System and method of automatic detection and prevention of motor runaway

• US 9,825,455 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sandhu, Kulbir S., Amiri, Atila, Chiu, Otto, Gee, Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGARED, GABRIEL T
• Application Number:
  US14/283,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 318434, 318565, 3185684, 31856824
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00123 and automatic shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0833 for electric motors with control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/097 against wrong direction of rotation

Abstract

A robotic catheter control system includes a plurality of electric motors. Diagnostic logic automatically detects motor runaway fault conditions based on the current motor position, the target motor position and a predetermined tolerance parameter. Fault conditions include overshoot, movement in the a non-prescribed direction, exceeding a prescribed maximum motor speed and exceeding a prescribed maximum motor acceleration. The diagnostic logic terminates operating power to the electric motor when a fault condition is detected for any one of the motor. An error message is generated to notify the operator of the fault.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a robotic control system configured to manipulate a medical device, comprising:

an electronic control unit (ECU) and a memory coupled to said ECU; and

logic stored in said memory configured to be executed by said ECU, said logic including a diagnostic module;

said diagnostic module being configured to monitor operation of a plurality of electrically-operated actuation units of the robotic control system during the time that at least one of said actuation units is moving according to actuation control signals so as to manipulate the medical device in accord with a user input indicative of a desired movement of the medical device, said diagnostic module being configured to detect when a predetermined fault condition associated with at least one of said actuation units occurs, said diagnostic module being further configured to output a fault notification associated with said fault condition, wherein said diagnostic module is configured to generate a user-perceptible mechanism through which an input from the user is solicited after said predetermined fault condition has been detected, wherein said user-perceptible mechanism is configured to obtain said input from the user and wherein said input is indicative of user-recognition of the occurrence of said predetermined fault condition, and wherein said logic is further configured to inhibit operation or at least predetermined functionality of said robotic control system until said input indicative of said user recognition has been obtained.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said diagnostic module is further configured to cause operating power provided to said actuation units to be terminated when said predetermined fault condition is detected to thereby abate said fault condition.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a watchdog timer having a countdown time interval, said timer being configured to terminate operating power to said actuation units when said countdown time interval expires, said logic being further configured to reset said watchdog timer at time periods less than said countdown time interval, said diagnostic module being configured to inhibit said logic from resetting said timer when said predetermined fault condition has been detected.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said actuation units comprise electric motors, and wherein said predetermined fault condition is selected from the group comprising (i) a first condition when at least one of said motors rotate in a direction opposite that of a commanded direction;

(ii) a second condition when at least one of said motors has rotated to an actual position short of or beyond a commanded position by at least a predetermined amount;

(iii) a third condition when a rotational speed of at least one motor exceeds a respective maximum speed threshold; and

(iv) a fourth condition when a rate of change of said rotational speed of at least one motor exceeds a respective maximum acceleration threshold.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said diagnostic module is configured to detect said first and said second conditions based on at least a motor position.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said medical device is one of a catheter and a sheath.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fault notification is a user-perceivable fault notification.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said logic is further configured to produce a user interface to facilitate interaction between said apparatus and a user.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said input further indicates that the user has taken appropriate action in response to said predetermined fault condition.

10. A robotic control and guidance system for manipulating a medical device, comprising:

an electronic control unit (ECU), a memory coupled to said ECU, and logic stored in said memory configured to be executed by said ECU, said logic including an operating module and a diagnostic module;

a manipulator assembly including a plurality of electrically-operated actuation units configured to actuate one or more control members of the medical device in response to a plurality of actuation control signals;

said operating module being configured to produce said actuation control signals so as to manipulate the medical device in accordance with a predetermined operating strategy and in accord with a user input indicative of a desired movement of the medical device;

said diagnostic module being configured to monitor operation of said actuation units during the time that at least one of said actuation units is moving according to said actuation control signal, said diagnostic module being configured to detect when a predetermined fault condition occurs, said diagnostic module being further configured to output a fault notification associated with said predetermined fault condition, wherein said diagnostic module is configured to generate a user-perceptible mechanism through which an input from the user is solicited after said predetermined fault condition has been detected, wherein said user-perceptible mechanism is configured to obtain said input from the user and wherein said input is indicative of user-recognition of the occurrence of said predetermined fault condition, wherein said logic is further configured to inhibit operation or at least predetermined functionality of said robotic control system until said input indicative of said user recognition has been obtained.

11. The system claim 10 wherein said diagnostic module is further configured to cause operating power provided to said actuation units to be terminated when said predetermined fault condition is detected to thereby abate said fault condition.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a watchdog timer having a countdown time interval, said timer being configured to terminate operating power to said actuation units when said countdown time interval expires, said logic being further configured to reset said watchdog timer at time periods less than said countdown time interval, said diagnostic module being configured to inhibit said logic from resetting said watchdog timer when said predetermined fault condition has been detected.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said actuation units comprise electric motors, and wherein said predetermined fault condition is selected from the group comprising (i) a first condition when at least one of said motors rotate in a direction opposite that of a commanded direction;

(ii) a second condition when at least one of said motors has rotated to an actual position short of or beyond a commanded position by at least a predetermined amount;

(iii) a third condition when a rotational speed of at least one motor exceeds a respective maximum speed threshold; and

(iv) a fourth condition when a rate of change of said rotational speed of at least one motor exceeds a respective maximum acceleration threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said input further indicates that the user has taken appropriate action in response to said predetermined fault condition.

15. A method of operating a robotic control and guidance system configured to manipulate a medical device, comprising:

(A) determining, using an electronic control unit (ECU), actuation control signals in accordance with a predetermined operating strategy;

(B) operating a plurality of electrically-operated actuation units based on the actuation control signals so as to actuate one or more control members of the medical device, thereby manipulating the medical device in accord with a user input indicative of a desired movement of the medical device;

(C) monitoring the operation of the actuation units during the time that at least one of the actuation units is moving in response to the actuation control signals to detect a predetermined fault condition;

(D) outputting, when a predetermined fault condition associated with the actuation control units is detected, a fault notification associated with the detected predetermined fault condition,

(E) soliciting and obtaining an input from a user after the predetermined fault condition has been detected wherein said input is indicative of user-recognition of the fault condition; and

(F) inhibiting operation of the robotic system until the solicited user input has been obtained.