Touchscreen user interface for interacting with a virtual model
Granted: November 15, 2022
Patent Number:
11497569
A method comprises accessing a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object with a visualization tool, including a touchscreen; displaying, via the touchscreen, an image of the 3D model; detecting a first pressure based input at a first location on the touchscreen; selecting a first component of the 3D model as a result of the first pressure based input at the first location; detecting movement of the first pressure based input from the first location on the touchscreen to a second location…
Jointed control platform
Granted: November 15, 2022
Patent Number:
11497567
A medical device having a force transmission mechanism that includes a chassis having a pivotal support that defines a first axis. An axle is supported by the pivotal support and is free to rotate around the first axis of rotation. The axle defines a second axis of rotation perpendicular to the first axis of rotation. A first control arm is coupled to a first end of the axle and is free to rotate around the second axis of rotation. A second control arm is coupled to an opposite second…
Articulating mechanism with flex-hinged links
Granted: November 8, 2022
Patent Number:
11491310
A surgical tool comprises a pair of opposing jaws moveable relative to each other between a closed position and first and second open positions. The opposing jaws remain substantially parallel to one another when moving between the closed position and the first open position and remain non-parallel to one another when moving between the first open position and the second open position.
Instruments with electrically isolated components, related systems and methods
Granted: November 8, 2022
Patent Number:
11490978
A surgical instrument component for coupling an end effector to a shaft of a surgical instrument may comprise a distal portion made of an electrically conductive first material, a proximal portion made of an electrically conductive second material, and an intermediate portion made of an electrically insulating third material. The intermediate portion is disposed between and integrally connected to the proximal portion and to the distal portion.
Redundant axis and degree of freedom for hardware-constrained remote center robotic manipulator
Granted: November 8, 2022
Patent Number:
11490977
A surgical system includes a manipulator, a surgical tool and a control system. The manipulator includes a manipulator mounting base, a pitch mechanism, a roll mechanism and a redundant rotation mechanism. The surgical tool is supported by the manipulator and has a tool shaft axis. The pitch mechanism rotates the surgical tool around a pitch axis. The roll mechanism rotates the surgical tool around a roll axis transverse to the pitch axis. The redundant rotation mechanism rotates the…
Medical system with multiple operating modes for steering a medical instrument through linked body passages
Granted: November 8, 2022
Patent Number:
11490793
A medical system includes a medical instrument, at least one actuator, and a controller. The medical instrument defines a central axis and includes a steerable tip. The controller is configured to command the at least one actuator to cause active steering control of the medical instrument according to an insertion control mode after movement of the medical instrument is detected and exceeds a first threshold value in an insertion direction and to deactivate the at least one actuator to…
Pressure test port contained within a body of surgical instrument
Granted: November 8, 2022
Patent Number:
11490786
A surgical apparatus includes a housing, a test port retainer, a pressure test chamber, and an image capture assembly. The housing includes a pressure test port. The test port retainer includes a test port retainer housing, a probe seal, and a liquid exclusion barrier. In one aspect, the test port retainer also includes a hydrophobic membrane mounted within the test port retainer housing. The pressure test chamber includes a manifold and a central tube. The first end of the central tube…
Sealing multiple surgical instruments
Granted: November 1, 2022
Patent Number:
11484336
A cannula cap is disclosed. A cannula cap according to some embodiments of the invention includes an instrument guide attachment; a cannula attachment; and a seal captured between the instrument guide attachment and the cannula attachment. In some embodiments, a cannula cap can include a lid; a locking ring; a base; and a cannula seal captured between the lid and the base.
