System and methods for positioning a manipulator arm by clutching within a null-perpendicular space concurrent with null-space movement

A system comprising:

• a manipulator arm configured to support an instrument having an end effector, the manipulator arm comprising a 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 providing sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of differing joint states of the plurality of joints for a state of the distal portion;
• and
• a processor coupled to the manipulator arm, the processor configured with a manipulation mode and a first clutch mode, the first clutch mode comprising:
• a port-clutch mode or a null-clutch mode;
• wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising:
• in the manipulation mode, operating the plurality of joints to move an end effector of the instrument while pivoting the instrument about a remote center, and
• in the first clutch mode, operating the plurality of joints in accordance with the first clutch mode;
• wherein the port-clutch mode corresponds to concurrently:
• servoing the plurality of joints in a subspace C to maintain a position of the end effector, wherein the subspace C is a null-perpendicular-space of the end effector, and
• floating the plurality of joints in a subspace D, wherein the subspace D is a null-space of the end effector;
• and
• wherein the null-clutch mode corresponds to concurrently:
• servoing the plurality of joints in a subspace E to maintain a position of the remote center and to maintain a position of the end effector, wherein the subspace E is a direct sum of a subspace A and the subspace C, wherein the subspace A is a null-perpendicular-space of the remote center, and
• floating the plurality of joints in a subspace F, wherein the subspace F is an intersection of a subspace B and the subspace D, wherein the subspace B is a null-space of the remote center.

A method of operating a system comprising a manipulator arm and a processor coupled to the manipulator arm, wherein the manipulator arm supports an instrument having an end effector, wherein the manipulator arm comprises a 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 providing sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of differing joint states of the plurality of joints for a state of the distal portion, and wherein the processor is configured with a manipulation mode and a first clutch mode, the first clutch mode comprising:

• an arm-null-perpendicular-clutch mode, a port-null-perpendicular-clutch mode, or an arm-port-null-perpendicular-clutch mode, the method comprising:
• in the manipulation mode, the processor operating the plurality of joints to move an end effector of the instrument while pivoting the instrument about a remote center, and
• in the first clutch mode, the processor operating the plurality of joints in accordance with the first clutch mode;
• wherein the arm-null-perpendicular-clutch mode corresponds to concurrently:
• the processor servoing the plurality of joints in a subspace A to maintain a position of the remote center, wherein the subspace A is a null-perpendicular space of the remote center,
• the processor floating the plurality of joints in a portion of a subspace E that is orthogonal to the subspace A, wherein the subspace E is a direct sum of the subspace A, and a subspace C, and wherein the subspace C is a null-perpendicular space of the end effector, and
• the processor controlling motion of the plurality of joints in a subspace F, wherein the subspace F is an intersection of a subspace B and a subspace D, wherein the subspace B is a null-space of the remote center, and wherein the subspace D is a null-space of the end effector;
• wherein the port-null-perpendicular-clutch mode corresponds to concurrently:
• the processor servoing the plurality of joints in the subspace C to maintain a position of the end effector,
• the processor floating the plurality of joints in a portion of the subspace E that is orthogonal to the subspace C, and
• the processor controlling the motion of the plurality of joints in the subspace F;
• and
• wherein the arm-port-null-perpendicular-clutch mode corresponds to concurrently:
• the processor floating the plurality of joints in subspace E, and
• the processor controlling the motion of the plurality of joints in the subspace F.

A method of operating a system comprising a manipulator arm and a processor coupled to the manipulator arm, wherein the manipulator arm is supporting an instrument having an end effector, wherein the manipulator arm comprising a 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 providing sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of differing joint states of the plurality of joints for a state of the distal portion, and wherein the processor is configured with a manipulation mode and a first clutch mode, the first clutch mode comprising:

• a port-clutch mode or a null-clutch mode, the method comprising:
• in the manipulation mode, the processor driving the plurality of joints to move an end effector of the instrument while pivoting the instrument about a remote center, and
• in the first clutch mode, the processor operating the plurality of joints in accordance with the first clutch mode;
• wherein the port-clutch mode corresponds to concurrently:
• the processor servoing the plurality of joints in a subspace C to maintain a position of the end effector, wherein the subspace C is a null-perpendicular-space of the end effector, and
• the processor floating the plurality of joints in a subspace D, wherein the subspace D is a null-space of the end effector, wherein the subspace D is a null-space of the end effector;
• and
• wherein the null-clutch mode corresponds to concurrently:
• the processor servoing the plurality of joints in a subspace E to maintain a position of the remote center and to maintain a position of the end effector, wherein the subspace E is a direct sum of a subspace A and the subspace C, wherein the subspace A is a null-perpendicular-space of the remote center, and
• the processor floating the plurality of joints in a subspace F, wherein the subspace F is an intersection of a subspace B and the subspace D, wherein the subspace B is a null-space of the remote center.