Reducing energy buildup in servo-controlled mechanisms

A computer-assisted medical system comprising:

• a manipulator arm;
• and
• a controller comprising a computer processor, the controller configured with at least a non-clutch mode and a clutch mode,
• wherein when in the non-clutch mode, the controller is configured to servo at least one joint associated with at least one manipulator arm segment of the manipulator arm, the servoing comprising executing a servo loop comprising:
• obtaining an actual state of the manipulator arm,
• computing a difference between a commanded state and the actual state, the commanded state used for the servoing the at least one joint,
• determining whether the difference exceeds an error threshold,
• based on determining that the difference does exceed the error threshold:
• updating the commanded state using an offset to reduce the difference, and
• applying the commanded state to control the actual state, and
• based on determining that the difference does not exceed the error threshold:
• not updating the commanded state, and
• applying the commanded state to control the actual state, and
• wherein when in the clutch mode, the controller is configured to float the at least one joint.

A method for operating a medical system, comprising:

• in a non-clutch mode, servoing at least one joint associated with at least one manipulator arm segment of a manipulator arm of the medical system, the servoing comprising executing a servo loop comprising:
• obtaining an actual state of the manipulator arm;
• computing a difference between a commanded state and the actual state, the commanded state used for servoing the at least one joint;
• determining whether the difference exceeds an error threshold;
• based on determining that the difference does exceed the error threshold:
• updating the commanded state using an offset to reduce the difference, and
• applying the commanded state to control the actual state;
• and
• based on determining that the difference does not exceed the error threshold:
• not updating the commanded state, and
• applying the commanded state to control the actual state;
• and
• in a clutch mode, floating the at least one joint.

A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions executed by one or more processors associated with a medical system, the plurality of machine-readable instructions causing the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

• in a non-clutch mode, servoing at least one joint associated with at least one manipulator arm segment of a manipulator arm of the medical system, the servoing comprising
• executing a servo loop comprising:
• obtaining an actual state of the manipulator arm;
• computing a difference between a commanded state and the actual state, the commanded state used for the servoing the at least one joint;
• determining whether the difference exceeds an error threshold;
• based on determining that the difference does exceed the error threshold:
• updating the commanded state using an offset that reduces the difference;
• and
• applying the commanded state to control the actual state;
• based on determining that the difference does not exceed the error threshold:
• not updating the commanded state, and
• applying the commanded state to control the actual state;
• and
• in a clutch mode, floating the at least one joint.