Granted Patent B2

US 12,642,613 · App. 18/686,580 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Inventors: Andrew W. Zeccola (Salem, MA); Jared N. Farlow (Los Angeles, CA); Jaimeen V. Kapadia (Cambridge, MA); Paul M. Loschak (Somerville, MA); Alok Agrawal (New Haven, CT); Gregory A. Dierksen (Arlington, MA); Sanjay Jonnavithula (New York, NY); Colin H. Murphy (Cambridge, MA)

Assignee: Covidien LP

A61B34/37A61B17/34A61B17/3423A61B34/25A61B34/74A61B90/37B25J13/06G05B19/4155G06F3/012G06F3/013A61B2017/00216A61B34/30A61B2034/742A61B2090/062G05B2219/40269

Abstract

Claims (36)

1 . A surgical robotic system comprising:

a robotic arm configured to support an access port and an instrument having an end effector inserted into the access port;

a surgeon console configured to detect user activity;

a controller configured to:

measure an insertion distance of the instrument within the access port;

detect the user activity; and

prevent actuation of the end effector in response to detection of the user activity while the insertion distance is less than a threshold distance, wherein the threshold distance corresponds to a length of the access port to prevent articulation of the end effector within the access port.

2 . The surgical robotic system according to claim 1 , wherein the surgeon console includes a hand controller having a gimbal assembly and a finger sensor.

3 . The surgical robotic system according to claim 2 , wherein the user activity includes at least one of contacting the finger sensor or rotating the hand controller about the gimbal assembly.

4 . The surgical robotic system according to claim 3 , wherein the surgeon console includes a head tracking device configured to detect at least one of head position or eye direction.

5 . The surgical robotic system according to claim 4 , wherein the user activity includes at least one of head or eye pointing toward the surgeon console.

6 . The surgical robotic system according to claim 5 , further comprising a display.

7 . The surgical robotic system according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to output a confirmation query on the display in response to detection of the user activity and the insertion distance being less than the threshold distance.

8 . The surgical robotic system according to claim 7 , wherein the display is a touchscreen, and a response to the confirmation query includes touching the touchscreen.

9 . The surgical robotic system according to claim 8 , wherein the head tracking device is configured to detect a head nod as the response to the confirmation query.

10 . The surgical robotic system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

enable actuation of the end effector in response to a confirmation that a length of the access port is less than the threshold distance or the length of the insertion distance of the instrument exceeding the threshold; and

modify the threshold based on the confirmation.

11 . A method for controlling a surgical robotic system, the method comprising:

measuring an insertion distance of an instrument having an end effector into an access port, the instrument and the access port supported by a robotic arm;

monitoring user activity at a surgeon console; and

outputting an alert on a surgeon console and preventing actuation of the end effector in response to detection of the user activity while the insertion distance is less than a threshold distance, wherein the threshold distance corresponds to a length of the access port to prevent articulation of the end effector within the access port.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the surgeon console includes a hand controller having a gimbal assembly and a finger sensor.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein detecting the user activity includes detecting at least one of contacting the finger sensor or rotating the hand controller about the gimbal assembly.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein detecting the user activity includes tracking at least one head position or eye direction at a head tracking device of the surgeon console.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein tracking at least one of the head position or the eye direction the user activity includes detecting at least one of head or eye pointing toward the surgeon console.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , further comprising displaying a graphical user interface on a display.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising outputting a confirmation query on the display in response to detection of the user activity and the insertion distance being less than the threshold distance.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:

receiving a response to the confirmation query at a touchscreen of the display; and

detecting a head nod as the response to the confirmation query at the head tracking device.

19 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising enabling actuation of the end effector at a controller in response to a confirmation that a length of the access port is less than the threshold distance.

20 . A method for controlling a surgical robotic system, the method comprising:

measuring an insertion distance of an instrument having an end effector into an access port, the instrument and the access port supported by a robotic arm;

detecting user input at a surgeon console; and

preventing actuation of the end effector in response to detection of the user input while the insertion distance is less than a threshold distance, wherein the threshold distance corresponds to a length of the access port to prevent articulation of the end effector within the access port.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)