Techniques for controlling a moveable component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12102400-B2
Application number	US-202318450295-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2023
Priority date	Jul 14, 2016
Publication date	Oct 1, 2024
Grant date	Oct 1, 2024

Abstract

Techniques for controlling a moveable component include a moveable component and a controller. The controller is configured to control motion of the moveable component according to a state machine comprising a first and second state. In the first state, the controller holds the moveable component at a current position. The controller transitions the state machine from the first state to the second state in response to detecting a displacement of the moveable component, due to a disturbance, from the current position for longer than a first predetermined duration of time. In the second state, the controller commands the moveable component to perform a motion. The controller remains in the second state until a stop condition is detected, even if the disturbance ends before the stop condition is detected. The controller transitions the state machine from the second state to the first state in response to detecting the stop condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-assisted system comprising:
a moveable component; and
a controller coupled to the moveable component, the controller being configured to control motion of the moveable component according to a state machine;
wherein:
the state machine comprises a first state and a second state;
in the first state, the controller holds the moveable component at a current position;
the controller transitions the state machine from the first state to the second state in response to detecting a displacement of the moveable component from the current position for longer than a first predetermined duration of time, the displacement being due to a disturbance;
in the second state, the controller commands the moveable component to perform a motion;
the controller remains in the second state until a stop condition is detected, even if the disturbance ends before the stop condition is detected; and
the controller transitions the state machine from the second state to the first state in response to detecting the stop condition.

2. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein:
the computer-assisted system is a teleoperated surgical system; and
the motion moves the moveable component into a portion of a surgical drape.

3. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein the moveable component comprises a link of an instrument manipulator.

4. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein the motion is in a direction of the displacement.

5. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein to detect the displacement of the moveable component, the controller is configured to detect that the displacement is greater than a threshold displacement for at least the first predetermined duration of time.

6. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein to detect the displacement of the moveable component, the controller is configured to detect a pattern of two or more displacements of the moveable component from the current position.

7. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein to detect the displacement of the moveable component, the controller is configured to detect one or more external taps on the moveable component.

8. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein the stop condition comprises the moveable component completing the motion or the moveable component moving by a predetermined distance.

9. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein the stop condition comprises a speed of the moveable component remaining below a threshold speed for a second predetermined duration of time.

10. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein:
the motion is a motion in a sequence of motions; and
each time the state machine is in the second state, the controller commands the moveable component to perform a next motion in the sequence of motions.

11. The computer-assisted system of claim 1 , wherein:
the state machine further comprises a third state;
in response to detecting the stop condition, the controller transitions the state machine from the second state to the third state instead of the first state;
in the third state, the controller holds the moveable component at the current position; and
the controller transitions the state machine from the third state to the first state after remaining in the third state for a second predetermined period of time.

12. A method for controlling a moveable component of a computer-assisted system, the method comprising:
operating, by a controller, the computer-assisted system according to a state machine comprising a first state and a second state;
wherein operating the computer-assisted system according to the state machine comprises:
in the first state, holding the moveable component at a current position;
transitioning the state machine from the first state to the second state in response to detecting a displacement of the moveable component from the current position for longer than a first predetermined duration of time, the displacement being due to a disturbance;
in the second state, commanding the moveable component to perform a motion;
remaining in the second state until a stop condition is detected, even if the disturbance ends before the stop condition is detected; and
transitioning the state machine from the second state to the first state in response to detecting the stop condition.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the motion is in a direction of the displacement.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein detecting that the displacement comprises:
detecting that the displacement is greater than a threshold displacement for at least the first predetermined duration of time; or
detecting a pattern of two or more displacements of the moveable component from the current position; or
detecting one or more external taps on the moveable component.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the stop condition comprises:
the moveable component completing the motion; or
the moveable component moving by a predetermined distance; or
a speed of the moveable component remaining below a threshold speed for a second predetermined duration of time.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the state machine further comprises a third state; and
operating the computer-assisted system according to the state machine further comprises:
transitioning, in response to detecting the stop condition, the state machine from the second state to the third state instead of the first state;
in the third state, holding the moveable component at the current position; and
transitioning the state machine from the third state to the first state after remaining in the third state for a second predetermined period of time.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by of one or more hardware processors associated with a computer-assisted system comprising a moveable component, cause the one or more hardware processors to perform a method comprising:
operating the computer-assisted system according to a state machine comprising a first state and a second state;
wherein operating the computer-assisted system according to the state machine comprises:
in the first state, holding the moveable component at a current position;
transitioning the state machine from the first state to the second state in response to detecting a displacement of the moveable component from the current position for longer than a first predetermined duration of time, the displacement being due to a disturbance;
in the second state, commanding the moveable component to perform a motion;
remaining in the second state until a stop condition is detected, even if the disturbance ends before the stop condition is detected; and
transitioning the state machine from the second state to the first state in response to detecting the stop condition.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein detecting the displacement comprises:
detecting that the displacement is greater than a threshold displacement for at least the first predetermined duration of time; or
detecting a pattern of two or more changes in a position of the moveable component from the current position; or
detecting one or more external taps on the moveable component.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the stop condition comprises:
the moveable component completing the motion; or
the moveable component moving a predetermined distance; or
a speed of the moveable component remaining below a threshold speed for a se

Assignees

• Intuitive Surgical Operations

Inventors

• Diolaiti Nicola
• Brown Jeffrey D
• Gomez Daniel H
• Holop Robert E
• Mcgrogan Anthony K
• Mitra Probal
• Ramstad Craig R

Classifications

• B25J9/0009

  Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases · CPC title

• A61B46/10 Primary

  specially adapted for instruments{, e.g. microscopes} · CPC title

• A61B34/74

  Manipulators with manual electric input means · CPC title

• A61B34/37

  Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B34/35

  for telesurgery · CPC title