Operator input device for a robotic surgical system

A controller for a robotic surgical system comprising:

• a receiver coupled to an input handle, the receiver to receive an input handle position signal as the input handle is translated in a first plurality of degrees of freedom and an input handle orientation signal as the input handle is rotated in a second plurality of degrees of freedom;
• and
• a control signal generator coupled to a first robotic manipulator that moves a surgical end effector and to an input handle servo mechanism that orients the input handle, the control signal generator to provide signals to the first robotic manipulator to position the surgical end effector in response to the input handle position signal and the input handle orientation signal, and to provide signals to the input handle servo mechanism to continuously orient the input handle to correspond to an orientation of the surgical end effector from a viewpoint of an endoscopic camera during the repositioning of at least one of the input handle position, the surgical end effector, or the endoscopic camera.

A control system for a robotic surgical system comprising:

• means for effecting corresponding movement of a surgical end effector movable in a plurality of degrees of freedom in response to a position and an orientation of an input handle;
• and
• means for continuously orienting the input handle to correspond to an orientation of the surgical end effector from a viewpoint of the endoscopic camera during the repositioning of at least one of the input handle position, the surgical end effector, or the endoscopic camera.