Centurion® Wi-Fi and Footswitch Wireless Networks

By Ngoc Trinh - Sr. Technical Support Specialist, ITC

Centurion®

We have received a number of questions Channel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

for clarification on the System Wireless

2412 2417 2422 2427 2432 2437 2442 2447 2452 2457 2462 2467 2472 2484
Center Frequency (MHz)

Settings. This article explains the

settings and indicators in detail to enable
IEEE
802.11
you to make the proper selections and (Wi-Fi Network)

advise the customer accordingly. 22 MHz

The Centurion utilizes the IEEE 802.11

protocol to implement its console Wi-Fi
IEEE
Ngoc Trinh 802.15.4
Network for wireless communication (Footswitch Network)

with the Video Overlay. On the other Channel

Center Frequency (MHz)
A
2405
B
2410
C
2415
D
2420
E
2425
F
2430
G
2435
H
2440
I
2445
J
2450
K
2455
L
2460
M
2465
N
2470
O
2475

hand, the Footswitch wireless network Figure 1 IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.15.4 Channels in the 2.4 GHz ISM Band
uses the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol (Red indicates the preferred channel setting)
(ZigBee) for wireless communication
between the console and the Centurion
Footswitch Network and Channel words, regions other than Japan or
wireless footswitch and the SGS system
(IEEE 802.15.4) North America should always have the
(Verion Link). Both the IEEE 802.11
region selected as “World”.
and 802.15.4 in the Centurion operate The Footswitch Network Region
in the 2.4GHz ISM band and therefore selection includes Japan, North The colored dot on the Footswitch
co-existence in the RF environment is America (USA and Canada), and Channel in the System Settings dialog
greatly considered to ensure minimum World located in the System Settings indicates channel quality which is
interference between their channels. – Wireless Tab (Figure 2) and allows an instantaneous sampling of the
Figure 1 is an example that shows the people to select the appropriate power environment when the Wireless tab is
802.11 and 802.15.4 channels in the requirement for their region. Japan opened - it is not continuously updated.
2.4GHz spectrum. Note that the channel has the lowest power requirement and This quality indicator (colored dot)
width for the 802.11 is 22MHz and each North America with highest power represents interference from all local
channel is separated 5MHz apart, while requirement. Under Footswitch devices (not just Alcon devices) such
the 802.15.4 has the channel width of 2 Network Region, the “World” setting as Bluetooth or a cordless phone that
MHz. There are 14 channels possible corresponds to European requirements operates in the same frequency. Note
in the 2.4 GHz frequency range. and the rest of the countries that are that this interference varies with the
not in North America or Japan. In other activity of other devices, for example,

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interference from Console Wi-Fi will increase Once the channel is changed or selected, Wi-Fi Network and Channel
when wireless Video Overlay is active. There and then saved (by pressing the green check (IEEE 802.15.4)
are four different colored dots that represent mark), the system will return to the previous
The Wi-Fi Network Region selection includes
the channel quality with green = high quality, screen. If you return to the System Settings-
Japan, Europe, and North America located on
yellow = medium quality, orange = low Wireless tab, the colored dot will be invisible
the System Settings (see Figure 2). It allows
quality, and red = channel conflict. A total of for up to 10 seconds, then it will become
people to select the appropriate allowable
15 channels (from A to O) are available for Red indicating that the channel is very low
channels for their region. The Centurion uses
Footswitch Channel selection (see figure 1). quality because it was assigned. This may be
the same power setting (low power) for all
a bit confusing but don’t worry, this behavior
For accounts that have multiple Centurion Wi-Fi Network Regions but the number of
may be changed in the next software revision.
consoles, it is recommended to spread out channels are different. North America allows
Also, please note that the colored dot will be
Footswitch channel selection to minimize only 11 channels, Europe allows 13 channels,
invisible if the Footswitch Network setting
interference between consoles. An example and Japan allows up to 14 channels. Note that
was set to Off and saved.
of Footswitch channel selection for three the Centurion only supports 13 channels for
different consoles would be E, J, and O. Japan. Regions other than Japan or Europe
should always have the Wi-Fi Network Region
selected as “North America” unless you get
a different request from a specific locality or
customer.
For the Centurion system, a total of 13
channels (1 to 13) are available for Wi-Fi
Channel selection for Europe and Japan Wi-Fi
Network Regions. North America Network
Region only uses channels 1 to 11. If the
Wi-Fi Channel is set to 12 or 13, and then
Wi-Fi Network Region is changed to North
America, the Wi-Fi Channel is automatically
changed to 11.
For accounts that use multiple Video Overlay
units, channels 1, 6, and 11 of the Wi-Fi
Channel are recommended to use to avoid
channels overlapping (see Figure 1).
Figure 2. System Settings – Wireless Tab

