Apparatus and methods for associating medical probes with connection ports
View Patent ↗Apparatus, systems and methods for associating medical diagnostic and treatment probes with connection ports of a multiport instrument console. Proximity sensing between a probe and the console provide user-detectable signals indicating the availability or nonavailability of a compatibly configured port for the probe, and specific identification of one or more ports that are compatible with the probe. The proximity sensing also provides capability for identifying and configuring a probe before attempting to connect the probe to a console port.
1. A medical instrument comprising:
a console having a plurality of probe connection ports thereon, a first one of the plurality of ports configured for connection with a first connector associated with a first medical probe that is configured for engagement with the first port and not configured for connection with a second one of the plurality of ports;
a proximity detection system configured to generate a first proximity signal upon positioning of the first connector within a first proximity to at least one of the first port, the plurality of ports and the console; the proximity detection system configured to generate a second signal upon positioning of the first connector within a second proximity to the second port, the second signal being distinct from the first signal; and wherein the second proximity corresponds to a shorter physical distance than the first proximity.
2. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the proximity detection system is integral with the console.
3. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the proximity detection system further comprises a component one of mounted to and integral with the first probe.
4. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the first probe is at least one of a medical diagnostic probe and a medical treatment probe.
5. The instrument according to claim 4 wherein the medical diagnostic probe is configured to measure one or more of intracranial pressure, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen, pH, an electrical signal, a chemical composition, an optical signal and an acoustic signal.
6. The instrument according to claim 4 wherein the medical treatment probe is one or more of an electromechanical instrument, an electrosurgical instrument, an ultrasonic treatment instrument, an optical treatment instrument and a tissue stimulation instrument.
7. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the first probe comprises a probe body and the first connector, the probe body and the first connector being coupled to one another by one or more of a direct physical connection, an electrical cable, a fiber optic cable and a wireless connection.
8. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein the proximity sensing system comprises one or more of radio-frequency detection, capacitive detection, optical detection, video detection and magnetic detection.
9. The instrument according to claim 8 wherein the radio frequency detection comprises a radio frequency identification transceiver configured to communicate with a radio frequency identification tag associated with the first probe.
10. The instrument according to claim 8 wherein the video detection comprises a video camera one of adjacent to and integral with one or more of the ports and positioned to capture images of at least one of the first port and a proximate probe.
11. The instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising orientation detection configured to determine at least one of a relative axial orientation and a rotational orientation about a mutual axis of a connector component of the first probe relative to the first port.
12. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the first signal and the second signal comprises one or more of light emission associated with the respective port, a display on a graphical user interface, an acoustic signal, and audio information associated with one or more of a position and an orientation of the first probe.
13. The instrument according to claim 12 wherein the first signal and the second signal comprise light emission and differ from one another with respect to one or more of color, brightness, and time-dependence of the respective light emission.
14. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein further each of the plurality of ports is individually associated with each of the plurality of ports, and an audio speaker.
15. The instrument according to claim 13 wherein the first signal comprises light of a first predetermined color and a component of the probe is configured to emit light of substantially the first predetermined color.
16. The instrument according to claim 15 wherein the second signal comprises light of a second predetermined color and a component of the probe is configured to emit light of substantially the second predetermined color, the first predetermined color being different than the second predetermined color.
17. The instrument according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and the second signal further comprises signaling a presence of a second probe connected to the first port.
18. A multifunctional medical instrument system comprising:
a console having a plurality of connection ports associated therewith, each of the plurality of ports configured for connection with a compatibly configured medical probe;
at least two medical probes operable in association with the console and configured for compatible connection with at least one port among the plurality of ports;
a proximity sensing system for detecting a proximity between one of the at least two medical probes and at least one of the plurality of ports, the proximity sensing system configured to provide a first user-detectable signal indicating a location of the at least one compatible port;
wherein the proximity sensing system is further configured to provide a second user-detectable signal indicating one or more of proximity of the at least two medical probes to a port incompatible therewith, and a presence of another medical probe previously connected to the at least one compatible port.
19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the proximity sensing system comprises one or more of radio-frequency detection, capacitive detection, optical detection, video detection and magnetic detection.
20. A multiport bedside monitor configured for receiving one or more medial probes for monitoring a body function of a patient, each of the one or more probes having a respective connector associated therewith, the monitor comprising:
a console having a plurality of medical probe connection ports thereon, the monitor configured to generate a first visually perceptible optical signal upon the positioning of a first probe connector less than a first distance from a first portion of the console, the first signal indicating a first port configured for receiving the first connector, the monitor further configured to generate a second optical signal visually distinct from the first signal upon the positioning of the first probe connector less than a second distance from a second port that is not configured for receiving the first connector, the second distance being shorter than the first distance.
21. The monitor according to claim 20 wherein the first signal comprises green light emitted at least one of from and adjacent to the first port, and the second signal comprises at least one of differently colored light emission and pulsed light emission.
22. The monitor according to claim 20 wherein the second signal comprises an acoustic signal.
23. A medical instrument comprising:
a) a console having a plurality of probe connection ports thereon, a first one of the plurality of ports configured for connection with a first connector associated with a first medical probe that is configured for engagement with the first port and not configured for connection with a second one of the plurality of ports;
b) a proximity detection system configured to detect a first proximity upon positioning of the first connector within a first distance to one of the first port, the plurality of ports and the console, the proximity detection system configured to detect a second proximity upon positioning of the first connector within a second distance to the second port, the second distance being shorter than the first distance; and
c) a signal generation system configured to generate a first signal upon detection of the first proximity, the first signal including at least one of a first optical emission and a first visual display on a graphical user interface, the signal generation system configured to generate a second signal distinct from the first signal upon detection of the second proximity, the second signal including at least one of a second optical emission, a second visual display on the graphical user interface, and an acoustic signal.