A microwave ablation system with dual-cpu protection circuit and control method thereof

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of medical devices, in particular to a microwave ablation system with a double-CPU protection circuit and a control method thereof, which comprises a main control circuit, a power output control circuit, a microwave working device and a man-machine interactive interface. An instruction is sent through the man-machine interactive interface, the main control circuit communicates with the power output control circuit, and the power output of the microwave generating device is controlled; when the power output control circuit fails, the main control circuit enables the microwave generating device to cut off the power output; the main control circuit regulates and controls the microwave accessories to always work within a threshold range; when the main control circuit is monitored to be abnormal, the main control circuit is reset and restarted, and the power output of the microwave generating device is directly cut off through the enablement. The application provides a protection mechanism of a double-CPU circuit, the control circuit and the protection circuit are separated, when one CPU is dead or fails, the power output out of control is prevented from causing harm to a patient, and the safety and reliability of the system are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] Microwave ablation technology is widely used in clinical practice due to its advantages such as being minimally invasive, precise, having a fast recovery time, and being repeatable. It uses a microwave ablation needle to direct microwave energy to tumor tissue, causing polar molecules within the tissue to generate heat through high-speed friction, thereby leading to coagulative necrosis of tumor cells and achieving the goal of treating tumors.

[0003] As a Class III active medical device, microwave ablation equipment has high output power and acts directly on the human body, making its safety performance paramount. However, during surgery, if the medical device malfunctions, freezes, or fails to restart, it can easily cause secondary harm to the patient.

[0004] Existing microwave ablation systems, such as the Chinese patent with publication number CN112971977A entitled "A Precision Treatment and Evaluation Instrument for Tumor Microwave Ablation," disclose a scheme to achieve precise ablation through preoperative simulation and intraoperative multi-parameter monitoring (such as near-infrared spectroscopy and temperature). However, the core of its control system is usually a single controller. For example, the Chinese patent with publication number CN115399872B entitled "Microwave Ablation System and Method Based on Fourfold Safety Guarantee," although it discloses that multiple communication interfaces (USB, serial port 1, serial port 2) are used to ensure the reliability of the communication link between the host computer and the slave computer, communication redundancy cannot solve the problem of controller failure. Moreover, the slave computer main control board of this scheme still contains a single controller (such as STM32).

[0005] When the main controller (CPU) of a microwave ablation system crashes or malfunctions due to software errors, hardware abnormalities, or other reasons, it may cause uncontrolled microwave power output (e.g., it cannot be stopped), thereby causing serious and continuous secondary damage to the patient, such as burns.

[0006] To address the problems in the existing technology, this invention provides a microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit and its control method. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit and its control method, so as to solve the technical problem in the prior art that a single point failure in the control core of the microwave ablation system can easily lead to uncontrolled microwave power output and cause secondary harm to the patient.

[0008] The technical solution of this invention is: a microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit, comprising: The main control circuit includes a first CPU and a first sampling circuit and an enable module connected to the first CPU; The power output control circuit includes a second CPU and a second sampling circuit connected to the second CPU; Microwave operating equipment includes a microwave generator, microwave accessories, and a microwave output device connected to the microwave generator; The human-computer interaction interface is connected to the first CPU, and the user sends commands to the first CPU through the human-computer interaction interface; The first CPU is communicatively connected to the second CPU. The first sampling circuit and the second sampling circuit are both built into the microwave generator and are independent of each other. The microwave accessory is connected to the first CPU and controlled by the first CPU, and is used for cooling control and temperature monitoring of the target affected area.

[0009] Preferably, the enabling module is connected to a power supply module, which is communicatively connected to the first CPU to monitor the output voltage of the power supply module.

[0010] Preferably, the enabling module is an electronic switch circuit that controls the power supply to the microwave generator by controlling the main power supply or the enabling signal.

[0011] Preferably, the microwave accessory includes a cooling device and a temperature measuring device. The temperature measuring device is used to detect the temperature status of the microwave output device and transmit the temperature measurement result to the first CPU. The cooling device is used to cool the microwave output device. The cooling device is connected to the first CPU and its working state is controlled by the first CPU.

[0012] Preferably, under normal operating conditions, the human-machine interface communicates with the first CPU, the first CPU communicates with the second CPU, and enables the enable signal to the enable module to control the power supply module to supply power, and the second CPU controls the microwave generator to output power. When it is necessary to stop, the first CPU sends a stop signal to the second CPU, which then controls the microwave generator to stop power output and then stops the output of the enable signal, thereby disconnecting the power supply module from the microwave generator.

