SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MOTOR TORQUE COMPENSATION
Granted: June 22, 2017
Application Number:
20170179857
A method for torque compensation of a motor associated with a medical instrument includes determining a torque profile for a motor, the torque profile defining torque output as a function of rotor angle and during operation of the motor, compensating for deviations in the torque profile by adjusting an input signal to the motor, the compensating being based on the torque profile and rotor position.
MEDICAL DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS USING EYE GAZE TRACKING
Granted: June 22, 2017
Application Number:
20170172675
Described herein is a teleoperational medical system for performing a medical procedure in a surgical field. The teleoperational system comprises an eye tracking unit and a control unit. The eye tracking unit includes an image display configured to display to a user an image of the surgical field, at least one eye tracker configured to measure data about a gaze point of the user, and a processor configured to process the data to determine a viewing location in the displayed image at…
SURGICAL SYSTEM WITH VARIABLE ENTRY GUIDE CONFIGURATIONS
Granted: June 8, 2017
Application Number:
20170156803
A surgical system uses a single entry port in a wide variety of surgeries. To insert multiple surgical instruments into a patient through a single entry port requires that the shaft (262A1) of at least one (260A1) of the surgical instruments be bent between the base of the surgical instrument (260A1) and the point where the shaft contacts a channel in an entry guide (270A). Each surgical instrument (260A1, 260A2) is positioned by an instrument manipulator positioning system (231A) so…
USER SELECTION OF ROBOTIC SYSTEM OPERATING MODES USING MODE DISTINGUISHING OPERATOR ACTIONS
Granted: May 11, 2017
Application Number:
20170129108
A robotic system has a plurality of user selectable operating modes. To select one of the operating modes, a user performs a distinguishing action which uniquely identifies a desired operating mode among the plurality of user selectable operating modes. A method implemented by a processor in the robotic system identifies the distinguishing action and places the robotic system in the user selected operating mode.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL TARGET DEVICES, ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FOR CALIBRATING AN ENDOSCOPIC CAMERA
Granted: May 11, 2017
Application Number:
20170127912
The present disclosure relates to calibration target devices, assemblies and methods for use with imaging systems, such as a stereoscopic endoscope. A calibration assembly includes: a target surface extends in three dimensions with calibration markers and a body with an interface that engages an endoscope so the markers are within the field of view. A first calibration marker extends along a first plane of the target surface and a second marker extends along a second plane of the target…
MECHANICAL WRIST JOINTS WITH ENHANCED RANGE OF MOTION, AND RELATED DEVICES AND METHODS
Granted: May 4, 2017
Application Number:
20170120457
A wrist joint, such as for a surgical instrument, may include a first disc, a second disc adjacent the first disc, and a drive tendon that extends through the first disc and the second disc. The first disc and the second disc may include respective opposing joint features that intermesh with one another. The first disc and the second disc may further include opposing load bearing surfaces separate from the joint features. The drive tendon may exert a force on at least one of the first…
RATCHETING FOR MASTER ALIGNMENT OF A TELEOPERATED MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
Granted: April 27, 2017
Application Number:
20170112582
A minimally-invasive surgical system includes a slave surgical instrument having a slave surgical instrument tip and a master grip. The slave surgical instrument tip has an alignment in a common frame of reference and the master grip, which is coupled to the slave surgical instrument, has an alignment in the common frame of reference. An alignment error, in the common frame of reference, is a difference in alignment between the alignment of the slave surgical instrument tip and the…
Automatic Push-Out to Avoid Range of Motion Limits
Granted: April 27, 2017
Application Number:
20170112580
Robotic and/or surgical devices, systems, and methods include kinematic linkage structures and associated control systems configured to facilitate preparation of the system for use. In some embodiments, actively driven joints will move a platform structure that supports multiple manipulators in response to movement of one of the manipulators, facilitating and expediting the arrangement of the overall system by moving those multiple manipulators as a unit into alignment with the…
SURGICAL SYSTEM INCLUDING A NON-WHITE LIGHT GENERAL ILLUMINATOR
Granted: April 27, 2017
Application Number:
20170112354
Non-white light from an endoscope (201) of a teleoperated surgical system (200) is used to illuminate a surgical site (203). A camera (220L) captures an image of the surgical site, and the image is displayed on a monitor (251). The non-white light illumination minimizes noise in the images of the surgical site presented on the monitor relative to images captured using white light illumination and displayed on the monitor.
