Endoscopy device with integrated RFID and external network capability

• US 20060149126A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Rajeshwari, Desai, Sohail, Ertas, Hasan, Wells, Brannon P., Shariff, Ruzbeh
• Granted Patent: US 7,976,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/101
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0669 at proximal end of an endoscope

Abstract

A unit of equipment designed for use in endoscopic surgery includes radio frequency identification (RFID) circuitry and a network interface. The RFID circuitry can be used to store information of various types, such as component usage tracking information, user preferences, usage logs, error logs, device settings, etc. The network interface allows the unit to communicate over an external network with a remote server. Information, such as information stored in the RFID circuitry or in a separate memory, may be sent over the network to a desired destination, such as a server operated by the manufacturer of the equipment.

Claims

1. A method of operating an endoscopy device, the method comprising:

powering up the endoscopy device; and

in response to the endoscopy device powering up,

contacting a remote server via a network from the endoscopy device, and

sending information from the endoscopy device to the remote server over the network.

2-46. -46. (canceled)