System and method for adjusting an image capturing device attribute using an unused degree-of-freedom of a master control device

A method for adjusting an attribute of an image capturing device that is robotically manipulatable relative to a first reference frame in a first plurality of degrees-of-freedom, comprising:

• controlling robotic manipulation of the image capturing device in each of the first plurality of degrees-of-freedom according to at least an input received from a first master control device manipulatable in a second reference frame in a second plurality of degrees-of-freedom, wherein the robotic manipulation of the image capturing device uses less than all of the second plurality of degrees-of-freedom;
• determining a set-point for an unused one of the second plurality of degrees-of-freedom;
• and
• adjusting the attribute of the image capturing device in response to manipulation of the first master control device in the unused one of the second plurality of degrees-of-freedom relative to the set-point.

A medical robotic system comprising:

• an image capturing device;
• a slave manipulator adapted to manipulate the image capturing device in four degrees-of-freedom;
• first and second master control devices each manipulatable in six degrees-of-freedom about its pivot point and cooperatively manipulatable in six degrees-of-freedom about a mid-point between the pivot points of the first and second master control devices;
• and
• a controller adapted to command manipulation of the image capturing device according to the cooperative manipulation of the first and second master control devices, determine a set-point of an unused one of the six degrees-of-freedom of the first master control device, and adjust an attribute of the image capturing device in response to manipulation of the first master control device in the unused one of the six degrees-of-freedom relative to the set-point.