Tool memory-based software upgrades for robotic surgery
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorsGregory K. Toth, Nitish Swamp, Thomas R. Nixon, David Q. Larkin, Steven J. Colton
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Abstract
Robotic devices, systems, and methods for use in robotic surgery and other robotic applications, and/or medical instrument devices, systems, and methods includes both a reusable processor and a limited-use robotic tool or medical treatment probe. A memory the limited-use component includes machine readable code with data and/or programming instructions to be implemented by the processor. Programming of the processor can be updated by shipping of new data once downloaded by the processor from a component, subsequent components can take advantage of the updated processor without repeated downloading.
Claims20
A robotic surgical system comprising:
- a processor comprising a processor memory;
- a robotic arm coupled to the processor;
- and
- a limited-use device coupleable to the robotic arm to perform a primary function controlled by the processor according to processor code or data stored in the processor memory, the device comprising a device memory storing device code or data;
- wherein the processor is configured to update the processor code or data using the device code or data so as to alter the performance of the primary function after the limited-use device is decoupled from the robotic arm.
A method comprising:
- coupling a limited-use device to a robotic arm coupled to a processor comprising a processor memory;
- performing a primary function controlled by the processor according to processor code or data stored in the processor memory, the device comprising a device memory storing device code or data;
- and
- updating the processor code or data using the device code or data so as to alter the performance of the primary function after the limited-use device is decoupled from the robotic arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.