a different one of the plurality of medical devices, each of the plurality of slave wireless communication circuits configured to broadcast medical device information relating to the medical device to which it is mounted, and to receive information relating to any other of the plurality of medical devices,

a master wireless communication circuit configured to receive the medical device information broadcast by any of the plurality of slave wireless communication circuits and to broadcast the information relating to any other of the plurality of medical devices,

an additional wireless communication circuit to be introduced into the network, the additional wireless communication circuit configured to become the master communication circuit when introduced into the network with the existing master wireless communication circuit then becoming another of the slave wireless communication circuits.

2. A medical device communications network comprising:

a plurality of medical devices,

a corresponding plurality of slave wireless communication circuits each mounted to a different one of the plurality of medical devices, each of the plurality of slave wireless communication circuit configured to broadcast information relating to the medical device to which it is mounted and to receive information relating to any other of the plurality of medical devices,

a master wireless communication circuit configured to receive the information broadcast by any of the plurality of slave wireless communication circuits and to broadcast the information relating to any other of the plurality of medical devices, and

an additional wireless communication circuit to be introduced into the network, the additional wireless communication circuit configured to become the master communication circuit when introduced into the network with the existing master wireless communication circuit then becoming another of the slave wireless communication circuits.