System for using the state of a motor during surgical drilling to improve the efficiency of a penetration algorithm

Abstract

A handheld surgical system includes an instrument, a depth measurement attachment, and a controller. The instrument includes a housing and a motor positioned within the housing. The depth measurement attachment is detachably coupled to the instrument. The depth measurement attachment includes a first sensor configured to provide a vibration signal associated with vibrations of the motor during a drilling process, a second sensor configured to provide a displacement signal associated with displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process. The controller is configured to receive the vibration signal and the displacement signal. The controller is further configured to determine a characteristic of the motor based on the vibration signal using an algorithm and determine a breakthrough event based on the characteristic of the motor and the displacement signal.

Description

[0001] Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This patent application claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 914,042, filed October 11, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND

[0003] It is common practice in orthopedic surgery to use a variety of different surgical tools to repair bone trauma, joint damage caused by wear, birth defects, damage caused by disease, etc. Non-limiting examples of such tools are rotary cutting handheld surgical instruments, such as drill bits. These handheld surgical instruments are used to create drill holes for a number of different purposes, such as to place a screw to repair a fracture trauma with the screw, to hold a fixator in place, etc. An important part of these surgical procedures is determining the proper length of the screw to be used.

[0004] A typical method of determining drill hole depth uses a separate device in the form of a depth gauge that is introduced into the patient to measure the depth of the drill hole. Two significant drawbacks of this approach are 1) introducing another surgical instrument into the patient while maintaining sterility; and 2) extending the surgery time, thereby exposing the patient to the surroundings.

[0005] The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is SUMMARY

[0006] In one feature, a handheld surgical system is described. The handheld surgical system includes an instrument, a depth measurement attachment, and a controller. The instrument includes a housing and a motor positioned within the housing. The depth measurement attachment is detachably coupled to the instrument. The depth measurement attachment includes a first sensor configured to provide a vibration signal associated with vibrations of the motor during a drilling process and a second sensor configured to provide a displacement signal associated with displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process. The controller is configured to receive the vibration signal and the displacement signal, determine at least one characteristic of the motor based on the vibration signal using an algorithm, and determine a breakthrough event based on the at least one motor characteristic and the displacement signal.

[0007] In one feature, a surgical device is described. The surgical device includes a housing, a motor positioned within the housing, a first sensor configured to generate a motor status signal associated with the motor during a drilling process, a second sensor configured to provide a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process. The surgical device also includes a controller configured to receive the motor status signal and the displacement signal, determine one or more characteristics of the motor using a predetermined algorithm based on the motor status signal, and determine a breakthrough event based on the status of the motor and the displacement signal.

[0008] In one feature, a depth measurement accessory for sending a drilling depth for a handheld surgical system is described. The handheld surgical system includes an instrument that includes a housing and a motor positioned in the housing. The depth measurement accessory includes components configured to output a motor status signal associated with the motor during a drilling process, a second sensor configured to output a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process. A controller is configured to receive the motor status signal and the displacement signal, determine whether the motor generates a rotational torque based on the motor status signal, and determine a breakthrough event based on the motor status signal and the displacement signal.

[0009] In one feature, a depth measurement accessory for sending a drilling depth for a handheld surgical system is described. The handheld surgical system includes an instrument that includes a housing and a motor positioned in the housing. The depth measurement accessory includes components configured to generate a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during a drilling process. The depth measurement accessory also includes a controller configured to receive the displacement signal, determine a frequency component of the displacement signal, determine whether the motor generates a rotational torque based on the frequency component, and determine a breakthrough event based on the frequency component and the displacement signal.

[0010] In one feature, a handheld surgical system is described. The handheld surgical system includes an instrument that includes a housing, a motor positioned in the housing, a depth measurement accessory removably coupled to the instrument. The depth measurement accessory includes components configured to output a motor status signal associated with the motor during a drilling process, a displacement sensor configured to output a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process. The depth measurement accessory also includes a controller configured to receive the motor status signal and the displacement signal, determine whether the motor generates a rotational torque based on the motor status signal, and determine a breakthrough event based on the motor status signal and the displacement signal.

[0011] In one feature, a depth measurement attachment for transmitting a drill hole depth for a handheld surgical system is described. The handheld surgical system includes an instrument that includes a housing and a motor positioned in the housing. The depth measurement attachment includes a first sensor configured to output a vibration signal associated with a vibration of the motor during a drilling process and a second sensor configured to output a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process. The depth measurement attachment also includes a controller configured to receive the vibration signal and the displacement signal, determine whether the motor produces a rotational torque based on the vibration signal, and determine a breakthrough event based on the vibration signal and the displacement signal.

[0012] In one feature, a handheld surgical instrument is described. The handheld surgical instrument includes a housing, a motor positioned in the housing, the motor configured to apply a rotational torque to a drill bit during a drilling process, a first sensor configured to output a motor state signal associated with the motor during the drilling process, and a second sensor configured to output a displacement signal associated with a displacement of the drill bit during the drilling process. The handheld surgical instrument also includes a controller configured to receive the motor state signal and the displacement signal, determine whether the motor produces a rotational torque based on the motor state signal, and determine a breakthrough event based on the motor state signal and the displacement signal.

[0013] In one feature, a method for determining a breakthrough event of a drilling process is described. The method includes sensing, with a first sensor and a second sensor, data indicative of one or more procedural events and one or more non-procedural events of a drilling process. The one or more procedural events are associated with movement of a drill bit relative to a bone of a patient while a motor produces a rotational torque. The one or more non-procedural events are associated with movement of the drill bit relative to the bone of the patient while the motor is off. The method also includes determining whether the data corresponds to the one or more procedural events or the one or more non-procedural events. The method further includes determining the breakthrough event based on the data associated with the one or more procedural events.

[0014] In one feature, a method for determining a breakthrough event of a drilling procedure using a depth measuring attachment for sending a drilling depth for a handheld surgical system is described. The handheld surgical system includes an instrument that includes a housing and a motor configured to apply a rotational torque to a drill bit positioned in the housing. The depth measuring attachment includes a component, a second sensor, and a controller. The method includes outputting, with the component, a motor state signal associated with the motor during the drilling procedure, outputting, with the second sensor, a displacement signal associated with a displacement of the drill bit during the drilling procedure, receiving, with the controller, the motor state signal and the displacement signal, determining, with the controller, whether the motor produced the rotational torque based on the motor state signal, and determining, with the controller, the breakthrough event based on the motor state signal and the displacement signal.

[0015] Other areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a handheld surgical system including an instrument with a depth measuring attachment for drilling into a bone in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional and partial perspective view of a handheld surgical system in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure with a drill bit inserted therein.

[0019] Figure 3 is a schematic view of a handheld surgical system in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 4 is a partial exploded view of a depth measuring attachment in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a handheld surgical system in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure with a depth measuring attachment separate from an instrument.

[0022] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a handheld surgical system in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure with a depth measuring attachment separate from an instrument.

[0023] Figure 7 is a graphical representation of a displacement signal corresponding to a surgical drilling procedure in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.

