# US 2014/0194898 A1 · Robotic catheter system with dynamic response > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194898 A1 - Document ID: US20140194898A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/151,266 - Filed: 2014-01-09 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-27 - Assignees: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. - Applicants: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. - Inventors: Mark B. Kirschenman; John A. Hauck; Andrew P. Skypeck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194898A1 ## CPC - A61B 34/35: for telesurgery - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/71: {Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms} - A61B 90/10: for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis - A61M 25/0067: {characterised by the distal end, e.g. tips (A61M25/0054, A61M25/04 take precedence; balloon catheters A61M25/10)} - A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract An apparatus for maintaining a robotic catheter system in a responsive state includes a catheter, a plurality of linear translatable control elements, and a controller. In an embodiment, the catheter includes a proximal portion, a distal portion, and at least two steering wires. The steering wires may be configured at one end to control the movement of at least a portion of the distal portion of the catheter and at the other end for connection to a control member. In an embodiment, each control element may be configured to engage or interface with a respective control member, and the controller may be configured to measure a force exerted on at least one control member by a respective control element and further configured to linearly translate the control element to substantially maintain a force within a predetermined range. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-30. (canceled) ### Claim 31 An apparatus for maintaining a robotic catheter system in a responsive state comprising: a catheter including a proximal portion, a distal portion, and at least two steering wires, the steering wires configured at one end to control the movement of at least a portion of the distal portion of the catheter and at the other end for connection to a control member; a plurality of control elements, each control element configured to engage or interface with a respective control member; and a controller configured to measure a force exerted on at least one control member by the respective control element, and further configured to translate the control element based on the measured force to substantially maintain the force exerted on the at least one control member within a select or determined range; wherein the control element remains proximate to the respective control member such that the system is maintained in a responsive state. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a force sensor coupled with the control element and configured to provide an indication of the force exerted on at least one control member by the respectively interfaced control element. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the force sensor comprises a strain gauge, a piezoelectric force sensor, a thin film force sensor, or a magnetic force restoration sensor. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a position sensor configured to provide a position of a respective translatable control element. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the controller is further configured to receive an indication of the position of the control element from the position sensor and to effectuate or command a translation of the control element to a desired position. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the desired position is provided or derived, at least in part, from the indication of the position of the control element provided by the position sensor. ### Claim 37 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a mechanical movement device configured to controllably translate at least one respective control element wherein the mechanical movement device operates in response to commands received from the controller. ### Claim 38 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a mechanical movement device configured to controllably translate at least one respective control element wherein the mechanical movement device comprises a motor driven lead screw, a motor driven ball screw, a motor driven belt drive, a voice coil, a rolling ring linear drive, or a piezo motor drive. ### Claim 39 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a mechanical movement device configured to controllably translate at least one respective control element wherein the controller is further configured to operate the mechanical movement device in a continuous or substantially continuous manner. ### Claim 40 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the force exerted on at least one control member by the respectively interfaced control element is a contact force exerted in a direction distally oriented with respect to the control member. ### Claim 41 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, wherein each control element is unconnected to the steering wires and to each respective control member. ### Claim 42 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31, wherein each control element is configured to apply a contact force on each respective control member in a first direction; wherein each steering wire is configured to apply a tensile force on each respective control member in a second direction; and wherein the first direction is different than the second direction. ### Claim 43 A method of maintaining a robotic catheter system in a responsive state comprising: providing a catheter with a plurality of steering wires extending longitudinally therein, each steering wire including a proximally located control member; providing a plurality of control elements; interfacing at least two control elements with at least two respective control members; measuring a force exerted on at least one control member by the respectively interfaced control element; and controlling the motion of the at least one control element based on the measured force to maintain the measured force within a select or determined range, wherein the control element remains proximate to the respective control member such that the system is maintained in a responsive state. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43, wherein controlling the motion of the at least one control element comprises computing a desired position of the control element as a function of the measured force exerted on the respectively interfaced control member. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, wherein controlling the motion of the at least one control element further comprises computing a desired position of the control element as a function of the measured force exerted by a second control element on a second control member. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, wherein controlling the motion of the at least one control element further comprises commanding the at least one control element to translate to the desired position. ### Claim 47 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43, wherein interfacing at least one control element with at least one respective control member comprises distally positioning the control element with respect to the control member. ### Claim 48 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43, wherein interfacing at least one control element with at least one respective control member comprises establishing contact between each control element and control member. ### Claim 49 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43, wherein providing a plurality of control elements further comprises geometrically configuring at least one control element to interface with at least one respective control member. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49, wherein geometrically configuring at least one control element to interface with at least one respective control member comprises configuring the control element with a physically convex interface surface.