{
  "patent_number": "US 9949801",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Surgical Robots Reconfigure Their Arms Without Moving the Tool Tip",
  "original_title": "Systems and methods for commanded reconfiguration of a surgical manipulator using the null-space",
  "summary": "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.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent details a method for a robot arm, like those used in surgery, to reconfigure its shape without disturbing the position or orientation of its working end, called the distal portion or end effector. When the robot receives a 'reconfiguration command' (Claim 1), it calculates specific joint velocities for its multiple joints. These calculated movements ensure that while parts of the arm shift, the distal portion remains in its 'desired state' (Claim 1), meaning its position, orientation, or velocity stays unchanged (Claim 4). This is achieved by ensuring the combined joint velocities lie within the 'null-space' of the manipulator arm's Jacobian (Claim 2), which means these joint movements have no effect on the end effector's position. For example, a surgeon could command the robot arm to move its elbow out of the way to prevent it from bumping into another instrument, all while the scalpel at the arm's tip remains precisely where it needs to be.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover robot arm movements where the distal portion (the tool tip) is intended to move or change its state.",
    "Does not cover robot arms that lack sufficient 'degrees of freedom' (extra joints) to allow for internal reconfiguration without moving the end effector.",
    "Does not cover systems that reconfigure the arm by physically detaching and reattaching segments, rather than by coordinated joint movements.",
    "Does not cover simple robot arm movements that only involve moving the end effector to a new position without any concurrent internal arm reconfiguration.",
    "Does not cover reconfigurations that do not involve calculating joint velocities based on a kinematic Jacobian or similar mathematical model."
  ],
  "filed": "2016-11-22",
  "granted": "2018-04-24",
  "expires": "2036-11-22",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Intuitive Surgical Operations",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/intuitive-surgical-operations",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Bruce Michael Schena",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/bruce-michael-schena"
    },
    {
      "name": "Scott Luke",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/scott-luke"
    },
    {
      "name": "Roman L. Devengenzo",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/roman-l-devengenzo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Arjang M. Hourtash",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/arjang-m-hourtash"
    },
    {
      "name": "Paul W. Mohr",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/paul-w-mohr"
    },
    {
      "name": "Pushkar Hingwe",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/pushkar-hingwe"
    },
    {
      "name": "Paul Millman",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/paul-millman"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 2,
  "tags": [
    "medical_devices",
    "robotics",
    "software",
    "telecommunications",
    "mechanical"
  ],
  "abstract": "Devices, systems, and methods for reconfiguring a surgical manipulator by moving the manipulator within a null-space of a kinematic Jacobian of the manipulator arm. In one aspect, in response to receiving a reconfiguration command, the system drives a first set of joints and calculates velocities of the plurality of joints to be within a null-space. The joints are driven according to the reconfiguration command and the calculated movement so as to maintain a desired state of the end effector or a remote center about which an instrument shaft pivots. In another aspect, the joints are also driven according to a calculated end effector or remote center displacing velocities within a null-perpendicular-space of the Jacobian so as to effect the desired reconfiguration concurrently with a desired movement of the end effector or remote center.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9949801/systems-and-methods-for-commanded-reconfiguration-of-a-surgical-manipulator-usin",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9949801/systems-and-methods-for-commanded-reconfiguration-of-a-surgical-manipulator-usin/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US9949801",
  "relatedPatents": []
}