[0024] Figure 8is a graphical representation of a frequency chart on a frequency range of a time block according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 9 is a graphical representation of a frequency chart on a frequency range of a time block according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 10 is a graphical representation of a frequency chart on a frequency range of a time block according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 11 is an exemplary flowchart executed by a controller of a handheld surgical system according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figures 12-14 is an exemplary flowchart executed by a controller of a handheld surgical system according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

[0029] In the drawings, reference numerals can be repeated among the figures for like and / or similar elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Reference Figures 1-5 , a handheld surgical system 100 for performing surgical drilling is shown. The handheld surgical system 100 eliminates the necessity for a second device, such as a depth gauge, to determine the depth of a bore hole. The handheld surgical system 100 includes a handheld surgical instrument 104 and a cutting tool 108, such as a drill bit. The handheld surgical instrument is discussed in International Patent Publication No. WO2017 / 040783 Al, filed September 1, 2016, entitled “Powered Surgical Drill With Integral Depth Gauge That Includes A Probe That Slides Over A Drill Bit” and International Patent Publication No. WO2019 / 035096 Al, filed August 17, 2018, entitled “Surgical Handpiece For Measuring Depth Of Bore Holes And Relates Accessories,” both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0031] The handheld surgical system 100 is configured to determine a depth of a drilled hole by the cutting tool 108. The handheld surgical system 100 can also be configured to determine an appropriate screw length for bone fixation based on the depth of the drilled hole. The screw length determination can be made immediately after the bone drilling process has been completed. The handheld surgical instrument 104 can include a housing 112 and a motor 114 disposed within the housing 112. The housing 112 can have a pistol grip shape or other suitable shape.

[0032] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The motor 114 is shown positioned within the housing 112 along a proximal / distal axis AX, but other motor positions are contemplated. The motor 114 can be electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic. The motor 114 is configured to selectively produce a rotational torque in response to commands, signals, etc. received from a controller (e.g., the second controller 162). The motor 114 includes a rotor sleeve 115 supported for rotation about the axis AX by a pair of bearings 117. A drive gear (not shown in Figure 3 (not shown in Figure 3 (not shown in

[0033] The handheld surgical system 100 can include a depth measurement attachment 116 that is detachably coupled to the housing 112 or integrally formed with the housing 112. The depth measurement attachment 116 can include a different housing, such as a module housing 120. The depth measurement attachment 116 can be constructed in a manner that minimizes obstruction of the surgeon’s view of the surgical site. The depth measurement attachment 116 can further include a first sensor 124 (e.g., a displacement sensor) that is operably connected to a depth measurement extension 128. As shown, the depth measurement extension 128 is a cannula. The first sensor 124 is configured to output a displacement signal 164 as the depth measurement extension 128 moves relative to the handheld surgical instrument 104. In some configurations, the depth measurement extension 128 has an inner surface 132 that is disposed above the cutting tool 108. Although in this example, the depth measurement extension 128 is concentrically positioned above the cutting tool 108, in alternative configurations, the depth measurement extension 128 and the cutting tool 108 need not be concentrically positioned. In other configurations, the first sensor 124 can be a depth sensor (e.g., a laser sensor) that is configured to output a displacement signal 164 as the drill bit moves relative to the bone. The first sensor 124 can not be housed within the depth measurement attachment 116 and can be attached to the handheld surgical instrument 104, for example.

[0034] In one example, the depth measurement attachment 116 can include a rotatable gear 136. In such an example, the depth measurement extension 128 has a set of rack teeth 140 that are longitudinally arranged along at least a portion of its length, which engage teeth on the rotatable gear 136 by meshing with the teeth on the rotatable gear 136. Through the engagement of the rack teeth 140 and the teeth on the rotatable gear 136, any axial movement of the depth measurement extension 128 operates the rotatable gear 136 that is functionally coupled to the first sensor 124. In this non-limiting example, the first sensor 124 is a potentiometer. Other types of sensors can be used, such as optical sensors, LVDT sensors, etc.

[0035] With reference to Figure 4To ensure proper functioning of the depth measurement extension 128 and the first sensor 124, the depth measurement extension 128 can be biased towards the extended position. With this bias, the distal end of the depth measurement extension 128 is always in contact with the proximal surface of the bone to be drilled or the plate / implant abutting the bone to be drilled. This bias is achieved by using a spring 160 biasing the rotatable gear 136, thereby rotating the gear in a direction that extends the depth measurement extension 128 distally out of the module housing 120. However, other ways of biasing the depth measurement extension 128 relative to the handheld surgical instrument 104 are envisaged. The first sensor 124 is operably connected to the depth measurement extension 128 such that the first sensor 124 is configured to provide a displacement signal 164 during a first time interval 168, which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0036] Referring back to Figure 3 , the depth measurement attachment 116 can further comprise a second sensor 142 configured to output a signal indicative of a motor state. For example, the second sensor 142 can correspond to an accelerometer and can be configured to output a vibration signal indicative of vibrations of the motor 114, in particular a vibration signal corresponding to an imbalance of a rotor of the motor 114. In Figure 2 and Figure 4 , the second sensor 142 is shown to be disposed inside the depth measurement attachment 116; however, the second sensor 142 can be located at any other applicable position, for example inside the handheld surgical instrument 104.

[0037] Referring to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the depth measurement attachment 116 can comprise a first controller 144 operably connected to the first sensor 124 and the second sensor 142. The first controller 144 can be configured to determine a breakthrough event based on the displacement signal 164 and the vibration signal 166. The breakthrough event can correspond to a time at which the distal end of the drill bit has protruded through the distal cortical wall of the patient’s bone. Based on this time, the first controller 144 can determine a corresponding displacement by the displacement signal 164.

[0038] The handheld surgical instrument 104 can further comprise a second controller 162 controlling the operation of the motor 114 of the handheld surgical instrument 104. Although the first controller 144 and the second controller 162 are shown as separate controllers, the first controller 144 is shown to be arranged within the depth measurement attachment 116 and the second controller 162 is disposed in the handheld surgical instrument 104, the first controller 144 or the second controller 162 can be housed in a remote device. In the absence of a separate depth measurement attachment 116, the first controller 144 and the second controller 162 can also be integrated into a single controller.

[0039] The depth measurement attachment 116 can include a housing connector 150 configured to operably connect with an instrument connector 152 of the handheld surgical instrument 104. In one example, the handheld surgical instrument 104 can provide a power signal (power connection) to the depth measurement attachment 116 solely via a connection between the instrument connector 152 and the housing connector 150. The configuration of the second sensor 142 disposed within the depth measurement attachment 116 allows the depth measurement attachment 116 to be able to determine one or more conditions associated with the motor 114, such as a condition or status of the motor 114, without being connected to a second controller 162 of the handheld surgical instrument 104.

[0040] In another example, the depth measurement attachment 116 and the handheld surgical instrument 104 can also exchange data via the instrument connector 152 and the housing connector 150. The first controller 144 and the second controller 162 can communicate with each other or with other devices through a wired connection (i.e., through the housing connector 150 and the instrument connector 152) or a wireless connection. Wireless communication can be facilitated through transceivers located on the first controller 144 and the second controller 162. These wireless communication transceivers can support protocols such as WI-FI, Bluetooth, or other similar wireless communication protocols. For example, the first controller 144 and the second controller 162 can send data to a remote device such as a tablet or an external server that can include a second transceiver.

