RFID System and Method Therefor
OwnerMichael R. Hodelinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for authenticating an optical fiber for use with a medical laser system includes a medical laser unit, an optical fiber, and a memory device. The laser unit is typically specific to a certain medical procedure and is under the operation of a control system. The optical fiber is operably coupled to the laser unit and includes a probe tip for position proximate laser-targeted tissue. The memory device is associated with the optical fiber, e.g., as an RFID tag embedded in fiber or a smart card operational with the fiber, and is configured to allow the control system of the laser unit to access information embedded in the memory device so that the optical fiber may be authenticated as suitable to operate with the laser unit.
Claims21
A medical laser system comprising:
- a laser unit for use in a specified medical procedure, the laser unit operating at the direction of a control system;
- an optical fiber operably coupled to the laser unit, the optical fiber including a tip for positioning proximate targeted tissue;
- and
- a memory device associated with the optical fiber, the memory device adapted to allow the control system to access information embedded within the memory device so as to authenticate the optical fiber as suitable to operate with said laser unit.
A method of authenticating an optical fiber for use with a medical laser system:
- providing an optical fiber having a memory device specific to the optical fiber, the memory device including fiber information unique to the optical fiber;
- connecting the optical fiber to a laser unit;
- and
- authenticating use of the optical fiber with the laser unit by accessing the fiber information with a control system on the laser unit, whereby the control system verifies compatibility of the optical fiber with the laser unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.