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EP-4117567-B1 - REDUNDANT ROBOT POWER AND COMMUNICATION ARCHITECTURE

EP4117567B1EP 4117567 B1EP4117567 B1EP 4117567B1EP-4117567-B1

Inventors

  • Rea, Rochelle
  • ZIETLOW, KLAUS
  • HOFFMAN, ADAM
  • ZENG, Yiqi

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20210310

Claims (9)

  1. An electronic circuit (20) for a surgical robotic system (1) comprising: a central power node (62); a first voltage bus that electrically couples a first power source to the central power node and a second voltage bus that electrically couples a second power source to the central power node, each bus arranged to provide power from a respective power source to the central power node, wherein each bus has an input circuit breaker (65, 66) that is arranged to limit a first output current flow from the node and into the bus; a plurality of robotic arms(4a, 4b), each arm is electrically coupled to the central power node via an output circuit breaker (67, 68, 69) and is arranged to draw the power from the central power node, wherein each output circuit breaker is arranged to limit a second output current flow from the central power node and into a respective robotic arm; and a first power controller (63) and a second power controller (64) that are both communicatively coupled to each of the output circuit breakers, wherein one of the output circuit breakers is arranged to open in response to a fault occurring within the respective robotic arm, while a remainder of the output circuit breakers remain closed, wherein the output circuit breaker only opens in response to both the first power controller and the second power controller transmitting control signals that include instructions to open the output circuit breaker.
  2. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the remainder of the output circuit breakers remain closed in response to at least one of the power controllers transmitting a control signal that includes instructions to close the remainder of the output circuit breakers.
  3. The electronic circuit of claim 1 further comprising: a first communication controller (23) having a master responsibility that includes receiving robotic control commands from a host and routing the robotic control commands to the plurality of robotic arms and a second communication controller (24) that is a redundant controller, wherein the first communication controller is electrically coupled to the central power node via a third voltage bus to draw the power from the central power node and the second communication controller is electrically coupled to the central power node via a fourth voltage bus to draw power from the central power node.
  4. The electronic circuit of claim 3, wherein each of the third and fourth voltage busses couple to the central power node via an output circuit breaker (67, 68, 69), wherein, in response to a fault occurring along the third voltage bus, the output circuit breaker of the third voltage bus is arranged to open, thereby configuring the second communication controller to have the master responsibility instead of the first communication controller.
  5. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the first power source is an AC mains power source and the second power source is a battery (70).
  6. The electronic circuit of claim 5, wherein a surgical table (5) of the surgical robotic system is arranged to only draw power from the battery, separate from the second voltage bus.
  7. A surgical robotic system comprising: a surgical table (5) that is arranged to hold a patient (6); a main control circuit (21) and a power distribution circuit (61); wherein the power distribution circuit comprises the electronic circuit of claim 1; wherein the plurality of robotic arms are each mounted on the surgical table; a control computer (3) that is communicatively couples a host (16) with the main control circuit, the control computer translates commands received from the host into robotic control commands for transmission to the main control circuit, the robotic control commands are for instructing the robotic arms to perform movements, wherein the main control circuit includes a redundant communication architecture that maintains communication between the plurality of robotic arms and the host in case of a fault within the system, wherein the power distribution circuit includes a redundant power architecture that manages and distributes input power that is received from either the first power source or the second power source to the plurality of robotic arms and the main control circuit.
  8. The robotic surgical system of claim 7, wherein the main control circuit comprises: a first communication controller (23) having a master responsibility that includes communicating with a robotic arm of the plurality of robotic arms and the host, a second communication controller (24) that is a redundant controller, and a monitoring controller (22) that is configured to signal, in response to detecting the fault, that the second communication controller is to have the master responsibility instead of the first communication controller.
  9. The robotic surgical system of claim 8, wherein the main control circuit further comprises routing logic that is configured to: route signals received from the robotic arm to each of the controllers, and route signals received from only the controller with the master responsibility to the robotic arm.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE This application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of US Non-Provisional Application No. 16/816,055 filed March 11, 2020. FIELD An embodiment of the disclosure relates generally to surgical robotic systems, and more specifically to the power and communication architecture of such systems. Other embodiments are also described. BACKGROUND Minimally-invasive surgery (MIS), such as laparoscopic surgery, involves techniques intended to reduce tissue damage during a surgical procedure. For example, laparoscopic procedures typically involve creating a number of small incisions in the patient (e.g., in the abdomen), and introducing one or more tools and at least one camera through the incisions into the patient. The surgical procedures can then be performed by using the introduced surgical tools, with the visualization aid provided by the camera. Generally, MIS provides multiple benefits, such as reduced patient scarring, less patient pain, shorter patient recovery periods, and lower medical treatment costs associated with patient recovery. MIS can be performed with surgical robotic systems that include one or more robotic arms for manipulating surgical tools based on commands from a remote operator. A robotic arm may, for example, support at its distal end various devices such as surgical end effectors, imaging devices, cannulas for providing access to the patient's body cavity and organs, etc. Thus, a surgical robotic arm can assist in performing surgery. The disclosure of US 2015/112481 A1 provides a robotic system that has arms, arm processors, arm supervisor, and system supervisor. Each arm includes nodes for controlling motors in the arm. The disclosure of FR 2 778 551 A1 provides an electric lancet for cutting and coagulation that is supplied from a switching module which automatically selects between a 220v mains supply or an inverter driven by batteries. The disclosure of US 2006/149418 A1 relates to robotically-assisted surgical manipulators and more particularly to systems and methods for performing telerobotic surgical procedures. Control of such robotic systems may require control inputs from a user (e.g., surgeon or other operator) via one or more user interface devices that translate manipulations or commands from the user into control of the robotic system. For example, in response to user commands, a tool driver having one or more motors may actuate one or more degrees of freedom of a surgical tool when the surgical tool is positioned at the surgical site in the patient. SUMMARY The invention is as defined by independent claim 1. Dependent claims disclose exemplary embodiments. In some cases, surgical robotic arms of a surgical robotic system are heavy and cumbersome for someone to carry. For instance, the arms may include several components, such as actuators and motors that enable the arms to have several degrees of freedom, and may be made of sturdy material that is heavy, such as metal. Since the arms cannot be easily moved, the arms may be mounted upon a surgical table that is itself mounted to a floor of an operating room in order to support the arms. Along with the arms, the surgical table may include table-side electronics that powers and controls both the arms and the surgical table. Specifically, the system may include a control computer (which may be located within the operating room) that receives commands from (a host computer of) the operator, translates the commands into robotic control commands, and transmits the robotic control commands to the table-side electronics, which then routes the control commands to the arms in order to cause the arms to move according to the commands. During surgery, a patient is laid upon the surgical table and the robotic arms may hang over the patient while the operator (e.g., a surgeon) manipulates surgical tools that are supported or coupled at distal ends of the robotic arms. If a fault occurs within the system during surgery, the surgical arms may be rendered unmovable and potentially cage the patient on the surgical table. For example, a fault may occur in the event of a communication failure between the table-side electronics and the host computer. As another example, a component (e.g., a communication controller) of the table-side electronics that enables communication with the host computer may unexpectedly fail. With the communication interrupted, the table-side electronics would not receive robotic control commands, and therefore actuators and motors within the arms that enable movement may be rendered inoperable. In order to avoid caging the patient by the inoperable robotic arms, conventional systems may include mechanical bailouts which when used allow the arms to be removed from the table, and thusly freeing the patient. Physically removing an arm from the table, however, is not preferable because a user may accidently drop the arm on top the patient, thereby causing injury. Therefore, there is a need for a fau