[0041] The depth measurement attachment 116 can also include a display 156 (e.g., a display screen, one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), etc.) to provide information to the surgeon related to the movement of the depth cannula, such as displaying real-time drill depth, recorded historical maximum drill depth, screw length, penetration indication, cortical drill depth, drill depth, etc. This same information can also be communicated to the user with a speaker in order to provide an audio indication for real-time drill depth, recorded historical maximum drill depth, penetration indication, etc.

[0042] The depth measurement attachment 116 can include a user input device (not shown), such as one or more buttons mounted to the module housing 120 and operatively connected to the first controller 144, the first sensor 124, and / or the second sensor 142. The user input device can control the operation of the first sensor 124 and / or the second sensor 142. For example, the user input device can be used to reset, zero, or initiate a signal that initiates the first sensor 124 or the second sensor 142 to provide displacement data or vibration data to the first controller 144.

[0043] REFERENCE Figure 7corresponds to a surgical drilling procedure. The first time interval 168 is defined by an initial time (T I1 ) and a final time (T F1 ). A user input device can be used to start the first time interval 168, in other words, to set the initial time (T I1 ). That is, (T I1 ) is the time at which the surgeon places the drill bit in position to start drilling and engages the user input device, and (T F1 ) is the time at which the surgeon fully retracts the drill bit after performing a particular bone drill hole such that the depth measurement extension 128 returns to its starting position. At (T I1 ), corresponding to the starting displacement, the depth measurement extension 128 has not yet been displaced relative to the surgical instrument 104. In alternative configurations, the first time interval 168 can start in response to the motor 114 generating rotational torque or based on movement of the depth measurement extension 128.

[0044] The displacement data can be collected based on a system clock signal, in a non-limiting example of which the clock signal is an internal clock signal of a processor of the controller or a clock signal from a separate clock device. The system clock signal is used to define a sampling rate at which the displacement data is collected and indexed during the first time interval 168 in which the displacement signal 164 is generated. It is contemplated that the sampling rate can be fixed, or alternatively, the sampling rate can be variable or process dependent.

[0045] While the illustrated embodiment of the present application shows the second sensor 142 as an accelerometer, a variety of other components can be employed to sense an indication of the state of the motor 114 (i.e., whether the motor 114 is generating rotational torque) or the motor speed external to the instrument. In alternative configurations, the depth measurement attachment 116 can include an antenna instead of the second sensor 142. With such a configuration, the antenna can be configured to receive one or more radio waves generated by the motor 114 when the motor 114 is generating rotational torque. The antenna can be configured to output a voltage signal or a current signal based on the one or more radio waves emitted from the motor 114. The first controller 144 can be configured to receive the voltage signal or the current signal and output the motor state signal based on the one or more received radio waves. The first controller 144 can include signal processing circuitry configured to process the signal from the antenna and generate the motor state signal. The first controller 144 can then determine whether the motor 114 is generating rotational torque based on the motor state signal.

[0046] In another configuration, the second sensor 142 can correspond to an optical sensor configured to detect an optical characteristic of the drill bit, for example, while the drill bit is rotated about the axis AX. Based on the optical characteristic of the drill bit, the optical sensor can output a motor status signal. For example, based on a change in the position of the optical characteristic while the drill bit is rotating, the first controller 144 can determine that the motor is producing rotational torque. Further details of configurations of optical sensors for detecting an optical characteristic of a drill bit are discussed in International Application No. PCT / US2020 / 033288, entitled “Powered Surgical Drill having Rotating Field Bit Identification,” filed May 15, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The optical sensor can include a light source (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED)) configured to emit light onto the drill bit and a sensor to measure the light reflectance of the drill bit. In some configurations, the drill bit can include an optical characteristic, such as a laser mark or another distinguishable mark configured to change a parameter of the light emitted from the light source.

[0047] In another configuration, the second sensor 142 can correspond to a sensor configured to detect a magnetic field emitted by the drill bit while the drill bit is rotated about the axis AX, such as a magnetic field sensor, a Hall effect sensor, or a magnetoresistive sensor. In such a configuration, the drill bit can include one or more magnets or other features configured to emit a magnetic field. The second sensor 142 can be configured to determine a motor status signal based on the detected magnetic field. Based on the motor status signal, the first controller 144 can be configured to determine whether the motor 114 is producing rotational torque. For example, if the magnetic field is changing, the first controller 144 can determine that the motor 114 is producing rotational torque.

[0048] In another configuration, the second sensor 142 can correspond to an audio sensor configured to detect a characteristic of a sound wave emitted by the motor 114 (e.g., a sound wave emitted when the motor 114 is producing rotational torque). In some configurations, the audio sensor can correspond to a microphone or another applicable electromechanical transducer. The audio sensor can be configured to determine a motor status signal based on the characteristic of the sound wave. Based on the motor status signal, the first controller 144 can be configured to determine whether the motor 114 is producing rotational torque. For example, the first controller 144 can store one or more characteristics of a previous sound wave produced by the motor 114 and use the stored characteristics to determine whether the motor status signal represents that the motor 114 is producing rotational torque.

[0049] In another configuration, the second sensor 142 can correspond to a voltage sensor configured to detect a voltage of the power signal. As previously discussed, the housing connector 150 of the depth measurement accessory 116 can receive the power signal from the instrument connector 152. When the motor 114 is generating rotational torque, the voltage of the power signal will include a noise component that is not present when the motor 114 is not generating rotational torque. Accordingly, the first controller 144 can determine whether the motor 114 is generating rotational torque based on the voltage of the power signal.

[0050] In another configuration, the second sensor 142 can be omitted. In this configuration, the first controller 144 can be configured to determine a frequency component of the displacement signal 164. For example, the first controller 144 can determine the frequency component by performing a Fourier transform of the displacement signal 164. A particular frequency component associated with the motor 114 generating rotational torque can be present in the displacement signal 164 when the motor 114 is not generating rotational torque. Accordingly, the first controller 144 can be configured to determine whether the motor 114 is generating rotational torque based on the determined frequency component.

[0051] In another configuration, a current sensor or other sensor type can be used to determine the state of the motor 114. In such an example, the first controller 144 can determine whether the motor 114 is generating rotational torque based on a draw of the current sensor. In such a configuration, data from the current sensor in the handheld surgical instrument 104 must be transmitted to the first controller 144. This can be transmitted to the first controller 144 via the second controller 162 through a wired or wireless connection.

[0052] In another configuration, a sensor can monitor and generate an output signal representative of the rotational position of the rotor of the motor 114. One such sensor that can generate a signal representative of the rotational position of the rotor is a Hall effect sensor. A Hall effect sensor generates a signal that varies with a sensed magnetic field. The magnetic field in the vicinity of the rotor of the motor 114 is a function of the rotational position of the rotor. Other sensors can generate a sensor signal as a function of the operating speed of the motor 114, the temperature of a component of the motor 114, or the voltage applied to the motor 114.

