Smart coupling system for medical instruments
AssigneeKARL STORZ Imaging, Inc.
InventorsGeorge E. Duckett, III, Daniel Lietz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control system for a coupling an input device and an input module of an imaging system for a medical procedure includes a compatibility module and a magnetic force module. The compatibility module generates a compatibility signal indicating the input device is compatible with the input module or indicating that the input device is incompatible with the input module based on electronic information stored on the input device. The magnetic force module that generates a magnetic force between a connector of the input device and a receptacle of the input module based on the compatibility signal.
Claims9
A control system for a coupling an input device and an input module of an imaging system for a medical procedure;
- comprising:
- a compatibility module that generates a compatibility signal indicating the input device is compatible with the input module or indicating that the input device is incompatible with the input module based on electronic information stored on the input device;
- a magnetic force module that generates an electromagnetic force between a connector of the input device and a receptacle of the input module based on the compatibility signal,
- wherein the magnetic force module applies a first attractive level of the electromagnetic force when the compatibility signal indicates compatible and a first repelling level of the electromagnetic force when the compatibility signal indicates incompatible;
- and
- an active procedure module that generates an active procedure signal indicating the medical procedure is active or indicating the medical procedure is no longer active based on at least one of a user input and image data generated by the input device,
- wherein the magnetic force module applies a second attractive level that is greater than the first attractive level when the active procedure signal indicates active.
A coupling system for coupling an input device and an input module of a medical imaging system, comprising:
- a connector at a terminal end of a cable of the input device that includes one or more connector magnets and an RFID tag chip, the connector terminating in a planar surface without exposed terminals;
- a receptacle within the input module that includes one or more receptacle magnets and an RFID reader chip, the receptacle terminating in a planar surface without exposed terminals;
- and
- a control system including
- a compatibility module that generates a compatibility signal indicating the input device is compatible with the input module or indicating that the input device is incompatible with the input module based on electronic information stored on the RFID tag chip;
- and
- a magnetic force module that generates an electromagnetic force in the one or more receptacle magnets based on the compatibility signal,
- wherein the magnetic force module applies a first attractive level of the electromagnetic force when the compatibility signal indicates compatible and a first repelling level of the electromagnetic force when the compatibility signal indicates incompatible;
- and
- an active procedure module that generates an active procedure signal indicating the medical procedure is active or indicating the medical procedure is no longer active based at least one of a user input and on image data generated by the input device,
- wherein the magnetic force module applies a second attractive level that is greater than the first attractive level when the active procedure signal indicates active.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.