Tool and method for controlling the same
AssigneeMAKO Surgical Corp.
InventorsStephen Eugene Still, Renbin Zhou
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tool and method for operating the tool are provided. The tool includes a housing and a power generator, such as a motor, disposed in the housing. The power generator has an operating parameter, such as rotational speed. A trigger member and associated magnet are displaceable relative to the housing. A plurality of sensors each generate an output signal based on movement of the magnet. A controller receives the output signals from the sensors, determines a base digital integer from each of the output signals, concatenates the base digital integers to form a concatenated digital integer. The controller varies the operating parameter based on the concatenated digital integer.
Claims17
A tool comprising:
- a housing;
- a power generator disposed in said housing and having an operating parameter;
- a trigger member displaceable relative to said housing;
- a magnet coupled to said trigger member such that displacement of said trigger member results in movement of said magnet;
- a plurality of sensors disposed in said housing and located adjacent to said magnet, and each sensor being configured to generate an output signal in response to detecting said magnet upon displacement of said trigger member, wherein S is a total number of sensors that generate said output signals;
- and
- a controller coupled to said sensors and being configured to:
- receive said output signals,
- determine a base digital integer from each of said output signals, wherein said base digital integer is further defined as an N-bit digital integer, wherein N is a bit resolution of each sensor wherein said base digital integer is any one of 2N values,
- concatenate said base digital integers to form a concatenated digital integer, wherein said concatenated digital integer is further defined as an M-bit digital integer, wherein M is a bit resolution of said concatenated digital integer with M=S*N and wherein said concatenated digital integer is any one of 2M values, and
- vary said operating parameter based on a value of said concatenated digital integer.
A method for operating a tool having a housing, a power generator disposed in the housing and having an operating parameter, a trigger member displaceable relative to the housing, a magnet coupled to the trigger member, a plurality of sensors located adjacent to the magnet and being disposed in the housing, and a controller coupled to the sensors, the method comprising the steps of:
- moving the magnet by displacing the trigger member;
- detecting the magnet with the sensors;
- generating an output signal from each sensor in response to detecting the magnet, wherein S is a total number of sensors that generate the output signals;
- receiving, with the controller, the output signal from each sensor;
- determining, with the controller, a base digital integer from each of the output signals, wherein the base digital integer is further defined as an N-bit digital integer, wherein N is a bit resolution of each sensor wherein the base digital integer is any one of 2N values;
- concatenating, with the controller, the base digital integers to form a concatenated digital integer, wherein the concatenated digital integer is further defined as an M-bit digital integer, wherein M is a bit resolution of the concatenated digital integer with M=S*N and wherein the concatenated digital integer is any one of 2M values;
- and
- varying, with the controller, the operating parameter based on a value of the concatenated digital integer.
A method for controlling a surgical tool comprising a power generator, a displaceable magnet, a plurality of sensors located adjacent to the magnet, and with the surgical tool being coupled to a controller that is coupled to the sensors and the power generator, the method comprising the controller performing the steps of:
- receiving an output signal from each sensor in response to detecting the magnet, wherein S is a total number of sensors that generate the output signals;
- determining a base digital integer from each of the output signals, wherein the base digital integer is further defined as an N-bit digital integer, wherein N is a bit resolution of each sensor wherein the base digital integer is any one of 2N values;
- concatenating the base digital integers to form a concatenated digital integer, wherein the concatenated digital integer is further defined as an M-bit digital integer, wherein M is a bit resolution of the concatenated digital integer with M=S*N and wherein the concatenated digital integer is any one of 2M values;
- and
- varying operation of the power generator based on the concatenated digital integer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.