Power management through sleep options of segmented circuit and wake up control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10013049-B2
Application number	US-201414226117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2014
Priority date	Mar 26, 2014
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a surgical instrument control circuit. The control circuit includes a primary processor, a safety processor in signal communication with the primary processor, and a segmented circuit. The segmented circuit includes a plurality of circuit segments in signal communication with the primary processor. The plurality of circuit segments includes a power segment. The safety processor is configured to transition the primary processor and at least one of the plurality of circuit segments from an active mode to a sleep mode and from the sleep mode to the active mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a sensor configured to measure a property of the surgical instrument; and
a control circuit comprising:
a primary processor;
a safety processor in signal communication with the primary processor and the sensor; and
a segmented circuit comprising a plurality of circuit segments in signal communication with the primary processor, the plurality of circuit segments are configured to control one or more operations of the surgical instrument, wherein the safety processor is configured to transition the primary processor and at least one of the plurality of circuit segments from an active mode to a sleep mode and from the sleep mode to the active mode;
wherein the safety processor is configured to:
execute an independent control algorithm that controls and/or overrides signals from the plurality of circuit segments comprised in the segmented circuit and from the primary processor according to whether the property is outside a first tolerance; and
receive reprogramming of the independent control algorithm with new parameters and/or new algorithms each time a component of the surgical instrument is modified or replaced, the new parameters and/or new algorithms defining a second tolerance and configured to control and/or override signals from said component according to whether the property is outside the second tolerance, without a subset of the plurality of circuit segments configured to control operation of said component needing to be modified or replaced.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , comprising a timer configured to track a time from a last user initiated event, and wherein the safety processor transitions the primary processor and at least one of the plurality of circuit segments to the sleep mode when the time from the last user initiated event exceeds a predetermined threshold.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , comprising an acceleration segment configured to detect one or more movements of the surgical instrument.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein the timer is configured to track a time from the last movement detected by the acceleration segment.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein the safety processor is configured to maintain the acceleration segment in the active mode when transitioning the plurality of circuit segments to the sleep mode.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the transition to the sleep mode comprises a plurality of stages.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of stages comprises:
a first stage in which a backlight of a display segment of the segmented circuit is dimmed, where the segmented circuit is configured to transition to the first stage after a first predetermined period;
a second stage in which the backlight is turned off, wherein the segmented circuit is configured to transition to the second stage after a second predetermined period;
a third stage in which a polling rate of an accelerometer is reduced, wherein the segmented circuit is configured to transition to the third stage after a third predetermined period; and
a fourth stage in which a display is turned off and the surgical instrument is configured to transition to the sleep mode, wherein the segmented circuit is configured to transition to the fourth stage after a fourth predetermined period.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , comprising a touch sensor configured to detect user contact with a surgical instrument, wherein the safety processor is configured to transition the primary processor and the plurality of circuit segments from the sleep mode to the active mode when the touch sensor detects a user in contact with surgical instrument.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the touch sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the safety processor is configured to monitor at least one handle control, and wherein the safety processor is configured to transition the primary processor and the plurality of circuit segments from the sleep mode to the active mode when the at least one handle control is actuated.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the at least one handle control comprises a clamp control.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the at least one handle control comprises a release button.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein when an accelerometer detects movement of the surgical instrument above a predetermined threshold, the safety processor is configured to transition the surgical instrument to the active mode.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14 , wherein the safety processor is configured to monitor the accelerometer for movement in at least a first direction and a second direction, and wherein the safety processor is configured to transition the surgical instrument from the sleep mode to the active mode when movement in at least the first direction and the second directions is detected above the predetermined threshold.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15 , wherein the safety processor is configured to monitor the accelerometer for oscillating movement above the predetermined threshold in the first direction, the second direction, and a third direction, and wherein the safety processor is configured to transition the surgical instrument from the sleep mode to the active mode when oscillating movement in the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction is detected above the predetermined threshold.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined threshold increases as a time from the last movement increases.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the safety processor is coupled to at least a first sensor that is configured to measure a first property of the surgical instrument, wherein the safety processor is configured to compare the measured first property of the surgical instrument to a predetermined value and based on the comparison of the measured first property with the predetermined value, the segmented circuit is configured to prevent operation of at least one of the circuit segments.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18 , wherein the first sensor comprises a motor sensor and the motor sensor measures the first property of the surgical instrument in real time.

20. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the safety processor is configured to employ a function to detect and recover from malfunctions of the primary processor.

21. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the primary processor is coupled to a second sensor that is configured to measure a second property of the surgical instrument.

22. The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein the second sensor comprises a second motor sensor.

23. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a sensor configured to measure a property of the surgical instrument; and
a control circuit comprising:
a primary processor;
a safety processor in signal communication with the primary processor and the sensor;
a segmented circuit comprising a plurality of circuit segments in signal communication with the primary processor, the plurality of circuit segments are configured to control one or more operations of the surgical instrument and the plurality of circuit segments comprises an acceleration segment, wherein t

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Leimbach Richard L
• Adams Shane R
• Swensgard Brett E
• Overmyer Mark D

Classifications

• A61B2017/0046

  with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable · CPC title

• H02H3/18

  responsive to reversal of direct current · CPC title

• A61B2017/00734

  battery operated · CPC title

• G05F1/61

  including two stages of regulation, at least one of which is output level responsive · CPC title

• A61B2017/00115

  with audible or visual output · CPC title