System and methods for positioning a manipulator arm by clutching within a null-perpendicular space concurrent with null-space movement

A method of operating a robotic system comprising a manipulator arm comprising a distal portion configured to support an instrument, a proximal portion coupled to a base, and a plurality of joints between the distal portion and the base, wherein the plurality of joints provide sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of differing joint states of the plurality of joints for a given state of the distal portion, the method comprising:

• when the robotic system is in in a manipulation mode, driving the plurality of joints to move an end effector of the instrument while pivoting the instrument about a remote center;
• and
• when the robotic system is in a first clutch mode, concurrently:
• floating the plurality of joints in a first joint velocity space, wherein movement of the plurality of joints in the first joint velocity space moves a remote center,
• floating the plurality of joints in a second joint velocity space, wherein movement of the plurality of joints in the second joint velocity space moves the end effector, and
• controlling motion of the plurality of joints in a third joint velocity space, wherein movement of the plurality of joints in the third joint velocity space does not move the end effector and does not move the remote center.

A method for operating a robotic system comprising a manipulator arm comprising a distal portion configured to support an instrument, a proximal portion coupled to a base, and a plurality of joints between the distal portion and the base, wherein the plurality of joints providing sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of differing joint states of the plurality of joints for a given state of the distal portion, the method comprising:

• when the robotic system is in a manipulation mode, driving the plurality of joints to move an end effector of the instrument while pivoting the instrument about a remote center, and
• when the robotic system is in a first clutch mode, concurrently:
• servoing the plurality of joints in a first joint velocity space, wherein movement of the plurality of joints in the first joint velocity space moves the end effector,
• floating the plurality of joints in a second joint velocity space, wherein movement of the plurality of joints in the second joint velocity space moves the remote center and does not move the end effector, and
• controlling motion of the plurality of joints within a third joint velocity space, wherein movement of the plurality of joints in the third joint velocity space does not move the end effector and does not move the remote center.