SURGICAL CANNULAS AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF IDENTIFYING SURGICAL CANNULAS
Granted: April 20, 2017
Application Number:
20170105811
A cannula for a surgical system may include a magnet located in a position to be sensed by the surgical system in a mounted position of the cannula to the surgical system. At least one of a presence of the magnet and a polarity of the magnet is sensed in the mounted position of the cannula to provide identification information relating to the cannula. Exemplary embodiments further encompass a patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system, the patient side cart including a base, a…
TELE-OPERATIVE SURGICAL SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF CONTROL AT JOINT LIMITS USING INVERSE KINEMATICS
Granted: April 6, 2017
Application Number:
20170095301
Devices, systems, and methods for controlling manipulator movements at joint range of motion limits are provided. In one aspect, methods include locking one or more joints of the manipulator when the one or more joints hit a respective joint limit by modifying an input into a Jacobian of the manipulator when calculating joint movement of a master control using inverse kinematics to provide improved, more intuitive force feedback through the master control. In some embodiments, scaling…
MANIPULATOR ARM HAVING CONNECTION INTERFACE, AND RELATED DEVICES AND SYSTEMS
Granted: April 6, 2017
Application Number:
20170095300
A surgical instrument support arm of a teleoperated patient side cart may include a first arm portion including a first connector end and a second a second arm portion including a second connector end. The second arm portion may be removably connectable to the first arm portion via mating engagement of the first and second connector ends. The first and second connector ends may each include complementary mechanical connections and complementary electrical connections. At least one of the…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TISSUE CONTACT DETECTION AND FOR AUTO-EXPOSURE AND ILLUMINATION CONTROL
Granted: April 6, 2017
Application Number:
20170095297
Scenes captured with an endoscope (201) of a teleoperated surgical system (200) and displayed on a display unit (251) maintain a consistent brightness even though optical output power of an illuminator (210) changes, and working distance (204) between tissue (203) and the distal tip of the endoscope changes. Teleoperated surgical system (200) also automatically detects when endoscope (201) contacts tissue (203) and adjusts the output optical power of illuminator (210) so that tissue…
CANNULA SEAL ASSEMBLY
Granted: April 6, 2017
Application Number:
20170095269
Gas-tight seal assemblies for use during minimally invasive surgery include various aspects. A wiper seal includes a sealing portion and a surrounding flex portion. Upper and lower faces of the sealing portions are angled with reference to an inserted instrument, the upper face's angle being more acute with reference to the instrument's shaft than the lower face's angle. The flex portion is corrugated, support ribs are in one or more corrugation grooves, and the support ribs allow the…
ANGLED ENDOSCOPE TIP IMAGE CAPTURE UNIT
Granted: April 6, 2017
Application Number:
20170095142
A family of endoscopes includes a non-zero degree endoscope (210) and a zero degree endoscope (200). Zero degree endoscope (210) includes a first image capture unit (220A) mounted in a distal portion (270A) of the zero degree endoscope with a lengthwise axis of the first image capture unit substantially parallel to a lengthwise axis of that distal portion. Non-zero degree endoscope (210) includes a second image capture unit (220B) mounted in a distal portion (270B) of the non-zero degree…
WHEELED CART WITH VIBRATION REDUCTION DEVICE, AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Granted: March 30, 2017
Application Number:
20170087730
A patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system may include a base, a column connected to the base, a boom connected to the column, a manipulator arm connected to the boom, and a vibration reduction member. The manipulator arm may be configured to support a surgical instrument. The vibration reduction member may be configured to be moved between deployed and retracted positions relative to the base. The vibration reduction member may engage a ground surface in the deployed…
SURGICAL DRAPE AND SYSTEMS INCLUDING SURGICAL DRAPE AND ATTACHMENT SENSOR
Granted: March 30, 2017
Application Number:
20170086934
A surgical drape for a patient side cart of a teleoperated surgical system may include a body and an attachment device feature. The body may be sized and shaped to cover at least a portion of an arm or main column of the patient side cart. The attachment device feature may be connected to body. The attachment device feature may be configured to install the surgical drape to the arm or main column so as to cover at least a portion of the arm or main column with the surgical drape. The…
SURGICAL CANNULA MOUNTS AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Granted: March 30, 2017
Application Number:
20170086930
A cannula mount for a surgical system may include a body having an aperture to receive a portion of a cannula. The cannula mount may further include a pivotable clamping arm to engage the portion of the cannula received in the aperture. The clamping arm may include a cam follower surface. The cannula mount may further include a block moveable between a first position and a second position. The block may include a cam surface. The cam surface of the block may engage the cam follower…
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STEERABLE MEDICAL DEVICE PATH DEFINITION AND FOLLOWING DURING INSERTION AND RETRACTION
Granted: March 23, 2017
Application Number:
20170079507
Waypoints for a steerable medical device are stored as the steerable medical device is moved within a patient. The stored waypoints are an ordered sequence of locations. The ordered sequence of locations defines a safe path within the patient for moving an articulatable portion of the steerable medical device. The articulatable portion of the steerable medical device is constrained to follow the safe path as the articulatable portion moves within the patient. For example, the…
SURGICAL INSTRUMENT DRIVE ELEMENT, AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS
Granted: March 2, 2017
Application Number:
20170056098
A surgical instrument includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and end effector coupled to the distal end of the shaft. An electrical transmission conduit extends along the shaft from the proximal end to the distal end and is configured to deliver electrical energy to energize the end effector. A connector assembly electrically couples the electrical transmission conduit to the end effector, and the end effector is pivotably coupled to the connector assembly. In another…
