Patent ID: 6068627
Filing Date: 2000-05-30
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
A system including an instrument, a source of high frequency energy and a qualifying connection between the source of medical treatment for passage of treatment energy from the source of medical treatment through the qualifying connection to the instrument and to a patient, the qualifying connection for selectively permitting passage of information from the instrument to the source of medical treatment, the system comprising:an instrument having a distal end for treatment of the patient and a proximal end for manipulation by a surgeon, the instrument connected to the qualifying connection;a source of medical treatment for providing energy delivery to the instrument, the source of medical treatment attached to the qualifying connection;a first part of the qualifying connection connected to the instrument;a second part of the qualifying connection carried on and connected to the source of medical treatment;optical couplings on the qualifying connection and on the first and second parts for passing optical energy communicating the information in the form of the identity of the instrument to the source of medical treatment;a light supply in the source of medical treatment, the light supply connected to the qualifying connection for transmitting across the communicating optical couplings, the light supply within a predetermined wavelength;mechanical attachments across the qualifying connection for juxtapositioning the first and second parts thereof, the mechanical attachments having geometric mechanical conjugations for delivering medical treatment through the qualifying connection from the source of medical treatment to the instrument, the mechanical attachments for positioning geographically the optical couplings in proximity to communicate between the first part of the instrument and the second part on the source of medical treatment when the mechanical attachments conjugate so the optical couplings may communicate the information as an indication of the identity of the instrument connected to the source of medical treatment;an identifying circuit in the source of medical treatment, the identifying circuit connected to the second part and responsive to the information as the indication of light optically communicated through the optical couplings thereby differentiating the type of instrument connected by the mechanical attachments through the qualifying connection to the source of medical treatment, the identifying circuit for signaling verification to the source of medical treatment, anda switch connected to the identifying circuit in the source of medical treatment, the switch responsive to the signaling of the identifying circuit, the switch further connected within the source of medical treatment for enabling the passage of medical treatment from the source of medical treatment through at least one of the mechanical attachments and to the instrument.