User interface for active drive apparatus with finite range of motion

1. A system comprising:

a drive mechanism;

a controller configured to:

determine a user interface status;

determine a drive mechanism location of a gripper device relative to a first limit and a second limit, wherein the gripper device is configured to drive a medical instrument through a patient's anatomy; and

select a clutching location of the gripper device based on the user interface status and the drive mechanism location, and

wherein the user interface status is indicative of user interaction of a user interface and comprises at least one of an active status and an inactive status, and

wherein the inactive status is based on a determination by the controller that user interaction of the user interface has ceased.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to operate as a continuous drive system to a user.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism is capable of driving a catheter assembly.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the user interface status is associated with a position of the user interface.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the clutching location is selected at one of a central location, the first limit, and the second limit in response to a user interface velocity.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit an alert to a user interface device during clutching.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the gripper device to release the medical instrument and then retract and grip the medical device at the clutching location.

8. A method comprising:

determining a user interface status, the user interface status being indicative of a user interaction of a user interface and comprising at least one of an active status and an inactive status, wherein the inactive status is based on a determination that user interaction of the user interface has ceased;

determining a drive mechanism location of a gripper device relative to a first limit and a second limit along a slave device, wherein the gripper device is configured to drive the slave device through a patient's anatomy; and

determining whether to clutch the slave device with the griper device based on the user interface status and the drive mechanism location; and

instructing a drive mechanism to clutch based on the user interface status and the drive mechanism location.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising instructing the drive mechanism to clutch based on the drive mechanism location being at one of the first limit and second limit.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising instructing the drive mechanism to clutch based on the user interface status being the inactive status.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determination that user interaction has ceased comprises a detection of no contact with the user interface.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determination that user interaction has ceased comprises a detection of no contact with the user interface for a predetermined amount of time.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining a clutching location of the gripper device based on the user interface status and drive mechanism location.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising instructing the gripper device to release the slave device and then retract and grip the slaved device at the clutching location.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions, comprising:

determining a user interface status, the user interface status being indicative of a user interaction of a user interface and comprising at least one of an active status and an inactive status, wherein the inactive status is based on a determination that user interaction of the user interface has ceased;

determining a drive mechanism location of a gripper device relative to a first limit and a second limit along a slave device, wherein the gripper device is configured to drive the slave device through a patient's anatomy; and

determining whether to clutch the slave device with the gripper device based on the user interface status and the drive mechanism location; and

instructing a drive mechanism to clutch based on the user interface status and the drive mechanism location.

16. The medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructing the drive mechanism to clutch based on the drive mechanism location being at one of the first limit and second limit.

17. The medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructing the drive mechanism to clutch based on the user interface status having the inactive status.

18. The medium of claim 15 , further comprising transmitting an alert to a user interface device during clutching.

19. The medium of claim 12 , further comprising determining a clutching location of the gripper device based on the user interface status and drive mechanism location.

20. The medium of claim 19 , further comprising instructing the gripper device to release the slave device and then retract and grip the slave device at the clutching location.