System and method for voltage and current sensing

• US 9,921,243 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Digmann, Patrick J., Gilbert, James A., Farrell, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hupczey, Jr., Ronald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ouyang, Bo
• Application Number:
  US14/069,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20140171935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06772 High frequency probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06788 Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments end pieces terminating in a probe H01R11/18

Abstract

An electrosurgical system is disclosed. The system includes a radio frequency output stage configured to output at least one radio frequency waveform and a current sensor coupled to the output stage and configured to output a first differentiated signal corresponding to a current of the at least one radio frequency waveform, the current sensor coupled to a first conditioning circuit configured to integrate the first differentiated signal to output a processed current signal indicative of the current. The system further includes a voltage sensor coupled to the output stage and configured to output a second differentiated signal corresponding to a voltage of the at least one radio frequency waveform, the voltage sensor coupled to a second conditioning circuit configured to integrate the second differentiated signal to output a processed voltage signal indicative of the voltage, wherein the first and second conditioning circuits have a substantially similar bandpass and phase response.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical system, comprising:

a radio frequency output stage configured to output a radio frequency waveform having a current and a voltage;

a current sensor including a Rogowski coil coupled to the output stage and configured to output a first differentiated signal corresponding to the current of the radio frequency waveform;

a first conditioning circuit including;

a first resistor divider;

a first single-ended amplifier configured to convert the first differentiated signal to a first single-ended signal;

a first bandpass filter; and

a first integrator coupled to the Rogowski coil and configured to integrate the first single-ended signal to output a processed current signal proportional to the current;

a voltage sensor including a capacitive divider coupled to the output stage and configured to output a second differentiated signal corresponding to the voltage of the radio frequency waveform;

a second conditioning circuit including;

a second resistor divider;

a second single-ended amplifier configured to convert the second differentiated signal to a second single-ended single;

a second bandpass filter; and

a second integrator coupled to the capacitive divider and configured to integrate the second single-ended signal to output a processed voltage signal proportional to the voltage,

wherein the first and second conditioning circuits have a matched gain and phase response; and

a controller coupled to the first and second conditioning circuits and configured to adjust the radio frequency waveform output by the output stage based on at least one of the processed current signal or the processed voltage signal.

2. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency output stage includes an active lead and a return lead.

3. The electrosurgical system according to claim 2, wherein the voltage sensor is capacitively coupled to the active lead and the return lead and configured to measure radio frequency voltage therebetween, and the current sensor is coupled to the active lead and configured to measure radio frequency current therethrough.

4. The electrosurgical system according to claim 3, wherein the Rogowski coil is disposed on a printed circuit board with the active lead passing through the Rogowski coil.

5. The electrosurgical system according to claim 4, wherein the printed circuit board includes outer conductive traces coupled to the active lead, the outer conductive traces interconnected by a via through the printed circuit board.

6. The electrosurgical system according to claim 5, wherein the Rogowski coil includes:

an outer coil including;

a plurality of top conductive traces disposed between a top dielectric layer and a first dielectric intermediate layer of the printed circuit board;

a plurality of bottom conductive traces disposed between a bottom dielectric layer and a second dielectric intermediate layer of the printed circuit board, wherein the outer conductive traces are disposed over the bottom and top dielectric layers; and

a plurality of inner and outer vias interconnecting the pluralities of top and bottom conductive traces; and

an inner portion including a conductive trace disposed within the outer coil and between the first and second dielectric intermediate layers of the printed circuit board.

7. The electrosurgical system according to claim 3, wherein the capacitive divider includes first and second capacitors capacitively coupled to the active lead and the return lead, the voltage sensor further including a resistor divider including first and second resistors coupled to the capacitive divider.

18. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the processed current signal indicative of the current of the radio frequency waveform output by the output stage is supplied to the controller through a first input, and the processed voltage signal indicative of the voltage of the radio frequency waveform output by the output stage is supplied to the controller through a second input, separate from the first input.

