Granted Patent B2

US 12,324,643 · App. 17/413,263 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Inventors: Jong Do Choi (Suwon-si, KR); Tae Won Kim (Gunpo-si, KR)

Assignee: Meere Company Inc.

A61B34/37B25J9/1666B25J9/1676B25J13/085B25J19/06A61B2090/066B25J13/088

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A method of mitigating a collision of a slave robot for surgery, the method comprising:

first obtaining an external torque generated in response to the slave robot colliding with another object or a person;

second obtaining a joint angle of the slave robot;

calculating a target joint angle for changing a position of the slave robot based on the obtained external torque and the obtained joint angle, such that the external torque is attenuated;

controlling the slave robot to change the position thereof from the obtained joint angle to the calculated target joint angle;

comparing the obtained external torque with a reference value;

repeatedly performing a cycle of the first obtaining, second obtaining, calculating, controlling and comparing, in response to the obtained external torque being equal to or greater than the reference value;

measuring a period in which the cycle is repeatedly performed; and

controlling the slave robot not to move in response to the measured period being equal to or longer than a preset period.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first obtaining comprises:

measuring, by a torque sensor, a torque of a motor installed in the slave robot; and

calculating the external torque from the measured torque of the motor.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first obtaining comprises:

measuring, by a current sensor, a current flowing through the motor installed in the slave robot; and

calculating the external torque from the measured current value.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the calculating of the external torque from the measured current value comprises:

calculating the torque of the motor from the measured current value by using a proportionality between the torque of the motor and the current of the motor;

calculating a gravity compensation torque for compensating for a gravity applied to the slave robot; and

calculating the external torque based on the calculated torque of the motor and the calculated gravity compensation torque.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target joint angle is calculated by a linear combination of the obtained external torque and the obtained joint angle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising outputting an alarm to notify an operator of the slave robot colliding with another object or person.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the alarm comprises at least one of a visual alarm, an audible alarm, or a tactile alarm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slave robot is remotely controlled according to a command of an operator, which is an input through a master console.

9. A robot system for surgery, the robot system comprising:

a master console configured to be operated by an operator;

a slave robot configured to move based on a manipulation on the master console; and

at least one processor configured to control a movement of the slave robot such that a collision between the slave robot and another object or person is weakened, the at least one processor further configured to:

first obtain an external torque that is generated in response to the slave robot colliding with another object or person;

second obtain a joint angle of the slave robot;

calculate a target joint angle for changing a position of the slave robot based on the obtained external torque and the obtained joint angle, such that the external torque is attenuated;

control the slave robot to change the position thereof from the obtained joint angle to the calculated target joint angle;

compare the obtained external torque with a reference value;

repeatedly perform a cycle of the first obtaining, second obtaining, calculating, controlling and comparing, in response to the obtained external torque being equal to or greater than the reference value;

measure a period in which the cycle is repeatedly performed; and

control the slave robot not to move in response to the measured period being equal to or longer than a preset period.

10. A non-transitory computer recording medium storing instructions to perform a method of mitigating a collision of a slave robot for surgery, the method comprising:

first obtaining an external torque generated in response to the slave robot colliding with another object or a person;

second obtaining a joint angle of the slave robot;

calculating a target joint angle for changing a position of the slave robot based on the obtained external torque and the obtained joint angle, such that the external torque is attenuated;

controlling the slave robot to change the position thereof from the obtained joint angle to the calculated target joint angle;

comparing the obtained external torque with a reference value;

repeatedly performing a cycle of the first obtaining, second obtaining, calculating, controlling and comparing, in response to the obtained external torque being equal to or greater than the reference value;

measuring a period in which the cycle is repeatedly performed; and

controlling the slave robot not to move in response to the measured period being equal to or longer than a preset period.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (32)