Minimally invasive surgical system
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorNicola Diolaiti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system for a minimally invasive surgical system. In one aspect the control system is a distributed system. A control and transform processor receives data from a master arm controller, an instrument controller, an imaging system controller, and a guide tube controller and distributes data received from one controller to the other controllers. The other controllers use the received data, along with received optimization goals, to control associated slave arms in a distributed but coordinated way. In another aspect, the control system is centralized, in which a motion coordinator receives master inputs, sensor inputs from the slave arms, and optimization inputs. The motion coordinator uses the received inputs to output control signals to an instrument, an imaging system, and a guide tube controller.
Claims14
A distributed control system for a minimally invasive surgical system, comprising:
- a control and transform processor;
- a master arm controller that is associated with a master arm, wherein the master arm controller is coupled to send master arm following data to the control and transform processor;
- an instrument controller that is associated with an instrument slave arm, wherein the instrument controller is coupled to send instrument following data to the control and transform processor;
- an imaging system controller that is associated with an imaging system slave arm, wherein the imaging system controller is coupled to send imaging system following data to the control and transform processor;
- and
- a guide tube controller that is associated with a guide tube slave arm, wherein the guide tube controller is coupled to send guide tube following data to the control and transform processor;
- wherein the control and transform processor is coupled to send the following data received from the instrument controller to the imaging system and guide tube controllers, the following data received from the imaging system controller to the instrument and guide tube controllers, and the following data received from the guide tube controller to the instrument and imaging system controllers.
A centralized control system for a minimally invasive surgical system, comprising:
- a motion coordinator;
- an instrument slave controller coupled to receive an instrument slave control signal from the motion coordinator;
- an image system slave controller coupled to receive an image system slave control signal from the motion coordinator;
- and
- a guide tube slave controller coupled to receive a guide tube slave control signal from the motion coordinator;
- wherein the motion coordinator is coupled to receive a master input;
- wherein the motion coordinator is further coupled to receive sensor inputs associated with the instrument slave configuration, the image system slave configuration, and the guide tube slave configuration;
- wherein the motion coordinator is further coupled to receive an optimization input;
- and
- wherein at least one of the instrument slave control signal, the image system slave control signal, and the guide tube slave control signal is based on the master input, the sensor inputs, and the optimization input received by the master controller.
A method of distributively controlling a minimally invasive surgical system, comprising the acts of:
- receiving master arm following data from a master arm controller;
- receiving instrument slave arm following data from an instrument controller;
- receiving imaging system slave arm following data from an imaging system controller;
- receiving guide tube slave arm following data from a guide tube controller;
- sending the received instrument slave arm following data to the imaging system and guide tube controllers;
- sending the received imaging system slave arm following data to the instrument and guide tube controllers;
- and
- sending the received guide tube slave arm following data to the instrument and imaging system controllers.
A method of centrally controlling a minimally invasive surgical system, comprising the acts of:
- receiving a master input;
- receiving sensor inputs associated with an instrument slave configuration, an image system slave configuration, and a guide tube slave configuration;
- receiving an optimization input;
- and
- outputting an instrument slave control signal, an imaging system control signal, and a guide tube control signal;
- wherein at least one of the instrument slave control signal, the imaging system control signal, and the guide tube control signal is based on the received master input, the received sensor inputs, and the received optimization input.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.