Method and system for moving a plurality of articulated instruments in tandem back towards an entry guide
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorNICOLA DIOLAITI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A medical robotic system includes articulated instruments extending out of a distal end of an entry guide. Prior to pivoting the entry guide to re-orient it and the instruments, the instruments are moved in tandem back towards the entry guide. Haptic cues and velocity limits are provided to assist the operator in the retraction of the instruments. After retraction, the entry guide may then be pivoted without concern that the instruments will harm patient anatomy. The movement of the instruments in tandem back towards the entry guide may also occur through coupled control modes while the entry guide is held in a fixed position and orientation.
Claims24
A method for moving a plurality of articulated instruments in tandem back towards an entry guide out of which the plurality of articulated instruments extend, the method comprising:
- causing the plurality of articulated instruments to assume retraction configurations only in response to one or more commands to move the plurality of articulated instruments in tandem back towards the entry guide by a distance greater than a retraction-on distance from an initial position.
A method of re-orienting an entry guide having a plurality of articulated instruments extending out of the entry guide, the method comprising:
- generating a first command to move the entry guide translationally along its longitudinal axis in a retraction direction by a distance exceeding a locking distance from an initial position;
- causing joints used for pivoting the entry guide to be locked in place in response to the first command;
- generating second commands to move the entry guide translationally along its longitudinal axis in the retraction direction by distances greater than a retraction-on distance from the initial position, wherein the retraction-on distance is greater than the locking distance;
- causing the plurality of articulated instruments to assume retraction configurations and be retracted in tandem towards the entry guide in response to the second commands;
- causing the joints used for pivoting the entry guide to be unlocked after the plurality of articulated instruments has been retracted back towards the entry guide by a distance that allows pivoting of the entry guide without any of the plurality of articulated instruments harming any patient anatomy;
- generating third commands to pivot the entry guide to a different orientation;
- and
- causing the joints used for pivoting the entry guide to pivot the entry guide in response to the third commands.
A robotic system comprising:
- at least one input device;
- an entry guide;
- a plurality of articulated instruments extending out of a distal end of the entry guide;
- a plurality of instrument manipulators for manipulating corresponding ones of the plurality of articulated instruments;
- and
- a processor adapted to:
- command the plurality of instrument manipulators to manipulate the plurality of articulated instruments so as to assume retraction configurations in response to one or more commands received from the at least one input device to move the plurality of articulated instruments in tandem back towards the entry guide by a distance greater than a retraction-on distance from an initial position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.