Surgical Table–Light Coordination for Stable Site Illumination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical lighting systems fail to adequately adjust illumination in response to changes in the position and posture of a surgical table, leading to hindered surgical interventions.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a surgical table controller and a surgical light controller that exchange data to coordinate the behavior of the surgical table and light, allowing adjustments in illumination based on table actuations, including changes in position, height, and posture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the surgical table is repositioned to change patient posture, then the surgical accessibility is improved, but the illumination quality at the surgical site deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical accessibilityVSAvoidillumination quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical light controller receives position feedback from the surgical table controller about tabletop movements, and automatically adjusts light position and intensity in response to maintain optimal illumination at the surgical site

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The surgical table and surgical light are merged into an integrated system through communication interfaces, allowing coordinated control where table repositioning automatically triggers corresponding light adjustments without separate manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Illumination intensity

If the surgical light position is adjusted to follow the surgical site, then the illumination quality is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination qualityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical table controller acts as an intermediary that mediates between the surgical table actuators and the surgical light controller, transmitting position signals that enable automatic light tracking without requiring direct complex coupling between all system components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Illumination intensity

If manual adjustment of surgical light is performed after table repositioning, then the illumination can be optimized, but the time required for surgical intervention increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination optimizationVSAvoidsurgical intervention time
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical light controller proactively adjusts illumination parameters in advance based on predicted surgical site position from table actuator signals, eliminating the need for delayed manual adjustment and maintaining optimal illumination throughout the repositioning process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3915508B1System comprising surgical table and surgical light
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 BAXTER MEDICAL SYST GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3915508B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

Provided are a surgical table (2) comprising a surgical table controller (5) configured to control at least one surgical table actuator (6, 7, 8) of the surgical table (2), wherein the surgical table controller (5) comprises an surgical table controller interface (9) configured to be connectable to a controller of a further medical apparatus, a surgical light (3) comprising a surgical light controller (10) configured to control an intensity and to turn on and off at least one illuminant (12) of the surgical light (3), wherein the surgical light controller (10) comprises an surgical light controller interface (16) configured to be connectable to a controller of a further medical apparatus, and a system (1) comprising the surgical table (2) and the surgical light (3), wherein the surgical table controller (5) and the surgical light controller (10) are configured to be connected to one another.