Wireless Foot Controller

Abstract

The invention includes systems and methods for controlling devices including surgical instruments using a wireless footswitch. The systems of the invention include a wireless footswitch, a footswitch adapter, and an electric console for powering and controlling surgical instruments. The systems of the invention further include a wireless footswitch for controlling battery powered surgical instruments. The methods of the invention include syncing a wireless footswitch with a controlled device or a wireless footswitch adapter using a lower power wireless mode, then signaling the controlled device or wireless footswitch adapter using a higher power wireless mode. The systems and methods of the invention include using a wireless device or wireless footswitch adapter to monitor transmissions from other wireless devices to prevent syncing with the wireless footswitch adapter using the same channel or network identification as other wireless devices or wireless footswitch adapters

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a surgical instrument comprising:
 providing a wireless footswitch comprising a first wireless transceiver, a wireless footswitch adapter comprising a second wireless transceiver, an electric console operatively connected to the wireless footswitch adapter, and the surgical instrument operatively connected to the electric console;   transmitting a sync signal from the wireless footswitch in a lower power sync mode to the wireless footswitch adapter;   receiving a pedal signal at the wireless footswitch, wherein the pedal signal is provided by depressing a pedal on the wireless footswitch;   processing the pedal signal at the wireless footswitch to generate a control signal;   transmitting the control signal wirelessly in a higher power mode to the wireless footswitch adapter;   transmitting the control signal from the wireless footswitch adapter to the electric console;   processing the control signal at the electric console; and   controlling the surgical instrument in accordance with the control signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second wireless transceivers are IEEE 802.15.4 wireless transceivers using Zigbee network stack communication protocols. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising monitoring with the second wireless transceiver transmissions from a third wireless transceiver, wherein after the second wireless transceiver detects a signal from the third wireless transceiver, the second wireless transceiver detects channel and network identification information from the third wireless transceiver, the channel and network identification information being excluded from the possible channels and network identifications available for use when syncing the second wireless transceiver to the first wireless transceiver. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the electric console is operatively connected to a plurality of surgical instruments, and wherein said plurality of surgical instruments are controllable with said wireless footswitch. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the lower power mode is sufficient to sync the wireless footswitch with a wireless footswitch adapter within a predetermined distance from the wireless footswitch, but insufficient to sync the wireless footswitch with a wireless footswitch adapter beyond the predetermined distance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the lower power mode is sufficient to sync the wireless footswitch in the same room as the wireless footswitch adapter, but insufficient to sync the wireless footswitch to a wireless footswitch adapter in a different room. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the lower power mode is in the range of about −16.2 dBm and about −7.0 dBm and the higher power mode is in the range of about −0.7 dBm and about +1.4 dBm. 
     
     
         8 . A method for controlling a surgical instrument comprising:
 providing a wireless footswitch comprising a first wireless transceiver and the surgical instrument with a second wireless transceiver;   transmitting a sync signal from the wireless footswitch in a lower power sync mode to the second wireless transmitter;   receiving a pedal signal at the wireless footswitch, wherein the pedal signal is provided by activating a pedal on the wireless footswitch;   processing the pedal signal at the wireless footswitch to generate a control signal;   transmitting the control signal wirelessly in a higher power mode to the second wireless transceiver;   processing the control signal at the surgical instrument; and;   controlling the surgical instrument in accordance with the control signal.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second wireless transceivers are IEEE 802.15.4 wireless transceivers using Zigbee network stack communication protocols. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising monitoring with the second wireless transceiver transmissions from a third wireless transceiver, wherein after the second wireless transceiver detects a signal from the third wireless transceiver, the second wireless transceiver detects channel and network identification information from the third wireless transceiver, the channel and network identification information being excluded from the possible channels and network identifications available for use when syncing the second wireless transceiver to the first wireless transceiver. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the wireless footswitch is synced to a plurality of surgical instruments, and the wireless footswitch controls one of the plurality of surgical instruments synced to the wireless footswitch. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the lower power mode is sufficient to sync the wireless footswitch with a wireless footswitch adapter within a predetermined distance from the wireless footswitch, but insufficient to sync the wireless footswitch with a wireless footswitch adapter beyond the predetermined distance. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the lower power mode is sufficient to sync the wireless footswitch in the same room as the surgical instrument, but insufficient to sync the wireless footswitch to a wireless footswitch adapter or surgical instrument in a different room. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the lower power mode is in the range of about −16.2 dBm and about −7.0 dBm and the higher power mode is in the range of about −0.7 dBm and about +1.4 dBm.