IP Library Granted Patent US 11,337,767
Granted Patent B2
US 11,337,767 · App. 16/415,992 · Granted May 24, 2022

Interlock mechanisms to disengage and engage a teleoperation mode

Inventors: Joan Savall (Palo Alto, CA); Denise Ann Miller (Scotts Valley, CA); Anette Lia Freiin von Kapri (Mountain View, CA); Paolo Invernizzi (Milan, IT); John Magnasco (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: VERB SURGICAL INC.
A61B34/35A61B34/25B25J9/0009B25J9/1689G06F3/012G06F3/013G06F3/017A61B2034/305
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,337,767
App. No.
16/415,992
Granted
May 24, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for engaging and disengaging a surgical instrument of a surgical robotic system comprising: receiving a plurality of interlock inputs from one or more interlock detection components of the surgical robotic system; determining, by one or more processors communicatively coupled to the interlock detection components, whether the plurality of interlock inputs indicate each of the following interlock requirements are satisfied: (1) a user is looking toward a display, (2) at least one or more user interface devices of the surgical robotic system are configured in a usable manner, and (3) a surgical workspace of the surgical robotic system is configured in a usable manner; in response to determining each of the interlock requirements are satisfied, transition the surgical robotic system into a teleoperation mode; and in response to determining less than all of the interlock requirements are satisfied, transition the surgical robotic system out of a teleoperation mode.

Claims (58)

1. A method for engaging and disengaging a surgical instrument of a surgical robotic system, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of interlock inputs from one or more interlock detection components of the surgical robotic system, wherein the surgical robotic system comprises a console having a display, at least one or more user interface devices for controlling the surgical instrument, and a chair, and wherein at least one of the one or more interlock detection components comprises a transport sensor coupled to the console that detects whether the console is in a transportation configuration as one of the plurality of interlock inputs;

determining, by one or more processors communicatively coupled to the interlock detection components, whether the plurality of interlock inputs indicate each of the following interlock requirements are satisfied: (1) a user is looking toward a display of the surgical robotic system, (2) at least one or more user interface devices of the surgical robotic system are configured in a usable manner, and (3) a surgical workspace of the surgical robotic system is configured in a usable manner based on whether the console is in a transportation configuration;

in response to determining each of the interlock requirements are satisfied, transition the surgical robotic system into a teleoperation mode in which the surgical instrument is controlled by at least one or more of the user interface devices; and

in response to determining less than all of the interlock requirements are satisfied, transition the surgical robotic system out of a teleoperation mode such that the at least one or more user interface devices is prevented from controlling the surgical instrument.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more user interface devices comprise at least one of a handheld user input device and a foot pedal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the display is an open display.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more interlock detection components further comprise at least one of an eye and/or head tracker, a tracking marker on a user's glasses, a tracking marker on a user's face mask, a chair swivel sensor, a chair pressure sensor, a headrest pressure sensor, an immersive display deployment sensor, a user interface device tracking sensor, a user interface device storage sensor, ora user interface device contact sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of interlock inputs indicating a user is looking toward the display comprise:

detecting a user gaze is toward the display;

detecting a user head is rotated toward the display;

detecting a chair associated of the surgical robotic system is facing the display;

detecting a user is seated on the chair; and

detecting the display is in a use position.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of interlock inputs indicating at least one or more user interface devices of the surgical robotic system is configured in a usable manner comprise:

detecting at least one user interface device is inside the surgical workspace;

detecting an accurate user interface device location is received; and

detecting at least one user interface device is being held by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs indicating the surgical workspace of the surgical robotic system is configured in a usable manner comprises:

detecting the console is not in a transportation configuration.

