System and method for transferring power to intrabody instruments

• US 9,107,684 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ma, Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US13/024,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20110217923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00411 actuated by application of energy from an energy source outside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/03 Constructional details, e.g. casings, housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A system and method for transferring power includes a power transmitting unit for transmitting power and a power receiving unit for receiving power from the power transmitting unit. The power transmitting unit may be positioned outside a human body and the power receiving unit is located on an intrabody instrument adapted to be movable from the outside of the human body to inside the human body. The intrabody instrument may be a medical instrument connected to or incorporated within a robotic arm. The power transmitting unit may wirelessly transfer power to the power receiving unit in a continuous, non-interrupted manner.

Claims

1. A system for transferring power, the system comprising:

a control manager;

a plurality of information managers in operative communication with a communication manager, the communication manager transmitting control signals to the control manager;

a power transmitting unit for transmitting power, the power being transmitted in a plurality of different power levels associated with a plurality of different frequency signals; and

a power receiving unit for receiving power from the power transmitting unit;

wherein the power transmitting unit is positioned outside a human body and the power receiving unit is located on an intrabody instrument positionable within the human body, operations of the intrabody instrument monitored by the control manager while at least a portion of the intrabody instrument is positioned within the human body;

wherein the power transmitting unit enables a plurality of power transmitting protocols to be chosen by a user via a configuration manager based on a plurality of surgical procedures to be performed, the configuration manager providing for dynamic real-time configuration of the intrabody instrument for a particular surgical procedure;

wherein the intrabody instrument is remotely controlled by one or more consoles each associated with the control manager such that the power transmitting unit allows the user to remotely adjust a spatial position and orientation of the intrabody instrument;

wherein the plurality of information managers continuously process spatial position and orientation information of the intrabody instrument to actuate the control manager; and

wherein the intrabody instrument is operably coupled in a wireless manner to another intrabody instrument positionable within the human body, as well as to an external unit, such that the intrabody instruments electrically communicate with each other.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power transmitting unit is connected to an energy source.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the intrabody instrument includes at least an energy storage unit and one or more electronic components.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the energy storage unit is a battery.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the one or more electronic components include control electronics.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the control electronics include logic controls and intrabody instrument drivers.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the intrabody instrument is a medical instrument used in surgical procedures.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the intrabody instrument is a robotic arm.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power transmitting unit wirelessly transfers power to the power receiving unit in a continuous, non-interrupted manner.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein power is wirelessly transferred by using inductive coupling power transfer methodologies.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the inductive coupling power transfer methodologies permit the power transmitting unit and the power receiving unit to share a same inductor-capacitor resonance frequency.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein power is wirelessly transferred by using radio frequency (RF) power transfer methodologies.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the RF power transfer methodologies permit the power transmitting unit and the power receiving unit to operate at a common frequency.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein if an energy source connected to the power transmitting unit is disconnected, the power receiving unit is automatically energized via an energy storage unit located within the intrabody instrument.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system further includes one or more data communications units for transferring data between the power transmitting unit and the power receiving unit.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the intrabody instrument is assembled inside the human body.

17. A system for wirelessly, continuously, and non-interruptedly transferring information, the system comprising:

a control manager;

a plurality of information managers in operative communication with a communication manager, the communication manager transmitting control signals to the control manager while at least a portion of the intrabody instrument is positioned within the human body;

a transmitting unit connected to an energy source for transmitting power, the transmitting unit further configured to transmit the information, the power being transmitted in a plurality of different power levels associated with a plurality of different frequency signals; and

a receiving unit including an energy storage unit and one or more electronic components, the receiving unit configured to receive the information from the transmitting unit;

wherein the transmitting unit is positioned outside a human body and the receiving unit is operatively associated with a robotic arm positionable within the human body during surgical procedures, operations of the intrabody instrument monitored by the control manager;

wherein the transmitting unit enables a plurality of transmitting protocols to be chosen by a user via a configuration manager based on a plurality of surgical procedures to be performed, the configuration manager providing for dynamic real-time configuration of the intrabody instrument for a particular surgical procedure;

wherein the robotic arm is remotely controlled by one or more consoles each associated with the control manager such that the transmitting unit allows the user to remotely adjust spatial position and orientation of the robotic arm;

wherein the plurality of information managers continuously process spatial position and orientation information of the intrabody instrument to actuate the control manager; and

wherein the robotic arm is operably coupled in a wireless manner to another robotic arm positionable within the human body, as well as to an external unit, such that the robotic arms electrically communicate with each other.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the information includes power data and communication data.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the power data and communication data is wirelessly transferred to a plurality of external sources.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the power data is wirelessly transferred by using inductive coupling power transfer methodologies, where the transmitting unit and the receiving unit share a same inductor-capacitor resonance frequency.