Electrosurgical system, electrosurgical generator, and method of operating an electrosurgical system

An electrosurgical generator, comprising:

• an activation switch unit, an instrument identification unit and a control unit;
• wherein, when an electrosurgical instrument comprising an activation switch circuit or an instrument identification circuit is connected to the electrosurgical generator via a three-pin connector, the control unit is configured to:
• connect a second pin and a third pin of the three-pin connector to the instrument identification unit,
• detect a connection of the instrument identification unit to the instrument identification circuit;
• maintain connection of the second pin and the third pin of the three-pin connector to the instrument identification unit if the connection of the instrument identification circuit to the instrument identification unit is detected;
• and
• disconnect the second pin and the third pin of the three-pin connector from the instrument identification unit and connect the second pin and the third pin of the three-pin connector to the activation switch unit if the connection of the instrument identification circuit to the instrument identification unit is not detected.

A method of operating an electrosurgical system,

• the electrosurgical system comprising:
• an electrosurgical instrument comprising an activation switch circuit or an instrument identification circuit;
• and
• an electrosurgical generator comprising an activation switch unit and an instrument identification unit;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• connecting the electrosurgical instrument to the electrosurgical generator via a three-pin connector;
• connecting a second pin and a third pin of the three-pin connector to the instrument identification unit;
• detecting a connection of the instrument identification unit to the instrument identification circuit;
• maintaining connection of the second pin and the third pin of the three-pin connector to the instrument identification unit if the connection of the instrument identification circuit to the instrument identification unit is detected;
• and
• disconnecting the second pin and the third pin of the three-pin connector from the instrument identification unit and connecting the second pin and the third pin of the three-pin connector to the activation switch unit if the connection of the instrument identification circuit to the instrument identification unit is not detected.