Modular control shell

A teleoperated surgical system including:

• a surgical instrument control device;
• a control shell that is an accessory to the surgical instrument control device,
• wherein the control shell comprises:
• a body, formed to overlay onto a user input console of the surgical instrument control device, that includes:
• a cutout region disposed to allow a first preexisting control element of the surgical instrument control device to remain accessible through the control shell to an operator of the surgical instrument control device;
• a shell control element for controlling a function of the teleoperated surgical system;
• and
• a communication interface;
• a memory that includes instructions for integrating the shell control element into the surgical instrument control device and controlling robotic movement of an instrument;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• communicate with the surgical instrument control device via the communication interface;
• and
• integrate the shell control element into the surgical instrument control
• device based on the instructions stored in the memory.

A method of operating a teleoperated surgical system including a control shell that is an accessory to a surgical instrument control device, the method comprising:

• transmitting, from the control shell to the surgical instrument control device, control information corresponding to a shell control element of the control shell, wherein the control information includes a correlation between a function of the teleoperated surgical system and the shell control element;
• modifying a preexisting control scheme stored in a preexisting input device to include the control information, the preexisting control scheme comprising instructions for controlling a first robotic movement of a first instrument according to a first user input received at the surgical instrument control device, the control information comprising instructions for controlling a second robotic movement of a second instrument according to a second user input received at the shell control element;
• and
• initializing the teleoperated surgical system to receive and process both the second user input from the shell control element and the first user input from the surgical instrument control device.