Method and apparatus to detect transponder tagged objects and to communicate with medical telemetry devices, for example during medical procedures

Abstract

The presence or absence of objects tagged with transponders may be determined in an environment in which medical procedures are performed via an interrogation and detection system which includes a controller and a plurality of antennas positioned along a patient support structure. The antennas may be positioned along an operating table, bed, mattress or pad, sheet, or may be positioned on a drape, or shade. Respective antennas may successively be activated to transmit interrogation signals. Multiple antennas may be monitored for responses from transponders to the interrogation signals. For example, all antennas other than the antenna that transmitted the most recent interrogation signal may be monitored. Antennas may be responsive to force, a signal indicative of such force being produced. A wireless physiological condition monitor may detect patient physiological conditions and wirelessly transmit signals indicative of such.

1 .- 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . A method of operating a system in a medical facility, the system including a plurality of antennas and a controller communicatively coupled to the antennas, the method comprising:
 selectively transmitting a number of wideband interrogation signals from at least one of the antennas;   determining whether a response to the wideband interrogation signals was received from a transponder that marks an object used in a medical procedure via the at least one of the antennas used to transmit the number of wideband interrogation signals; and   selectively providing wireless communications that encode at least one of information, commands and data with at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment via the at least one of the antennas used to transmit the interrogation signal and receive the response signal.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein transmitting a number of wideband interrogation signals from at least one of the antennas includes transmitting the wideband interrogation signals from a number of antennas carried by a patient support structure that carries a patient during a medical procedure. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein transmitting a number of wideband interrogation signals from at least one of the antennas includes transmitting the wideband interrogation signals from a handheld antenna that inductively cooperates with the plurality of antennas carried by the patient support structure. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49  wherein at least one of the number of antennas is a handheld antenna, and transmitting the wideband interrogation signals includes transmitting the wideband interrogation signals by one of the handheld antenna or the plurality of antennas carried by the patient support structure, and further comprising receiving any response signals to the wideband interrogation signals by the other one of the handheld antenna or the plurality of antennas carried by the patient support structure. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 48  wherein transmitting a number of wideband interrogation signals from at least one of the antennas includes transmitting the wideband interrogation signals from at least three loop antennas spaced along a longitudinal axis of one of an operating table, a bed, a mattress or a sheet. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 48  wherein transmitting a number of wideband interrogation signals from at least one of the antennas includes transmitting the wideband interrogation signals from a plurality of antennas carried by a drape that at least partially surrounds a patient support structure that carries a patient during a medical procedure. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 48  wherein transmitting a number of wideband interrogation signals from at least one of the antennas includes transmitting the wideband interrogation signals from a plurality of antennas carried by a shade that extends from a light fixture positioned relatively above a patient support structure that carries a patient during a medical procedure. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 48  wherein providing communications that encode at least one of information, commands and data with at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment via the at least one of the antennas used to transmit the interrogation signal and receive the response signal includes receiving data signals from the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment via the at least one of the antennas used to transmit the interrogation signal and receive the response signal, the data signals representing physiological characteristics of the patient measured by the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 48  wherein providing communications that encode at least one of information, commands and data with at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment via the at least one of the antennas used to transmit the interrogation signal and receive the response signal includes receiving data signals from the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment via the at least one of the antennas used to transmit the interrogation signal and receive the response signal, the data signals representing operational characteristics of the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 48  wherein providing communications that encode at least one of information, commands and data with at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment via the at least one of the antennas used to transmit the interrogation signal and receive the response signal includes transmitting control signals to the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment via the at least one of the antennas used to transmit the interrogation signal and receive the response signal, the control signals representing operational instructions to control operation of the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 transmitting information by the controller to a display to display information related to at least one of the patient or the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 receiving by the controller user input entered by a user via a user input device; and   transmitting control signals by the controller based on the received user input to the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment via at least one of the number of antennas, the control signals representing operational instructions to control operation of the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 receiving data signals by the controller via at least one of the antennas from a first one of the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment; and   transmitting the received data signals to a second one of the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60  wherein receiving data signals by the controller via at least one of the antennas from a first one of the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment includes receiving data signals from a transducer coupled to the patient and transmitting the received data signals to a second one of the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment includes transmitting the data signals to a dedicated control system for the transducer. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 60  wherein receiving data signals by the controller via at least one of the antennas from a first one of the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment includes receiving data signals from one of an electrocardiogram electrode, a pulse oximetry transducer and transmitting the received data signals to a second one of the at least one piece of dedicated medical diagnostic, therapeutic or monitoring equipment includes transmitting the data signals to one of a dedicated electrocardiogram processing system or a pulse oximetry processing system. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 48  wherein at least one of the antennas is responsive to a force exerted thereon and further comprising:
 receiving signals by the controller indicative of the force exerted on the antenna; and 
 producing a notification if the force exceeds at least one of an amplitude threshold or a time duration.