Patent ID: 8460284

Claim:
A system for detecting faults within an electrosurgical instrument, the electrosurgical instrument including a shield and an active electrode, wherein the electrosurgical instrument is coupled with a return electrode, the system comprising: an electrosurgical generator coupled to the electrosurgical instrument and adapted to deliver power to the active electrode of the electrosurgical instrument; monitoring circuitry adapted to couple with the electrosurgical generator and the electrosurgical instrument, the monitoring circuitry comprising at least two of a voltage sensor adapted to detect an active voltage in the active electrode of the electrosurgical instrument; an active current sensor adapted to detect a current into the active electrode or returning from the return electrode; and a shield power sensor adapted to detect and measure the power dissipated in the shield of the electrosurgical instrument, the system for detecting faults further comprising, an identification element that indicates to the monitoring circuitry a class of the electrosurgical instrument; a threshold sensor for determining which of the active voltage, the active current and the shield power to utilize within the monitoring circuitry based at least in-part on information obtained from the identification element; wherein the monitoring circuitry measures at least two of the active voltage, the active current, and the shield power to determine whether a fault condition exists in the electrosurgical instrument.