Constraint based control in a minimally invasive surgical apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10159535-B2
Application number	US-201615006468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2016
Priority date	Dec 27, 2005
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A medical robotic system that includes a robotically controlled surgical instrument. The system includes a constraint controller that constrains the movement of the instrument based on a predetermined parameter. The parameter may be a surgical space, wherein the instrument cannot be moved into, or alternatively cannot be moved out of, the space. The surgically constrained spaced may be defined through a telestrator screen that allows a surgeon to point and click the boundaries of the space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical system comprising:
an camera generating a captured image of a work site;
a telestrator screen displaying the captured image;
a telestrator pen;
an instrument disposed at the work site;
a robotic arm adapted to hold and move the instrument;
a master handle; and
a controller programmed with instructions to:
interpret a first telestration indicated by movement of the telestrator pen over the captured image being displayed on the telestrator screen as defining a first space within the work site, and
command the robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space.

2. The medical system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed with instructions to command the robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, by the controller using one or more constraint parameters which is definable by a user using a graphical user interface.

3. The medical system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed with instructions to command the robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, by the controller using one or more constraint parameters which effect commanded movement of the robotic arm so as to prevent the instrument from moving into the first space.

4. The medical system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed with instructions to command the robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, by the controller using one or more constraint parameters which effect commanded movement of the robotic arm so as to prevent the instrument from moving out of the first space.

5. The medical system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed with instructions to command the robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, by the controller using one or more constraint parameters which effect commanded movement of the robotic arm so as to control the velocity of the instrument.

6. The medical system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed with instructions to command the robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, by the controller using one or more constraint parameters which effect commanded movement of the robotic arm so as to provide damped movement as the instrument moves into the first space.

7. The medical system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed with instructions to command the robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, by the controller using one or more constraint parameters which effect commanded movement of the robotic arm so as to provide damped movement as the instrument moves out of the first space.

8. The medical system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed with instructions to:
interpret a second telestration indicated by movement of the telestrator pen over the captured image being displayed on the telestrator screen as defining a second space within the work site, and
command the robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the second space than out of, or outside of, the second space.

9. The medical system according to claim 8 , wherein the second space is completely within the first space, and the controller is programmed with instructions to:
command the robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner so as to constrain the instrument to move in an area that is within the first space and outside of the second space.

10. A method for controlling movement of an instrument in response to operator manipulation of a master handle, comprising:
using a processor to interpret a first telestration indicated by movement of a telestrator pen over an image of a work site being displayed on a telestrator screen as defining a first work space within the work site; and
using the processor to command a robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
providing one or more constraint parameters to the processor from a graphical user interface to define how the instrument is to be moved in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein using the processor to command a robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, comprises:
using one or more constraint parameters which effect the commanded movement of the robotic arm so as to prevent the instrument from moving into the first space.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein using the processor to command a robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, comprises:
using one or more constraint parameters which effect the commanded movement of the robotic arm so as to prevent the instrument from moving out of the first space.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein using the processor to command a robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, comprises:
using one or more constraint parameters which effect the commanded movement of the robotic arm so as to control the velocity of the instrument.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein using the processor to command a robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, comprises:
using one or more constraint parameters which effect the commanded movement of the robotic arm so as to provide damped movement as the instrument moves into the first space.

16. The method according to claim 10 , wherein using the processor to command a robotic arm to move the instrument in response to movement of the master handle in a manner that is constrained differently into, or within, the first space than out of, or outside of, the first space, comprises:
using one or m

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Miller Brian E

Classifications

• A61B2034/303

  specifically adapted for manipulations within body lumens, e.g. within lumen of gut, spine, or blood vessels · CPC title

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B34/25

  User interfaces for surgical systems · CPC title

• A61B34/10

  Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations · CPC title

• A61B90/361

  Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras · CPC title