POWER MANAGEMENT CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

1 . A surgical instrument, comprising:

an interchangeable shaft assembly, comprising:

an elongate shaft; and

an end effector extending distally from said elongate shaft;

a handle assembly separably couplable to said interchangeable shaft assembly, wherein said handle assembly includes a motor configured to effectuate at least one motion in said end effector while said handle assembly is coupled to said interchangeable shaft assembly; and

a power assembly separably couplable to said handle assembly, said power assembly comprising:

a power source configured to power said motor while said power assembly is coupled to said handle assembly; and

a power management controller in communication with said power source, wherein said power management controller is configured to receive an input signal corresponding to at least one power requirement of said interchangeable shaft assembly while said handle assembly is coupled to said interchangeable shaft assembly and while said handle assembly is coupled to said power assembly, and wherein said power management controller is configured to modulate power output of said power source to said motor to conform said power output with said at least one power requirement of said interchangeable shaft assembly.

2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said interchangeable shaft assembly comprises a shaft assembly controller.

3 . The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein said handle assembly comprises an interface between said interchangeable shaft assembly and said power assembly.

4 . The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein said interface comprises a shaft assembly connector and a power assembly connector

5 . The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein said interface is configured to permit communication between said shaft assembly controller and said power management controller.

6 . The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein said input signal is configured to travel through said interface.

7 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said power source comprises a battery.

8 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein said battery is rechargeable.

9 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein said end effector comprises a cutting member slidably moveable a distance along said end effector to cut tissue captured by said end effector, and wherein said at least one power requirement depends on said distance.

10 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 further comprising a lockout mechanism, wherein said lockout mechanism comprises:

a first mating element on said power assembly; and

a second mating element on said handle assembly for mating engagement with said first mating element when said power assembly is coupled to said handle assembly.

11 . A power assembly for use with a plurality of interchangeable surgical instruments, the interchangeable surgical instruments each comprising a controller, said power assembly comprising:

an interface for separably coupling said power assembly to the interchangeable surgical instruments;

a power source configured to power a coupled interchangeable surgical instrument; and

a memory configured to store at least one value of at least one parameter of said power source, wherein said interface is configured to facilitate electrical communication between said memory and the controller of the coupled interchangeable surgical instrument, wherein said memory is configured to receive said at least one value of said at least one parameter of said power source from the controller of the coupled interchangeable surgical instrument through said interface.

12 . The power assembly of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of interchangeable surgical instruments include a first surgical instrument including a first controller and a second surgical instrument including a second controller, wherein said memory is configured to receive a first update of said at least one value of said at least one parameter from the first controller while said power assembly is coupled to the first surgical instrument, and wherein said memory is configured to receive a second update of said at least one value of said at least one parameter from the second controller while said power assembly is coupled to the second surgical instrument.

13 . The power assembly of claim 12 , wherein said first update comprises a first value based on a first input received by the first controller while said power assembly is coupled to the first surgical instrument.

14 . The power assembly of claim 13 , wherein said second update comprises a second value based on a second input received by the second controller while said power assembly is coupled to the second surgical instrument.

15 . The power assembly of claim 11 , wherein said at least one parameter of said power source is a state of charge of said power source.

16 . The power assembly of claim 15 , further comprising a coulomb counter configured to measure said state of charge of said power source.

17 . A surgical instrument for use in a surgical procedure, said surgical instrument comprising:

a working assembly, comprising:

an end effector; and

a working assembly controller;

a power assembly separably couplable to said working assembly;

a power source; and

a power assembly controller, wherein said working assembly controller is configured to generate a signal to communicate with said power assembly controller by modulating power transmission from said power source to said working assembly.

18 . The surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein said working assembly controller is configured to generate said signal to communicate with said power assembly controller by modulating current drawn from said power source to said working assembly.

19 . The surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein said working assembly comprises a motor, and wherein said motor is configured to effectuate at least one motion in said end effector.

20 . The surgical instrument of claim 18 , wherein said working assembly controller is configured to generate said signal to communicate with said power assembly controller by modulating power transmission from said power source to said motor.

21 . The surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein said power assembly controller is configured to perform a function in response to said signal from said working assembly controller.

22 . The surgical instrument of claim 21 , wherein said function comprises designating a power source characteristic.

23 . The surgical instrument of claim 22 , wherein said power source characteristic comprises a maximum power output of said power source.

24 . A communication system for use with a surgical instrument comprising a working assembly and a power assembly separably couplable to the working assembly, said communication system comprising:

a first communication portion associated with the working assembly, said first communication portion comprising a first controller; and

a second communication portion associated with the power assembly, said second communication portion comprising a second controller, wherein said first controller is electrically connectable to said second controller, and wherein said first controller is configured to generate and transmit a signal to communicate with said second controller by modulating power transmission from the power assembly to the working assembly.