[0053] As Figure 4As shown, the second sensor 142 can be a tri-axial accelerometer including an x-axis 161, a y-axis 165, and a z-axis 163; however, it is contemplated that the second sensor 142 can also be a dual-axial accelerometer. The accelerometer data is indicative of the inherent imbalance of the rotor of the motor 114. An axis parallel to the axis of rotation AX of the motor 114 is less sensitive to vibrations of the motor 114 than an axis orthogonal to the axis of rotation AX of the motor 114. Depending on the orientation and position of the second sensor 142, at least one of the x-axis 161, the y-axis 165, or the z-axis 163 can be more sensitive to the imbalance of the rotor of the motor 114 than at least one of the other axes. In Figure 4 In the depicted embodiment, the x-axis 161 is shown as being parallel to the axis of rotation AX of the motor 114, while the y-axis 165 and the z-axis 163 are shown as being orthogonal to the axis of rotation AX of the motor 114. It is contemplated that the second sensor 142 can be positioned or oriented differently such that the y-axis 165 or the z-axis 163 is parallel to the axis of rotation AX of the motor 114 and the x-axis is orthogonal to the axis of rotation AX of the motor 114. In some cases, the first controller 144 can execute an algorithm based on the vibration data to determine whether the imbalance of the rotor is above a certain threshold, or execute an algorithm based on the vibration data to determine which axis is most sensitive to the imbalance of the rotor.

[0054] The first controller 144 can filter the vibration data in a variety of ways. For example, a low-pass filter or a high-pass filter can be used to filter out unwanted low-frequency or high-frequency noise. The filter can be implemented by one or more filter circuits or through software. Based on the vibration data, the first controller 144 generates a vibration signal 166. For example, when the second sensor 142 is an accelerometer, the vibration signal 166 can include an x-axis component, a y-axis component, and a z-axis component. As previously discussed, depending on the orientation of the x-axis 161, the y-axis 165, and the z-axis 163, at least one of the x-axis component, the y-axis component, and the z-axis component will be most sensitive to the vibrations of the motor 114.

[0055] The vibration data (or other motor state data for alternative configurations of the second sensor 142) can be collected based on an internal clock signal of a processor of the first controller 144 or the second controller 162, or a clock signal from a separate device (e.g., a clock device associated with the second sensor 142). The clock signal defines a sampling rate at which vibration measurements (or motor state measurements for alternative configurations) are collected or indexed over a second time interval 169 at which the vibration signal 166 (or motor state signal for alternative configurations) is generated. It is contemplated that the sampling rate can be fixed, or alternatively, the sampling rate can be adjustable or process-dependent. In some cases, as Figure 7As shown, the second time interval 169 can correspond to the first time interval 168. In other cases, the second time interval 169 can have a second initial time (T I2 ) and a second final time (T I1 ) that is different from the first initial time (T F1 ) and the first final time (T F2 ). In any case, at least a portion of the second time interval 169 overlaps some portion of the first time interval 168.

[0056] With continued reference to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the first controller 144 can determine a state of the motor 114 based on the vibration signal 166 using one or more algorithms. The one or more algorithms can be based on the z-axis component during a fifth time interval 184. The fifth time interval 184 can be set to any applicable time interval. The first controller 144 can divide the first time interval 168 and / or the second time interval 169 by the fifth time interval 184 to establish time bins. For each time bin in the second time interval 169, the first controller 144 can determine a state of the motor 114 based on the vibration signal 166 during the time bin.

[0057] For example, the first controller 144 can compare a frequency of the z-axis component during the fifth time interval 184 to a first threshold in order to identify whether the motor is in a first state or a second state. The second state can correspond to the motor 114 being on and producing rotational torque, while the first state can correspond to the motor 114 being off and not producing rotational torque. The first threshold can be derived from a speed of the motor 114 such that exceeding the first threshold indicates that the motor 114 transitions from the first state to the second state at the first threshold.

[0058] The frequency can be determined based on a number of increasing edges 186 and decreasing edges 188 of the vibration signal 166 over the time bin. As shown, the increasing edges 186 can correspond to a positive slope of the vibration signal 166, while the decreasing edges 188 can correspond to a negative slope of the vibration signal 166. Figure 8As shown, the number of edges 186 added and 188 removed in the time block is 22. The first controller 144 can be configured to ignore the occurrence of z-axis components below a second threshold 180. In some cases, the first controller 144 can delay recognizing the motor 114 as being in a second state until the frequency of the z-axis component is greater than the first threshold for three consecutive intervals. In this case, the first controller 144 may include a counter that increments whenever the frequency of the z-axis component is greater than the first threshold. Once the counter is greater than a third threshold (e.g., three), the first controller 144 can recognize the motor 114 as being in the second state. The third threshold can be adjustable. The first controller 144 can mark time blocks where the frequency is greater than the first threshold but the counter has not yet reached the second threshold. For example, if the counter has a value greater than zero but the frequency of the z-axis component drops below the first threshold before the counter reaches the third threshold, the first controller 144 determines that the motor 114 is in the first state and resets the counter to zero.

[0059] In another example, the first controller 144 can be configured to determine whether the motor is in a first state or a second state within a time block based on the Fourier transform of the vibration signal 166 over that time block. For example, the first controller 144 can determine the short-time Fourier transform of the z-axis component of the vibration signal 166 for each time block. This short-time Fourier transform can be determined using a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) or other suitable algorithms. (See reference) Figure 9 The frequency response curves of the Fourier transform of vibration signal 166 over the corresponding time block are shown. Figure 9 The diagram shows the full range of frequency compartments. The range of frequency compartments extends from the smallest frequency compartment (F). Min ) and maximum frequency compartment (F Max The width of each frequency compartment can be defined by Equation 1:

[0060] (Equation 1)B W =S f / T s

[0061] Among them, B W S represents the width of the storage compartment. f T represents the sampling frequency, and T s This represents the total number of samples.

[0062] The first controller 144 can be configured to adjust the range of the frequency bin so that higher frequencies (e.g., frequencies greater than 330 Hz) and lower frequencies (frequency less than 50 Hz) are not considered when determining the motor state for a time block. Figure 10 The figure shows a frequency graph of the Fourier transform with an adjusted frequency range. The frequency range is defined by the adjusted minimum frequency bin (A). Min) and an adjusted maximum frequency bin (A Max ) are defined.

[0063] For each frequency bin, the first controller 144 can compare the magnitude of the frequency bin to a minimum magnitude threshold 191. If the magnitude of the frequency bin is greater than the minimum magnitude threshold 191, the first controller 144 can then compare the magnitude of the frequency bin to other bins that satisfy the minimum magnitude threshold 191 condition. When the first controller 144 determines that the frequency bins are the same for two consecutive time blocks, the first controller 144 can determine that the motor is set to the second state for the consecutive time blocks and any marked time blocks. When the first controller 144 determines that no frequency bins have a magnitude greater than the minimum magnitude threshold 191 for a time block, the first controller 144 can determine that the motor 114 is set to the first state for the time block.

[0064] Various breakthrough algorithms are contemplated that determine a breakthrough event (i.e., a breakthrough time (T B )) based on images of the displacement signal 164 over time. The first controller 144 can implement various breakthrough algorithms based on the displacement signal 164 and the vibration signal 166 to determine a breakthrough time (T B ). The first controller 144 can be configured to derive and store other signals based on the displacement signal 164 (e.g., velocity and acceleration associated signals). Based on the initial displacement and the breakthrough time (T B ), the first controller 144 can determine a corresponding breakthrough displacement at the breakthrough time (T B ).

