User interface with state machine for alternate tool mode for robotic surgical tools

• US 9,649,174 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Manzo, Scott, Swarup, Nitish
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Rodney P
• Application Number:
  US13/429,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 606 1, 606130, 700245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/715 Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack
• 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 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/74 Manipulators with manual electric input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

In one implementation, a method is disclosed in which a lock sensing mode is entered for a robotic surgical instrument. In the lock sensing mode, the degrees of freedom of movement in the robotic surgical instrument are switchably reduced. Further in the lock sensing mode, one or more end effectors of the robotic surgical instrument are switchably clamped together in the robotic surgical instrument. An increased level of torque may also be applied to the end effectors to increase a gripping force applied by the one or more end effectors in response to the reduced degrees of freedom of movement in the robotic surgical instrument.

Claims

1. A user interface system for a robotic surgical system, the user interface system comprising:

a first alternate sensing mechanism to detect a first alternate user input of a control input mechanism to enter an alternate sensing mode for the robotic surgical system;

a second alternate sensing mechanism to detect a second alternate user input of the control input mechanism while in the alternate sensing mode to enter an alternate tool mode, and

a state machine operationally in communication with the first alternate sensing mechanism and the second alternate sensing mechanism, the state machine having a plurality of predefined states to control a robotic surgical tool in an alternate manner in response to the alternate tool mode, wherein the alternate manner includes locking a wrist of the robotic surgical tool without applying additional force on end effectors.

2. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein

the alternate manner in which the state machine is to control the robotic surgical tool further includes one or more of

decreasing a gripping force applied by end effectors of the robotic surgical tool to manipulate delicate tissue;

decreasing a wrist torque applied at a wrist of the robotic surgical tool to provide a softer wrist to manipulate delicate tissue;

selecting video from an alternate camera in the robotic surgical system to view on a monitor;

selecting a different view angle from a camera in the robotic surgical system to view a different field of view; and

overlaying information onto a monitor of the robotic surgical system to provide additional on-screen information.

3. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein

the control input mechanism is a master grip of a touch sensitive handle in a master control console.

4. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein

the control input mechanism is a mode selection switch.

5. The user interface system of claim 4, wherein:

the mode selection switch signals the state machine to reduce the number of degrees of freedom of the robotic surgical instrument.

6. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein

the elements of the system are controlled by instructions stored on a computer readable medium and performed by a processor.

7. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein

the alternate sensing mode opens a down drop menu that is selectable by the control input mechanism to generate the second alternate user input and enter the alternate tool mode.

8. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the first alternate sensing mechanism comprises

a processor executing instructions of a first alternate sensing process to detect the first alternate user input of the control input mechanism to enter the alternate sensing mode for the robotic surgical system.

9. The user interface system of claim 8, wherein the second alternate sensing mechanism comprises

the processor executing instructions of a second alternate sensing process to detect the second alternate user input of the control input mechanism to enter the alternate tool mode.

10. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein the state machine comprises

the processor executing instructions to control the robotic surgical tool in the alternate manner in response to the alternate tool mode.

11. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein

the first alternate user input is two closure cycles of the control input mechanism.

12. A user interface system for a robotic surgical system, the user interface system comprising:

a first alternate sensing mechanism to detect a first alternate user input of a control input mechanism to enter an alternate sensing mode for the robotic surgical system;

a second alternate sensing mechanism to detect a second alternate user input of the control input mechanism while in the alternate sensing mode to enter an alternate tool mode, and

a state machine operationally in communication with the first alternate sensing mechanism and the second alternate sensing mechanism, the state machine having a plurality of predefined states to control a robotic surgical tool in an alternate manner in response to the alternate tool mode, wherein the alternate manner includes locking end effectors together without locking a wrist of the robotic surgical tool.

13. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein

the alternate manner in which the state machine is to control the robotic surgical tool further includes one or more of decreasing a gripping force applied by end effectors of the robotic surgical tool to manipulate delicate tissue;

decreasing a wrist torque applied at a wrist of the robotic surgical tool to provide a softer wrist to manipulate delicate tissue;

selecting video from an alternate camera in the robotic surgical system to view on a monitor;

selecting a different view angle from a camera in the robotic surgical system to view a different field of view; and

overlaying information onto a monitor of the robotic surgical system to provide additional on-screen information.

14. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein the first alternate sensing mechanism comprises a processor executing instructions of a first alternate sensing process to detect the first alternate user input of the control input mechanism to enter the alternate sensing mode for the robotic surgical system.

15. The user interface system of claim 14, wherein the second alternate sensing mechanism comprises the processor executing instructions of a second alternate sensing process to detect the second alternate user input of the control input mechanism to enter the alternate tool mode.

16. The user interface system of claim 15, wherein the state machine comprises the processor executing instructions to control the robotic surgical tool in the alternate manner in response to the alternate tool mode.

17. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein the first alternate user input is two closure cycles of the control input mechanism.

18. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein the control input mechanism is a master grip of a touch sensitive handle in a master control console.

19. The user interface system of claim 12, wherein the control input mechanism is a mode selection switch.

20. The user interface system of claim 19, wherein:

the mode selection switch signals the state machine to reduce the number of degrees of freedom of the robotic surgical instrument.

21. A user interface system for a robotic surgical system, the user interface system comprising:

a first alternate sensing mechanism to detect a first alternate user input of a control input mechanism to enter an alternate sensing mode for the robotic surgical system;

a second alternate sensing mechanism to detect a second alternate user input of the control input mechanism while in the alternate sensing mode to enter an alternate tool mode, and

a state machine operationally in communication with the first alternate sensing mechanism and the second alternate sensing mechanism, the state machine having a plurality of predefined states to control a robotic surgical tool in an alternate manner in response to the alternate tool mode, wherein the alternate manner includes locking a wrist of the robotic surgical tool and locking end effectors of the robotic surgical tool.

22. The user interface system of claim 21, wherein the first alternate sensing mechanism comprises a processor executing instructions of a first alternate sensing process to detect the first alternate user input of the control input mechanism to enter the alternate sensing mode for the robotic surgical system.

23. The user interface system of claim 22, wherein the second alternate sensing mechanism comprises the processor executing instructions of a second alternate sensing process to detect the second alternate user input of the control input mechanism to enter the alternate tool mode.

24. The user interface system of claim 23, wherein the state machine comprises the processor executing instructions to control the robotic surgical tool in the alternate manner in response to the alternate tool mode.

25. The user interface system of claim 21, wherein the first alternate user input is two closure cycles of the control input mechanism.

26. The user interface system of claim 21, wherein the control input mechanism is a master grip of a touch sensitive handle in a master control console.

27. The user interface system of claim 21, wherein the control input mechanism is a mode selection switch.

28. The user interface system of claim 27, wherein:

the mode selection switch signals the state machine to reduce the number of degrees of freedom of the robotic surgical instrument.