[0013] Preferably, the sampling parameters of the first sampling circuit and the second sampling circuit are of the same type. The first CPU determines whether the microwave output status is normal by comparing whether the deviation between the sampling results of the first sampling circuit and the second sampling circuit exceeds a preset range. When the microwave output status is abnormal, the first CPU enables the power supply module to cut off the power output of the microwave output device by controlling the power supply module to cut off the power output of the microwave output device. Alternatively, the first CPU can be connected to the second CPU, and the second CPU can send control signals to the microwave generator to control the microwave generator to stop power output.

[0014] Preferably, when the enable signal issued by the first CPU is inconsistent with the information state carried by the feedback signal of the first sampling circuit, the second CPU is determined to be abnormal, and the first CPU controls the power supply module to cut off the power output of the microwave output device by enabling the power supply module.

[0015] A control method for a microwave ablation system with a dual-CPU protection circuit, applied to the aforementioned microwave ablation system with a dual-CPU protection circuit, comprising: The user issues commands through the human-computer interaction interface, the main control circuit receives the commands and connects to the power output control circuit through serial communication, and the power output control circuit issues control signals to control the power output of the microwave generator. The main control circuit monitors the working status of the microwave accessories and the power output control circuit in real time. When a fault is detected in the power output control circuit, the main control circuit directly cuts off the power output by enabling the microwave generator. When the operating parameters of the microwave accessory are detected to exceed the threshold, the main control circuit adjusts the microwave accessory to operate within the threshold range. When an abnormality is detected in the main control circuit, the main control circuit is reset and restarted through the watchdog module. The main control circuit directly controls the microwave generator to cut off power output by enabling it.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: By setting up a first CPU and a second CPU, the system management function and power control function are decoupled at the hardware level. A watchdog timer and an enable module are introduced to build a multi-layered, redundant safety protection closed loop. This addresses the core system control failure problem from the system architecture level and avoids the risk of system loss of control caused by a single point of failure of a single controller.

[0017] By setting up dual CPUs and dual independent sampling circuits and comparing the sampled data, it is possible not only to monitor the working status of the microwave generator itself, but also to cross-verify the execution of the second CPU, thus realizing proactive and intelligent fault diagnosis of the power control loop.

[0018] Through hardware redundancy and fault logic mechanisms, multiple protection paths are provided to stop microwave power output, enabling the system to remain safe even if some units fail, reducing the probability of harm to patients and ensuring high safety and reliability of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the microwave ablation system described in this invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the control and protection logic of the microwave ablation system described in this invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the control logic of a conventional microwave ablation system provided by the present invention.

[0020] The components include: 1. First CPU; 2. Second CPU; 3. First sampling circuit; 4. Second sampling circuit; 5. Enable module; 6. Microwave generator; 7. Microwave output device; 8. Human-machine interface; 9. Watchdog module; 10. Power supply module; 11. Cooling device; 12. Temperature measuring device. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments: like Figure 1 As shown, a microwave ablation system with a dual CPU protection circuit is disclosed. The system includes a human-machine interface 8, a dual CPU protection circuit, a cooling device 11, a temperature measuring device 12, and a microwave output device 7.

[0022] The dual-CPU protection circuit includes a watchdog module 9, a first CPU 1, a second CPU 2, an enable module 5, microwave accessories, and a microwave generator 6; wherein, the microwave generator 6 has a built-in microwave generation and control circuit and two independent first sampling circuits 3 and 4.

[0023] Among them, the second CPU2 and the second sampling circuit 4 are the power output control circuit, and the first CPU1, the first sampling circuit 3 and the enable module are the power output protection circuit. The dual CPU circuit and the dual sampling circuit prevent the power output from being unable to stop when a fault occurs in the single CPU state.

[0024] The functions of each module in the microwave ablation system with the dual-CPU protection circuit are described below: The microwave accessory includes a cooling device 11 and a temperature measuring device 12. The cooling device 11 is a liquid cooling circulation device of the microwave ablation system. The circulation speed of the liquid cooling is controlled by sampling feedback and peristaltic pump to cool down the microwave output device 7. The working state of the cooling device 11 is controlled by the first CPU 1.