System and method for collision avoidance using virtual boundaries
Granted: November 1, 2022
Patent Number:
11485016
A system and method of collision avoidance includes determining a position and an orientation, the position and the orientation being of a repositionable arm or of an instrument, the repositionable arm being configured to support the instrument; determining, based on the position and the orientation, a plurality of first virtual boundaries around the repositionable arm or the instrument; determining a second virtual boundary around an object; determining a first overlap force on the…
Systems and methods for proximal control of a surgical instrument
Granted: November 1, 2022
Patent Number:
11484376
A robotic surgical system comprises an instrument chassis assembly including an elongated member extending along a chassis axis, a proximal mounting section, a distal mounting section, and an instrument interface coupled to the proximal mounting section. The robotic surgical system further comprises an actuation system coupled to the proximal mounting section. The robotic surgical system further comprises a linkage system operably coupled between the actuation system and the distal…
Surgical equipment control input visualization field
Granted: November 1, 2022
Patent Number:
11484220
A control console includes a first input control operable by an operator and outside of a field of view of the operator, a display within the field of view of the operator, and a first image capture device. The first image capture device acquires a first image of a physical environment surrounding the first input control and at least part of the first input control. The first image is output on the display. In some embodiments, a second image of a work site may also be displayed, so that…
Dynamic illumination for eye-tracking
Granted: October 25, 2022
Patent Number:
11483545
An apparatus includes a controller coupled to a stereoscopic image viewer. The stereoscopic image viewer includes a viewing lens, an image capture unit, and a plurality of light sources. The image capture unit is configured to capture image frames. The controller receives the captured image frames. The controller is configured to switch light output from one of the plurality of light sources to another one of the plurality of light sources if a corneal reflection in a captured image…
Splayed cable guide for a medical instrument
Granted: October 25, 2022
Patent Number:
11478317
An apparatus includes a housing, a cable guide, a first cable, and a second cable. The housing is coupled to a shaft of a medical instrument. The cable guide is coupled to the housing, and defines a shaft opening into a passageway defined by the shaft. A first guide groove and a second guide groove are defined by the cable guide, with each of the first guide groove and the second guide groove being splayed outward from the shaft opening. The first cable is routed within the first guide…
Methods and system for performing 3-D tool tracking by fusion of sensor and/or camera derived data during minimally invasive robotic surgery
Granted: October 25, 2022
Patent Number:
11478308
Methods and system perform tool tracking during minimally invasive robotic surgery. Tool states are determined. using triangulation techniques or a Bayesian filter from either or both non-endoscopically derived and endoscopically derived tool state information, or from either or both non-visually derived and visually derived tool state information. The non-endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from sensor data provided either by sensors associated with a mechanism for…
Electrophysiology mapping and visualization system
Granted: October 25, 2022
Patent Number:
11478152
Electrophysiology mapping and visualization systems are described herein where such devices may be used to visualize tissue regions as well as map the electrophysiological activity of the tissue. Such a system may include a deployment catheter and an attached hood deployable into an expanded configuration. In use, the imaging hood is placed against or adjacent to a region of tissue to be imaged in a body lumen that is normally filled with an opaque bodily fluid such as blood. A…
Imaging systems and methods of use
Granted: October 25, 2022
Patent Number:
11478138
An imaging instrument comprises an elongate flexible shaft, a camera disposed at a distal end of the elongate flexible shaft, and a housing coupled to a proximal end of the elongate flexible shaft. The instrument also includes a light emitting diode (LED) within the housing and a heat dissipation system in thermal communication with the LED to transfer heat produced by the LED away from the housing.
Systems and methods for configuring components in a minimally invasive instrument
Granted: October 18, 2022
Patent Number:
11471066
A robotic system includes a manipulator assembly including at least one actuator, a control system including at least one processor configured to control the manipulator assembly, an elongate flexible catheter configured to be manipulated by the at least one actuator, and a support structure mounted on a proximal portion of the elongate flexible catheter. The support structure includes a first alignment feature and a second alignment feature. The first alignment feature is configured to…
Methods and apparatus for determining shape parameter(s) using a sensing fiber having a single core with multiple light propagating modes
Granted: October 18, 2022
Patent Number:
11473941
Example embodiments include an optical interrogation system with a sensing fiber having a single core, the single core having multiple light propagating modes. Interferometric apparatus probes the single core multimode sensing fiber over a range of predetermined wavelengths and detects measurement interferometric data associated with the multiple light propagating modes of the single core for each predetermined wavelength in the range. Data processing circuitry processes the measurement…
Methods and apparatus to determine a twist parameter and/or a bend angle associated with a multi-core fiber
Granted: October 18, 2022
Patent Number:
11473902
A multi-core fiber includes multiple optical cores, and for each different core of a set of different cores of the multiple optical cores, a total change in optical length is detected. The total change in optical length represents an accumulation of all changes in optical length for multiple segments of that different core up to a point on the multi-core fiber. A difference is determined between the total changes in optical length for cores of the set of different cores. A twist…
Configuration marker design and detection for instrument tracking
Granted: October 18, 2022
Patent Number:
11471221
A tool tracking method comprises receiving stereo image data of a tool. The tool includes a tracking marker. The method also comprises receiving first kinematic data for the tool and determining a three-dimensional image-derived pose of the tool from the stereo image data of the tool and the tracking marker. The method also comprises determining a first kinematic pose of the tool from the first kinematic data and determining a pose offset between the image-derived pose of the tool and…