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The colored dot on the right side of the Wi- For accounts that have 1 Video Overlay with Note that wireless interference could change
Fi Channel is determined from a lookup multiple consoles, one recommended channel depending on the on-going environmental
table imbedded in the software and indicates setting for Wi-Fi Network and Footswitch wireless condition. If this happens, the system
interference with the currently selected Network is: may display a message advising the customer
Footswitch channel. Therefore, changing to change channel. Again, always check
• Wi-Fi Network channel: 1
the Footswitch channel could sometimes for signal quality (colored dot) as green if
cause the Wi-Fi channel dot to change color. • Footswitch Network channel: E, J, O (3 at all possible when changing the channel.
For instance, if the Wi-Fi channel was set at consoles) Remember after the channel or region is
channel 1 and Footswitch channel was set at A changed Footswitch must be paired again.
For accounts with 2 Video Overlay units:
or B or C or D, the Wi-Fi Channel colored dot
••••
would be Red because of possible interference • Wi-Fi Network channel: 1 and 6
of the frequency of both networks (see Figure
• Footswitch Network channel: E, J, O
1). But if the Footswitch channel is changed
to E or any channel after that, the Wi-Fi Additional Recommendations to Ensure
channel colored dot will turn Green. There are Robust Wireless Footswitch Operation
only two colors for the Wi-Fi Channel dots,
It is also recommended to have the console
green indicates high quality and red is for low
and Footswitch placed in positions that they
quality.
will be in during surgery while setting up
Recommendation for Wi-Fi and Footswitch the networks and channels to ensure optimal
Networks settings signal strength of these wireless networks
interface. This includes having other devices
The following recommendations are for
such as microscope, microscope footswitch,
setting up the Centurion Wi-Fi and Footswitch
chairs, tables, etc. just as they would be during
Network Region and channel.
surgery.
For accounts that do not use console Wi-
You should also keep in mind that the
Fi for Video Overlay, and have multiple
footswitches wireless radio transmits out of a
Centurion consoles, it is recommended to
small area next to the handle of the footswitch,
turn off Wi-Fi Network to reduce interference
which means it is almost always pointing
with Footswitch channels. In this case,
away from the console during surgery. The
recommended channel settings for each
wireless radio does rely on bouncing the
console would be E, J, and O.
RF radio signal off objects and walls in the
communication between the footswitch and
console.

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 Centurion® Training Launch at the Eurmea Service Center
By Matthieu Wagner and Christophe Theodose - Technical Support Specialists, EURMEA
Centurion®

The Centurion® Vision System was demand that we were all expecting for And of course there are more to
successfully launched during the last such a system launch. This remarkable follow in 2014 with the Centurion®
ESCRS congress that took place in team collaboration makes possible Vision System on the market plus all
Amsterdam last September. what seemed to be difficult to achieve other products, including the LuxOR®
a few months ago - to train and support microscope and the new Refractive
This is the beginning of a big success
the many necessary field engineers in Suite. The year is already busy even
story and all of us at the Eurmea Service
a very short period of time. And today, before it starts!
Center are very proud to be taking part
we can say, “Yes, we did it.”
Matthieu Wagner in it. Again, all of this would have never been
Considering the European market only, possible without the little help from our
Working closely with our colleagues
we have already run 6 training sessions friends all around the world…
from ITC Technical Services (special
at the Eurmea Service Center, plus one
thanks to Lance, Ngoc and Darrell), ••••
that is going to take place in the Alcon
Singapore Training Center (Ram and
Spain facility. That means 7 sessions
Chanchai) and Dubai Training Center
for a total of 42 trained Field Engineers
(Walaa), we have been preparing for
in Europe, in only 4 months.
the enormous training and support

Christophe
Theodose

EURMEA Centurion® Vision System Training Classes

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 Centurion® – STP Rev. B Changes
By Lance Calvin - Sr. Technical Support Specialist, ITC
Centurion®

At the end of November, I revised 4. Change the required number of In December I created a PDF form
the Centurion STP 917-2150-002 footpedal_up sensors that are version of the STP Datasheet and have
to revision B, then Belinda Jimenez required from five to four. it hosted on the Centurion Technical
attached the documents to Siebel and Service’s website under Service
5. Updated the equipment list.
sent out the updated document to all our Documentation (see Figure 1). The
Alcon Affiliates. 6. Made several clerical updates Centurion STP eDatasheet should be
throughout the procedure. available in January 2014. I do plan to
List of Changes
Lance Calvin
implement some clerical changes to the
1. Corrected the preventative procedure (not the datasheet) in January
maintenance ground test value to as well. This will result in a 917-2150-
0.5 ohms; it was 5.0 ohms. 002 Rev. C document.
••••
2. Updated cautery test voltages to
those validated by Test Engineering
for the Universal Load Box.
NOTE: As noted in the procedure,
test values are based on using banana
cables from console to load box and
BNC cable from load box to Fluke
scopemeter. This was not changed.
3. Changed the Longitudinal phaco
test power setting from 100%
to 75%, which also resulted in a
change to the expected test values
on the datasheet.

Figure 1

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