Method for employing single fault safe redundant signals

• US 10,799,282 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2018
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Krapohl, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Eric D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): So, Elizabeth K
• Application Number:
  US16/161,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20190046256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00648 using more than one sensed parameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00708 switching the power on or off
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00869 Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00994 combining two or more different kinds of non-mechanical energy or combining one or more non-mechanical energies with ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10

Abstract

An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical instrument coupled to an electrosurgical generator. The electrosurgical system may include a first sensor and a second sensor, which are configured to detect redundant tissue properties and output a signal corresponding thereto. The electrosurgical system has a signal processing circuit for receiving and modifying the output signal from the second sensor. The electrosurgical generator may include a controller for receiving an output signal from the first sensor and a processed signal from the signal processing circuit. The controller compares the two signals received and shuts down the system based on the comparison of the first sensor and a processed signal.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical system, comprising:

a signal processing circuit operably coupled to a first sensor, that measures at least one property of electrosurgical energy and outputs a first signal, and a second sensor, that measures the at least one property of the electrosurgical energy and outputs a second signal, the signal processing circuit configured to receive the second signal, to modify the second signal, and to output a processed signal; and

a controller configured to;

receive the first signal and the processed signal;

compare the first signal and the processed signal;

convert the processed signal back to the second signal when a difference between the first signal and the processed signal exceeds a predetermined amount;

compare the first signal to the second signal converted from the processed signal; and

terminate an output of electrosurgical energy when the first signal and the processed signal are substantially identical.

2. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to delay the second signal for a predetermined period of time before outputting the processed signal.

3. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to invert the second signal to generate the processed second signal.

4. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to convert the processed signal back into the second signal when the first signal and the processed second signal are substantially different.

5. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to compare the first and second signals.

6. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to terminate output of the electrosurgical system in response to the first and second signals being substantially different.

7. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one property of the electrosurgical energy is at least one of voltage, current, power, energy, phase, or any combinations thereof.

8. The electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor includes at least one of a thermal sensor, an electromagnetic field sensor, an impedance monitor, an optical sensor, a transformer, a capacitive sensor, or any combinations thereof.