# US 11,026,758 B2 · Medical robotics systems implementing axis constraints during actuation of one or more motorized joints

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- Number: US 11,026,758 B2
- Document ID: US11026758B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/011,521
- Filed: 2018-06-18
- Published: 2019-01-03
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-28
- Assignees: Auris Health, Inc.
- Applicants: Auris Health, Inc.
- Inventors: David Stephen Mintz; Bruce R. Woodley; Travis Michael Schuh; Yanan Huang; Matthew Reagan Williams
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026758B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/35: for telesurgery
- A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
- A61B 34/25: {User interfaces for surgical systems}
- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 34/70: {Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery}
- A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback}
- A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
- A61B 90/57: Accessory clamps
- A61G 13/02: Adjustable operating tables; Controls therefor
- A61G 13/04: tiltable around transverse or longitudinal axis
- A61G 13/10: Parts, details or accessories (surgical drape sheets A61B46/00)
- B25J 9/1676: {Avoiding collision or forbidden zones}
- A61B 10/0233: {Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments}
- A61B 2017/00115: {with audible or visual output}
- A61B 2017/00809: {Lung operations}
- A61B 2034/105: {Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones}
- A61B 2034/2048: {using an accelerometer or inertia sensor}
- A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems}
- A61B 2034/2059: {Mechanical position encoders}
- A61B 2034/2065: {Tracking using image or pattern recognition}
- A61B 2034/305: {Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms}
- A61B 2090/306: {using optical fibres}
- A61B 2090/3614: {using optical fibre}
- A61B 2090/376: {using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy}
- A61B 2090/508: {with releasable brake mechanisms}
- A61B 2090/571: {for clamping a support arm to a bed or other supports}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})

## Abstract

Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for medical robotic systems that leverage a versatile, open kinematic chain together with a set of medical-procedure-specific software-controlled actuation constraints in order to perform a variety of medical procedures. The robotic system can be operated in a first mode by identifying a remote center and constraining the actuation of motorized joints to maintain intersection of at least an insertion axis with the remote center. The robotic system can be operated in a second mode by identifying a virtual rail position and constraining the actuation of motorized joints to maintain alignment of the insertion axis along the virtual rail.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A robotic system comprising:
a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm configured to control movement of a medical instrument with respect to at least first, second, and third axes, the first robotic arm comprising a first instrument driver and the second robotic arm comprising a second instrument driver, the first robotic arm comprising a plurality of linkages serially coupling a plurality of motorized joints, the plurality of motorized joints including:
a first motorized joint configured to actuate the movement of the medical instrument about the first axis,
a second motorized joint configured to linearly translate the medical instrument along the second axis, and
a plurality of additional motorized joints positioned serially between the first and second motorized joints, the plurality of additional motorized joints configured to actuate the movement of the medical instrument about the third axis;
at least one computer-readable memory having stored thereon executable instructions for operating the robotic system; and
at least one processor in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to operate in:
a first mode when the medical instrument comprises a rigid instrument, wherein operating in the first mode comprises (i) commanding the first robotic arm to control the movement of the rigid instrument in a manner that fixes a location of a remote center such that the second axis of the rigid instrument is aligned with an opening of a patient, and (ii) applying a first constraint to the motion of the plurality of motorized joints such that the second axis of the rigid instrument passes through the remote center, and
a second mode when the medical instrument comprises a flexible instrument, wherein operating in the second mode comprises (i) commanding the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm to control movement of the flexible instrument along a virtual rail such that the second axis of the flexible instrument is co-axial with the virtual rail, (ii) removing the first constraint from the motion of the plurality of motorized joints such that the second axis of the flexible instrument is not constrained to pass through the remote center, and (iii) applying a second constraint to the motion of the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm such that the first instrument driver and the second instrument driver are co-axial with the virtual rail.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of motorized joints comprises its own motor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of motorized joints further comprises a position sensor configured to determine a position of a rotor of the motor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least control positioning of the first robotic arm in the first mode based at least partly on the position of the rotor of the motor of each of the plurality of motorized joints.

