System and methods for managing multiple null-space objectives and SLI behaviors

A system comprising:

• a manipulator arm including a movable distal portion, a proximal portion coupled to a base, and a plurality of joints between the distal portion and the base, the plurality of joints having 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;
• a processor coupled to the manipulator arm, the processor being configured to perform operations including:
• calculating a first movement of the plurality of joints in accordance with a first objective of a plurality of objectives, the plurality of objectives being for motions in a null-space of a Jacobian of the manipulator arm, wherein the first movement is in the null-space;
• calculating a second movement of the plurality of joints in accordance with a second objective of the plurality of objectives, wherein the second movement is in the null-space;
• determining a combined movement of the plurality of joints by using a combining behavior selected from the group consisting of:
• combining the first and second movements while limiting an overall magnitude of the combined movement without changing a direction of the combined movement, and
• combining the first and second movements while limiting a magnitude of the combined movement degree-of-freedom by degree-of-freedom;
• and
• driving the plurality of joints to effect the combined movement of the plurality of joints.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for moving a manipulator arm, the manipulator arm including a movable distal portion, a proximal portion coupled to a base, and a plurality of joints between the distal portion and the base, the plurality of joints having 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 operations comprising:

• calculating a first movement of the plurality of joints in accordance with a first objective of a plurality of objectives, the plurality of objectives being for motions in a null-space of a Jacobian of the manipulator arm, wherein the first movement is in the null-space;
• calculating a second movement of the plurality of joints in accordance with a second objective of the plurality of objectives, wherein the second movement is in the null-space;
• determining a combined movement of the plurality of joints by:
• combining the first and second movements while limiting an overall magnitude of the combined movement without changing a direction of the combined movement, or
• combining the first and second movements while limiting a magnitude of the combined movement degree-of-freedom by degree-of-freedom;
• and
• driving the plurality of joints to effect the combined movement of the plurality of joints.