[0065] The breakthrough algorithms can be optimized by, for example, primarily collecting data associated with only procedural displacement (e.g., displacement of the depth measuring extension 128 during the actual surgical drilling process) as the surgeon drills through the bone. Non-procedural displacement occurs when the depth measuring extension 128 is either turned off or is operating at a non-cutting speed and the surgeon is not actually drilling through the bone. Non-procedural events that result in non-procedural displacement can cause the displacement signal 164 to mimic images associated with the breakthrough time (T B ) by the first controller 144. As such, the first controller 144 can falsely identify a breakthrough time (T B ) during one of these non-procedural displacement portions of the displacement signal 164. It can be difficult to distinguish non-procedural displacement of the displacement signal 164 from procedural displacement of the displacement signal 164 using existing breakthrough detection algorithms; therefore, additional systems and methods for distinguishing non-procedural displacement from procedural displacement can improve the accuracy of breakthrough detection. The handheld surgical system 100 can also exhibit improved processing times for breakthrough detection when the algorithms need to primarily only process procedural data.

[0066] The first controller 144 can also be configured to determine one or more procedural events (i.e., events associated with procedural displacement) from the displacement signal 164 or other signals derived from the displacement signal 164 (e.g., speed-related signals or acceleration-related signals). The one or more procedural events can also refer to changes in acceleration, displacement, and / or velocity (e.g., maximum displacement, local maximum displacement, minimum displacement, local minimum displacement, maximum acceleration, local maximum acceleration, maximum velocity, local maximum velocity, minimum velocity, local minimum velocity, and slope) determined from the displacement signal 164 that have values that exceed a predetermined threshold.

[0067] The non-procedural displacement can be a result of an unexpected event. The unexpected event can include a manual manipulation of the depth measurement extension 128. The manual manipulation can be unintentional and occur when the surgeon or other medical personnel shifts the depth measurement extension 128 while the motor 114 is off before the drilling procedure begins, during the drilling procedure, or after the drilling procedure.

[0068] The state of the motor 114 can be used to distinguish between procedural displacement and non-procedural displacement. In Figure 7 In the third time interval 174, a procedural displacement is indicated, while in the fourth time interval 176, a non-procedural displacement is shown. The first controller 144 can determine and store one or more events associated with the drilling procedure based on the vibration signal 166 and the displacement signal 164. The one or more events can include, but are not limited to, the state of the motor 114 during the entire drilling procedure, the speed of the motor 114 during the entire drilling procedure, the starting displacement, the breakthrough displacement, the breakthrough time (T B ), the drilling start time, and the drilling end time. The first controller 144 can determine the drilling depth based on the one or more events associated with the surgical drilling procedure and then subsequently determine the appropriate screw length for fixation to the bone based on the drilling length.

[0069] Referring to Figure 11 , the method 800 can be performed by the first controller 144. At 804, the method 800 begins with the first controller 144 receiving the position of the displacement data and the vibration data. At 808, the first controller 144 determines the displacement signal 164 during the first time interval 168. At 812, the first controller 144 determines the vibration signal 166 during the second time interval 169. At 814, the first controller 144 establishes time blocks by dividing the second time interval 169 by the fifth time interval 184 and the method 800 continues at 816. At 816, the first controller 144 sets the indicator position to the first time block of the second time interval 169 and the method 800 continues at 824.

[0070] At 824, the first controller 144 determines the frequency of the z-axis component over the time block and control continues to 828. At 828, the first controller 144 determines whether the frequency of the z-axis component for the time block is greater than a first threshold. If so, the method 800 continues to 832; otherwise, the method 800 continues to 844. At 844, the first controller 144 determines that the motor 114 was set to a first state for the time block, and the method 800 continues at 852. At 832, the first controller 144 increments a counter and the method 800 continues to 836.

[0071] At 836, the first controller 144 compares the value of the counter to a second threshold. If the value of the counter is greater than the second threshold, the method 800 continues at 848; otherwise, the method 800 continues to 840. At 840, the first controller 144 flags the time block and the method 800 returns to 820 to continue. At 820, the first controller 144 increments the indicator position to the next time block and the method 800 returns to 824 to continue.

[0072] At 848, the first controller 144 determines to set the motor 114 to a second state and the method 800 continues to 852. At 852, the first controller 144 clears the counter and clears the flag. At 856, the first controller 144 determines whether the current time block is the last time block in the second time interval 169. If so, the method 800 continues at 857; otherwise, the method 800 returns to 820 to continue. At 857, the first controller 144 determines whether the state of the motor 114 for any of the time blocks was set to the second state. If so, the method continues at 858; otherwise, the method can end.

[0073] At 858, the first controller 144 determines a penetration event (i.e., a penetration time (T B )) based on the state of the motor 114 and the displacement signal 164, and the method 800 continues at 860. At 860, the first controller 144 determines a drill hole depth based on the displacement of the depth measurement extension 128 at the penetration time (T B ). At 864, the first controller 144 determines a screw length based on the drill hole depth. At 868, the first controller 144 communicates the screw length to the display 156. While the example provided is that one of the controllers communicates the screw length for display on the display 156, the first controller 144 can communicate the screw length to another controller (e.g., a controller associated with a remote device) so that the remote device can display the screw length.

[0074] Reference is made to Figure 12The method 900 can be performed by the first controller 144. At 904, the method 900 begins with the first controller 144 receiving the position of the displacement data and the vibration data. At 908, the first controller 144 determines the displacement signal 164 during the first time interval 168. At 912, the first controller 144 determines the vibration signal 166 during the second time interval 169. At 916, the first controller 144 creates time bins by dividing the second time interval 169 by the fifth time interval 184 and the method 900 continues at 916. At 916, the first controller 144 sets the indicator position to the first time bin and the method 900 continues at Figure 12 924.

[0075] At 924, the first controller 144 performs a Fourier transform of the vibration signal 166 during the time bin. At 926, the first controller 144 adjusts the frequency bin range. At 928, the first controller 144 sets the indicator position to the first bin with the adjusted frequency range and the method 900 continues at 936. At 936, the first controller 144 determines whether the amplitude of the frequency bin is greater than the minimum amplitude threshold 191 for that bin. If so, control continues at 940; otherwise, control continues at 930. At 940, the first controller 144 determines whether the current bin is the first bin in the range with an amplitude greater than the minimum amplitude threshold 191. If so, control can continue at 944; otherwise, control can continue at 948. At 944, the first controller 144 sets the bin to the max_bin with the associated amplitude. At 946, the first controller 144 determines whether the bin is the last bin in the frequency range. If so, control continues at 956; otherwise, control returns to 932 to continue.

[0076] At 930, the first controller 144 determines whether the bin is the last bin in the frequency range. If so, the method 900 continues at 931. Otherwise, the method 900 continues at 932. At 931, the first controller 144 determines whether the max_bin has been set. If so, control continues at 956; otherwise, control returns to 932 to continue. Figure 14 At 976. At 932, the first controller 144 increments the indicator position to the next bin and control continues to 936.

