# US 12,004,835 B2 · Method and apparatus for positioning a workstation for controlling a robotic system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,835 B2 - Document ID: US12004835B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/239,946 - Filed: 2021-04-26 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-19 - Assignees: Titan Medical Inc. - Applicants: Titan Medical Inc. - Inventors: Thomas Andrew Lutzow; Daniel Bacher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004835B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/74: {Manipulators with manual electric input means} - A61B 34/25: {User interfaces for surgical systems} - G06F 3/011: {Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00)} - H03K 17/965: Switches controlled by moving an element forming part of the switch - A61B 2034/258: {providing specific settings for specific users} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A method for positioning an input device of a workstation for use by a seated user in controlling a robotic surgery system is disclosed. The input device is operable to generate input signals representing a position of a hand controller moveable within an input device workspace. The method involves determining a vertical position of the hand controller within the input device workspace for an input signal received from the input device while a seated user's hand is grasping the hand controller in an initialization position defined with respect to the user's body. The method also involves determining a user ergonomic height of the input device based on the vertical position of the hand controller at the initialization position, and causing a platform of the workstation on which the input device is mounted to move vertically with respect to a base of the workstation to position the input device at the ergonomic height. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for positioning an input device of a workstation for use by a user in controlling a robotic surgery system, the input device being operable to generate input signals representing a position of a hand controller moveable within an input device workspace, the method comprising: receiving input indicative of an ergonomic vertical position of the hand controller; determining the ergonomic vertical position based on a vertical position of the hand controller being positioned at an initialization position; and causing a platform of the workstation on which the hand controller is mounted to move vertically to position at least the hand controller at the ergonomic vertical position, wherein the hand controller comprises a right hand controller configured to receive input from a user's right hand and a left hand controller configured to receive input from a user's left hand, and wherein determining the ergonomic vertical position comprises determining the ergonomic vertical position based on the vertical position of at least one of the left hand controller or the right hand controller being positioned at the initialization position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the input indicative of the ergonomic vertical position of the hand controller comprises receiving the input in response to a user's hand grasping the hand controller positioned at the initialization position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the initialization position comprises the user's hand grasping the hand controller in one of: a position with a user's wrist resting on a user's knee; a position with the user's wrist resting on a portion of a user's thigh proximate the user's knee; a position with a user's forearms held in a generally horizontal orientation; or a position with a user's arms held outstretched in a generally horizontal orientation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining the ergonomic vertical position comprises determining a vertical offset from a current vertical position of the hand controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein causing the platform to move vertically comprises causing the platform to move vertically over a vertical distance corresponding to the vertical offset. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein causing the platform to move vertically comprises: causing the platform to move vertically in a direction associated with the vertical offset while successively receiving input signals from the input device representing the current vertical position of the hand controller within the input device workspace; and causing the platform to discontinue vertical movement in response to the current vertical position of the hand controller in the input device workspace being proximate a vertical position corresponding to the vertical offset. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a message on a display of the workstation, the message prompting the user to grasp and position the hand controller in the initialization position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining the ergonomic vertical position comprises determining the ergonomic vertical position in response to actuation of a user actuable input by the user indicating that the hand controller is positioned in the initialization position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the user actuable input comprises a button or a footswitch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving user input of a modified desired ergonomic vertical position of the hand controller and causing the platform to move vertically to position the hand controller at the modified desired ergonomic vertical position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the platform of the workstation is configured to move vertically within a vertical motion range and wherein the method further comprises, responsive to the workstation being initialized at startup, causing the platform to move to one of: a vertical position such that the platform is positioned at a center position within the vertical motion range; a pre-defined ergonomic vertical position determined to be suitable for an average user; or a user directed vertical position based on user's preference. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the ergonomic vertical position comprises determining the ergonomic vertical position based on a combination of vertical positions of the left hand controller and the right hand controller being positioned at respective initialization positions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a user identification identifying the user and the ergonomic vertical position for the user in memory and automatically causing the platform to move vertically to position the hand controller at the ergonomic vertical position in response to receiving the user identification and retrieving the ergonomic vertical position from memory. ### Claim 14 A method for positioning an input device of a workstation for use by a user in controlling a robotic surgery system, the input device being operable to generate input signals representing a position of a hand controller moveable within an input device workspace, the method comprising: receiving input indicative of an ergonomic vertical position of the hand controller; determining the ergonomic vertical position based on a vertical position of the hand controller being positioned at an initialization position; causing a platform of the workstation on which the hand controller is mounted to move vertically to position at least the hand controller at the ergonomic vertical position; and storing a user identification identifying the user and the ergonomic vertical position for the user in memory and automatically causing the platform to move vertically to position the hand controller at the ergonomic vertical position in response to receiving the user identification and retrieving the ergonomic vertical position from memory. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein receiving the input indicative of the ergonomic vertical position of the hand controller comprises receiving the input in response to a user's hand grasping the hand controller positioned at the initialization position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein determining the ergonomic vertical position comprises determining a vertical offset from a current vertical position of the hand controller. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising displaying a message on a display of the workstation, the message prompting the user to grasp and position the hand controller in the initialization position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein determining the ergonomic vertical position comprises determining the ergonomic vertical position in response to actuation of a user actuable input by the user indicating that the hand controller is positioned in the initialization position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving user input of a modified desired ergonomic vertical position of the hand controller and causing the platform to move vertically to position the hand controller at the modified desired ergonomic vertical position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the platform of the workstation is configured to move vertically within a vertical motion range and wherein the method further comprises, responsive to the workstation being initialized at startup, causing the platform to move to one of: a vertical position such that the platform is positioned at a center position within the vertical motion range; a pre-defined ergonomic vertical position determined to be suitable for an average user; or a user directed vertical position based on user's preference.