| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20100241023 | System and Method for Return Electrode Monitoring - A detection circuit for return electrode monitoring is disclosed. The detection circuit includes a transformer operatively coupled to a pair of split electrode pads, wherein the transformer is configured to transceive a return electrode sense signal. The detection circuit also includes a first switch coupled to the transformer and a neutrally-referenced second switch, wherein the first switch and the second switch are disposed on a single die. The detection circuit further includes an operational amplifier coupled to the first switch and the neutrally-referenced second switch. The operational amplifier is configured to subtract a noise signal from the return electrode sense signal. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20110028963 | Power Level Transitioning in a Surgical Instrument - An electrosurgical system and method are disclosed. The system includes an electrosurgical generator adapted to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue. The generator is further adapted to supply an electrosurgical signal at a variable power level. The generator includes sensor circuitry adapted to sense tissue impedance and/or an electrosurgical signal zero crossing. The generator also includes a controller, which may include a microprocessor, that is adapted to receive a tissue impedance signal and/or a waveform zero crossing signal. The controller is configured to monitor tissue impedance, and in response to a threshold value of impedance being reached, to cause a power level of the electrosurgical energy to transition from a first power level to a second power level. The slew rate of the power transition may be in accordance with a transition function, such as a cosine function. The power transition may additionally or alternatively be performed during, or correlated with, an electrosurgical signal zero crossing. The system also includes an electrosurgical instrument including at least one active electrode adapted to apply electrosurgical energy to tissue for treatment. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110037484 | System and Method for Augmented Impedance Sensing - An impedance monitoring circuit for an electrosurgical generator is disclosed. The monitoring circuit includes an isolation transformer coupled to at least one of an active terminal and a return terminal of an electrosurgical generator, wherein the isolation transformer includes a primary winding coupled to a reference resistor and a secondary winding coupled to a load. The monitoring circuit also includes a driver configured to transmit a sensor signal to the reference resistor and the load, a primary converter coupled to the reference resistor and the load and configured to detect a primary converted signal as a function of the sensor signal passing through the reference resistor and the load. The monitoring circuit further includes a secondary converter coupled to the driver and configured to detect a secondary converted signal as a function of the sensor signal prior to passing through the reference resistor and the load and a controller configured to determine a fault condition based on the primary and secondary converted signals. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110054460 | Electrosurgical Generator - An electrosurgical system is provided. The electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical generator adapted to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue. A power source operably couples to the electrosurgical generator and is configured to deliver power to one or more types of loads connected to the electrosurgical generator. The electrosurgical generator includes a controller including a microprocessor coupled to the electrosurgical generator and configured to control the output of the electrosurgical generator. A fiber optic connection circuit is in operative communication with the controller and includes one or more types of logic devices and one or more types of fiber optic channels. The fiber optic connection circuit is configured to mitigate leakage current associated with at least one of a plurality of components operatively associated with the electrosurgical generator by providing isolation. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110060329 | System and Method for Power Supply Noise Reduction - A method for minimizing current draw on a power source for an electrosurgical system includes the step of generating a first pulse signal from a master device to electrically cooperate with a first floating power supply configured to create an electrical connection between one or more first loads and a power supply. The method also includes the step of triggering an ensuing pulse signal from a slave device based on the first pulse signal to electrically cooperate with a subsequent floating power supply configured to create an electrical connection between one or more subsequent loads and the power supply. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110066174 | Low Energy or Minimum Disturbance Method for Measuring Frequency Response Functions of Ultrasonic Surgical Devices in Determining Optimum Operating Point - An ultrasonic system is provided that includes an ultrasonic device having an elongated member configured to impart ultrasonic energy to tissue and a resonator configured to impart a frequency to the elongated member. The system also includes an ultrasonic generator configured to supply power to the resonator of the ultrasonic device. The ultrasonic generator has a drive signal generator configured to provide a drive signal, a noise signal generator configure to provide a noise signal, and a controller. The controller receives an output signal from the ultrasonic device and the noise signal from the noise signal generator, calculates a transfer function based on the output signal and the noise signal, and adjusts the drive signal generator based on the calculated transfer function. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110071518 | System and Method for Multi-Pole Phase-Shifted Radio Frequency Application - An electrosurgical generator is disclosed. The generator includes a power supply operable to generate a DC voltage and a multi-pole, phase-shifted, pulse-width and/or frequency modulated RF output stage coupled to the power supply. The RF output stage includes a plurality of dual-pole circuits, each of the plurality of dual-pole circuits including first and second pairs of switching components. The generator also includes a controller configured to drive the first and second pairs of switching components of each of the plurality of dual-pole circuits at a predetermined phase-shifted frequency. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110071520 | Methods and Apparatus for Smart Handset Design in Surgical Instruments - An electro surgical instrument is provided which includes a housing and an electrocautery blade supported within the housing and extending distally. The housing has a treatment portion attached and defining a chamber therein for retaining an activation circuit and a control circuit. The activation circuit is operably coupled to at least one activation element that is activatable to control the delivery of electrosurgical energy from a generator to tissue proximate the treatment portion. The control circuit includes a microprocessor to enable bidirectional communication between the electrosurgical instrument and the generator relating to usage information of the electrosurgical instrument. The usage information includes serial number of the electrosurgical instrument, instrument type, number of times the electrosurgical instrument has been activated, overall time the electrosurgical instrument has been used, operating parameters of the at least one activation element during each activation, operational status of the treatment portion during each activation, and power settings. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110071521 | Automatic Control Circuit for Use in an Electrosurgical Generator - An automatic control circuit for an electrosurgical generator is herein disclosed. The automatic control circuit includes voltage and current sensing circuits, a processing circuit, a dosage calculating circuit, and control circuit. Samples of the voltage and current outputs are supplied to the processing circuit and the dosage calculating circuit to generate a dosage output signal. The dosage output signal is compared to a reference signal to generate a feedback signal that controls a drive circuit. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110095689 | Inductively-Coupled Plasma Device - A plasma device configured to receive ionizable media is disclosed. The plasma device includes a first pair of dielectric substrates each having an inner surface and an outer surface. The first pair of dielectric substrates is disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another with the inner surfaces thereof facing one another. The device also includes a first pair of spiral coils each disposed on the inner surface of the dielectric substrates. The first pair of spiral coils is configured to couple to a power source and configured to inductively couple to an ionizable media passed therebetween to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma effluent. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110115562 | Class Resonant-H Electrosurgical Generators - A generator for use with an electrosurgical device is provided. The generator has a gain stage electrically disposed between a first voltage rail and a second voltage rail, wherein the gain stage includes an input and an output. A voltage source operably coupled to the gain stage input and configured to provide an input signal thereto responsive to a drive control signal is also provided. The generator also has one or more sensors configured to sense an operational parameter of the amplifier and to provide a sensor signal corresponding thereto and a controller adapted to receive the sensor signal(s) and in response thereto provide a drive control signal to the voltage source. The generator has an amplifier output configured to supply an output voltage corresponding to the first voltage rail and the second voltage rail when the output of the gain stage falls between a voltage of the first voltage rail and a voltage of the second voltage rail and is configured to supply a peak voltage output when the voltage output is falls greater than the voltage of the first voltage rail or less than the voltage of the second voltage rail. | 05-19-2011 |
