IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,642,611
Granted Patent B2
US 12,642,611 · App. 18/552,949 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Method and system for a confidence-based supervised-autonomous control strategy for robotic-assisted surgery

Inventors: Hamed Saeidi (Wilmington, NC); Axel Krieger (Fulton, MD); Michael Kam (Baltimore, MD); Simon Leonard (State College, PA); Justin Opfermann (Baltimore, MD)
Assignee: THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
A61B34/32A61B17/06166A61B34/10A61B34/25A61B90/37A61B2034/107A61B2090/371
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,642,611
App. No.
18/552,949
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer system, a computer-readable medium, and a computer-implemented method for robot-assisted suturing is disclosed. The computer-implemented method includes determining, by a suture planner algorithm executed by a hardware processor, a desired location for a suture for a potential suture location on a treatment area on a patient and determining which sutures from the suture planner algorithm can be done autonomously and which sutures may require human intervention to be performed.

Claims (30)

1 . A computer-implemented method for robot-assisted surgery, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by a suture planner executed by a processor, a desired location for a suture for a potential suture location on a treatment area on a patient; and

determining which sutures from the suture planner can be done autonomously and which sutures may require human intervention to be performed,

wherein the determining the desired location comprises obtaining, by the processor, a 3D position of landmarks for planning the potential suture location imaged by a 3D sensing system,

wherein the determining the desired location comprises using a point cloud path planning method to initiate a suture plan based on positions of the landmarks and using a non-rigid registration method for updating a new suture plan on a deformed tissue during the suturing.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the suture planner and each of the landmarks and a point could, a desired location for each suture.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a representation of the treatment area being sutured on a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows a user to modify one or more suture points on the GUI, by textual input on the GUI, or by a haptic user interface if an initial semi-autonomous suture placement results in a misplaced suture.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at a task planner algorithm, 3D coordinates of the suture points in the robot frame from the suture planner and planning, by the task planner algorithm, a sequence of robot motions to complete the suturing using desired and planned positions.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the sequence of robot motions comprises motions representing approaching tissue at the treatment area, motions representing biting or firing a needle, motions representing tensioning the suture, or motions representing releasing the suture.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the desired location of one or more sutures points are modifiable by activation of a graphical selection tool on a graphical user interface (GUI).

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the graphical selection tool comprises a slider, a pointer, a button, a multi-axis master control device, or combinations thereof.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more sutures points are color-coded on the GUI.

9 . A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by the processor perform a method for robot-assisted surgery, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by a suture planner executed by a processor, a desired location for a suture for a potential suture location on a treatment area on a patient; and

determining which sutures from the suture planner can be done autonomously and which sutures may require human intervention to be performed,

wherein the determining the desired location comprises obtaining, by the processor, a 3D position of landmarks for planning the potential suture location imaged by a 3D sensing system,

wherein the determining the desired location comprises using a point cloud path planning method to initiate a suture plan based on positions of the landmarks and using a non-rigid registration method for updating a new suture plan on a deformed tissue during the suturing.

10 . The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises determining, by the suture planner and each of the landmarks and a point could, a desired location for each suture.

11 . The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises providing a representation of the treatment area being sutured on a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows a user to modify one or more suture points on the GUI, by textual input on the GUI, or by a haptic user interface if an initial semi-autonomous suture placement results in a misplaced suture.

12 . The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, at a task planner algorithm, 3D coordinates of the suture points in the robot frame from the suture planner and planning, by the task planner algorithm, a sequence of robot motions to complete the suturing using desired and planned positions.

13 . The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the desired location of one or more sutures points are modifiable by activation of a graphical selection tool on a graphical user interface (GUI).

14 . The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the graphical selection tool comprises a slider, a pointer, a button, a multi-axis master control device, or combinations thereof.

15 . The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more sutures points are color-coded on the GUI.

16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a hardware processor perform a method for robot-assisted surgery, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by a suture planner executed by a processor, a desired location for a suture for a potential suture location on a treatment area on a patient; and

determining which sutures from the suture planner can be done autonomously and which sutures may require human intervention to be performed,

wherein the determining the desired location comprises obtaining, by the processor, a 3D position of landmarks for planning the potential suture location imaged by a 3D sensing system,

wherein the determining the desired location comprises using a point cloud path planning method to initiate a suture plan based on positions of the landmarks and using a non-rigid registration method for updating a new suture plan on a deformed tissue during the suturing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2023
From: SAEIDI, HAMED; KRIEGER, AXEL; KAM, MICHAEL; LEONARD, SIMON; OPFERMANN, JUSTIN
To: THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 065058/0764 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63167452 · Mar 29, 2021
Related Publication 20240180646A1 · Jun 6, 2024
References Cited (8)
US 20140127660A1 · Rappel et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20170076450A1 · Sela et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20190282307A1 · Azizian et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200022615A1 · Schoepp et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200367974A1 · Khalid · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210077195A1 · Saeidi · 2021 [cited by examiner]
Lee, S. (Authorized officer), International Preliminary Report on Patentability in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2022/022193 mailed on Oct. 12, 2023, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
Kim, H. (Authorized officer), International Search Report and Written Opinion in corresponding International Application No. PCT/US2022/022193 mailed on Jun. 9, 2022, 15 pages. [cited by applicant]