Apparatus and method for altering generator functions in an ultrasonic surgical system

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for implementing surgical procedures which includes an ultrasonic surgical hand piece having an end-effector, a console having a digital signal processor (DSP) for controlling the hand piece, an electrical connection connecting the hand piece and the console, and a memory, such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), disposed in the electrical connection. The console sends a drive current to drive the hand piece which imparts ultrasonic longitudinal movement to the blade. The console reads the memory and authenticates the hand piece for use with the console if particular or proprietary data are present in the memory. Moreover, to prevent errors in operating the hand piece, the memory can store certain diagnostic information which the console can utilize in determining whether the operation of the hand piece should be handicapped or disabled. Furthermore, the memory can be used to reprogram the console, if needed.

1 . A system for implementing surgical procedures comprising: 
 an ultrasonic surgical hand piece having an end-effector;    a console having a digital signal processor (DSP) for controlling the hand piece;    an electrical connection connecting the hand piece and the console, wherein the console sends a drive current to drive the hand piece which imparts ultrasonic longitudinal movement to the end-effector; and    a memory disposed in the electrical connection, wherein the console reads information stored in the memory to authenticate the hand piece for use with the console.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the information stored in the memory includes a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) code, and the information stored in the memory is in the form of a data implemented in firmware.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the information is an encrypted code, and the hand piece is authenticated for use with the console by decoding a corresponding encryption algorithm in the console and providing for a corresponding data pattern.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the memory stores a handicap limit and a disable limit;    the console instructs the hand piece to operate in a handicap mode if the system exceeds the handicap limit, and the console disables the hand piece if the system exceeds the disable limit.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein handicap and disable limits relate to temperature and the handicap mode is appropriate for temperature conditions.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the handicap limit and the disable limit relate to the number of defective blades found in a time period of operating the hand piece, and the handicap mode is appropriate for the number of defective blade conditions.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the handicap limit and the disable limit relate to the time the hand piece has been active, and the handicap mode is appropriate for the time conditions.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the handicap limit and the disable limit relate to the number of activations for the hand piece within a time period, and the handicap mode is appropriate for the number of activation conditions.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the handicap mode involves one of operations below a certain speed or vibrational frequency, operating below a certain vibrational displacement, and in a limited mode such as coagulation or cutting.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the memory includes a reprogram code, wherein said DSP reads the reprogram code stored in the memory and alters at least one function of said console based on said reprogram code.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising storage and upgrade code, whereon said DSP stores the storage and upgrade code which is read with its operating program.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the reprogram code and the upgrade code are read from a non-volatile memory of a non-hand piece device plugged into the electrical connection.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said function of said console is a diagnostic hierarchy.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said function of said console is a duty-cycle.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said function of said console redefines power level settings.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said function of said console redefines the console function assigned to a switch.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the information stored in the memory correlates energy level information and corresponding output displacement, wherein the console reads the energy level information and drives the hand piece according to the corresponding output displacement.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the information stored in the memory includes a start sweep point and a stop sweep point delimiting a frequency range, and wherein a frequency sweep is effected under control of the DSP in the frequency range loaded on the nominal resonate frequency, the start and stop sweep points for detecting a resonant frequency for operating the hand piece.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the information stored in the memory includes a nominal resonant frequency, a bias amount and a margin amount from which a frequency range is calculated, and wherein a frequency sweep is effected under control of the DSP in the frequency range based on the nominal resonate frequency, bias current and margin current for detecting a resonant frequency for operating the hand piece.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the memory consists of at least one of an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), Programmable Array Logic (PAL), Programmable Logic Array (PLA), analog serial storage device, sound storage integrated circuit, a memory device in conjunction with a numeric manipulation device including a microprocessor for the purpose of encryption, and volatile memory which is powered by a device consisting of a cell, battery and capacitor.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the memory is in a location consisting of one of the electrical connection, the housing of the hand piece, and an in-line location in a cable connecting the electrical connection with the console and the hand piece.  
   
   
       22 . A method for implementing surgical procedures in a system including an ultrasonic surgical hand piece, a console having a microprocessor for controlling the hand piece, an electrical connection connecting the hand piece and the console, and a memory disposed in the electrical connection, the method comprising the steps of: 
 reading information stored in the memory;    determining whether particular data is present in the memory;    authenticating use of the hand piece with the console if the particular data is present; and    sending a drive current to drive the hand piece to impart ultrasonic movement to the blade.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the data is stored in memory in encrypted form further comprising the steps of: 
 decoding the encrypted data with an encryption algorithm in the console;    providing a corresponding-data pattern; and    authenticating the hand piece on the basis of the data pattern.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 instructing the hand piece to operate in a handicap mode if temperature of the hand piece exceeds a handicap limit; and    disabling the hand piece if the temperature of the hand piece exceeds a disable limit.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 instructing the hand piece to operate in a handicap mode if number of defective blades found in a time period of operating the hand piece exceeds a handicap limit; and    disabling the hand piece if the number of defective blades found in the time period exceeds a disable limit.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 instructing the hand piece to operate in a handicap mode if time the hand piece has been active exceeds a handicap limit; and    disabling the hand piece if the number of defective blades found in the time the hand piece has been active exceeds a disable limit.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 instructing the hand piece to operate in a handicap mode if number of activations for the hand piece within a time period exceeds a handicap limit; and    disabling the hand piece if the number of activations for the hand piece within the time period exceeds a disable limit.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the step of re-initializing the handicap limit and the disable limit based on varied operational conditions of the hand piece.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 determining whether a reprogram of the console is needed by reading an upgrade code stored in the memory; and    reading a reprogram code stored in the memory and reprogramming the console using the reprogram code, if it is determined that an upgrade of the console is needed.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 reading energy level information stored in the memory; and    driving the hand piece according to a corresponding output displacement;    wherein the energy level information stored in the memory is correlated with corresponding output displacement for driving the hand piece.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 reading a nominal resonant frequency, a start sweep point and a stop sweep point delimiting a frequency range from the memory;    effecting a frequency sweep in the frequency range based on the reading; and    detecting a resonant frequency for operating the hand piece.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 reading a nominal resonant frequency, a bias amount and a margin amount from the memory;    calculating a frequency range based on the nominal resonant frequency, the bias amount and the margin amount;    effecting a frequency sweep in the frequency range; and    detecting a resonant frequency for operating the hand piece.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 keeping track of a number of uses for the hand piece; and    keeping track of a number of remaining uses allowed for the hand piece.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing an alert mode corresponding to the particular data;    alerting conditions meeting criteria for the alert mode.