Method for graphically providing continuous change of state directions to a user of medical robotic system

• US 8,583,274 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Mohr, Paul W., Robinson, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewandroski, Sara
• Application Number:
  US13/654,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20130103197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 700/3, 700/83, 700/180, 700/184, 700/179, 700245-264, 715/705, 715/700, 901/2, 901/6, 901/9, 901/50
• US Class Current: 700/179
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39024 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45123 Electrogoniometer, neuronavigator, medical robot used by surgeon to operate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/06 Communication with another machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

Abstract

Continuous change of state directions are graphically provided on a display screen to assist a user in performing necessary action(s) for transitioning between operating modes in a medical robotic system or performing corrective action. A graphical representation of a target state of an element of the medical robotic system is displayed on a display screen viewable by the user. Current states of the element and indications directing the user to manipulate the element towards the target state are continuously determined and graphical representations of the continuously determined current states and indications are displayed on the display screen along with that of the target state.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a processor for graphically providing continuous change of state directions to a user of a medical robotic system during a tool exchange procedure in which an old tool is exchanged with a replacement tool, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical representation of at least one target state for the replacement tool on a display screen viewable by the user, wherein the at least one target state comprises one or both of a stop gap indicating a position at which an end effector of the replacement tool exits a distal end of a guide tube as part of the tool exchange procedure and an operational position and orientation of an end effector of the old tool prior to retraction of the old tool into the guide tube as part of the tool exchange procedure;

continuously determining current states of the end effector of the replacement tool and indications directing the user to manipulate the end effector of the replacement tool towards the at least one target state starting from an initial position of the end effector of the replacement tool within the guide tube; and

continuously displaying graphical representations of the current states of the end effector of the replacement tool and graphical representations of the indications on the display screen along with the graphical representation of the at least one target state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the at least one target state comprises a line which is indicative of the stop gap and is orthogonal to an insertion direction indicated by a path of the determined current states of the end effector of the replacement tool as the replacement tool moves from the initial position towards the target state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the at least one target state comprises a ghost image of the end effector of the replacement tool, wherein the ghost image is disposed at the operational position and orientation of the end effector of the old tool prior to retraction of the old tool into the guide tube as part of the tool exchange procedure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the current state of the end effector of the replacement tool comprises a graphical representation of the end effector of the replacement tool that is disposed on the display screen so as to indicate a current position and orientation of the end effector of the replacement tool relative to the target state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the indication comprises at least one arrow directing the user to manipulate the end effector of the replacement tool towards the at least one target.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one arrow comprises an arrow pointing from the graphical representation of the current state of the end effector of the replacement tool towards the line which is indicative of the stop gap.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one arrow comprises an arrow pointing from the graphical representation of the current state of the end effector of the replacement tool towards the ghost image of the end effector of the replacement tool.

8. A medical robotic system comprising:

an old tool having an end effector;

a replacement tool having an end effector;

a guide tube;

a slave manipulator adapted to removably hold and manipulate the old tool and the replacement tool;

a display screen viewable by a user; and

a processor programmed to;

cause displaying of a graphical representation of at least one target state for the replacement tool on the display screen, wherein the at least one target state comprises one or both of a stop gap indicating a position at which the end effector of the replacement tool exits a distal end of the guide tube when the replacement tool is being held and manipulated by the slave manipulator as part of a tool exchange procedure and an operational position and orientation of the end effector of the old tool prior to retraction of the old tool into the guide tube when the old tool is being held and manipulated by the slave manipulator as part of the tool exchange procedure;

continuously determine current states of the end effector of the replacement tool and indications directing the user to manipulate the end effector of the replacement tool towards the at least one target state starting from an initial position of the end effector of the replacement tool within the guide tube when the replacement tool is being held and manipulated by the slave manipulator as part of the tool exchange procedure; and

cause continuous displaying of graphical representations of the current states of the end effector of the replacement tool and graphical representations of the indications on the display screen along with the graphical representation of the at least one target state when the replacement tool is being held and manipulated by the slave manipulator as part of the tool exchange procedure.

9. The medical robotic system of claim 8, wherein the graphical representation of the at least one target state comprises a line which is indicative of the stop gap and is orthogonal to an insertion direction indicated by a path of the determined current states of the end effector of the replacement tool as the replacement tool moves from the initial position towards the target state.

10. The medical robotic system of claim 8, wherein the graphical representation of the at least one target state comprises a ghost image of the end effector of the replacement tool, wherein the ghost image is disposed at the operational position and orientation of the end effector of the old tool prior to retraction of the old tool into the guide tube as part of the tool exchange procedure.

11. The medical robotic system of claim 8, wherein the graphical representation of the current state of the end effector of the replacement tool comprises a graphical representation of the end effector of the replacement tool that is disposed on the display screen so as to indicate a current position and orientation of the end effector of the replacement tool relative to the target state.

12. The medical robotic system of claim 8, wherein the graphical representation of the indication comprises at least one arrow directing the user to manipulate the end effector of the replacement tool towards the at least one target.

13. The medical robotic system of claim 12, wherein the at least one arrow comprises an arrow pointing from the graphical representation of the current state of the end effector of the replacement tool towards the line which is indicative of the stop gap.

14. The medical robotic system of claim 12, wherein the at least one arrow comprises an arrow pointing from the graphical representation of the current state of the end effector of the replacement tool towards the ghost image of the end effector of the replacement tool.