Authentication and information system for reusable surgical instruments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12282445-B2
Application number	US-202418423470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2024
Priority date	May 7, 2014
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

An authentication and information system for use in a surgical stapling system includes a microprocessor configured to demultiplex data from a plurality of components in the surgical system. The authentication and information system can include one wire chips and a coupling assembly with a communication connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical system, comprising:
a loading unit having a tool;
a loading unit chip disposed within the loading unit and storing data indicative of one or more properties of the tool; and
a microprocessor in communication with the loading unit chip over a single wire bus and a loading unit ground wire, the microprocessor configured to switch the microprocessor between a loading unit receive mode and a loading unit transmit mode by activating or deactivating the loading unit ground wire, respectively.

2. The surgical system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a handle; and
an adapter releasably coupled to the handle and the loading unit.

3. The surgical system according to claim 2 , wherein the microprocessor is disposed in the handle.

4. The surgical system according to claim 2 , wherein the adapter includes an adapter chip disposed within the adapter and storing data indicative of one or more properties of the adapter.

5. The surgical system according to claim 4 , wherein the microprocessor is in communication with the adapter chip over the single wire bus and an adapter ground wire, the microprocessor configured to switch the microprocessor between an adapter receive mode and an adapter transmit mode by activating or deactivating the adapter ground wire, respectively.

6. The surgical system according to claim 5 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to demultiplex the single wire bus to communicate with one of the loading unit chip or the adapter chip.

7. The surgical system according to claim 6 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to switch between the loading unit and adapter receive modes and the loading unit and adapter transmit modes over the single wire bus.

8. The surgical system according to claim 7 , wherein in the loading unit receive mode, the microprocessor is configured to receive the data stored in the loading unit chip.

9. The surgical system according to claim 7 , wherein in the adapter receive mode, the microprocessor is configured to receive the data stored in the adapter chip.

10. The surgical system according to claim 7 , wherein in the loading unit transmit mode, the microprocessor is configured to transmit and write data to the loading unit chip or the adapter chip.

11. The surgical system according to claim 4 , wherein in the adapter transmit mode, the microprocessor is configured to transmit and write data to the adapter chip.

12. A method of authenticating at least one component of a surgical system, the method comprising:
receiving, at a microprocessor, an authentication signal from a first microchip disposed in a loading unit, the authentication signal from the first microchip being received at the microprocessor over a single wire bus which interconnects the first microchip and the microprocessor, while the microprocessor is in a first receive mode;
transmitting data to the first microchip from the microprocessor over the single wire bus, while the microprocessor is in a first transmit mode; and
switching a first ground wire coupled to the first microchip using the microprocessor between an on state and an off state to switch the microprocessor between the first receive mode and the first transmit mode, respectively.

13. The method according to claim 12 , the method further comprising:
receiving, at the microprocessor, an authentication signal from a second microchip disposed in an adapter, the authentication signal from the second microchip being received at the microprocessor over the single wire bus which interconnects the second microchip and the microprocessor, while the microprocessor is in a second receive mode, wherein the microprocessor is disposed in a handle and the adapter is releasably coupled to the handle.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting data to the second microchip from the microprocessor over the single wire bus, while the microprocessor is in a second transmit mode.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
switching a second ground wire coupled to the second microchip using the microprocessor between an on state and an off state to switch the microprocessor between the second receive mode and the second transmit mode, respectively.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Collins Ethan
• Durant David
• Hryb John

Classifications

• Y02A90/10

  Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation · CPC title

• G16Z99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title

• A61B2090/0814

  Preventing re-use · CPC title

• A61B90/98

  using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders · CPC title