System and method for transmission of combined data stream

• US 8,216,220 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Jensen, Jeffrey L., Savage, Mark B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOWLER, DANIEL WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US11/899,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 606/34, 606/41, 375/238, 375/239, 375/295
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W

Abstract

An electrosurgical system is disclosed. The electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical instrument configured to generate a first and second data streams and a transmission circuit configured to convert the first and second data streams into a pulsed transmission signal. The first signal property of the transmission signal is representative of the first data stream and the second signal property of the transmission signal is representative of the second data stream. The transmission circuit is further configured to process the transmission signal to decode the first signal property into the first data stream and the second signal property into the second data stream.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical system, comprising:

an electro surgical instrument configured to generate first and second data streams; and

a transmission circuit configured to convert the first and second data streams into a pulsed transmission signal, wherein a first signal property of the transmission signal being representative of the first data stream and a second signal property of the transmission signal being representative of the second data stream, the transmission circuit further configured to process the transmission signal to decode the first signal property into the first data stream and the second signal property into the second data stream, wherein the transmission circuit includes;

a voltage-to-frequency converter to convert the first data stream into a corresponding first frequency pulse;

a first multivibrator for outputting a first pulsed signal in response to the first frequency pulse;

a shift register configured to accept as input the first frequency pulse and the second data stream and to output at least one of a high logic and a low logic signals;

a second multivibrator configured to output a second pulsed signal if the shift register outputs the high logic signal; and

a NOR gate configured to select one of the first and second pulsed signals to form the transmission signal.

2. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the electrosurgical instrument includes:

input controls configured to generate control signals which control an electrosurgical generator; and

sensors configured to measure at least one of an energy property and a tissue property and generate sensor signals representative thereof.

3. An electrosurgical system according to claim 2, wherein the first data stream is selected from the group consisting of control signals and sensor signals.

4. An electrosurgical system according to claim 2, wherein the second data stream is an identifier for the electrosurgical instrument.

5. An electrosurgical system according to claim 1, wherein the first signal property is a frequency of the transmission signal.

6. An electrosurgical system according to claim 5, wherein the transmission circuit includes:

a pulse counter configured to measure the number of pulses of the transmission signal to determine the frequency thereof.

7. An electro surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the second signal property is a pulse width of each of the pulses of the transmission signal.

8. An electrosurgical system according to claim 7, wherein the transmission circuit includes:

a pulse width converter configured to measure the width of each of the pulses of the transmission signal.

9. A data transmission system comprising:

a transmission circuit configured to convert a first data stream and a second data stream into a pulsed transmission signal, wherein a first signal property of the transmission signal being representative of the first data stream and a second signal property of the transmission signal being representative of the second data stream, the transmission circuit is further configured to process the transmission signal to decode the first signal property into the first data stream and the second signal property into the second data stream; and

wherein the transmission circuit includes;

a voltage-to-frequency converter to convert the first data stream into a corresponding first frequency pulse;

a first multivibrator for outputting a first pulsed signal in response to the first frequency pulse;

a shift register configured to accept as input the first frequency pulse and the second data stream and to output at least one of a high logic and a low logic signals;

a second multivibrator configured to output a second pulsed signal if the shift register outputs the high logic signal; and

a NOR gate configured to select one of the first and second pulsed signals to form the transmission signal.

10. A data transmission system according to claim 9, wherein the first signal property is a frequency transmission signal and the second signal property is a pulse width of each of the pulses of the transmission signal.

11. A data transmission system according to claim 10, wherein the transmission circuit includes:

a signal processor configured to measure the width of each of the pulses of the transmission signal and number of pulses of the transmission signal to determine the frequency thereof.