Patent ID: 7395249

Claim:
A voice recognition system for use with a surgical instrument, the system comprising: a processor coupled to a microphone and to a memory, the processor having a first state and a second state; wherein the microphone receives a plurality of spoken surgical instructions, each of the spoken surgical instructions including a spoken qualifier and a spoken command, the plurality of spoken surgical instructions including a first surgical instruction having a first spoken qualifier and a first spoken command; wherein the memory stores a first plurality of allowable commands associated with the second state of the processor; and wherein in the first state, the processor is configured to: receive the first surgical instruction and determine if the first spoken qualifier included in the first surgical instruction satisfies a first condition; if the first spoken qualifier satisfies the first condition, then advance to the second state; and if the first spoken qualifier does not satisfy the first condition, then remain in the first state; and wherein in the second state, the processor is configured to: determine whether the first spoken command included in the first surgical instruction is among the first plurality of allowable commands associated with the second state; and if the first spoken command is among the first plurality of allowable commands, then transmit a first command signal to the surgical instrument in response to the first spoken command being among the first plurality of allowable commands.