[0077] At 948, the first controller 144 determines whether the size of the bin is greater than the size of the max_bin. If so, control continues at 944; otherwise control continues at 952. At 952, the first controller 144 determines whether the bin is the last bin in the frequency range. If so, the method 900 continues at 956; otherwise, the method 900 continues at 932. At 956, the first controller 144 sets the motor_state_frequency for the time block and stores it to the frequency bin associated with the max_bin. At 960, the first controller clears the max_bin. At 964, the first controller 144 determines whether the motor_state_frequency of the time block matches the motor_state_frequency of the previous time block. If so, the method 900 continues at 972; otherwise, the method 900 continues at 968. At 968, the first controller 144 flags the time block and the method 900 continues at 984. Figure 14

[0078] At 972, the first controller 144 determines to set the motor 114 to the second state for the time block and any flagged time blocks, and the method 900 continues to 980. At 976, the first controller 144 determines to set the motor 114 to the first state for the time block and the method 900 continues to 980. At 980, the first controller 144 clears the flag. At 984, the first controller 144 determines whether the time block is the last time block in the second time interval 169. If so, the method 900 continues at 987; otherwise, the method 900 continues at 986. At 986, the first controller 144 increments the indicator position to the next time block, and the method 900 returns to 924. At 987, the first controller 144 determines whether the state of the motor 114 was set to the second state for any of the time blocks. If so, the method 900 continues at 988; otherwise, the method 900 can end. Figure 13

[0079] At 988, the first controller 144 determines a penetration event (i.e., a penetration time (T B )) based on the state of the motor 114 and the displacement signal 164, and the method 900 continues at 992. At 992, the first controller 144 determines a depth measurement extension 128 at the penetration time (T B ​​The displacement at the point of the drill bit determines the drill hole depth, and the method 900 continues at 996. At 996, the first controller 144 determines a screw length based on the drill hole depth. At 998, the first controller 144 communicates the screw length to the display 156. While the example provided is that one of the controllers communicates the screw length for display on the display 156, the first controller 144 can communicate the screw length to another controller (e.g., a controller associated with a remote device) so that the remote device can display the screw length.

[0080] Clause

[0081] Clause 1 - A handheld surgical system for determining a screw length suitable for bone fixation, the handheld surgical system comprising: a housing; a motor located in the housing; a depth measurement attachment detachably coupled to the housing, the depth measurement attachment comprising: a first sensor configured to provide a displacement signal corresponding to a drilling process; and a second sensor configured to provide a vibration signal associated with vibrations of the motor corresponding to the drilling process; and a controller configured to: receive the vibration signal and the displacement signal; and (i) determine one or more characteristics associated with the motor based on the vibration signal using an algorithm, (ii) determine a breakthrough event based on the one or more characteristics associated with the motor and the displacement signal, and (iii) determine a suitable screw length based on the breakthrough event and the displacement signal.

[0082] Clause 2 - A surgical device comprising: a housing; a motor located within the housing; a first sensor configured to produce a motor state signal associated with the motor during a drilling process; a second sensor configured to provide a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process; and a controller configured to: receive the motor state signal and the displacement signal; determine one or more characteristics of the motor based on the motor state signal using a predetermined algorithm; and determine a breakthrough event based on the state of the motor and the displacement signal.

[0083] Clause 3 - The surgical device of Clause 2, wherein the one or more characteristics of the motor include a state of the motor and a speed of the motor.

[0084] Clause 4 - The surgical device of Clause 2, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a suitable screw length based on the breakthrough event and the displacement signal.

[0085] Clause 5 - A depth measurement accessory for transmitting a drill hole depth for a handheld surgical system, wherein the handheld surgical system includes an instrument that includes a housing and a motor positioned in the housing, the depth measurement accessory comprising: a component configured to generate a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during a drilling process; and a controller configured to: receive the displacement signal; determine a frequency component of the displacement signal; determine whether the motor generates a rotational torque based on the frequency component; and determine a breakthrough event based on the frequency component and the displacement signal.

[0086] Clause 6 - A handheld surgical system comprising: an instrument that includes: a housing; and a motor positioned in the housing; a depth measurement accessory detachably coupled to the instrument, the depth measurement accessory comprising: a component configured to output a motor status signal associated with the motor during a drilling process; and a displacement sensor configured to output a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process; and a controller configured to: receive the motor status signal and the displacement signal; determine whether the motor generates a rotational torque based on the motor status signal; and determine a breakthrough event based on the motor status signal and the displacement signal.

[0087] Clause 7 - A depth measurement accessory for transmitting a drill hole depth for a handheld surgical system, wherein the handheld surgical system includes an instrument that includes a housing and a motor positioned in the housing, the depth measurement accessory comprising: a first sensor configured to output a vibration signal associated with a vibration of the motor during a drilling process; and a second sensor configured to output a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process; and a controller configured to: receive the vibration signal and the displacement signal; determine whether the motor generates a rotational torque based on the vibration signal; and determine a breakthrough event based on the vibration signal and the displacement signal.

[0088] Clause 8 - A handheld surgical instrument comprising: a housing; and a motor positioned in the housing, the motor configured to apply a rotational torque to a drill bit during a drilling process; a first sensor configured to output a motor status signal associated with the motor during the drilling process; and a second sensor configured to output a displacement signal associated with a displacement of the drill bit during the drilling process; and a controller configured to: receive the motor status signal and the displacement signal; determine whether the motor generates a rotational torque based on the motor status signal; and determine a breakthrough event based on the motor status signal and the displacement signal.

[0089] Clause 9 – A method for determining a penetration event in a drilling process, the method comprising: sensing data indicating one or more procedural events and one or more non-procedural events of the drilling process using a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein: the one or more procedural events are associated with movement of a drill bit relative to a patient's bone when a motor generates rotational torque, and the one or more non-procedural events are associated with movement of the drill bit relative to a patient's bone when the motor is turned off; determining whether the data corresponds to the one or more procedural events or the one or more non-procedural events; and determining the penetration event based on the data associated with the one or more procedural events.

[0090] Clause 10 – A method for determining a penetration event during drilling using a depth measuring accessory for transmitting drilling depth to a handheld surgical system, the handheld surgical system including an instrument having a housing and a motor configured to apply rotational torque to a drill bit positioned in the housing, the depth measuring accessory including a component, a second sensor, and a controller, the method comprising: during drilling, using the component to output a motor status signal associated with the motor; using the second sensor to output a displacement signal associated with displacement of the drill bit during drilling; and using the controller to receive the motor status signal and the displacement signal; using the controller to determine, based on the motor status signal, whether the motor is generating rotational torque; and using the controller to determine the penetration event based on the motor status signal and the displacement signal.

[0091] The foregoing description is illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or its use. The broad teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon examination of the drawings, description, and appended claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within a method may be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Furthermore, although each example is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described in conjunction with any example of this disclosure may be implemented in any other example and / or combined with features of any other example, even if such combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described examples are not mutually exclusive, and the arrangement of one or more examples with each other remains within the scope of this disclosure.

[0092] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for example, between controllers, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, and so on) are described using various terminology. These terms are intended to encompass different relationships depending on context. For example, the terms "connected" and "coupled" are used to describe both direct and indirect relationships between elements. For example, a first element can be directly connected or coupled to a second element, and / or a first element can be indirectly connected or coupled to a second element by way of a third element (for example, one or more other intervening elements). In some embodiments, the terms "connected" and "coupled" can be used to express that the relationship is a direct relationship, in which no other intervening elements are present (spatially or functionally), and the terms "connected" and "coupled" can be used to express that the relationship is an indirect relationship, in which one or more intervening elements are present (spatially or functionally).

