Inter-operative switching of tools in a robotic surgical system

1. A method for controlling a telesurgical system, the method comprising:

controlling, by a controller of the telesurgical system, a first tool connected to a first manipulator of the telesurgical system, the first tool being connected to the first manipulator using a plurality of first connector elements;

implementing, by a hardware mapping unit, a first mapping between the plurality of first connector elements and a plurality of interface elements of the controller, the first mapping being used by the controller to control the first tool while it is connected to the first manipulator;

controlling, by the controller, a second tool connected to a second manipulator of the telesurgical system, the second tool being connected to the second manipulator using a plurality of second connector elements;

implementing, by the hardware mapping unit, a second mapping between the plurality of second connector elements and the plurality of interface elements of the controller, the second mapping being used by the controller to control the second tool while it is connected to the second manipulator;

detecting, by the controller, a swap of the first and second tools such that the first tool is connected to the second manipulator using the plurality of first connector elements and the second tool is connected to the first manipulator using the plurality of second connector elements;

implementing, by the hardware mapping unit, a third mapping between the plurality of first connector elements and the plurality of interface elements of the controller, the third mapping being different from the first and second mappings;

implementing, by the hardware mapping unit, a fourth mapping between the plurality of second connector elements and the plurality of interface elements of the controller, the fourth mapping being different from the first and second mappings;

controlling, by the controller, the first tool connected to the second manipulator using the fourth mapping; and

controlling, by the controller, the second tool connected to the first manipulator using the third mapping.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tool is an imaging device and the second tool is a surgical instrument.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein a coordinate reference frame used for images received from the imaging device for display to a user changes from a first coordinate reference frame based on kinematics of the first manipulator to a second coordinate reference frame based on kinematics of the second manipulator upon swapping of the first and second tools.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein controlling the surgical instrument prior to detecting the swap includes driving a control frame of the surgical instrument relative to a control frame of the imaging device, and controlling the imaging device after detecting the swap includes driving a control frame of the imaging device relative to an arbitrary reference frame.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth mappings route signals between the controller and the first and second tools.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controller is a joint space controller.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tool and the second tool are controlled using a same software kernel.

8. A telesurgical system for performing minimally invasive surgery on a patient, comprising:

a plurality of robotic manipulators each operable to receive one of a plurality of tools including an imaging device and a surgical instrument; and

a controller operable to:

control an imaging device connected to a first manipulator of the robotic manipulators and a surgical instrument connected to a second manipulator of the robotic manipulators;

detect a swap of the imaging device and the surgical instrument such that the imaging device is connected to the second manipulator and the surgical instrument is connected to the first manipulator;

change, based on detection of the swap, a reference coordinate frame for images received from the imaging device from a first reference coordinate frame based on kinematics of the first manipulator to a second reference coordinate frame based on kinematics of the second manipulator; and

control the imaging device connected to the second manipulator and the surgical instrument connected to the first manipulator.

9. The telesurgical system of claim 8 , further comprising: a surgeon's console including a display element, wherein the images are displayed on the display element based on the reference coordinate frame.

10. The telesurgical system of claim 8 , wherein being operable to control the surgical instrument prior to detecting the swap includes being operable to drive a control frame of the surgical instrument relative to a control frame of the imaging device, and being operable to control the imaging device after detecting the swap includes being operable to drive a control frame of the imaging device relative to an arbitrary reference frame.

11. The telesurgical system of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of connector elements operable to communicate signals between the first manipulator and the imaging device or the surgical instrument.

12. The telesurgical system of claim 11 , further comprising a hardware mapping unit operable to change a mapping between the plurality of connector elements and a plurality of interface elements coupled to the controller.

13. The telesurgical system of claim 12 , wherein the mapping is changed from a first map defining relationships between the plurality of connector elements and the plurality of interface elements unique to the imaging device to a second map defining relationships between the plurality of connector elements and the plurality of interface elements unique to the surgical instrument.

14. The telesurgical system of claim 8 , wherein the controller includes a kernel operable to control both the imaging device and the surgical instrument.

15. The telesurgical system of claim 8 , wherein the first manipulator and the second manipulator each include a mechanical interface configured to mechanically connect each of the first manipulator and the second manipulator to both of the imaging device and the surgical instrument independently.

16. The telesurgical system of claim 15 , wherein the first manipulator and the second manipulator each include an electrical interface configured to electrically connect each of the first manipulator and the second manipulator to both of the imaging device and the surgical instrument independently.

17. A method for controlling a telesurgical system, the method comprising:

determining, by a controller, whether a first tool is connected to a manipulator of the telesurgical system using a plurality of connector elements;

acquiring, by the controller, a first mapping for the first tool when it is determined that the first tool is connected to the manipulator, the first mapping including a mapping between the plurality of connector elements and a plurality of interface elements of the controller;

implementing, by a hardware mapping unit, the first mapping;

controlling, by the controller, the first tool using the first mapping;

determining, by the controller, whether the first tool is removed from the manipulator and a second tool is connected to the manipulator using the plurality of connector elements;

acquiring, by the controller, a second mapping for the second tool when it is determined that the first tool is removed from the manipulator and a new the second tool is connected to the manipulator;

implementing, by the hardware mapping unit, the second mapping; and

controlling, by the controller, the second tool using the second mapping.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first tool is an imaging device and the second tool is a surgical instrument.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein acquiring the first mapping for the first tool includes receiving the first mapping from the first tool.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein acquiring the first mapping for the first tool includes receiving the first mapping from a storage element external to the first tool.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first mapping routes signals between the controller and the first tool.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second mapping routes signals between the controller and the second tool.