Medical visualisation system and associated methods and systems
A system and method for handling auxiliary components, including a first auxiliary component and a second auxiliary component, of a medical system, wherein each auxiliary component is configured to be coupled to a respective main device part and includes a rechargeable battery configured to power electronic components of the auxiliary component and of the respective main device part, each auxiliary component further including an auxiliary memory and an auxiliary communication interface. The method includes receiving a first auxiliary component; receiving a second auxiliary component after receiving the first auxiliary component; transmitting data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component; charging the rechargeable battery of the second auxiliary component; and providing the first auxiliary component for retrieval after transmitting the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component.
1 . A handling system for handling auxiliary components, including a first auxiliary component and a second auxiliary component, of a medical system, each of the auxiliary components including an auxiliary memory, an auxiliary communication interface, and a rechargeable battery configured to power electronic components of the auxiliary component and of a main device component when coupled to the auxiliary component, the handling system comprising:
a first system communication interface configured to couple with the auxiliary communication interface of the first auxiliary component;
a second system communication interface configured to couple with the auxiliary communication interface of the second auxiliary component; and
a system charging circuit configured to charge the rechargeable battery of the second auxiliary component,
wherein the handling system is configured to, via the first system communication interface and the second system communication interface, cause transmittal of data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component.
2 . The handling system of claim 1 , wherein the handling system comprises a system processor configured to, via the second system communication interface, read or receive the data of the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component, and, via the first system communication interface, write or transmit the data to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component.
3 . The handling system of claim 1 , wherein each of the auxiliary components comprises a short range communication circuit, and wherein the handling system is configured, via the first system communication interface and the second system communication interface, to cause transmittal of the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component by wireless communication between the short range communication circuit of the first auxiliary component and the short range communication circuit of the second auxiliary component.
4 . The handling system of claim 1 , wherein the system charging circuit includes a first system charging circuit configured to charge the rechargeable battery of the first auxiliary component and a second system charging circuit configured to charge the rechargeable battery of the second auxiliary component.
5 . The handling system of claim 1 , the handling system further comprising a plurality of component positions including a first component position configured to receive the first auxiliary component and a second component position configured to, concurrently, receive the second auxiliary component.
6 . The handling system of claim 1 , the handling system further comprising a first transmit button, wherein the handling system is configured to cause the transmittal of the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component, in response to a user pressing the first transmit button.
7 . The handling system of claim 6 , the handling system further comprising a first transmit button and a second transmit button, wherein the handling system is configured to cause transmittal of data from the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component, in response to a user pressing the second transmit button.
8 . The handling system of claim 1 , the handling system further comprising one or more battery indicators configured to display a visual indication of an estimated battery capacity of the rechargeable battery of the first auxiliary component and/or the second auxiliary component.
9 . The handling system of claim 1 , wherein the handling system is connectable to an external memory, and wherein the handling system is configured to, via the second system communication interface, read or receive the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component and store the data at the external memory.
10 . The handling system of claim 1 , wherein the handling system further comprises a disinfection area including a chamber configured to subject the second auxiliary component to ultraviolet radiation, heat, steam, gas and/or a disinfectant, and wherein the handling system is configured to, after causing transmittal of the data, position the second auxiliary component in the chamber and disinfect the second auxiliary component.
11 . The handling system of claim 1 , wherein the handling system is further configured to validate the data transferred to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component.
12 . The handling system of claim 1 , wherein the handling system is further configured to delete the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component after transmittal of the data to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component.
13 . The handling system of claim 12 , wherein the handling system is further configured to validate the data transferred to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component before deleting the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component.
14 . A method for handling auxiliary components, including a first auxiliary component and a second auxiliary component, of a medical system, each of the auxiliary components comprising an auxiliary memory, an auxiliary communication interface, and a rechargeable battery configured to power the auxiliary component and a main device component coupled to the auxillary component, the method comprising:
coupling the first auxiliary component to the first system communication interface of the handling system of claim 1 ,
coupling the second auxiliary component to the second system communication interface of the handling system of claim 1 ,
transmitting the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component, and
charging the rechargeable battery of the second auxiliary component.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein coupling the second auxiliary component is performed after coupling the first auxiliary component.
16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising, after coupling the first auxiliary component, charging the rechargeable battery of the first auxiliary component and providing the first auxiliary component for retrieval after transmitting the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component.
17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising storing the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component at an external memory.
18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising, after transmitting the data to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component, validating the data of the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component and deleting the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component.
19 . A medical system comprising:
the handling system of claim 1 ;
the main component; and
the auxiliary components,
wherein the auxiliary components comprise the first auxiliary component and the second auxiliary component.
20 . The medical system of claim 19 , wherein the handling system is further configured to validate the data transferred to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component and, after said validating, to delete the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component.
21 . A medical system comprising:
a main device component;
auxiliary components configured to be coupled to the main device component, including a first auxiliary component and a second auxiliary component, each of the auxiliary components comprising an auxiliary memory, a short range communication circuit and an auxiliary user interface,
wherein the second auxiliary component is configured to transmit, via the short range communication circuit of the second auxiliary component to the short range communication circuit of the first auxiliary component, data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component, in response to receiving, at the auxiliary user interface(s) of the first auxiliary component and/or the second auxiliary component, one or more user inputs indicative of a request to transmit the data from the auxiliary memory of the second auxiliary component to the auxiliary memory of the first auxiliary component.
22 . The medical system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more user inputs indicative of a request to transmit the data comprises receiving a first user input at the auxiliary user interface of the first auxiliary component and while or after receiving the first user input at the auxiliary user interface of the first auxiliary component receiving a second user input at the auxiliary user interface of the second auxiliary component.
23 . A medical system comprising:
a medical device comprising a main device component and a first auxiliary component physically and removably attachable to the main device component, the main device component further comprising a camera at a distal end thereof, and the first auxiliary component comprising a first memory, a first short range communication circuit, a first user interface, and a first rechargeable battery configured to power the first auxiliary component and the main device component; and
a second auxiliary component physically and removably attachable to the main device component, the second auxiliary component comprising a second memory, a second short range communication circuit, a second user interface, and a second rechargeable battery configured to power the second auxiliary component and the main device component, the second memory comprising initial data consisting of patient data and/or operator data and/or operator setup data,
wherein the second auxiliary component is configured to transmit the initial data, via the second short range communication circuit to the first short range communication circuit of the first auxiliary component in response to receiving one or more user inputs indicative of a request to transmit the initial data, at the first auxiliary user interface or the second auxiliary user interface.
24 . The medical system of claim 23 , wherein the one or more user inputs comprise a first user input received at the first user interface while or after receiving a second user input at the second user interface.