[0025] The temperature measuring device 12 includes an ablation needle rod and a temperature measuring needle, used to detect the temperature of the microwave output device 7 and the surrounding temperature of the ablated tissue. The operating state of the temperature measuring device 12 is controlled by a first CPU. The microwave output device 7 receives the microwave power output from the microwave generator 6, outputs microwaves, and applies them to the target affected area.

[0026] The first CPU1 uses a general-purpose microprocessor (such as the ARM Cortex-M series) to sample the microwave generator 6 through the first sampling circuit 3; the second CPU2 uses the same or different microprocessor as the first CPU to sample the microwave generator 6 through the second sampling circuit 4. The first CPU1 and the second CPU2 are connected in communication, and the first CPU1 detects and controls the operating status of the second CPU2.

[0027] The first sampling circuit 3 and the second sampling circuit 4 operate independently and collect parameter information of the same type. The second CPU 2 receives the sampled values ​​from the second sampling circuit 4, and the first CPU 1 receives the sampled values ​​from the first sampling circuit 3. The microwave generator 6 transmits microwaves to the microwave output device 7. The second CPU 2 controls the microwave generator 6.

[0028] The human-machine interface 8 communicates with the first CPU to display and interact with information, including displaying various information that needs to be displayed such as temperature, flow rate, running time, and operating power, as well as setting the required running time and power.

[0029] For example, the first CPU1 communicates with the human-machine interface 8, samples the temperature measuring device 12, and monitors and controls the cooling device 11 based on the sampled temperature values.

[0030] The enable module 5 is configured as a power supply switch circuit for controlling the microwave generator 6, and is connected between the first CPU 1 and the microwave generator 6. A power supply module 10 is connected to the enable module 5, which is used to supply power to the microwave generator 6. The enable module 5 controls the on and off of the power supply.

[0031] A watchdog module 9 is installed next to the first CPU. The watchdog module 9 monitors the first CPU 1 for faults (the watchdog module 9 is periodically "fed" by the first CPU 1). When the first CPU 1 is detected to be crashing or malfunctioning, the watchdog module 9 immediately resets and restarts the first CPU 1 to ensure that the first CPU 1 works normally.

[0032] The structural component connections and functional relationships of the microwave ablation system based on the aforementioned dual-CPU protection circuit are described in the appendix. Figure 2 The present invention provides a control and protection logic diagram of the ablation system, and further provides a control method for a microwave ablation system with a dual-CPU protection circuit.

[0033] I. Operation control methods under normal system conditions.

[0034] The first CPU1 and the second CPU2 are connected via a serial port on the board and communicate with each other. The first sampling circuit 3 and the second sampling circuit 4 in the microwave generator 6 are two completely independent and identical sampling circuits. This is a redundant design for safety protection. They provide power sampling signals to the first CPU1 and the second CPU2. The second CPU2 controls the stop and output of the microwave generator 6.

[0035] If microwave power output is activated, it communicates with the first CPU1 through the human-machine interface 8. The first CPU1 then communicates with the second CPU2 and enables the enable signal for the enable module 5. The second CPU2 then sends a control signal to the microwave generator 6 to control the microwave generator 6 to output power to the microwave output device 7. The microwave output device 7 acts on the target affected area.

[0036] If the microwave power output is stopped, the first CPU1 sends a stop signal to the second CPU2, and the second CPU2 then controls the microwave generator 6 to stop the power output, and then stops the output of the enable signal, thereby disconnecting the power supply to the microwave generator 6 and stopping the power output of the system.

[0037] II. Methods for detecting, judging, and controlling faults in ablation systems.

[0038] The microwave output status is determined by comparing the power sampling values ​​of the first sampling circuit 3 and the second sampling circuit 4 with the first CPU1 and the second CPU2. The power sampling value deviation is ±20%. If the power sampling value deviation of the first CPU1 and the second CPU2 is greater than 20%, the power output of the microwave ablation device is stopped, thereby ensuring that the patient is not harmed due to the device output deviation.

[0039] The second CPU2 is determined to be faulty (e.g., a system crash prevents it from stopping output) by comparing the communication information and status of the second CPU2 and the first CPU1. For example, when the first CPU1 issues a command to the second CPU2 to stop power output, if the second CPU2 cannot stop output due to a fault, but the first CPU1 can still detect the power output signal of the second sampling circuit 4, then the second CPU2 is determined to be in a faulty state.

