A system is disclosed for activating an electrosurgical instrument. The system includes an electrosurgical assembly, a control assembly, and an activation device. The electrosurgical assembly includes an electrosurgical instrument and a driver circuit operatively coupled to the electrosurgical instrument. A controller circuit, a safety circuit, and a latch circuit are included within the control assembly and interface between the electrosurgical assembly and an activation device. Instrument data and supervisory monitoring data originate in the electrosurgical assembly, and they are communicated to the controller circuit and the safety circuit. The electrical cooperation among the controller circuit, safety circuit, and latch circuit enables a user to selectively use the instrument in an "on/off" mode or in a "continuous" mode upon actuation of the same activation switch.
