Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are operable to track usage of a surgical instrument and modify the performance of the surgical instrument based on the prior usage of the surgical instrument. Some surgical instruments are designed to have a limited service life beginning at their first use, or a limit to their overall usage in order to ensure safe use of the sensitive instruments. However, a lack of ability to track usage characteristics when the instrument is separated from an external power supply allows for user abuse and avoidance of such safety mechanisms. Adding a battery or capacitor to the instrument may allow for an ability to track usage when the instrument is separated from an external power supply. Implementing special user prompts, device use ratios, and device use half-life upon powering down of an instrument may additionally be used to prevent circumvention of safety features.

Abstract: The invention is a system and method that uses a digital oscilloscope to digitize a waveform and then loads the digitized waveform into a computer. The computer scans the waveform data locating leading edges by comparing data to a rolling average and a noise threshold and locating tops and bottoms if the pulse is a negative going pulse by comparing data to slope criteria until a trailing edge is discovered. The trailing edge defines the end of the pulse, the immediately preceding leading edge defines the beginning of the pulse and the pulse height and this allows the pulse characteristics to be determined. This discovered pulse is removed from the waveform by setting all data values in the pulse to the pulse baseline value, and the scan for leading edges, pulse tops and a trailing edge is performed again to isolate and characterize another pulse. This cycle of detection, analysis and removal continues until the end of data is encountered before a pulse is discovered.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method that uses a digital spectrum analyzer to digitize a spectrum and loads the digitized spectrum into a computer. The computer scans the spectrum to determine a zero dB reference by cyclic averaging and determines the upper and lower cutoff frequencies using inward and outward scan techniques which are averaged. During zero dB level determination holes in the spectrum are ignored and during upper and lower cutoff frequency determination the holes or drop outs in the spectrum are located, counted and characterized.