Repositioning and reorientation of master/slave relationship in minimally invasive telesurgery
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorsWilliam C. Nowlin, Gary S. Guthart, J. Kenneth Salisbury, Jr., Gunter D. Niemeyer
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Abstract
The invention provides robotic surgical systems which allow selectable independent repositioning of an input handle of a master controller and/or a surgical end effector without corresponding movement of the other. In some embodiments, independent repositioning is limited to translational degrees of freedom. In other embodiments, the system provides an input device adjacent a manipulator supporting the surgical instrument so that an assistant can reposition the instrument at the patient's side.
Claims8
A method for repositioning a master control relative to its associated slave in a robotic surgical system during a minimally invasive surgical procedure, comprising:
- interrupting a control loop between a master control and a slave;
- locking the slave in its position at the time of the interruption;
- locking an orientation of the master control at the time of the interruption while floating its translational movement;
- translationally moving the master control to a desired position;
- and uninterrupting the control loop between the master control and the slave.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.