8. An electrosurgical system configured to output electrosurgical energy, comprising:

a current sensor including a Rogowski coil coupled to an output stage and configured to output a first differentiated signal corresponding to a current of the electrosurgical energy;

a first conditioning circuit including;

a first resistor divider;

a first single-ended amplifier configured to convert the first differentiated signal to a first single-ended signal;

a first bandpass filter; and

a first integrator coupled to the Rogowski coil and configured to integrate the first single-ended signal to output a processed current signal proportional to the current;

a voltage sensor including a capacitive divider coupled to the output stage and configured to output a second differentiated signal corresponding to a voltage of the electrosurgical energy;

a second conditioning circuit including;

a second resistor divider;

a second single-ended amplifier configured to convert the second differentiated signal to a second single-ended single;

a second bandpass filter; and

a second integrator coupled to the capacitive divider and configured to integrate the second single-ended signal to output a processed voltage signal proportional to the voltage,

wherein the first and second conditioning circuits have a matched gain and phase response; and

a controller coupled to the first and second conditioning circuits and configured to adjust the electrosurgical energy output by the output stage based on at least one of the processed current signal or the processed voltage signal.

9. The electrosurgical system according to claim 8, further including an active lead and a return lead, wherein the voltage sensor is capacitively coupled to the active lead and the return lead and configured to measure radio frequency voltage therebetween, and the current sensor is coupled to the active lead and configured to measure radio frequency current therethrough.

10. The electrosurgical system according to claim 9, wherein the Rogowski coil is disposed on a printed circuit board with the active lead passing through the Rogowski coil, the printed circuit including outer conductive traces coupled to the active lead, the outer conductive traces interconnected by a via through the printed circuit board.

11. The electrosurgical system according to claim 10, wherein the Rogowski coil includes:

an outer coil including;

a plurality of top conductive traces disposed between a top dielectric layer and a first dielectric intermediate layer of the printed circuit board;

a plurality of bottom conductive traces disposed between a bottom dielectric layer and a second dielectric intermediate layer of the printed circuit board, wherein the outer conductive traces are disposed over the bottom and top dielectric layers; and

a plurality of inner and outer vias interconnecting the pluralities of top and bottom conductive traces; and

an inner portion including a conductive trace disposed within the outer coil and between the first and second dielectric intermediate layers of the printed circuit board.

12. The electrosurgical system according to claim 9, wherein the capacitive divider includes first and second capacitors capacitively coupled to the active lead and the return lead, the voltage sensor further including a resistor divider including first and second resistors coupled to the capacitive divider.

19. The electrosurgical system according to claim 8, wherein the processed current signal indicative of the current of the electrosurgical energy output by the output stage is supplied to the controller through a first input, and the processed voltage signal indicative of the voltage of the electrosurgical energy output by the output stage is supplied to the controller through a second input, separate from the first input.

13. A method for detecting an energy property of an electrosurgical generator, comprising:

detecting current passing through an active lead of an electrosurgical generator;

outputting a first differentiated signal corresponding to the current;

converting the first differentiated signal to a first single-ended signal at a first single-ended amplifier of a first conditioning circuit;

integrating the first single-ended signal at a first integrator of the first conditioning circuit to output a processed current signal proportional to the current;

delivering the processed current signal indicative of the current to a controller for adjusting electrosurgical energy output by the electrosurgical generator;

detecting voltage between the active lead and a return lead of the electrosurgical generator;

outputting a second differentiated signal corresponding to the voltage;

converting the second differentiated signal to a second single-ended single at a single-ended amplifier of a second conditioning circuit;

integrating the second single-ended signal at a second integrator of a second conditioning circuit to output a processed voltage signal proportional to the voltage,

wherein the first and second conditioning circuits have a matched gain and phase response; and

delivering the processed voltage signal indicative of the voltage to the controller for adjusting electrosurgical energy output by the electrosurgical generator.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the current is detected by a Rogowski coil disposed on a printed circuit board with the active lead passing through the Rogowski coil, the printed circuit including outer conductive traces coupled to the active lead, the outer conductive traces interconnected by a via through the printed circuit board.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the Rogowski coil includes:

an outer coil including;

a plurality of top conductive traces disposed between a top dielectric layer and a first dielectric intermediate layer of the printed circuit board;

a plurality of bottom conductive traces disposed between a bottom dielectric layer and a second dielectric intermediate layer of the printed circuit board, wherein the outer conductive traces are disposed over the bottom and top dielectric layers; and

a plurality of inner and outer vias interconnecting the pluralities of top and bottom conductive traces.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the Rogowski coil further includes an inner portion including a conductive trace disposed within the outer coil and between the first and second dielectric intermediate layers of the printed circuit board.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the current is detected by a voltage sensor including:

the second conditioning circuit;

a capacitive divider coupled to the second integrator of the second conditioning circuit and including first and second capacitors capacitively coupled to the active lead and the return lead; and

a resistor divider including first and second resistors coupled to the capacitive divider.