Aspects of a control system of a minimally invasive surgical apparatus

Abstract

A surgical method and a control system can be used in a minimally invasive surgical apparatus. The method includes generating a desired surgical instrument movement command signal. It further includes comparing the desired surgical instrument movement command signal with at least one preset surgical instrument movement limitation. Should the desired surgical instrument command signal transgress the preset surgical instrument movement limitation, the desired surgical instrument movement command signal is restricted to yield a restricted surgical instrument movement command signal. A surgical instrument is then caused to move in response to the restricted surgical instrument movement command signal. The method further provides for haptic feedback on a master control in response to restriction of the desired surgical instrument movement command signal.

1 . A telerobotic system comprising: 
 an input device having a handle, the handle movable so as to receive an input command;    a robotic arm having an end effector, the robotic arm moving the end effector in response to an actual slave command;    a master-slave control system coupling the input device to robotic arm, the control system simulating a movement of the robotic arm in response to the input command, deriving an actual command in response to the simulated robotic arm movement, and transmitting the actual command to the robotic arm so that the end effector moves.    
   
   
       2 . A telerobotic system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a drive system coupled to the input device, wherein the control system transmits haptic feedback commands to the drive system in response to the simulated robotic arm movement so as to impose haptic feedback forces against a hand of the operator holding the handle.  
   
   
       3 . A telerobotic system as in  claim 2 , wherein the control system also transmits physical feedback commands to the drive system in response to physical forces imposed against the end effector so as to provide feedback to the hand of the operator.  
   
   
       4 . A telerobotic system as in  claim 1 , wherein the control system simulates the robotic arm movement and derives the actual command within a process cycling rate.  
   
   
       5 . A telerobotic system as in  claim 1 , wherein the simulation of the control system comprises a kinematic simulated movement of a simulated robotic arm, and wherein the control system modifies the input command in response to the kinematic simulated movement.  
   
   
       6 . A telerobotic system as in  claim 5 , wherein the control system modifies the input command prior to the robotic arm transgressing a limitation.  
   
   
       7 . A telerobotic system as in  claim 6 , wherein the control system provides feedback to the input device so as to resist the input movement of the handle and inhibit transgressing the limitation.  
   
   
       8 . A telerobotic system as in  claim 5 , wherein the control system effects the simulation by calculating simulated joint positions and simulated velocities of the simulated robotic arm.  
   
   
       9 . A telerobotic system as in  claim 1 , wherein the end effector comprises a surgical end effector, the system comprising a telesurgical system.  
   
   
       10 . A telerobotic method comprising: 
 moving a handle of an input device so as to input a command;    simulating a movement of the robotic arm in response to the input command;    deriving an actual command in response to the simulated robotic arm movement; and    transmitting the actual command to a robotic arm having an end effector using a master-slave control system so as to effect telerobotic movement of the end effector in response to the input command.    
   
   
       11 . A telerobotic method as in  claim 10 , further comprising transmitting haptic feedback commands to a drive system of the input device in response to the simulated robotic arm movement so as to impose haptic feedback forces against a hand of an operator holding the handle.  
   
   
       12 . A telerobotic method as in  claim 11 , further comprising transmitting physical feedback commands to the drive system in response to physical forces imposed against the end effector so as to provide feedback to the hand of the operator.  
   
   
       13 . A telerobotic method as in  claim 10 , wherein the control system simulates the robotic arm movement and derives the actual command within a process cycling rate.  
   
   
       14 . A telerobotic method as in  claim 10 , wherein simulating the movement of the robotic arm comprises generating a simulated movement of a simulated robotic arm with a kinematic model, and wherein the control system modifies the input command in response to the kinematic simulated movement.  
   
   
       15 . A telerobotic method as in  claim 14 , wherein the control system modifies the input command prior to the robotic arm transgressing a limitation.  
   
   
       16 . A telerobotic method as in  claim 15 , wherein the control system provides feedback to the input device so as to resist the input movement of the handle and inhibit transgressing the limitation.  
   
   
       17 . A telerobotic method as in  claim 14 , wherein the control system effects the simulation by calculating simulated joint positions and simulated velocities of the simulated robotic arm.  
   
   
       18 . A telerobotic method as in  claim 10 , wherein the end effector comprises a surgical end effector, the method comprising a telesurgical procedure.  
   
   
       19 . A method for moving a master-slave surgical instrument including: 
 generating an instrument movement input command signal by moving a master control with an input movement from a first location to a second location;    generating a kinematic simulated instrument movement corresponding to the input movement;    comparing the simulated instrument movement with at least one preset instrument movement limitation;    generating a restricted instrument movement command signal in response to the simulated instrument movement transgressing the preset instrument movement limitation;    moving the surgical instrument in response to the restricted instrument movement command signal; and    urging the master control away from transgressing the preset instrument limitation.    
   
   
       20 . A surgical method as in  claim 19 , further comprising generating a feedback signal in response to the simulated instrument movement transgressing the preset instrument movement limitation, wherein urging the master control comprises forwarding the feedback signal to the master control to apply a force against the master control to urge against transgressing the preset instrument movement limitation, the feedback signal comprising a haptic feedback signal so that a surgeon is urged not to transgress the preset limitations.  
   
   
       21 . A surgical method as in  claim 20 , further comprising generating an instrument feedback signal in response to application of a force against the surgical instrument, wherein movement of the master control is resisted in response to the instrument feedback signal and the simulated instrument movement.  
   
   
       22 . A surgical method as in  claim 20 , wherein the force corresponds with an amount by which the simulated instrument movement transgresses the preset instrument movement limitation.  
   
   
       23 . A surgical method as in  claim 1 , wherein the preset instrument movement limitation corresponds to a singularity of the surgical instrument.  
   
   
       24 . A surgical method as in  claim 1 , wherein the preset instrument movement limitation corresponds to a positional limitation of the surgical instrument.  
   
   
       25 . A surgical method as in  claim 1 , wherein the preset instrument movement limitation corresponds to a velocity limitation of the surgical instrument.  
   
   
       26 . A surgical method as in  claim 19 , wherein moving the surgical instrument and resisting the master control movement occur substantially simultaneously.  
   
   
       27 . A surgical method as in  claim 19 , wherein generating an instrument movement input command signal comprises generating a velocity command signal.  
   
   
       28 . A surgical method as in  claim 27 , wherein generating an instrument movement input command signal comprises measuring a position of the master control at the first location and at the second location with one or more sensors to generate a position command signal and calculating the rate of change of the position from the first location to the second location to generate the velocity command signal.  
   
   
       29 . A surgical apparatus control system including 
 a movable master control arranged to generate an instrument movement input command signal corresponding to a movement of the master control from a first location to a second location;    a surgical instrument operatively coupled to the master control; and    one or more processor arranged to generate a kinematic simulated instrument movement, compare the simulated instrument movement with at least one preset instrument movement limitation, restrict the simulated instrument movement so as to yield a restricted instrument movement command signal in response to the simulated instrument movement transgressing the preset instrument movement limitation, the surgical instrument moving in response to the restricted instrument command signal, and generate a feedback signal against the master control corresponding to the simulated instrument movement transgressing the preset instrument movement limitation, the master control resisting the movement from the first location to the second location in response to the feedback signal.