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

• US 9,827,059 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• 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:
  US15/161,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20160338786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• 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 teleoperated surgical system may comprise a plurality of teleoperated surgical instruments; a user input device; and a controller operably coupled to the user input device and to the plurality of surgical instruments. The user input device may be configured to transmit an activation command to cause activation of a function of a first one of the plurality of surgical instruments in response to input at the user input device, the function being supported by remote-control supply equipment. The controller may be configured to output a feedback command to cause feedback to a user, the feedback indicating the first one of the plurality of surgical instruments is configured for activation in response to the activation command.

Claims

1. A teleoperated surgical system, comprising:

a surgical instrument;

a user input device configured to output an activation request for activating a function of the surgical instrument in response to input at the user input device;

a display configured to output video images of a surgical site at which the surgical instrument is deployed; and

a user interface controller operably coupled to the user input device and to the surgical instrument, the user interface controller being configured to output a feedback signal to cause feedback at the display, the feedback comprising a visual indicator of a state of readiness of the surgical instrument for activation in response to the activation request.

2. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the user interface controller is further configured to activate the surgical instrument in response to the controller receiving the activation request from the user input device.

3. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the user interface controller is further configured to delay activation of the surgical instrument for at least a predetermined duration after output of the feedback signal.

4. The surgical system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to:

in response to continuing to receive the activation request from the user input device after expiration of the predetermined duration, activate the surgical instrument;

or

in response to not continuing to receive the activation request from the user input device after expiration of the predetermined duration, refrain from activating the surgical instrument.

5. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the feedback further indicates which of a left-handed or right-handed master input mechanism is controlling movement of the surgical instrument.

6. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the feedback further comprises additional visual feedback, haptic feedback, audio feedback, or combinations thereof.

7. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein:

the surgical instrument is an electrosurgical instrument; and

the visual indicator is a visual indication of a state of readiness of the surgical instrument to deliver energy.

8. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator is located at a portion of the display in proximity to where the surgical instrument appears in the display.

9. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator is positioned at a periphery of the display.

10. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a change in appearance of the display.

11. The surgical system of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator comprises a change in appearance of the display located at a portion of the display in proximity to a location of the display at which the surgical instrument appears.

12. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a change in appearance of the display located at a relative right portion or relative left portion of the display.

13. The surgical system of claim 11, wherein the visual indicator comprises a change in appearance of a portion of a border surrounding a periphery of the display.

14. The surgical system of claim 10, wherein the change in appearance is chosen from at least one of a change of color, a change of brightness, a change in movement, and a change in pattern.

15. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator comprises a number icon representative of a corresponding number assigned to the surgical instrument.

16. The surgical system of claim 1, further comprising an imaging device configured to capture the video images of the surgical site output to the display, wherein the display is further configured to display an additional visual indicator indicating an orientation of the imaging device while capturing the video images of the surgical site.

17. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator further comprises an additional visual indicator indicating a type of the surgical instrument.

18. The surgical system of claim 17, wherein the additional visual indicator is chosen from at least one of colors and alphanumeric characters.

19. The surgical system of claim 17, wherein the additional visual indicator comprises a symbol associated with energy when the type is an electrosurgical instrument.

20. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator further comprises an additional visual indicator of one or more master control devices of the surgical system, the one or more master control devices being operably coupled to operate movement of the surgical instrument in response to input at the one or more master control devices.

21. The surgical system of claim 20, wherein the additional visual indicator of one or more master control devices comprises one or more grip icons.

22. The surgical system of claim 20, wherein the additional visual indicator comprises an additional visual indicator of the user input device.

23. The surgical system of claim 22, wherein the additional visual indicator comprises a pedal icon.

24. A method for controlling a teleoperated surgical system comprising a surgical instrument, the method comprising:

in response to input at a user input device, transmitting an activation request to cause activation of a function of the surgical instrument, the function being supported by remote-control supply equipment; and

in response to receiving the activation request from the user input device, outputting a feedback signal to cause feedback at a display configured to output video images of a surgical site at which the surgical instrument is deployed, the feedback being a visual indicator of a state of readiness of the surgical instrument for activation in response to the activation request.

25. A teleoperated surgical system, comprising:

a surgical instrument;

a user input device configured to output an activation request for activating a function of the surgical instrument in response to input at the user input device; and

a display configured to;

display video images of a surgical site at which the surgical instrument is deployed, and

display a visual indicator of a state of readiness of the surgical instrument for activation in response to the activation request.