Methods and apparatuses for positioning a camera of a surgical robotic system to capture images inside a body cavity of a patient during a medical procedure

1. In a surgical robotic system, a method for positioning a camera to capture images inside a body cavity of a patient during a medical procedure, the method comprising:

receiving location information of at least one tool at a controller of the surgical robotic system performing the medical procedure, the location information defining a location of the at least one tool with respect to a body cavity frame of reference;

receiving at the controller an align command signal configured to cause the controller to move the camera based on the location information of the at least one tool; and

in response to receiving the align command signal at the controller, positioning the camera within the body cavity frame of reference to align a field of view of the camera with the location of the at least one tool such that the camera captures images of the at least one tool for display to an operator of the surgical robotic system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein movement of the at least one tool within the body cavity is caused by movement signals produced by the controller based on kinematic calculations and wherein receiving location information comprises using results of the kinematic calculations to determine the location of the at least one tool.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving location signals at the controller, the location signals being indicative of an actual location of the at least one tool within the body cavity frame of reference.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein causing the controller to produce positioning signals comprises causing the controller to produce positioning signals operable to cause the camera to be positioned such that the field of view of the camera is disposed to cause a reference point associated with the at least one tool to be centered within the captured images.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the reference point comprises a point on the at least one tool proximate a distal end of the at least one tool.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein receiving location information comprises receiving location information defining locations of a plurality of tools with respect to a body cavity frame of reference, and wherein the reference point comprises a point disposed in-between respective distal ends of the plurality of tools.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving operator input of a desired offset between the reference point and a center of the field of view of the camera and wherein causing the controller to produce positioning signals comprises causing the controller to produce positioning signals operable to cause the camera to be positioned such that the field of view of the camera is disposed offset from the reference point by the desired offset within the captured images.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, while the align command signal is being received at the controller and in response to receiving operator input from an input device configured to generate input signals for controlling movement of the at least one tool, causing the controller to continue to produce movement signals for causing movement of the at least one tool while simultaneously producing camera positioning signals operable to cause the camera to follow the at least one tool within the body cavity frame of reference.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the align command signal comprises causing the controller to determine whether a camera align control has been activated by the operator.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the camera align control comprises one or more of a finger actuated switch and a foot actuated switch.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the align command signal comprises causing the controller to determine whether at least one of:

a pattern of movement of the at least one tool has been received at an input device configured to generate input signals for controlling movement of the at least one tool; and

a pattern of movement of an end effector disposed at a distal tip of the at least one tool has been received from an input device configured to generate input signals for controlling movement of the end effector.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the align command signal comprises causing the controller to determine whether at least one of:

a reference point associated with the at least one tool is disposed outside of a defined central region within the captured image; and

a reference point associated with a currently active one of a plurality of tools is disposed outside of a defined central region within the captured image.

13. An apparatus for positioning a camera to capture images inside a body cavity of a patient during a medical procedure performed by a surgical robotic system, the apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to receive location information of at least one tool, the location information defining a location of the at least one tool with respect to a body cavity frame of reference;

the controller being further configured to receive an align command signal configured to cause the controller to move the camera based on the location information of the at least one tool; and

the controller being further configured to, in response to receiving the align command signal, position the camera within the body cavity frame of reference to align a field of view of the camera with the location of the at least one tool such that the camera captures images of the at least one tool for display to an operator of the surgical robotic system.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein movement of the at least one tool within the body cavity is caused by movement signals produced by the controller based on kinematic calculations and wherein the controller is configured to receive location information by using results of the kinematic calculations to determine the location of the at least one tool.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to receive location signals, the location signals being indicative of an actual location of the at least one tool within the body cavity frame of reference.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to produce positioning signals operable to cause the camera to be positioned such that the field of view of the camera is disposed to cause a reference point associated with the at least one tool to be centered within the captured images.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the reference point comprises a point on the at least one tool proximate a distal end of the at least one tool.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controller is configured to receive location information defining locations of a plurality of tools with respect to a body cavity frame of reference, and wherein the reference point comprises a point disposed in-between respective distal ends of the plurality of tools.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the controller may be configured to receive operator input of a desired offset between the reference point and a center of the field of view of the camera and the controller may be further configured to cause the camera to be positioned such that the field of view of the camera is disposed offset from the reference point by the desired offset within the captured images.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein, while the align command signal is being received at the controller and while receiving operator input from an input device configured to generate input signals for controlling movement of the at least one tool, the controller is configured to continue to produce movement signals for causing movement of the at least one tool while simultaneously producing camera positioning signals operable to cause the camera to follow the at least one tool within the body cavity frame of reference.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the align command signal is produced in response to determining that a camera align control has been activated by the operator.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the camera align control comprises one or more of a finger actuated switch and a foot actuated switch.

23. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the align command signal is produced in response to the controller determining whether at least one of:

a pattern of movement of the at least one tool has been received at an input device configured to generate input signals for controlling movement of the at least one tool; and

a pattern of movement of an end effector disposed at a distal tip of the at least one tool has been received from an input device configured to generate input signals for controlling movement of the end effector.

24. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the align command signal is produced by the controller when at least one of:

a reference point associated with the at least one tool is disposed outside of a defined central region within the captured image; and

a reference point associated with a currently active one of a plurality of tools is disposed outside of a defined central region within the captured image.