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EP-4740897-A2 - METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ASSIGNING INPUT DEVICES TO TELEOPERATED SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FUNCTIONS

EP4740897A2EP 4740897 A2EP4740897 A2EP 4740897A2EP-4740897-A2

Abstract

A method of assigning an auxiliary input device to control a surgical instrument in a robotic surgical system can include automatically assigning an auxiliary input device to control an auxiliary function of a surgical instrument based on a position of the auxiliary input device and which of a user's hands is operating another input device operably coupled to control movement of the surgical instrument. A system for controlling a surgical instrument may include an input device of a surgical system that is operably coupled to generate and transmit an input control signal to control movement of a surgical instrument operably coupled to the surgical system. The system may further include an auxiliary input device, and a control system operably coupling the auxiliary input device to control an auxiliary function of the surgical instrument based on a position of the auxiliary input device and which of a user's hands is operating the input device.

Inventors

  • GOLDBERG, RANDAL, P.
  • HANUSCHIK, MICHAEL
  • MILLMAN, PAUL
  • MOHR, PAUL, W.
  • NIXON, THOMAS, R.
  • ROBINSON, DAVID

Assignees

  • Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20130916

Claims (15)

  1. A robotic system comprising: a first manipulator interface assembly (104) configured to removably couple with and actuate movement of a first instrument (102, 103); a second manipulator interface assembly (104) configured to removably couple with and actuate movement of a second instrument (102, 103); an input device (122); an auxiliary input device (124); and a control system (130, 150) configured to: assign the auxiliary input device to control an auxiliary function of the first instrument in response to the input device being assigned to control movement of the first instrument; and in response to the input device being reassigned to control movement of the second instrument, automatically reassign the auxiliary input device to control an auxiliary function of the second instrument.
  2. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein: the input device is configured to be operable by a hand of a user; and the auxiliary input device is configured to be operable by a foot of the user.
  3. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a first input device and the auxiliary input device is a first auxiliary input device, and wherein the robotic system further comprises: a second input device (122); and a second auxiliary input device (124), wherein the control system is further configured to: in response to the second input device being assigned to control movement of the first instrument, assign the second auxiliary input device to control the auxiliary function of the first instrument, and in response to the second input device being reassigned to control movement of the second instrument, reassign the second auxiliary input device to control the auxiliary function of the second instrument.
  4. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a gripping mechanism (122), and wherein the auxiliary input device comprises a pedal (124).
  5. The robotic system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a first input device and the auxiliary input device is a first auxiliary input device; wherein the robotic system further comprises: a second input device (122); and a second auxiliary input device (124); and wherein the control system is further configured to: in response to reassignment of control of movement of the first instrument from the first input device to the second input device, assign the second auxiliary input device to control the auxiliary function of the first instrument.
  6. The robotic system of any of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a graphical user interface (600, 700, 800), wherein the control system is further configured to: control the graphical user interface to output an indication (608, 708, 803, 805) of which of the first and second instruments the input device is assigned to control, and in response to an actuation of the auxiliary input device, display an indication (802, 804) at the graphical user interface indicating the actuation.
  7. The robotic system of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the auxiliary functions of the first and second instruments is selected from the group consisting of: delivering energy, irrigation, suction, stapling, and cutting.
  8. The robotic system of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control system is further configured to: detect a type of the auxiliary function of the one of the first or second instrument to which the auxiliary input device is assigned; and in response to actuation of the auxiliary input device, cause an auxiliary function signal to be sent to the one of the first or second instrument to which the auxiliary input device is assigned, wherein the auxiliary function signal is based on the detected auxiliary function type.
  9. The robotic system of any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a presence sensor (128) arranged to detect a presence of a user in proximity to the auxiliary input device; and a graphical user interface (600, 700, 800), wherein the control system is further configured to: control, in response to a detection by the presence sensor of the presence of the user in proximity to the auxiliary input device, the graphical user interface to display an indication (606, 706, 802, 804) of the presence of the user in proximity to the auxiliary input device.
  10. The robotic system of any of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a graphical user interface (600, 700, 800), wherein the control system is further configured to: control the graphical user interface to output an indication (608, 708, 803, 805) of which of the first instrument or the second instrument the input device is assigned.
  11. The robotic system of claim 10, wherein the control system is further configured to: control the graphical user interface to output an indication (610, 710) of the assignment of the auxiliary input device to the first instrument or the second instrument.
  12. The robotic system of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control system is further configured to: control a graphical user interface (600, 700, 800) to include a first portion (608, 708, ) indicating which of the first and second instruments the input device is assigned to control, and to include a second portion (610, 710) indicating which of the auxiliary functions of the first and second instruments the auxiliary input device is assigned to control.
