# Uniform Scaling of Haptic Forces in Surgical Systems > This patent describes a surgical system that uses a single scaling factor to adjust the strength of touch feedback from multiple motors, ensuring the feedback feels consistent even when one motor reaches its maximum power. - **Patent:** US 12114954 - **Original title:** Uniform scaling of haptic actuators - **Owner:** Intuitive Surgical Operations - **Granted:** 2024 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 1 - **Field:** surgical, robotics, medical_devices, software, mechanical ## What it does The patent describes a surgical system comprising an input device, like a master controller, and at least two haptic actuators that provide touch feedback to the user. A controller receives input and determines desired haptic feedback forces for both actuators. If the desired force for the first actuator would exceed its maximum power limit (its "upper output limit" as per claim 1), the controller applies a "common scaling factor" to *both* the desired force for the first actuator and the desired force for the second actuator. This common scaling factor proportionally reduces both forces, ensuring the first actuator operates within its limits while maintaining the relative feel between the two. For example, if a surgeon is pushing against a virtual tissue boundary and the haptic motor for one direction is maxing out, the system scales down all related feedback forces so the surgeon still feels the overall resistance and relative forces, just at a slightly reduced intensity. ## What it does NOT cover - Haptic feedback systems that are not part of a surgical system, as the claims specifically define a "surgical system." - Systems where each haptic actuator's output is scaled independently, rather than using a "common scaling factor" applied to multiple actuators. - Haptic feedback where the scaling only occurs when a lower output limit is exceeded, without considering an upper output limit as the primary trigger for scaling. - Systems where the scaling factor is *not* removed when the commanded force falls within the actuator's working range, as specified in claim 9. ## The clever bit The novelty lies in applying a *single, common scaling factor* to *multiple* haptic actuators when *any one* of them is about to exceed its operational limits. This ensures that the relative forces and the overall "feel" of the haptic feedback remain proportional and consistent, rather than having one axis of feedback clip or distort independently. ## Real-world examples 1. Intuitive Surgical da Vinci surgical systems 2. Robotic surgery platforms with haptic feedback 3. Surgical training simulators with force feedback ## Why it matters In robotic surgery, haptic feedback is crucial for surgeons to "feel" tissues, sutures, and instrument interactions, improving precision and safety. This patent aims to ensure that this critical feedback remains consistent and proportional, even when individual motors are pushed to their limits. This consistency helps surgeons maintain their sense of control and prevents sudden, unnatural changes in perceived force, which could be distracting or detrimental during delicate procedures. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does Uniform Scaling of Haptic Forces in Surgical Systems cover? This patent describes a surgical system that uses a single scaling factor to adjust the strength of touch feedback from multiple motors, ensuring the feedback feels consistent even when one motor reaches its maximum power. ### Who owns patent US 12114954? Intuitive Surgical Operations owns this patent, granted in 2024. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on May 20, 2042, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 12114954 cited by? This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? In robotic surgery, haptic feedback is crucial for surgeons to "feel" tissues, sutures, and instrument interactions, improving precision and safety. This patent aims to ensure that this critical feedback remains consistent and proportional, even when individual motors are pushed to their limits. This consistency helps surgeons maintain their sense of control and prevents sudden, unnatural changes in perceived force, which could be distracting or detrimental during delicate procedures. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Haptic feedback systems that are not part of a surgical system, as the claims specifically define a "surgical system." **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12114954/uniform-scaling-of-haptic-actuators **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US12114954 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [Robots That Don't Get Stuck: A Master-Slave Control System](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9855653/master-slave-system) — This patent describes a robot control system where a human-operated 'master' robot guides a 'slave' robot, preventing either from getting into awkward, uncontrollable positions by carefully planning the master robot's movements. - [How a Robotic Surgical Tool Clamps Tissue Manually and Automatically](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11786761/ultrasonic-robotic-tool-actuation) — This patent describes a surgical tool for robotic operations that can clamp tissue using a motor-driven yoke, but also allows a surgeon to manually control the clamping action. - [How Surgical Robots Reconfigure Their Arms Without Moving the Tool Tip](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9949801/systems-and-methods-for-commanded-reconfiguration-of-a-surgical-manipulator-usin) — This patent describes how a surgical robot arm can move and reshape itself to avoid obstacles or improve its position, all while keeping its surgical tool perfectly still at the patient's entry point or target. - [How a Surgical Robot Arm's Wrist Moves Instruments](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12414825/surgical-arm) — This patent describes a specific design for the end part of a surgical robot arm, called the terminal portion, which uses a clever arrangement of three joints to precisely position and rotate surgical tools. - [How a Robot Actuator Controls Force and Speed with Gears](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8209052/high-performance-differential-actuator-for-robotic-interaction-tasks) — This patent describes a compact robot actuator that uses a special gear system and two motors with different electrical resistance to precisely control both the force and speed applied to a robotic arm or tool.