System and method for automatically powering on and synchronizing a wireless remote console to a central control unit so as to allow remote control of a medical device

• US 20090121865A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Hamel, Andrew J., Wells, Brannon P., Hilldoerfer, Michael G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,149,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.170
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00006 of control signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00036 Means for power saving, e.g. sleeping mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/045 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system and method 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 conserve battery power and simplify operation, the remote console is configured to automatically power on and initiate a wireless connection in response to being brought into proximity of the central control unit. According to another embodiment, the remote console automatically powers on and terminates any previously established wireless connections when brought into proximity of the central control unit.

Claims

1. A system for controlling at least one medical device, comprising:

a central control unit in communication with and controlling at least one medical device; and

a remote console having at least one user-operable control and configured to wirelessly transmit console command signals to the central control unit indicating a state of the at least one user-operable control;

wherein the remote console, while in an off state, will automatically power on in response to the remote console being brought within a predetermined distance of the central control unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

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

an identification reader associated with the central control unit that wirelessly retrieves the identification code programmed in the identification device when the identification device is brought within a predetermined distance of the identification reader.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the identification device comprises a radio frequency identification device (RFID).

4. The system according to claim 2, further comprising an activation circuit associated with the remote console that automatically powers on the remote console in response to the inducement of an electrical current in the activation circuit by an electromagnetic field generated by the identification reader.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the activation circuit is electrically isolated from the identification device.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the activation circuit comprises a coil wound to an inductance generally corresponding to a frequency of the electromagnetic field generated by the identification reader.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote console will automatically terminate any previously established relationships between the remote console and the central control unit in response to the remote console being brought within a predetermined distance of the central control unit.

8. The system according to claim 2, wherein the central control unit will only process console command signals containing an identification code that corresponds to the remote console with which the central control unit is synchronized.

9. The system according to claim 2, further comprising an activation circuit associated with the remote console that automatically powers on the remote console in response to being brought within a predetermined distance of the central control unit, the activation circuit comprising one of an optical sensor, acoustic sensor and reflective infrared sensor.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the identification device comprises one of a barcode, an optical transmitter conveying either visible or non-visible light, and a speaker conveying information in acoustic form.

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

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote console and central control unit communicate with one another using one of the following wireless technologies, including WUSB, 900 MHz RF, Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g, Ultra-Wide Band (UWB), Zigbee, infrared (IR) and laser.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote console is operated by one of a hand and a foot.

14. A method of controlling at least one medical device by a wireless connection, comprising the steps of:

providing a remote console associated with a unique identification code and having at least one user-operable control for remotely controlling at least one function on at least one medical device;

connecting the at least one medical device to a central control unit capable of communicating wirelessly with the remote console;

automatically powering on the remote console by placing the remote console within a predetermined distance of the central control unit;

automatically wirelessly synchronizing the remote console with the central control unit by placing the remote console within a predetermined distance of the central control unit; and

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.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of synchronizing the remote console with the central controller further comprises the steps of:

providing the remote console with an identification device which is programmed with an identification code unique to the remote console with which the identification device is associated;

providing the central controller with an identification reader; and

wirelessly retrieving the identification code from the identification device when the remote console is placed within a predetermined distance of the identification reader.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of automatically powering on the remote console further comprises the step of inducing an electrical current in an activation circuit of the remote console by an electromagnetic field generated by the identification reader.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of automatically terminating any previous synchronization between the remote console and the central control unit by placing the remote console within a predetermined distance of the central control unit.