[0093] As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be interpreted as meaning using the logical OR of non-exclusive disjunction (A OR B OR C), and should not be interpreted as meaning "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C." The term subset does not necessarily require a proper subset. In other words, a first subset of a first set can be coextensive with (equal to) the first set.

[0094] In the drawings, the direction of arrows as indicated by the arrows is generally intended to show the flow of information (e.g., data or instructions) of interest in the illustration. For example, when elements A and B exchange various information, but the information transmitted from element A to element B is relevant to the illustration, an arrow can be directed from element A to element B. This one-way arrow does not mean that no other information is sent from element B to element A. In addition, for the information sent from element A to element B, element B can send a request for information or receive an acknowledgment of information to element A.

[0095] In this application, including the following claims, the term "controller" can be replaced with the term "circuit." The term "controller" can refer to, belong to, or include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-chip.

[0096] The controller can include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits can implement wired or wireless interfaces to connect to a local area network (LAN) or a wireless personal area network (WPAN). Examples of LANs are the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 802.11-2016 (also known as the WIFI wireless networking standard) and the IEEE Standard 802.3-2015 (also known as the ETHERNET wired networking standard). Examples of WPANs are the BLUETOOTH wireless networking standard from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group and the IEEE Standard 802.15.4.

[0097] The controller can communicate with other controllers using the interface circuits. Although the controllers can be described in this disclosure as directly in logical communication with other controllers, in various implementations the controllers can actually communicate via a communication system. The communication system includes physical and / or virtual network devices such as hubs, switches, routers, and gateways. In some implementations, the communication system connects to or traverses a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. For example, the communication system can include multiple LANs connected to each other through the Internet or point-to-point leased lines using technologies including Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

[0098] In various implementations, the functionality of a controller can be distributed among multiple controllers connected via the communication system. For example, multiple controllers can implement the same functionality allocated by a load balancing system. In another example, the functionality of a controller can be apportioned between a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) controller and a client (or user) controller.

[0099] Some or all of the hardware features of a controller can be defined using a language for hardware description, such as the IEEE Standard 1364-2005 (commonly known as “Verilog”) and the IEEE Standard 1076-2008 (commonly known as “VHDL”). This hardware description language can be used to manufacture and / or program hardware circuits. In some implementations, some or all of the features of a controller can be defined by a language such as the IEEE 1666-2005 (commonly known as “SystemC”), which encompasses both code and hardware description as described below.

[0100] The term code, as used above, includes software, firmware and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term shared processor circuitry encompasses a single processor circuitry executing portions of code from multiple controllers. The term group processor circuitry encompasses a processor circuitry that combines to execute some or all code from one or more controllers. A reference to a multiple processor circuitry encompasses a plurality of processor circuits on discrete dies, a plurality of processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term shared memory circuitry encompasses a single memory circuitry that stores some or all code from multiple controllers. The term group memory circuitry encompasses a memory circuitry that combines with additional memory to store some or all code from one or more controllers.

[0101] The term memory circuitry is a subset of the term computer readable medium. The term computer readable medium, as used herein, does not encompass transitory propagating signals per se (e.g., waves, particles or the like carrying the information of the software); thus the term computer readable medium can be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory computer readable media are nonvolatile memory circuits (e.g., flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read only memory circuits or mask read only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (e.g., static or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (e.g., analog or digital magnetic tapes or magnetic hard drives), and optical storage media (e.g., CD, DVD or Blu-ray discs).

[0102] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented partially or wholly by special purpose computers created by configuring general purpose computers to perform one or more specific functions embodied in the computer programs. The above-described function blocks and flowchart elements are used to illustrate the software specifications, which can be translated into computer programs by a skilled artisan or programmer.

[0103] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium. A computer program can also include or rely on stored data. A computer program can encompass a Basic Input / Output system (BIOS) that interacts with hardware of the special purpose computer, device drivers that interact with the specific devices of the special purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0104] Computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation); (ii) assembly code; (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler; (iv) source code executed by an interpreter; and (v) source code compiled and executed by a just-in-time (JIT) compiler, etc. As an example only, source code may be written using syntax from languages ​​including C, C++, C#, Objective C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, and Lisp. Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5th Edition), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Visual Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK and

Claims

1. A handheld surgical system, comprising: an instrument, comprising: a housing; and a motor positioned within the housing; a depth measurement attachment detachably coupled to the instrument, the depth measurement attachment comprising: a first sensor configured to provide, during a drilling procedure, a vibration signal associated with vibrations of the motor, wherein the first sensor is an accelerometer positioned to produce the vibration signal along a first axis of the accelerometer that is orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the motor, the vibration signal having a first component corresponding to vibrations along the first axis; and a second sensor configured to provide, during the drilling procedure, a displacement signal associated with displacement of a drill bit; and a controller configured to: receive the vibration signal and the displacement signal; determine a characteristic of the motor based on a frequency of the first component of the vibration signal; and determine a breakthrough event based on the characteristic of the motor and the displacement signal.

2. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein, the breakthrough event is a time at which a distal end of the drill bit has protruded through a distal cortical wall of a patient bone.

3. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein, the characteristic is selected from a group consisting of a state of the motor and a speed of the motor.

4. The handheld surgical system of claim 3, wherein, the characteristic is the state of the motor, wherein: in a first state, the motor is off and does not produce a rotational torque; and in a second state, the motor is on and produces a rotational torque, the vibration signal indicating whether the motor is in the first state or the second state.

5. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein, the accelerometer is further configured to produce a vibration signal along a second axis of the accelerometer that is orthogonal to the first axis, and the vibration signal has a second component corresponding to vibrations along the second axis.

6. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein: the controller identifies whether the motor is in a first state or a second state based on a frequency of the first component; in the first state, the motor is off and does not produce a rotational torque; and in the second state, the motor is on and produces a rotational torque.

7. The handheld surgical system of claim 6, wherein, the controller is configured to delay identifying that the motor is in the second state for a predetermined time period.

8. The handheld surgical system of claim 6, wherein, the controller is configured to determine that the motor is set to the second state in response to the frequency of the first component being greater than a first threshold.

9. The handheld surgical system of claim 6, wherein: the displacement signal is provided during a displacement time interval; the vibration signal is provided during a vibration time interval; the controller is configured to divide the vibration time interval into time blocks; the controller comprises a counter; the controller is configured to determine, for each of the time blocks of the vibration time interval, a frequency of the first component; for each of the time blocks of the vibration time interval, the controller is configured to compare the frequency of the first component to a first threshold; and in response to the frequency being greater than the first threshold, incrementing the counter.

10. The handheld surgical system of claim 9, wherein: ​ the controller is further configured to compare the value of the counter to a second threshold; in response to the value of the counter being greater than the second threshold, the controller determines that the motor is in the second state for a set of time blocks; and the set of time blocks corresponds to time blocks that caused the counter to increment.

