The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 23, 2010
Filed:
Apr. 28, 2005
Steven M. Tethrake, North Webster, IN (US);
Paul Elliott, Collierville, TN (US);
Jeffrey H. Nycz, Collierville, TN (US);
Robert Varner, Germantown, TN (US);
Mark Pelo, Macy, IN (US);
Steven M. Tethrake, North Webster, IN (US);
Paul Elliott, Collierville, TN (US);
Jeffrey H. Nycz, Collierville, TN (US);
Robert Varner, Germantown, TN (US);
Mark Pelo, Macy, IN (US);
Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc., Warsaw, IN (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for identifying surgical instruments by use of radio-frequency identification tags (RFID) are disclosed. In the systems and methods, each of a plurality of surgical instruments is provided with at least one RFID transponder tag storing identification information associated with the corresponding instrument. The tag may be adhered to, embedded, or potted within a portion of the instrument. Using an RFID reading device, a user may interrogate the tag, thereby identifying the particular instrument. This identification information may be used to index a database and retrieve a data record unique to that instrument. The systems and methods allow a user to track, inspect, and verify inbound and outbound surgical instruments, to assess, for example, the surgical instruments' duty life cycle usage.