Systems and methods for bifurcated navigation control of a manipulator cart included within a computer-assisted medical system

A method comprising:

• defining, by a bifurcated navigation control system, a path whereby a manipulator cart included within a computer-assisted medical system is to navigate from an initial location to a target location;
• directing, by the bifurcated navigation control system, the manipulator cart to navigate, in a first bifurcated navigation control mode, along at least part of a first portion of the path extending from the initial location to an intermediate location on the path between the initial location and the target location;
• and
• directing, by the bifurcated navigation control system, the manipulator cart to navigate, in a second bifurcated navigation control mode, along at least part of a second portion of the path extending from the intermediate location to the target location;
• wherein:
• in the first bifurcated navigation control mode, the bifurcated navigation control system autonomously controls a steering of the manipulator cart while allowing operator control of a propulsion of the manipulator cart using a primary control interface configured to facilitate operator control of both steering and propulsion of the manipulator cart, and
• in the second bifurcated navigation control mode, the bifurcated navigation control system autonomously controls the steering of the manipulator cart while allowing operator control of the propulsion of the manipulator cart using a secondary control interface configured to facilitate operator control of the propulsion and not the steering of the manipulator cart.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, direct a processor of a computing device to:

• define a path whereby a manipulator cart included within a computer-assisted medical system is to navigate from an initial location to a target location;
• direct the manipulator cart to navigate, in a first bifurcated navigation control mode, along at least part of a first portion of the path extending from the initial location to an intermediate location on the path between the initial location and the target location;
• and
• direct the manipulator cart to navigate, in a second bifurcated navigation control mode, along at least part of a second portion of the path extending from the intermediate location to the target location;
• wherein:
• in the first bifurcated navigation control mode, the processor autonomously controls a steering of the manipulator cart while allowing operator control of a propulsion of the manipulator cart using a primary control interface configured to facilitate operator control of both steering and propulsion of the manipulator cart;
• and
• in the second bifurcated navigation control mode, the processor autonomously controls the steering of the manipulator cart while allowing operator control of the propulsion of the manipulator cart using a secondary control interface configured to facilitate operator control of the propulsion and not the steering of the manipulator cart.