# US 12,178,528 B2 · Surgical robotic systems and methods of tracking usage of surgical instruments thereof

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,178,528 B2
- Document ID: US12178528B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/272,720
- Filed: 2019-09-09
- Published: 2021-07-15
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-14
- Assignees: Covidien LP
- Applicants: Covidien LP
- Inventors: Arvind Ramadorai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178528B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/35: for telesurgery
- A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence)
- A61B 90/90: Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
- G06V 20/64: Three-dimensional [3D] objects
- G16H 20/40: relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
- G16H 40/40: for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- A61B 90/96: using barcodes
- A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems}
- A61B 2034/2057: {Details of tracking cameras}
- A61B 2034/2065: {Tracking using image or pattern recognition}
- A61B 2090/0803: {Counting the number of times an instrument is used}
- A61B 2090/0805: {automatically, e.g. by means of magnetic, optical or photoelectric detectors}
- A61B 2090/3614: {using optical fibre}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA

## Abstract

A method of tracking usage of a robotic surgical instrument includes capturing an image of a surgical instrument with an imager during a robotic surgical procedure, identifying a type of the surgical instrument based on the image of the surgical instrument, determining a degree of usage of the surgical instrument based on data acquired by at least one sensor, and determining a stage in a life cycle of the surgical instrument based on the type of surgical instrument identified and the degree of usage determined.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of tracking usage of a robotic surgical instrument, the method comprising:
capturing an image of a surgical instrument with an imager during a robotic surgical procedure;
identifying a type of the surgical instrument based on the image of the surgical instrument;
during the robotic surgical procedure, determining a degree of usage of the surgical instrument based on data acquired by at least one sensor supported on jaws of the surgical instrument, wherein the degree of usage of the surgical instrument is a function of an amount of time of use of the surgical instrument and a function of forces measured by the at least one sensor during the time of use of the surgical instrument; and
determining a stage in a life cycle of the surgical instrument based on the type of surgical instrument identified and the degree of usage determined during the robotic surgical procedure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining if the surgical instrument is performing a surgical task based on the image of the surgical instrument.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein determining if the surgical instrument is performing a surgical task includes correlating the image of the surgical instrument with the data acquired by the at least one sensor of the surgical instrument.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein the surgical task includes the surgical instrument acting on tissue.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the degree of usage of the surgical instrument is determined only when the surgical instrument is acting on tissue.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, further comprising assigning a value to the surgical task performed by the surgical instrument corresponding to the degree of usage of the surgical instrument.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the value assigned to the surgical task performed by the surgical instrument is selected based on an amount of force applied to tissue by the surgical instrument during the surgical task.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, further comprising determining a duration of time the surgical task is performed by the surgical instrument at the assigned value.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying on a display the stage in the life cycle of the surgical instrument.

### Claim 10

A robotic surgical system, comprising:
a robotic arm;
a surgical instrument configured to be coupled to and operated by the robotic arm;
an imager configured to capture an image of the surgical instrument during a surgical procedure; and
a control device in communication with the imager and configured to:
identify a type of the surgical instrument based on the image of the surgical instrument captured by the imager;
during the robotic surgical procedure, determine a degree of usage of the surgical instrument based on data acquired by at least one sensor supported on jaws of the surgical instrument, wherein the degree of usage of the surgical instrument is a function of an amount of time of use of the surgical instrument and a function of forces measured by the at least one sensor during the time of use of the surgical instrument; and
determine a stage in a life cycle of the surgical instrument based on the type of the surgical instrument identified and the degree of usage determined during the robotic surgical procedure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The surgical robotic system according to claim 10, wherein the control device is further configured to determine if the surgical instrument is performing a surgical task based on the image of the surgical instrument.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The surgical robotic system according to claim 11, wherein the surgical task includes the surgical instrument acting on tissue.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The surgical robotic system according to claim 12, wherein the control device is configured to determine the degree of usage of the surgical instrument only when the surgical instrument is acting on tissue.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The surgical robotic system according to claim 12, wherein the control device is further configured to assign a value to the surgical task performed by the surgical instrument corresponding to the degree of usage of the surgical instrument.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The surgical robotic system according to claim 14, wherein the value assigned to the surgical task performed by the surgical instrument is selected by the control device based on an amount of force applied to tissue by the surgical instrument during the surgical task.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The surgical robotic system according to claim 14, wherein the control device is further configured to determine a duration of time the surgical task is performed by the surgical instrument at the assigned value.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The surgical robotic system according to claim 10, wherein the control device is further configured to display on a display the stage in the life cycle of the surgical instrument.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The surgical robotic system according to claim 10, wherein the imager includes an imaging modality.

### Claim 19 (depends on 10)

The surgical robotic system according to claim 10, wherein the surgical instrument is a surgical stapler.