Systems and methods for utilizing augmented Jacobian to control manipulator joint movement

A robotic method for a system comprising a first manipulator, the first manipulator including:

• a movable distal end effector, a proximal portion coupled to a base, and a plurality of joints between the end effector and the base, the plurality of joints having sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of differing joint states for a given end effector state, the method comprising:
• receiving a manipulation command to move the end effector with a desired end effector movement;
• augmenting a Jacobian so as to provide one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements of the first manipulator, wherein the one or more auxiliary functions or joint movements comprise commanded reconfiguration of one or more joints of the plurality of joints;
• calculating movements of the plurality of joints to effect the desired end effector movement by calculating joint velocities using the augmented Jacobian;
• driving the plurality of joints according to the calculated movements so as to effect the desired end effector movement concurrently with the one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements of the first manipulator;
• driving a first set of joints of the plurality of joints with a desired reconfiguration movement in response to a reconfiguration command;
• calculating a reconfiguration vector of one or more of the joints of the plurality of joints in response to the reconfiguration command;
• and
• augmenting the Jacobian according to a function relating the reconfiguration vector to calculated joint states so that the one or more joints move towards the reconfiguration vector in addition to the one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements when the plurality of joints is driven according to the augmented Jacobian.

A tele-surgical system comprising:

• a first manipulator configured for tele-operatively moving a distal end effector relative to a proximal base, the first manipulator having a plurality of joints between the distal end effector and a proximal portion coupled to the proximal base, the joints providing sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states for a given state of the distal end effector;
• an input device for receiving a manipulation command to move the end effector with a desired end effector movement;
• and
• a processor coupling the input device to the first manipulator, the processor configured to:
• determine a relative state between a first reference geometry associated with the first manipulator in a work space and a second reference geometry associated with a second manipulator in the work space, the second manipulator adjacent the first manipulator;
• determine an avoidance vector that corresponds to a desired separation between the first and second reference geometries;
• augment a Jacobian according to provide one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements of the first manipulator, wherein the one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements comprise collision avoidance between the first manipulator and the second manipulator, wherein the Jacobian is augmented based on the avoidance vector such that joint movements calculated using the augmented Jacobian moves the first manipulator and the second manipulator towards achieving or maintaining the desired separation between the first and second reference geometries in the work space;
• calculate the joint movements of the plurality of joints in response to the manipulation command by calculating joint velocities based on the augmented Jacobian;
• and
• transmit a command to the first manipulator to drive the plurality of joints according to the calculated joint movements so as to effect the desired end effector movement concurrently with the one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements, wherein the plurality of joints are driven according to the calculated joint movements such that collisions between the first manipulator and the second manipulator are inhibited as compared to joint movements calculated using the Jacobian without augmentation.

A non-transitory computer program product having embedded therein executable instructions for a method for a system comprising a first manipulator, the first manipulator including:

• a movable distal end effector, a proximal portion coupled to a base, and a plurality of joints between the end effector and the base, the plurality of joints having sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of differing joint states for a given end effector state, the method comprising:
• receiving a manipulation command to move the end effector with a desired end effector movement;
• augmenting a Jacobian so as to provide one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements of the first manipulator, wherein the one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements comprise commanded reconfiguration of one or more joints of the plurality of joints;
• calculating movements of the plurality of joints to effect the desired end effector movement by calculating joint velocities using the augmented Jacobian;
• driving the plurality of joints according to the calculated movements so as to effect the desired end effector movement concurrent with the one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements of the first manipulator;
• driving a first set of joints of the plurality of joints with a desired reconfiguration movement in response to a reconfiguration command;
• calculating a reconfiguration vector of one or more of the joints of the plurality of joints in response to the reconfiguration command;
• and
• augmenting the Jacobian according to a function relating the reconfiguration vector to calculated joint states so that the one or more joints move towards the reconfiguration vector in addition to the one or more auxiliary functions or desired movements when the plurality of joints is driven according to the augmented Jacobian.