US 11,923,084 B2
First and second communication protocol arrangement for driving primary and secondary devices through a single port
Andrew W. Carroll, Cincinnati, OH (US); Jeffrey L Aldridge, Lebanon, OH (US); Daniel E. Brueske, Winston-Salem, NC (US); and Kurt Radcliffe, Clemmons, NC (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Sep. 5, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/562,143.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/826,584, filed on Mar. 29, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/826,588, filed on Mar. 29, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/826,592, filed on Mar. 29, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/728,480, filed on Sep. 7, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0090808 A1, Mar. 19, 2020
Int. Cl. G06F 13/42 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); G16H 40/40 (2018.01); G16H 40/67 (2018.01)
CPC G16H 40/67 (2018.01) [A61B 17/00 (2013.01); G16H 40/40 (2018.01); A61B 2017/00212 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00221 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00225 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a first control circuit configured to allow the surgical instrument to communicate with an energy module using at least a first protocol over a first communication line; and
a second control circuit configured to allow the surgical instrument to communicate with one or more other surgical instruments, the one or more other surgical instruments coupled to the surgical instrument using at least a second protocol over a second communication line, wherein communications between the energy module and the one or more other surgical instruments are transmitted to the second control circuit via the first control circuit, wherein the second control circuit is connected in series with the first control circuit.