8. A method for disengaging a surgical instrument of a surgical robotic system, the method comprising:

determining, by one or more processors communicatively coupled to the surgical robotic system, that at least one interlock input previously received from one or more interlock detection components of the surgical robotic system is no longer present and therefore (1) a user is looking away from a display of the surgical robotic system, (2) at least one or more user interface devices of the surgical robotic system is configured in a non-usable manner, or (3) a surgical workspace of the surgical robotic system is configured in a non-usable manner, and wherein the surgical robotic system comprises a console having a display, a user interface device for controlling the surgical instrument, and a chair, and wherein at least one of the one or more interlock detection components comprises a transport sensor coupled to the console for detecting engagement of a brake associated with the console, and the at least one previously received interlock input that is no longer present is engagement of the brake when the surgical workspace is configured in a non-usable manner; and

in response to determining that the interlock input is no longer present, transition the surgical robotic system out of a teleoperation mode such that the user interface device of the surgical robotic system is prevented from controlling a surgical instrument.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining the user is looking away from the display comprises at least one of the following:

detecting a user gaze is outside of the display;

detecting a user head is rotated away from the display;

detecting a chair associated of the surgical robotic system is facing away from the display;

detecting a user is not seated on the chair; and

detecting the display is in a non-use position.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein determining the surgical robotic system is configured in a non-usable manner comprises at least one of the following:

detecting at least one user interface device is outside a surgical workspace;

detecting a received user interface device location is inaccurate; and

detecting at least one user interface device is dropped by the user.

11. A surgical robotic system, comprising:

a surgical instrument;

a user console comprising a display, an interlock detecting component, a user interface device and a chair; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the interlock detecting component, the one or more processors configured to:

receive a plurality of interlock inputs from the interlock detecting component, wherein all of the plurality of interlock inputs are required for engagement of a teleoperation mode in which the surgical instrument is controlled by the user interface device, and at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs comprises engagement of a brake associated with the user console;

determine at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs received from the interlock detecting component is no longer present; and

transition the surgical robotic system out of a teleoperation mode such that the user interface device is prevented from controlling the surgical instrument.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the display is an open display.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of interlock inputs indicate each of the following interlock requirements are satisfied: (1) a user is looking toward a display of the surgical robotic system, (2) at least one or more user interface devices of the surgical robotic system is configured in a usable manner, and (3) a surgical workspace of the surgical robotic system is configured in a usable manner.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the interlock detecting component for detecting the plurality of interlocks inputs indicating a user is looking toward a display comprise:

at least one of an eye and/or a head tracker, a tracking marker on a user's glasses, a tracking marker on a user's face mask, a chair swivel sensor, a chair pressure sensor, a headrest pressure sensor or an immersive display deployment sensor.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the interlock detecting components for detecting the plurality of interlock inputs indicating at least one or more user interface devices are configured in a usable manner comprise: a user interface device tracking sensor, a user interface device storage sensor, or a user interface device contact sensor.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the interlock detecting component for detecting the interlock indicating the surgical workspace is configured in a usable manner comprises a transport sensor.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of interlock inputs indicating a user is looking toward the display comprise:

detecting a user gaze is toward the display;

detecting a user head is rotated toward the display;

detecting a chair associated of the surgical robotic system is facing the display;

detecting a user is seated on the chair; and

detecting the display is in a use position.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of interlock inputs indicating at least one or more user interface devices of the surgical robotic system is configured in a usable manner comprise:

detecting at least one user interface device is inside a surgical workspace;

detecting an accurate user interface device location is received; and

detecting at least one user interface device is being held by the user.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs indicating the surgical workspace of the surgical robotic system is configured in a usable manner comprises:

detecting the surgical robotic system is not in a transportation configuration.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jan 26, 2026
From: VERB SURGICAL INC.
To: AURIS HEALTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 073583/0948 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2020
From: JOHNSON & JOHNSON INNOVATION - JJDC, INC.
To: VERB SURGICAL INC.
Reel/Frame 051983/0028 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2020
From: VERILY LIFE SCIENCES LLC
To: VERB SURGICAL INC.
Reel/Frame 051986/0252 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2019
From: SAVALL, JOAN; MILLER, DENISE ANN; FREIIN VON KAPRI, ANETTE LIA; INVERNIZZI, PAOLO; MAGNASCO, JOHN
To: VERB SURGICAL INC.
Reel/Frame 049536/0198 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2019
From: VERB SURGICAL INC.
To: JOHNSON & JOHNSON INNOVATION - JJDC, INC.; VERILY LIFE SCIENCES LLC
Reel/Frame 049474/0591 →
Continuity (1)
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