Adaptable integrated energy control system for electrosurgical tools in robotic surgical systems

• US 9,375,288 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Robinson, David W., Nixon, Thomas R., Hanuschik, Michael, Goldberg, Randal P., Hemphill, Jason, Larkin, David Q., Millman, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US14/642,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20150173849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00973 pedal-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00988 Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback

Abstract

A method for a minimally invasive surgical system is disclosed including reading first tool information from a storage device in a first robotic surgical tool mounted to a first robotic arm to at least determine a first tool type; reading equipment information about one or more remote controlled equipment for control thereof; comparing the first tool information with the equipment information to appropriately match a first remote controlled equipment of the one or more remote controlled equipment to the first robotic surgical tool; and mapping one or more user interface input devices of a first control console to control the first remote controlled equipment to support a function of the first robotic surgical tool.

Claims

1. A teleoperated surgical system, comprising:

a teleoperated surgical instrument;

a user input device configured to transmit an activation command to cause a surgical activation process loop of the surgical system, the surgical activation process loop causing a surgical activation of the teleoperated surgical instrument; and

a controller operably coupled to the user input device and to the teleoperated surgical instrument, the controller being configured to delay initiation of the surgical activation process loop of the surgical system for at least a predetermined duration after receiving the activation command from the user input device.

2. The surgical system of claim 1, the controller being further configured to:

cause feedback to a user in response to receiving the activation command, the feedback indicating the surgical instrument is in a state for activation.

3. The surgical system of claim 1, the controller being further configured to:

in response to continuing to receive the activation command from the user input device after expiration of the predetermined duration, initiate the surgical activation process loop;

or

in response to not continuing to receive the activation command from the user input device after expiration of the predetermined duration, prevent initiation of the surgical activation process loop.

5. The surgical system of claim 3, the controller being further configured to:

in response to not continuing to receive the activation command from the user input device after expiration of the predetermined duration, delay initiation of the surgical activation process loop for a second predetermined duration after receiving a second activation command from the user input device.

6. The surgical system of claim 5, the controller being further configured to:

cause a second feedback after receiving the second activation command from the user input device, the second feedback indicating the surgical instrument is in a state for activation.

7. The surgical system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to:

in response to continuing to receive the second activation command after expiration of the second predetermined duration, initiate the surgical activation process loop.

8. The surgical system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional surgical instrument, the controller being operably coupled to activate the or each additional surgical instrument using the surgical activation process loop.

9. The surgical system of claim 2, the feedback comprising visual feedback, haptic feedback, audio feedback, or combinations thereof.

10. The surgical system of claim 1, the user input device comprising a foot pedal.

11. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the surgical activation process loop causes the surgical instrument to deliver a surgical flux.

12. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument is an electrosurgical instrument, and wherein the surgical activation process loop causes the electrosurgical instrument to deliver electrosurgical energy.

13. The surgical system of claim 1, further comprising:

a cable configured to connect the surgical instrument to remote-controlled equipment, the remote-controlled equipment being configured to control a supply of vacuum, gasses, liquids, energy, mechanical torques, mechanical push/pull forces, or data signals to support a function of the surgical instrument;

wherein the cable comprises;

at least one data transmission line configured to transmit data, and

at least one control line configured to transmit control commands between the remote-controlled equipment and the surgical instrument.

14. The surgical system of claim 13, wherein the cable further comprises:

a first connector at a first end of the cable,

a second connector at a second end of the cable, and

a data storage device including information about the remote-controlled equipment,

wherein the data storage device is operably coupled to the at least one data transmission line.

4. A teleoperated surgical system, comprising:

a teleoperated surgical instrument;

a user input device configured to transmit an activation command to cause activation of the surgical instrument; and

a controller operably coupled to the user input device and to the teleoperated surgical instrument, the controller being configured to;

delay activation of the surgical instrument for at least a predetermined duration after receiving the activation command from the user input device, and

in response to continuing to receive the activation command from the user input device after expiration of the predetermined duration, activate the surgical instrument until the activation command is no longer received.

15. A method of controlling a teleoperated surgical system, the method comprising:

delaying initiation of a surgical activation process loop of the surgical system for at least a predetermined duration after receiving an activation command from a user input device, the activation command being a command to initiate the surgical activation process loop to activate a surgical instrument; and

during the predetermined duration, monitoring whether or not the activation command continues to be received.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

after receiving the activation command from the user input device, outputting feedback to a user to indicate that the surgical instrument is in a state for activation.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising, upon expiration of the predetermined duration:

initiating the surgical activation process loop in response to continuing to receive the activation command;

or

preventing initiation of the surgical activation process loop in response to not continuing to receive the activation command.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining from the monitoring that the activation command is no longer being received; and

after the determining and after a second activation command being received from the user input device, delaying initiation of the surgical activation process loop for a second predetermined duration.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

after receiving the second activation command, outputting second feedback to a user to indicate that the surgical instrument is in a state of activation.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the delaying initiation of the surgical activation process loop of the surgical system for the second predetermined duration comprises delaying the initiation for a predetermined duration beginning with outputting the second feedback.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

initiating the surgical activation process loop upon expiration of the second predetermined duration in response to the second activation command continuing to be received.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein outputting the feedback comprises outputting visual feedback, haptic feedback, audio feedback, or combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the surgical activation process loop causes the surgical instrument to deliver a surgical flux.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the surgical instrument is an electrosurgical instrument, and wherein the surgical activation process loop causes the electrosurgical instrument to deliver electrosurgical energy.