Robotic control of surgical instrument visibility

A control unit for a robot connected to an endoscope generating an endoscopic image of an anatomical region, the control unit comprising:

• an endoscopic image controller operable to control a display of the endoscopic image of the anatomical region,
• wherein the endoscopic image controller is configured to generate endoscope pose commands to maintain a visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image by aligning a selected spatial point positioned on a virtual line connecting distal tips of the at least two interventional instruments with the center of the endoscopic image;
• and
• a robot controller operably connected to the endoscopic image controller to generate robotic actuator commands responsive to the endoscope pose commands to control a robot to move the endoscope to align the spatial point with the center of the endoscopic image.

A robot guiding method, comprising:

• operating an endoscope to generate and display an endoscopic image of an anatomical region;
• and
• commanding a robot to move the endoscope within the anatomical region as the endoscope is generating the endoscopic image of the anatomical region,
• wherein the commanding of the robot maintains a visibility of at least two interventional instruments within the display of the endoscopic image relative to a center of the endoscopic image by aligning a selected spatial point positioned on a virtual line connecting distal tips of the at least two interventional instruments with the center of the endoscopic image.