Adaptable integrated energy control system for electrosurgical tools in robotic surgical systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10898287-B2
Application number	US-202016781457-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2020
Priority date	Mar 9, 2009
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

A user interface for a surgical system can include a display configured to output video images of a remote surgical site at which one or more electrosurgical instruments of the surgical system are deployed; and a graphical user interface configured to be output on the display with the video images. The graphical user interface may comprise a visual indication of a state of the one or more electrosurgical instruments that indicates a state of the one or more electrosurgical instruments being ready for activation to deliver energy or actively delivering energy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smart cable comprising:
a first connector connectable to a remote controlled equipment of a surgical system;
a second connector connectable to an input/output interface of the surgical system;
a data storage device to store equipment information about the remote controlled equipment;
one or more control lines coupling the first and second connectors, the control lines configured to transmit control signals from the input/output interface to the remote controlled equipment; and
one or more data lines coupling the second connector and the data storage device, the data lines configured to transmit equipment information data from the data storage device to the input/output interface.

2. The smart cable of claim 1 , wherein on a condition of the first connector being connected to the remote controlled equipment, the control signals control activation of the remote controlled equipment to supply an operational input to a surgical instrument of the surgical system.

3. The smart cable of claim 1 , wherein the equipment information comprises an identifier of the remote controlled equipment.

4. The smart cable of claim 1 , wherein the equipment information comprises information indicating signal levels for the control signals.

5. The smart cable of claim 1 , wherein the equipment information comprises one or more of information indicating a manufacturer of the remote controlled equipment, information indicating a type of the remote controlled equipment, information indicating a manner in which the remote controlled equipment can be controlled.

6. The smart cable of claim 1 , wherein the input/output interface is part of a controller of the surgical system.

7. The smart cable of claim 1 , wherein the input/output interface is part of a surgical instrument of the surgical system.

8. The smart cable of claim 1 , wherein a surgical instrument is mountable to a manipulator arm, and the input/output interface is located at the manipulator arm.

9. A method of using the smart cable of claim 1 , comprising:
coupling the first connector to a given remote controlled equipment of the surgical system;
coupling the second connector to a given input/output interface of the surgical system;
transmitting the equipment information from the storage device to a controller of the surgical system via the data lines; and
assigning, by the controller, a user input device to control the given remote controlled equipment based on the equipment information such that a command from the user input device causes the given input/output interface to transmit the control signals to the remote controlled equipment via the control lines.

10. A method of using the smart cable of claim 1 , comprising:
coupling the first connector to a given remote controlled equipment of the surgical system;
coupling the second connector to a given input/output interface of the surgical system;
transmitting the equipment information from the storage device to the given input/output interface via the data lines;
causing the given input/output interface to adapt a signal format of the control signals based on the equipment information; and
supplying the control signals to the given remote controlled equipment via the given input/output interface, the first and second connectors, and the control lines.

11. A surgical system, comprising:
a remote controlled equipment to supply an operational input to a surgical instrument;
an input/output interface to supply control signals to the remote controlled equipment, and
a smart cable comprising:
a first connector connectable to the remote controlled equipment;
a second connector connectable to the input/output interface;
a data storage device to store equipment information about the remote controlled equipment;
control lines to communicate the control signals from the input/output interface to the remote controlled equipment on condition of first and second connectors being connected to the remote controlled equipment and the input/output interface, respectively; and
data lines to communicate the equipment information from the data storage device to the input/output interface on condition of the second connector being connected to the input/output interface.

12. The surgical system of claim 11 ,
wherein the input/output interface is an adaptable interface capable of adapting a signal format of the control signals based on the equipment information received from the data storage device.

13. The surgical system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control the remote controlled equipment via the input/output interface based on user input.

14. The surgical system of claim 13 ,
wherein the input/output interface is part of the controller.

15. The surgical system of claim 13 ,
wherein the input/output interface is separate from the controller.

16. The surgical system of claim 15 ,
wherein the input/output interface is part of the surgical instrument.

17. The surgical system of claim 15 ,
wherein the surgical instrument is mountable to a manipulator arm, and the input/output interface is located at the manipulator arm.

18. The surgical system of claim 13 ,
wherein the controller is configured to receive the equipment information via the input/output interface and assign a user input device to control the remote controlled equipment based on the equipment information such that a command from the user input device causes the input/output interface to transmit the control signals to the remote controlled equipment via the control lines.

19. The surgical system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a plurality of input/output interfaces, including the input/output interface;
a plurality of remote controlled equipment, including the remote controlled equipment; and
a plurality of smart cables, including the smart cable, each connecting one of the plurality input/output interfaces to one of the plurality of remote controlled equipment;
wherein the user interface controller is configured to assign a user input device to control a first remote controlled equipment of the plurality of remote controlled equipment based on equipment information received from a first smart cable of the plurality of smart cables connected to the first remote controlled equipment, such that a command from the user input device causes the input/output interface connected to the first remote controlled equipment to transmit the control signals to the first remote controlled equipment via the control lines.

20. The surgical system of claim 19 ,
wherein the controller is configured to reassign the user input device to control a second remote controlled equipment of the plurality of remote controlled equipment responsive to receiving a swap command.

21. The surgical system of claim 13 ,
wherein the controller is configured to receive the equipment information via the input/output interface and to receive tool information from the surgical instrument; and
wherein the controller is configured assign a user input device to control the remote controlled equipment based on the equipment information and the tool information, such that a command from the user input device causes the input/output interface to transmit the control signals to the remote controlled equipment via the control lines.

22. The surgical system of claim 21 ,
wherein the tool information includes information indicating where the surgical instrument is mounted in the surgica

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Robinson David W
• Nixon Thomas R
• Hanuschik Michael
• Goldberg Randal P
• Hemphill Jason
• Larkin David Q
• Millman Paul

Classifications

• A61B2034/301

  for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes · CPC title

• A61B2018/00988

  Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter · CPC title

• A61B2017/00477

  Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B2017/00482

  with a code · CPC title

• A61B2017/00973

  pedal-operated · CPC title