[0040] When the second CPU2 is determined to be in a fault state, the first CPU1 connects or disconnects the power supply module 10 to the microwave generator 6 by controlling the enable module 5. In the event of a fault in the second CPU2, the power supply to the microwave generator 6 is cut off, and the microwave power output is stopped, thus playing a protective role.

[0041] When the second CPU2 fails to stop outputting due to a malfunction, the first CPU1 detects the abnormal situation and disconnects the power supply to the microwave generator 6 through the enable module 5, thereby cutting off the power output of the microwave generator 6 and preventing uncontrollable secondary harm to the patient from continuous output.

[0042] The first CPU1 also performs voltage detection on the power supply module 10 that enables output. When an abnormal voltage output is detected, it will immediately stop the power output, thus forming a closed loop of monitoring and protection to improve the safety performance of the system.

[0043] When the first CPU1 fails (for example, the program crashes and the "watchdog" stops), and the microwave power output cannot be stopped, the watchdog module 9 outputs a reset signal to reset and restart the first CPU1, thereby quickly stopping the microwave power output.

[0044] The first CPU1 monitors the temperature measuring device 12 and can also monitor and control the cooling device 11 based on the detected temperature to keep the temperature within a reasonable range. When the temperature rises and reaches the limit, the power output will be cut off to prevent heat damage to the patient.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the control and logic used in existing microwave ablation systems. Users issue commands through a human-machine interface, the main control CPU receives the commands and connects to the microwave generator through serial communication, sends control signals to the microwave generator to control the microwave generator to output power, and then applies the power to the target lesion through the microwave output device.

[0046] The microwave generator obtains its operating parameters, including temperature, power, and operating time, through a sampling circuit built into the microwave output device. The main control CPU also obtains its operating parameters, including output power and operating time, through a sampling circuit built into the microwave generator. However, the single-core CPU's single-threaded state control means that if either the microwave generator or the main control CPU fails, the microwave power output will be uncontrolled, potentially causing secondary harm to the patient.

[0047] Compared to existing microwave ablation systems and their control methods, this invention incorporates hardware redundancy. Through dual CPUs, dual sampling circuits, an enable module for the microwave generator, and a watchdog module, it achieves coordinated monitoring of the ablation system's operating status, thereby enabling closed-loop control of faults. This effectively prevents uncontrolled microwave power output due to a single CPU crash or malfunction, improving system safety performance, reducing the risk of secondary harm to patients, and ultimately enhancing the safety and reliability of the microwave ablation system.

[0048] This invention also provides an electronic device, which includes a processor and a memory; the memory stores one or more instructions, which are adapted for the processor to load and execute, to implement a control method for a microwave ablation system with a dual-CPU protection circuit as described in the above method embodiment.

[0049] Memory is used to store software programs and modules. The processor executes these stored software programs and modules to perform various functional applications and data processing. Memory mainly includes a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area stores the operating system, application programs required for functions, etc.; the data storage area stores data created based on device usage, etc. Furthermore, memory may include high-speed random access memory (RAM) and non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage device. Accordingly, memory may also include a memory controller to provide the processor with access to the memory.

[0050] The internal structure of the electronic device provided in the embodiments of the present invention may include, but is not limited to, a processor, a memory, and a communication interface. The processor, memory, and communication interface in the electronic device may be connected by a bus or other means. In the embodiments of this specification, a connection via a bus is taken as an example.

[0051] The processor (or CPU, Central Processing Unit) is the computing and control core of the electronic device. A communication interface is used for communication between the memory and the processor. The memory stores programs and data. It is understood that the memory here can be a high-speed RAM storage device, or a non-volatile memory device, such as at least one disk storage device; optionally, it can also be at least one storage device located remotely from the aforementioned processor. The memory provides storage space, which stores the operating system of the electronic device, and may include, but is not limited to, Windows (an operating system), Linux (an operating system), etc. This invention does not limit this; furthermore, the storage space also stores computer programs (including program code) suitable for loading and execution by the processor. In the embodiments of this specification, the processor loads and executes the computer program stored in the memory to implement the control method of the microwave ablation system with a dual-CPU protection circuit provided in the above method embodiments.

[0052] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which can be disposed in an electronic device to store at least one instruction, at least one program, code set, or instruction set related to the control method of the microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit in the method embodiment. The at least one instruction, at least one program, code set, or instruction set can be loaded and executed by the processor of the electronic device to implement the control method of the microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit provided in the above method embodiment.

