Robotic control of surgical instrument visibility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016354166-A1
Application number	US-201515117001-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 29, 2015
Priority date	Feb 12, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A robot guiding system employing a robot unit ( 10 ) including an endoscope ( 12 ) and a robot ( 11 ), and a control unit ( 20 ) including an endoscopic image controller ( 22 ) and a robot controller ( 21 ). In operation, the endoscope ( 12 ) generate an endoscopic image of an anatomical region as the robot ( 11 ) move the endoscope ( 12 ) within the anatomical region in response to robot actuator commands. The endoscopic image controller ( 22 ) controls a display of the endoscopic image ( 14 ) of the anatomical region and generates endoscope pose commands to maintain a visibility of two or more interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image ( 14 ) relative to a center of the endoscopic image ( 14 ). The robot controller ( 21 ) generates the robotic actuator commands responsive to the endoscope pose commands.

First claim

1 . A robot guiding system, comprising:
a robot unit including
an endoscope operable to generate an endoscopic image of an anatomical region, and
a robot operably connected to the endoscope a to move the endoscope within the anatomical region responsive to robotic actuator commands; and
a control unit including
an endoscopic image controller operably connected to the endoscope to control a display of the endoscopic images of the anatomical region,
wherein the endoscopic image controller is operable to generate endoscope pose commands to maintain a visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image based on a selected spatial point positioned between the at least two interventional instruments,

a robot controller operably connected to the robot and the endoscopic image controller to generate the robotic actuator commands responsive to the endoscope pose commands.

2 . The robot guiding system of claim 1 , wherein the endoscopic image controller aligns the spatial point between the at least two interventional instruments to the center of the endoscopic image.

3 . The robot guiding system of claim 2 , wherein the spatial point is along at least one virtual line connecting the at least two interventional instruments.

4 . The robot guiding system of claim 3 , wherein the spatial point is along a midpoint of the at least one virtual line.

5 . The robot guiding system of claim 3 , wherein the spatial point is offset from a midpoint of the at least one virtual line.

6 . The robot guiding system of claim 2 , wherein the endoscopic image controller generates the endoscope pose commands to pivot the endoscope as required to maintain an alignment of the spatial point between the at least two interventional instruments to the center of the endoscopic image.

7 . The robot guiding system of claim 2 , wherein the endoscopic image controller generates the endoscope pose commands to longitudinally move the endoscope as required to maintain visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image responsive to the at least two interventional instruments being moved toward each other within the anatomical region.

8 . The robot guiding system of claim 2 , wherein the endoscopic image controller generates the endoscope pose commands to longitudinally move the endoscope as required to maintain the visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image responsive to the at least two interventional instruments being moved away from other within the anatomical region.

9 . The robot guiding system of claim 2 , wherein the endoscopic image controller generates the endoscope pose commands to rotate the endoscope as required to maintain the visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image responsive to the at least two interventional instruments being rotated relative to each other within the anatomical region.

10 . The robot guiding system of claim 1 , wherein the endoscope is uncalibrated.

11 . A control unit for a robot connected to an endoscope generating an endoscopic image of an anatomical region, the control unit comprising:
an endoscopic image controller operable to control a display of the endoscopic images of the anatomical region, wherein the endoscopic image controller is operable to generate endoscope pose commands to maintain a visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image based on a selected spatial point positioned between the at least two interventional instruments; and
a robot controller operably connected to the endoscopic image controller to generate robotic actuator commands responsive to the endoscope pose commands.

12 . The control unit of claim 11 , wherein the endoscopic image controller aligns the spatial point between the at least two interventional instruments to the center of the endoscopic image.

13 . The control unit of claim 12 , wherein the endoscopic image controller generates the endoscope pose commands to pivot the endoscope as required to maintain an alignment of the spatial point between the at least two interventional instruments to the center of the endoscopic image.

14 . The control unit of claim 12 ,
wherein the endoscopic image controller generates the endoscope pose commands to longitudinally move the endoscope as required to maintain visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image responsive to the at least two interventional instruments being moved toward each other within the anatomical region; and wherein the endoscopic image controller generates the endoscope pose commands to longitudinally move the endoscope as required to maintain visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image responsive to the at least two interventional instruments being moved away from each other within the anatomical region.

15 . The control unit of claim 12 , wherein the endoscopic image controller generates the endoscope pose commands to rotate the endoscope as required to maintain the visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image responsive to the at least two interventional instruments being rotated relative to each other within the anatomical region.

16 . A robot guiding method, comprising:
operating an endoscope to generate and display an endoscopic image of an anatomical region; and commanding a robot to move the endoscope within the anatomical region as the endoscope is generating the endoscopic image of the anatomical region,
wherein the commanding of the robot maintains a visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image based on a selected spatial point positioned between the at least two interventional instruments.

17 . The robot guiding method of claim 16 , wherein the spatial point between the at least two interventional instruments is aligned to the center of the endoscopic image.

18 . The robot guiding method of claim 17 , wherein the robot is commanded to pivot the endoscope as required to maintain an alignment of the spatial point between the at least two interventional instruments to the center of the endoscopic image.

19 . The robot guiding method of claim 17 ,
wherein the robot is commanded to longitudinally move the endoscope as required to maintain visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image responsive to the at least two interventional instruments being moved toward each other within the anatomical region; and wherein the robot is commanded to longitudinally move the endoscope as required to maintain visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image responsive to the at least two interventional instruments being moved away from other within the anatomical region.

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Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Popovic Aleksandra
• Noonan David Paul

Classifications

• A61B1/00006

  of control signals · CPC title

• A61B2034/2057

  Details of tracking cameras · CPC title

• A61B2576/00

  Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis (A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B1/045

  Control thereof · CPC title

• A61B1/00133

  Drive units for endoscopic tools inserted through or with the endoscope · CPC title