### Claim 5

A robotic system comprising:
a robotic arm configured to control movement of a medical instrument with respect to at least first, second, and third axes, the robotic arm comprising a plurality of linkages serially coupling a plurality of motorized joints, the plurality of motorized joints including:
a first motorized joint comprising a revolute joint, the first motorized joint configured to actuate the movement of the medical instrument about the first axis,
a second motorized joint comprising a prismatic joint configured to linearly translate the medical instrument along the second axis, and
a plurality of additional motorized joints positioned serially between the first and second motorized joints, the plurality of additional motorized joints configured to actuate the movement of the medical instrument about the third axis;
at least one computer-readable memory having stored thereon executable instructions for operating the robotic system; and
at least one processor in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to operate in a first mode of operation that (i) fixes a location of a remote center such that the second axis is aligned with an opening of a patient and (ii) constrains the motion of the plurality of motorized joints such that the second axis passes through the remote center,
wherein the plurality of additional motorized joints comprise third, fourth, and fifth joints, wherein, to constrain the motion of the plurality of motorized joints when actuated in the first operating mode, the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least:
identify a virtual orientation of a virtual linkage between the remote center and the third joint; and
maintain positioning of a linkage of the plurality of linkages coupling the fourth and fifth joints parallel with the virtual orientation of the virtual linkage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least change a distance between the remote center and the third joint.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least fix a distance between the remote center and the third joint to be equal to a length of the linkage coupling the fourth and fifth joints.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein each of the third, fourth, and fifth joints comprises an additional revolute joint.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein a first linkage of the plurality of linkages couples the first and third joints, a second linkage of the plurality of linkages couples the third and fourth joints, and a first length of the first linkage is longer than a second length of the second linkage.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least rotate the third and fourth joints such that the fourth joint passes from a first position on a first side of the first linkage past the first joint to a position on a second side of the first linkage.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein a third linkage of the plurality of linkages couples the fourth and fifth joints, with the first, second, and third linkages being configured to be positioned in a substantially parallel fashion with the second linkage positioned between the first and third linkages.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to position the first, second, and third linkages in the substantially parallel fashion in response to receiving a storage command.

### Claim 13

A method, comprising:
receiving a command to operate in one of a first operating mode and a second operating mode of controlling movement of a medical instrument via a robotic arm comprising a plurality of linkages serially coupling a plurality of motorized joints, the plurality of motorized joints including:
a first motorized joint comprising a revolute joint, the first motorized joint configured to rotate about a first axis,
a second motorized joint comprising a prismatic joint configured to linearly translate the medical instrument along a second axis, and
a plurality of additional motorized joints positioned serially between the first and second motorized joints, the plurality of additional motorized joints configured to actuate the movement of the medical instrument about a third axis;
in response to receiving the command to operate in the first operating mode, (i) fixing a location of a remote center based on an opening of a patient, and (ii) constraining the motion of the plurality of motorized joints when actuated in the first operating mode such that the second axis passes through the remote center;
in response to receiving the command to operate in the second operating mode, aligning a virtual rail coaxial with the second axis with the opening of the patient;
in response to receiving the command to operate in the first operating mode:
identifying that a cannula is docked to a cannula holder coupled to a linkage of the plurality of linkages with the second motorized joint configured to linearly move along the linkage;
determining the location of the remote center based at least partly on a location of the cannula holder; and
causing the robotic arm to perform at least one null-space movement to align the first axis to pass through the remote center, wherein during the null-space movement one or more of the plurality of motorized joints is actuated and the location of the cannula holder remains fixed.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of motorized joints comprises a motor having a rotor, and wherein the method further comprises controlling positioning of the robotic arm in the first and second operating modes based at least partly on a position of the rotor of the motor of each of the plurality of motorized joints.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising, in response to receiving a command to operate in the second operating mode, (i) actuating at least some of the plurality of motorized joints to align the second axis with the opening of the patient, (ii) identifying a positioning of a virtual rail based on positioning of the second axis when aligned with the opening of the patient, and (iii) controlling actuation of the medical instrument along the virtual rail.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising constraining the motion of the plurality of motorized joints in the first operating mode such that the first, second, and third axes pass through the remote center.