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. 11, 2014
Filed:
Dec. 28, 2006
Robert M. Ohline, Redwood City, CA (US);
Katherine Whitin, Redwood City, CA (US);
Amir Belson, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Christopher D. Justice, Prairie Village, KS (US);
Robert M. Ohline, Redwood City, CA (US);
Katherine Whitin, Redwood City, CA (US);
Amir Belson, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Christopher D. Justice, Prairie Village, KS (US);
Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
One RFID equipped instrument includes an elongate body with a plurality of uniquely identified radio frequency identification chips spaced along the length of the elongate body. One system used for determining the position of an instrument includes an instrument; a plurality of radio frequency identification chips attached to the instrument; a reader connected to an antenna and adapted to communicate with each radio frequency identification chip using the antenna. One method for determining the position of an instrument using radio frequency identification chips includes providing a radio frequency identification chip reader and antenna; providing an instrument having a longitudinal axis and comprising a plurality of radio frequency identification chips placed along the longitudinal axis; moving the instrument relative to the antenna; and using information about a radio frequency identification chip detected by the antenna to determine the position of the instrument.