  13. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with a robotic system, are configured to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: in response to an input device (122) assigned to control movement of a first instrument (102, 103) coupled with a first manipulator interface assembly (104) of a computer-assisted manipulator system, assigning an auxiliary input device (124) to control an auxiliary function of the first instrument; and in response to reassignment of the input device from being assigned to control movement of the first instrument to being assigned to control movement of a second instrument (102, 103) coupled to a second manipulator interface assembly (104) of the computer-assisted manipulator system, reassigning the auxiliary input device to control an auxiliary function of the second instrument.
  14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises: in response to a second input device (122) being assigned to control movement of the first instrument, assigning a second auxiliary input device (124) to control the auxiliary function of the first instrument, and in response to the second input device being reassigned to control movement of the second instrument, reassigning the second auxiliary input device to control the auxiliary function of the second instrument.
  15. The computer program product of claim 13 or 14, wherein the method further comprises: controlling a graphical user interface (600, 700, 800) to output an indication of which of the first and second instruments the input device is assigned to control; and in response to an actuation of the auxiliary input device, displaying an indication (802, 804) at the graphical user interface indicating the actuation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/702,166, filed September 17, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for assigning control over surgical instruments from input devices that remotely control a function of the surgical instruments. More particularly, aspects of the present disclosure relate to such methods and systems used in teleoperated (robotic) surgical systems wherein input devices at a surgeon console are assigned to control one or more functions of surgical instruments at a patient side cart. INTRODUCTION Some minimally invasive surgical techniques are performed remotely through the use of teleoperated (robotically-controlled) surgical instruments. In such surgical systems, surgeons manipulate input devices at a surgeon console, and those inputs are passed to a patient side cart that interfaces with one or more surgical instruments through various manipulator interface mechanisms. Based on the surgeon's inputs at the surgeon console, the one or more surgical instruments are actuated at the patient side cart to operate on the patient, thereby creating a master-slave control relationship between the surgeon console and the surgical instrument(s) at the patient side cart. The input devices provided at the surgeon console may include, for example, handheld gripping mechanisms that are grasped by the surgeon and used to position and actuate the instrument to perform a desired medical procedure. In addition to being coupled to various manipulator interface mechanisms at the patient side cart to position and otherwise manipulate the instruments based on manipulation of master inputs at the surgeon console, teleoperated surgical instruments also can perform other auxiliary surgical functions in addition to those under the direct control of the master input devices. By way of example, the surgical instruments may perform various auxiliary functions, such as monopolar or bipolar energy supply (e.g., cautery), suction, irrigation, stapling, clamping, cutting, imaging, etc. As with movement of the instrument in general, the auxiliary surgical functions performed by the surgical instrument are controlled by an input device generally provided at the surgeon console. Such input devices may include, for example, foot pedals that are depressed to send a command to perform the auxiliary function. Auxiliary function input devices also may be operably coupled to manual minimally invasive surgical instruments. For example, a foot pedal may be used to provide control over an auxiliary function, such as, for example, cautery energy delivery, to a manual instrument via an energy generator. Some surgical systems, whether manual or robotic, pre-assign auxiliary functions to individual auxiliary input devices, e.g., foot pedals. When a specific auxiliary function, e.g., energy supply, is to be implemented by a surgical instrument having a corresponding functional capability, the user can actuate the auxiliary input device assigned to the specific auxiliary function. For example, if a user wishes to supply cautery energy to a surgical instrument that delivers bipolar cautery energy (e.g., as opposed to monopolar energy), the user would provide input at an auxiliary input device (e.g., press a foot pedal) that has been assigned and is logically coupled to provide a bipolar energy delivery command to activate the bipolar energy instrument; likewise with a monopolar energy instrument/monopolar energy-assigned input device. Various surgical instruments may be added or removed from a robotic surgical system patient side cart depending on the type of surgical procedure desired to be performed. Further, multiple surgical instruments, which may be of similar or different types as the others so mounted, may be used together in performing a surgical procedure. There may be a benefit to provide a teleoperated (robotic) surgical system that dynamically and in an automated manner assigns control over auxiliary functions to auxiliary input devices based on the functional capabilities of the surgical instruments currently being controlled by the user. There may further exist a need to provide an alternative and intuitive manner in which to assign auxiliary input devices to control auxiliary surgical instrument functions in surgical systems, including in teleoperated (robotic) surgical systems. SUMMARY Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may solve one or more of the above-mentioned problems and/or may demonstrate one or more of the above-mentioned desirable features. Other features and/or advantages may become apparent from the description that follows. In accordance with at least one exemplary embodiment, a method of assigning an auxiliary input device to a surgical instrument in a surgical system can include automatically assigning the auxiliary i