Tool having multiple feedback devices

• US 8,888,763 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Ullrich, Christopher J., Grant, Danny A., Ramstein, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Downey, John R
• Application Number:
  US13/900,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20130253483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• 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 2090/372 Details of monitor hardware
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for managing how signals, which are sensed on a tool, are presented to an operator of the tool. According to one example of a method for managing signals, the method comprises allowing an operator to manipulate a tool having a plurality of output mechanisms mounted thereon. The method also includes sensing a property of an object located near or adjacent to a distal portion of the tool and processing the sensed property to obtain one or more output signals. Furthermore, the method includes applying the one or more output signals to one or more of the output mechanisms.

Claims

1. A surgical tool for performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure comprising:

a handle portion and a distal portion;

a sensor mounted on the distal portion, the sensor configured to generate sensor signals representing one or more characteristics of an object located near or adjacent to the distal portion of the surgical tool;

a processing device configured to process the sensor signals to generate one or more output signals; and

an output system for providing multiple outputs from the one or more output signals, the output system including a display device mounted on the handle portion, wherein the processing device is further configured to provide the one or more output signals to the display device and wherein the display device includes bar indicators that provide a visual output and a haptic output based on the output signals to provide feedback relating to the one or more characteristics of the object, wherein to provide the haptic output the bar indictors have surfaces that raise to correspond to a shape of the visual output.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the haptic output includes changes in a length of one or more of the bar indicators that can be felt by a user.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the bar indicators provide information about a pulse of a blood vessel, presence or absence of a lumen and stiffness of the object.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the surgical tool is a laparoscopic tool.

4. A surgical tool for performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure comprising:

a handle portion and a distal portion;

a sensor mounted on the distal portion, the sensor configured to generate sensor signals representing one or more characteristics of an object located near or adjacent to the distal portion of the surgical tool;

a processing device configured to process the sensor signals to generate one or more output signals; and

an output system for providing multiple outputs from the one or more output signals, the output system including a display device mounted on the handle portion, wherein the processing device is further configured to provide the one or more output signals to the display device, wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display screen that is configured to provide a haptic output and a visual output based on the output signals to provide feedback relating to the one or more characteristics of the object, wherein the liquid crystal display screen has a surface that changes shape or size based on the output signals such that the surface raises so that it takes a shape or size to correspond to a shape or size of the visual output.

5. The tool of claim 4, wherein a topography of the surface of the liquid crystal display screen adjusts to provide an indication of the topography of the object being sensed.

7. The tool of claim 4, wherein the surgical tool is a laparoscopic tool.