11. The handheld surgical system of claim 10, wherein, in response to the value of the counter being greater than or equal to one and the frequency of the first component being less than the first threshold for one of the set of time blocks, the controller determines that the motor is in the first state for the set of time blocks and resets the counter.

12. The handheld surgical system of claim 9, wherein, in response to the frequency of the first component being less than the first threshold for one of the set of time blocks, the controller determines that the motor is in the first state for the set of time blocks.

13. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein, the controller is further defined as a first controller, the handheld surgical system further comprising a second controller configured to control operation of the motor.

14. The handheld surgical system of claim 13, wherein, the first controller is disposed inside the depth measurement attachment.

15. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein: the depth measurement attachment further comprises a display; and the controller is further configured to generate a visual indication of a depth of penetration for the display based on the penetration event.

16. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein, the handheld surgical system further comprises a depth measurement extension that is operatively coupled to the depth measurement attachment.

17. The handheld surgical system of claim 16, wherein, the second sensor is connected to the depth measurement extension to provide the displacement signal based on a position of the depth measurement extension.

18. The handheld surgical system of claim 16, wherein, the depth measurement extension is a cannula.

19. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein: the depth measurement attachment comprises a user input device; the displacement signal is provided during a displacement time interval; and the displacement time interval begins in response to the user input device being engaged.

20. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein: the displacement signal is provided during a displacement time interval; and the displacement time interval begins when the motor is started and ends when the surgeon fully retracts the drill bit from the patient's bone.

21. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein: the displacement signal is provided during a displacement time interval; the vibration signal is provided during a vibration time interval; an initial time of the vibration time interval is not coincident with an initial time of the displacement time interval; and a final time of the vibration time interval is not coincident with a final time of the displacement time interval.

22. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein, the controller is further configured to determine an applicable screw length based on the penetration event and the displacement signal.

23. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein: the first sensor is an accelerometer; the vibration signal comprises a first axis component; and the controller is configured to determine a penetration event based on a frequency of the first axis component during a first interval.

24. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein, the controller is configured to determine one or more Fourier transforms of the first axis component of the vibration signal.

25. The handheld surgical system of claim 24, wherein: the controller identifies whether the motor is in a first state or a second state based on the one or more Fourier transforms; in the first state, the motor is off and does not produce a rotational torque; and in the second state, the motor is on and produces a rotational torque.

26. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein: the controller is further configured to determine procedural and non-procedural displacements from the displacement signal; the procedural displacements are associated with displacements when the motor produces the rotational torque; and the non-procedural displacements are associated with displacements when the motor does not produce a rotational torque.

27. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein, the controller is further configured to determine a procedural event based on the displacement signal.

28. The handheld surgical system of claim 27, wherein, the procedural event corresponds to a maximum displacement, a local maximum displacement, a minimum displacement, a local minimum displacement, a maximum acceleration, a local maximum acceleration, a maximum velocity, a local maximum velocity, a minimum velocity, a local minimum velocity, and a slope having a value that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

29. The handheld surgical system of claim 1, wherein: the displacement signal is provided during a displacement time interval; the vibration signal is provided during a vibration time interval; the controller is configured to divide the vibration time interval by a first interval to establish time blocks; for each of the time blocks, the controller is configured to: perform a short-time Fourier transform of the vibration signal to determine a plurality of frequency bins and determine an amplitude for each of the plurality of frequency bins over a frequency range; select one of the plurality of frequency bins having a maximum amplitude; and determine whether the motor is in a first state or a second state for the time block based on the selected frequency bin, wherein: in the first state, the motor is off and does not produce a rotational torque, and in the second state, the motor is on and produces a rotational torque.

30. The handheld surgical system of claim 29, wherein, the frequency range is between 50 hertz and 330 hertz.

31. The handheld surgical system of claim 29, wherein, the controller is further configured to delay identifying that the motor is set to the second state until the selected frequency bin is the same for two consecutive time blocks.

32. The handheld surgical system of claim 29, wherein, the controller is further configured to determine that the motor is set to the first state for one of the time blocks when a maximum amplitude of the plurality of frequency bins is less than a minimum amplitude threshold.

33. A depth measuring attachment for sending a drill hole depth for a handheld surgical system, wherein, the handheld surgical system includes an instrument including a housing and a motor positioned in the housing, the depth measurement attachment includes: a component configured to output a motor state signal associated with the motor during a drilling procedure; a second sensor configured to output a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during the drilling procedure; and a controller configured to: receive the motor state signal and the displacement signal; determine whether the motor produces a rotational torque based on the motor state signal; determining a process displacement and a non-process displacement from the displacement signal, the process displacement being associated with displacement when the motor generates the rotational torque, and the non-process displacement being associated with displacement when the motor does not generate the rotational torque; and determining a penetration event based on the motor state signal and the displacement signal.

34. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 33, wherein, the controller is further configured to determine a drill hole depth based on the penetration event.

35. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 33, wherein: the component is a circuit comprising an antenna; the antenna is configured to receive one or more radio waves generated by the motor and output at least one of a voltage signal and a current signal corresponding to the one or more radio waves; and the controller is further configured to receive at least one of the voltage signal and the current signal and output the motor state signal based on the one or more radio waves.

36. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 33, wherein: the component is an optical sensor configured to detect an optical property of the drill bit; and the component is configured to determine the motor state signal based on the optical property.

37. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 36, wherein, the optical sensor comprises: a light source configured to emit light onto the drill bit; and a transducer to measure a light reflectivity of the drill bit.

38. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 37, wherein, the optical property of the drill bit is a laser mark configured to change a parameter of the light emitted from the light source.

39. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 33, wherein: the component is a magnetic sensor configured to detect a magnetic field emitted by the drill bit; and the component is configured to determine the motor state signal based on the magnetic field.

40. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 33, wherein: the component is an audio sensor configured to detect a characteristic of a sound wave emitted when the motor generates the rotational torque; and the component is configured to determine the motor state signal based on the characteristic of the sound wave.

41. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 40, wherein, the audio sensor is a microphone.

42. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 33, wherein: the depth measuring attachment further comprises an electrical connector configured to receive power via a power signal from a complementary electrical connector of the instrument; the component is a sensor configured to detect a voltage of the power signal; and the controller is configured to determine whether the motor generates the rotational torque based on the voltage of the power signal.

43. The depth measuring attachment for a handheld surgical system of claim 33, wherein: the component is an accelerometer configured to detect vibrations of the motor when the motor generates the rotational torque; and the component is configured to determine the motor state signal based on the vibrations of the motor.

44. A depth measuring attachment for sending a drill hole depth for a handheld surgical system, wherein, The handheld surgical system includes an instrument including a housing and a motor positioned in the housing, the depth measurement accessory includes: a first sensor configured to output a vibration signal associated with vibrations of the motor during a drilling process; a second sensor configured to output a displacement signal associated with a displacement of a drill bit during the drilling process; and a controller configured to: receive the vibration signal and the displacement signal; determine one or more Fourier transforms of a first axis component of the vibration signal, wherein the controller identifies whether the motor is in a first state in which the motor is off and does not produce a rotational torque or a second state in which the motor is on and produces the rotational torque based on the one or more Fourier transforms; and determine a breakthrough event based on the state of the motor and the displacement signal.

Images