Wireless Command Device Pairing for Surgical Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless control systems for operating rooms face safety issues due to inadvertent control of surgical control units, leading to potential injuries and equipment damage, as surgeons may inadvertently control nearby rooms' equipment, and current solutions suffer from user error, limited monitoring, and require extensive network installations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a registration component with a unique identifier in the operating area, allowing a command device to pair with the correct surgical control unit through proximity sensing and ongoing location tracking using sensors, ensuring safe and exclusive control by verifying the device's location within the designated area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless remote control devices are used to control surgical equipment, then convenience and sterility maintenance are improved, but the risk of inadvertent control of nearby rooms' equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the command device's location using sensors (RFID, acoustic, optical, or magnetic) and provides feedback to the surgical control unit. When the device leaves the designated area, the system automatically de-registers and prevents further control commands, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of inadvertent control while maintaining the convenience of wireless operation within the operating room
Solution Approach 2:
The control authorization is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically registers and de-registers command devices based on their real-time location status relative to the designated operating area boundaries. This dynamic authorization mechanism ensures that control rights are granted only when the device is physically present in the correct location, preventing cross-room control issues
2Reliability
If verification codes or pairing methods are used to prevent inadvertent control, then safety is improved, but user error and procedural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The command device automatically performs location monitoring and authorization management without requiring manual verification procedures from the user. The system self-regulates by continuously checking whether the device remains within the designated area and automatically de-registers when it leaves, eliminating the need for user intervention in safety verification procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual verification mechanisms (such as code entry, physical pairing, or procedural checks) with automated sensor-based location monitoring. RF, acoustic, optical, or magnetic sensors automatically detect the device's position and trigger appropriate authorization actions, substituting complex mechanical verification processes with automated field-based detection
3Reliability
If location monitoring sensors are continuously activated, then control safety is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system employs periodic location checks at critical transition points. The command device monitors its location periodically to determine when it enters or exits the designated operating area boundaries, triggering registration or de-registration actions only when necessary, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining safety
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for pairing a command device to a remotely controlled medical system. A command device is paired to a remotely controlled system, to control one or more medical devices from the command device. Registering the command device is done at a registration component at a designated location in an operating area, with an identifier for the operating area. While registered, the command device is able to transmit commands for controlling the medical equipment. The command device location is repeatedly estimated from its sensors based on markers or beacons in the operating area, to determine if it has left the area. Upon leaving, it is deregistered.