US 7,400,752 · Granted 2008-07-15

How Surgeons Got Wireless Vital Data Superimposed on Their Video Feed

Imagine watching a surgery on a screen, but instead of just seeing the procedure, you also see live data like blood pressure, instrument angles, and timing overlaid right on the video—all sent wirelessly so cables don't clutter the operating room. This patent bundles that whole system together: the wireless transmission, the graphics overlay, and the software that lets doctors customize what information appears where.

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The plain-English version

What it protects

The patent covers a surgical system that wirelessly sends data from operating instruments to a video console, which then graphically overlays that data (think: gauges, measurements, timestamps) onto the live surgical video feed. What's protected here is the combination of wireless data transmission, the specific method of synchronizing that data with video timestamps, the customizable overlay interface that lets surgeons choose which graphics to display, and the ability to record everything with matching time-codes so doctors can later match up the video with the exact instrument readings at any moment during surgery.

Why it matters

Before wireless data overlays, surgeons either juggled separate monitors showing instrument data, or relied on cables that created tripping hazards and clutter in sterile operating rooms. This patent solves a real workflow problem in one of the most expensive, safety-critical environments on earth. By eliminating cables and synchronizing video with instrument data in real-time, it made surgical recording more accurate and operating rooms safer. For a company like Alcon, which makes surgical equipment, this kind of integration becomes a competitive advantage—competitors copying this system would infringe the patent.

Real-world use

When a surgeon uses an advanced operating microscope or laser-guided instrument during eye surgery, the real-time measurements and calibration data now appear as graphics overlaid directly on the surgical video they're watching, all wirelessly—no cables snaking across the sterile field.

Original USPTO abstract

An improved computer based surgical video overlay system that allows relevant surgical data from a surgical apparatus to be combined as a graphic image with the video image of a surgical procedure in which the data from the surgical apparatus is sent wireless to the video overlay console. Elimination of the data cable between the surgical apparatus and the video overlay console is advantageous in an operating room environment. The same computer based surgical video overlay system runs computer program that occupies a user interface to allows definition of operation modes, input of relevant data, selection of data overlay graphic screen templates and various methods for customization. A time coded-data file is created and stored including all the relevant parameters of a surgical procedure. This file contains the same time-code included in the graphic image overlaid in the surgical video signal. An precise match can be performed between the recorded data on file and the surgical video recording. An audio pre-amplifier section is provided to include surgical apparatus meaningful sounds produced during surgery. The alternative embodiment considers the use of an embedded computer within the video overlay console making the system capable of standalone operation providing a user interface and data input/output capabilities.

Patent details

Publication number: US 7,400,752
Filing date: 2002-02-21
Grant date: 2008-07-15
Assignee: Alcon Manufacturing, Ltd.
Inventor(s): ZACHARIAS JAIME
CPC class: H04N5/445

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