[0053] Optionally, in this embodiment, the storage medium may include, but is not limited to, various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), portable hard drives, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0054] It should be noted that the order of the above embodiments of the present invention is merely for descriptive purposes and does not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments. Furthermore, the above description focuses on specific embodiments, while other embodiments fall within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps described in the claims can be performed in a different order than those shown in the embodiments and still achieve the desired results. Additionally, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require a specific or sequential order to achieve the desired results. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0055] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the apparatus embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of the method embodiments.

[0056] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the above embodiments can be implemented by hardware or by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as a read-only memory, a disk, or an optical disk.

[0057] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Therefore, any equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of the present invention are still within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A microwave ablation system with a dual CPU protection circuit, characterized in that, include: The main control circuit includes a first CPU (1) and a first sampling circuit (3) and an enable module (5) connected to the first CPU (1); The power output control circuit includes a second CPU (2) and a second sampling circuit (4) connected to the second CPU (2); The microwave operating equipment includes a microwave generator (6), microwave accessories, and a microwave output device (7) connected to the microwave generator (6). The human-computer interaction interface (8) is connected to the first CPU (1), and the user sends instructions to the first CPU (1) through the human-computer interaction interface (8); The first CPU (1) is communicatively connected to the second CPU (2), and the first sampling circuit (3) and the second sampling circuit (4) are both built into the microwave generator (6) and are independent of each other; the microwave accessory is connected to the first CPU (1) and controlled by the first CPU (1) for cooling control and temperature monitoring of the target affected area; The enabling module (5) is connected to a power supply module (10), which is communicatively connected to the first CPU (1) to monitor the output voltage of the power supply module (10); When the first CPU (1) issues a command to the second CPU (2) to stop power output, if the second CPU (2) is unable to stop output due to a fault, and the first CPU (1) can still detect the power output signal of the second sampling circuit (4), then the second CPU (2) is determined to be in a fault state.

2. The microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enabling module (5) is an electronic switch circuit that controls the main power supply or enabling signal of the microwave generator (6) to switch the power supply on and off.

3. The microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microwave accessory includes a cooling device (11) and a temperature measuring device (12). The temperature measuring device (12) is used to detect the temperature status of the microwave output device (7) and transmit the temperature measurement result to the first CPU (1). The cooling device (11) is used to cool the microwave output device (7). The cooling device (11) is connected to the first CPU (1) and its working state is controlled by the first CPU (1).

4. The microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, In normal operation, the human-machine interface (8) communicates with the first CPU (1), the first CPU (1) communicates with the second CPU (2), and enables the enable signal to the enable module (5) to control the power supply module (10) to supply power. The second CPU (2) controls the microwave generator (6) to output power. When it is necessary to stop, the first CPU (1) sends a stop signal to the second CPU (2), and the second CPU (2) then controls the microwave generator (6) to stop power output, and then stops the output of the enable signal, thereby disconnecting the power supply module (10) from the microwave generator (6).

5. The microwave ablation system with dual CPU protection circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sampling parameters of the first sampling circuit (3) and the second sampling circuit (4) are of the same type. The first CPU (1) determines whether the microwave output status is normal by comparing whether the sampling result deviation of the first sampling circuit (3) and the second sampling circuit (4) exceeds the preset range. In the event of an abnormal microwave output state, the first CPU (1) cuts off the power output of the microwave output device by enabling the power supply module (10) to shut down; or, the first CPU (1) communicates with the second CPU (2), and the second CPU (2) sends a control signal to the microwave generator (6) to control the microwave generator (6) to stop power output.

6. A control method for a microwave ablation system with a dual-CPU protection circuit, applied to a microwave ablation system with a dual-CPU protection circuit as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, include: The user issues commands through the human-computer interaction interface, the main control circuit receives the commands and connects to the power output control circuit through serial communication, and the power output control circuit issues control signals to control the power output of the microwave generator. The main control circuit monitors the working status of the microwave accessories and the power output control circuit in real time. When a fault is detected in the power output control circuit, the main control circuit directly cuts off the power output by enabling the microwave generator. When the operating parameters of the microwave accessory are detected to exceed the threshold, the main control circuit adjusts the microwave accessory to operate within the threshold range. When an abnormality is detected in the main control circuit, the main control circuit is reset and restarted through the watchdog module. The main control circuit directly controls the microwave generator to cut off power output by enabling it.

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