System and method for breakaway clutching in an articulated arm

1. A device comprising:

an arm comprising a first joint; and

a control unit coupled to the arm and comprising one or more processors;

wherein the control unit:

switches the first joint from a first state of the first joint to a second state of the first joint in response to an external stimulus applied to the arm exceeding a first threshold, wherein movement of the first joint is more restricted in the first state of the first joint than in the second state of the first joint; and

switches the first joint from the second state to the first state in response to a speed associated with the first joint falling below a speed threshold.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the external stimulus applied to the arm is a stimulus detected on the first joint.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the external stimulus applied to the arm is a stimulus detected on a second joint of the arm.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the external stimulus is detected as:

a position error in the first joint or a second joint of the arm;

a force applied to the first joint or the second joint; or

a torque applied to the first joint or the second joint.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit further commands, on condition that the first joint is in the second state, the first joint to move to a commanded position based on a current actual position of the first joint, or to a commanded velocity based on a current actual velocity of the first joint.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit further switches the first joint from the second state to the first state when the speed of the first joint is below the speed threshold continuously for a predetermined period of time.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit further commands, on condition that the first joint is in the second state, the first joint to move to a current actual position of the first joint or to a commanded position between the current actual position and a previous commanded position.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein:

the control unit further commands, on condition that the first joint is in the second state, the first joint to move to a commanded velocity based on a current actual velocity of the first joint; and

the commanded velocity is lower than the current actual velocity.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit further prevents switching of the first joint to the second state when an operating mode of the device corresponds to a transport mode, a teleoperation mode, a commanded motion mode, or a docked to a patient mode.

10. A method of controlling a device having an arm, the method comprising:

switching, using a control unit having one or more processors, a first joint of the arm from a first state of the first joint to a second state of the first joint in response to an external stimulus applied to the arm exceeding a first threshold, wherein movement of the first joint is more restricted in the first state of the first joint than in the second state of the first joint; and

switching, using the control unit, the first joint from the second state to the first state in response to a speed associated with the first joint falling below a speed threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the external stimulus applied to the arm is a stimulus detected on the first joint.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the external stimulus applied to the arm is a stimulus detected on a second joint of the arm.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the external stimulus is detected as:

a position error in the first joint or the second joint;

a force applied to the first joint or the second joint; or

a torque applied to the first joint or the second joint.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising commanding, on condition that the first joint is in the second state, the first joint to move to a commanded position based on a current actual position of the first joint, or to a commanded velocity based on a current actual velocity of the first joint.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the commanded position is the current actual position, or the commanded position is between the current actual position and a previous commanded position, or the commanded velocity is lower than the current actual velocity.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising preventing the switching of the first joint to the second state when an operating mode of the device corresponds to a transport mode, a teleoperation mode, a commanded motion mode, or a docked to a patient mode.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors associated with a device, are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

switching a first joint of an arm of the device from a first state of the first joint to a second state of the first joint in response to an external stimulus applied to the arm exceeding a first threshold, wherein movement of the first joint is more restricted in the first state of the first joint than in the second state of the first joint; and

switching the first joint from the second state to the first state in response to a speed associated with the first joint falling below a speed threshold.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the external stimulus applied to the arm is a stimulus detected on the first joint.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the external stimulus applied to the arm is a stimulus detected on a second joint of the arm.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises commanding, on condition that the first joint is in the second state, the first joint to move to a commanded position based on a current actual position of the first joint, or to a commanded velocity based on a current actual velocity of the first joint.