Methods and apparatuses for positioning a camera of a surgical robotic system to capture images inside a body cavity of a patient during a medical procedure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11998402-B2
Application number	US-202017018162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2020
Priority date	Aug 25, 2017
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for positioning a camera of a surgical robotic system to capture images inside a body cavity of a patient during a medical procedure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method involves receiving location information at a controller of a surgical robotic system performing the medical procedure, the location information defining a location of at least one tool with respect to a body cavity frame of reference, and in response to receiving an align command signal at the controller, causing the controller to produce positioning signals operable to cause the camera to be positioned within the body cavity frame of reference to capture images of the at least one tool for display to an operator of the surgical robotic system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a surgical robotic system, cause the processor to:
receive operator input of a desired offset between a center of a field of view of a camera and a reference point of at least one tool of the surgical robotic system being configured to perform a medical procedure;
receive an alignment signal being configured to cause movement of the camera of the surgical robotic system based on a location information of the at least one tool of the surgical robotic system being configured to perform a medical procedure; and
in response to receiving the alignment signal:
receive the location information of the at least one tool, the location information defining a location of the at least one tool with respect to a body cavity frame of reference; and
cause movement of the camera within the body cavity frame of reference to position the center of the field of view of the camera to be offset from the reference point of the at least one tool by the desired offset within captured images such that the camera captures images of the at least one tool to be displayed to an operator of the surgical robotic system during the medical procedure.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to cause movement of the at least one tool within a body cavity, wherein movement of the at least one tool is caused by movement signals produced based on kinematic calculations, and wherein receiving location information comprises using results of the kinematic calculations to determine the location of the at least one tool.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the location information is indicative of an actual location of the at least one tool within the body cavity frame of reference.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the reference point comprises a point on the at least one tool proximate a distal end of the at least one tool.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the location information defines locations of a plurality of tools with respect to a body cavity frame of reference, and wherein the reference point comprises a point disposed in-between respective distal ends of the plurality of tools.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to, while the alignment signal is being received and in response to receiving operator input from an input device configured to generate input signals for controlling movement of the at least one tool, cause movement of the at least one tool while simultaneously causing the camera to follow the at least one tool within the body cavity frame of reference.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine that the alignment signal has been received in response to determining that a camera align control has been activated by the operator.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the camera align control comprises one or more of a finger actuated switch or a foot actuated switch.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine that the alignment signal has been received in response to determining at least one of:
a pattern of movement of the at least one tool has been received at an input device configured to generate input signals for controlling movement of the at least one tool; or
a pattern of movement of an end effector disposed at a distal tip of the at least one tool has been received from an input device configured to generate input signals for controlling movement of the end effector.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine that the alignment signal has been received in response to determining at least one of:
a reference point associated with the at least one tool is disposed outside of a defined central region within a captured image; or
a reference point associated with a currently active one of a plurality of tools is disposed outside of a defined central region within the captured image.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
cause movement of the camera within the body cavity frame of reference by causing movement of a plurality of joints of the camera to move a plurality of linkages of the camera.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of linkages of the camera comprises a first linkage that controls tilt of the camera, and wherein instructions cause the processor to cause movement of the camera within the body cavity frame of reference by causing movement of the first linkage.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of linkages of the camera comprises a second linkage that controls a pan of the camera and a third linkage that controls an elevation of the camera, and wherein instructions cause the processor to cause movement of the camera within the body cavity frame of reference by causing movement of the second and third linkages.

Assignees

• Titan Med Inc

Inventors

• Kralicky Joseph

Classifications

• A61B90/50 Primary

  Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms · CPC title

• A61B34/30 Primary

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B90/361

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

• B25J9/1605

  Simulation of manipulator lay-out, design, modelling of manipulator · CPC title

• B25J9/1612

  characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control · CPC title