Minimally invasive surgical system

Abstract

A control system for a minimally invasive surgical system. In one aspect the control system is a distributed system. A control and transform processor receives data from a master arm controller, an instrument controller, an imaging system controller, and a guide tube controller and distributes data received from one controller to the other controllers. The other controllers use the received data, along with received optimization goals, to control associated slave arms in a distributed but coordinated way. In another aspect, the control system is centralized, in which a motion coordinator receives master inputs, sensor inputs from the slave arms, and optimization inputs. The motion coordinator uses the received inputs to output control signals to an instrument, an imaging system, and a guide tube controller.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A distributed control system for a minimally invasive surgical system, comprising:
 a control and transform processor;   a master arm controller that is associated with a master arm, wherein the master arm controller is coupled to send master arm following data to the control and transform processor;   an instrument controller that is associated with an instrument slave arm, wherein the instrument controller is coupled to send instrument following data to the control and transform processor;   an imaging system controller that is associated with an imaging system slave arm, wherein the imaging system controller is coupled to send imaging system following data to the control and transform processor; and   a guide tube controller that is associated with a guide tube slave arm, wherein the guide tube controller is coupled to send guide tube following data to the control and transform processor;   wherein the control and transform processor is coupled to send the following data received from the instrument controller to the imaging system controller and to the guide tube controller, the following data received from the imaging system controller to the instrument controller and to the guide tube controller, and the following data received from the guide tube controller to the instrument controller and to the imaging system controller.