Systems and methods for selectively activating haptic guide zones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9639156-B2
Application number	US-201113340668-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2011
Priority date	Dec 29, 2011
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A method for activating a virtual haptic geometry based on a position of a portion of an instrument relative to a target feature comprises detecting a presence of a reference point of an instrument within a threshold distance of a target feature. A virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the target feature is activated in response to the detected presence of the reference point of the instrument within the threshold distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for selectively activating a virtual haptic geometry, comprising:
establishing a plurality of virtual haptic geometries, each virtual haptic geometry having a target feature and being available to be activated to guide an instrument to the target feature by restricting movement of the instrument within the confines of the virtual haptic geometry;
determining a distance between a reference point of the instrument and each of the target features of the plurality of virtual haptic geometries;
determining which of the target features is closest to and within a threshold distance of the reference point of the instrument, to select a virtual haptic geometry having the closest target feature; and
activating the virtual haptic geometry having the closest target feature;
wherein the plurality of available haptic geometries correspond to a plurality of surgical steps to be completed, wherein the sequence of the surgical steps is defined by the selective activation of the virtual haptic geometry having the closest target feature; and
wherein one or more of the plurality of available haptic geometries overlap at an overlapping region, and wherein the selective activation of the virtual haptic geometry having the closest target feature prevents haptic forces associated with a first virtual haptic geometry from interfering with haptic forces associated with a second virtual haptic geometry while the instrument is in the overlapping region.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual haptic geometry defines a surface at which a haptic force is applied to the instrument when the reference of the instrument interacts with the virtual haptic geometry.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual haptic geometry comprises a fixed geometry that is substantially funnel-shaped and provides a virtual path for guiding the reference point of the instrument to the target feature.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual haptic geometry comprises a variable geometry having a default geometry that is substantially funnel-shaped and provides a virtual path for guiding the reference point of the instrument to the target feature.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein detecting the presence of the reference point of the instrument comprises:
detecting the presence of the reference point within a volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry,
wherein upon determining that the position of the reference point of the instrument is within the volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry, decreasing the volume based on a detection of a corresponding decrease in an orientation angle of an instrument axis relative to a target axis.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
tracking the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,
wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
detecting the presence of the reference point within a threshold distance of a second target feature; and
activating a second virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the second target feature based on the detected presence of the reference point of the instrument.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
tracking the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,
wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature and that the reference point is not within a threshold distance of an engagement point, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting a presence of a reference point of an instrument within a threshold distance of a target feature comprises:
detecting the presence of the reference point within a volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry; and
determining that the reference point is within a threshold distance of one or more of a target axis and an engagement point associated with the target feature.

10. A computer-implemented method for selectively activating a virtual haptic geometry, comprising:
establishing, by a processor associated with a computer, a plurality of virtual haptic geometries, each virtual haptic geometry having a target feature and being available to be activated to guide an instrument to the target feature by restricting movement of the instrument within the confines of the virtual haptic geometry;
determining, by the processor, a position of a reference point of an instrument;
determining, by the processor, a distance between the reference point and each of the target features of the plurality of virtual haptic geometries;
identifying, by the processor, the target feature that is closest to the reference point; and
activating, by the processor, the virtual haptic geometry having the closest target feature;
wherein one or more of the plurality of available haptic geometries overlap at an overlapping region, and wherein the selective activation of the virtual haptic geometry having the closest target feature prevents haptic forces associated with a first virtual haptic geometry from interfering with haptic forces associated with a second virtual haptic geometry while the instrument is in the overlapping region.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
detecting the presence of the reference point within a volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry,
wherein upon determining that the position of the reference point of the instrument is within the volume defined by the virtual haptic geometry, decreasing the volume based on a detection of a corresponding decrease in an orientation angle of an instrument axis relative to a target axis.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
tracking the position of the reference point relative to the target feature,
wherein after determining that the reference point has reached the target feature, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
detecting the presence of the reference point within a threshold distance of a second target feature; and
activating a second virtual haptic geometry corresponding to the second target feature in response to the detected presence of the reference point of the instrument.

14. A method for selectively activating a virtual haptic geometry, comprising:
establishing a plurality of virtual haptic geometries, each virtual haptic geometry having a target feature and being available to be activated to guide an instrument to the target feature by restricting movement of the instrument within the confines of the virtual haptic geometry;
determining a position of a reference point of the surgical instrument relative to each of the target features of the plurality of virtual haptic geometries;
identifying a first target feature that is closest to the reference point;
activating a virtual haptic geometry having the first target feature that is closest to the reference point;
monitoring a position of the reference point; and
after determining that the reference point has reached the first target feature, deactivating the virtual haptic geometry;
wherein one or more of the plurality of available haptic geometries overlap at an overlapping region, and wherein the selective activation of the virtual haptic geometry having the closest target feature prevents haptic forces associated with a first virtual haptic geometry from interfering with haptic forces associated with a second virtual haptic geometry while the instrument is in the overlapping region.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein deactivating the virtua

Assignees

• Iorgulescu Radu
• Granchi Carinne Cecile
• Moses Dennis
• Wojcik Jason Robert
• Mako Surgical Corp

Inventors

• Iorgulescu Radu
• Granchi Carinne Cecile
• Moses Dennis
• Wojcik Jason Robert

Classifications

• A61B2034/2068

  using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points · CPC title

• G06F3/033

  Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user {, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks}; Accessories therefor (digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041) · CPC title

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• A61B34/76 Primary

  Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title