IP Library Granted Patent US 11,806,104
Granted Patent B2
US 11,806,104 · App. 17/725,351 · Granted Nov 7, 2023

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 11,806,104
App. No.
17/725,351
Granted
Nov 7, 2023
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 (35)

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, and wherein at least one of the one or more interlock detection components comprises a transport sensor for detecting whether the surgical robotic system is in a transportation mode 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) the transport sensor detects the surgical robotic system is not in the transportation mode; and

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.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transport sensor is coupled to a user console of the surgical robotic system and the transport sensor detects the surgical robotic system is not in the transportation mode when a brake associated with the user console is engaged.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein 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.

4. 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.

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

6. 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 a display of a console;

detecting a user head is rotated toward the display;

detecting a chair of the console is facing the display;

detecting a user is seated on the chair; and

detecting the display is in a use position.

7. 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 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.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more interlock detection components further comprise an eye tracker, and wherein the plurality of interlock inputs indicating a user is looking toward the display comprise the eye tracker detecting a user gaze is toward the display.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more interlock detection components further comprise a tracking marker on a user's glasses or a tracking marker on a user's face mask, and wherein the plurality of interlock inputs indicating a user is looking toward the display comprise the tracking marker indicating a user's head is rotated toward the display.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more interlock detection components further comprise a chair sensor, and wherein the plurality of interlock inputs indicating a user is looking toward the display comprise the chair sensor indicating a chair is facing the display, a user is seated in the chair or a user's head is contacting a headrest of the chair.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more interlock detection components further comprise a user interface device sensor, and at least one of the interlock requirements comprises the user interface device sensor indicating the user interface device is inside a surgical workspace, the user interface device is being held by a user or the user interface device is not in a stored position.

12. A surgical robotic system, comprising:

a surgical instrument;

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

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

receive a plurality of interlock inputs from the interlock detecting component and transition the surgical robotic system to a teleoperation mode in which the surgical instrument is controlled by the user interface device; and

in response to determining at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs received from the interlock detecting component is no longer present, transition the surgical robotic system out of a teleoperation mode such that the user interface device is prevented from controlling the surgical instrument, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs no longer present comprises a transport sensor indicating engagement of a brake associated with the user console.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs no longer present comprises an eye tracker indicating a user gaze on the display.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs no longer present comprises a tracking marker on a user's glasses or face mask indicating a head of the user is rotated toward the display.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs no longer present comprises a chair sensor indicating a chair is facing the display, a user is seated in the chair or a user's head is resting on a headrest of the chair.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs no longer present comprises a display sensor indicating the display is in a use position.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the at least one of the plurality of interlock inputs no longer present comprises a tracker indicating the user interface device is inside a surgical workspace or the user interface device is being held by a user.

18. The system of claim 12 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 interfaces device 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.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the one or more user interface devices comprise at least one of a handheld user input device and a foot pedal, and the display is an open display.

Assignments (1)
MERGER Recorded Jan 26, 2026
From: VERB SURGICAL INC.
To: AURIS HEALTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 073583/0948 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16415992 · May 17, 2019
Related Publication 20220323168A1 · Oct 13, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,213,756