Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Omid Mohareri

Simon P Dimaio

Dinesh Rabindran

Craig Gotsill

Sophia R Hannaford

Marisa C Babb

Brandon D Itkowitz

A system is configured to direct a manipulator cart to navigate, in a first bifurcated navigation control mode, from an initial location to an intermediate location; and direct the manipulator cart to navigate, in a second bifurcated navigation control mode, from the intermediate location to a target location. In the first bifurcated navigation control mode, the system is configured to autonomously control a steering of the manipulator cart while allowing operator control of a propulsion of the manipulator cart using a primary control interface configured to facilitate operator control of both steering and propulsion of the manipulator cart. In the second bifurcated navigation control mode, the system is configured to autonomously control the steering of the manipulator cart while allowing operator control of the propulsion of the manipulator cart using a secondary control interface configured to facilitate operator control of the propulsion and not the steering of the manipulator cart.

Systems and methods for bifurcated navigation control of a manipulator cart included within a computer-assisted medical system

A bifurcated navigation control system defines a path whereby a manipulator cart is to navigate from an initial location to a target location, and identifies a navigation condition associated with a navigation of the manipulator cart along the path. Based on the navigation condition, the bifurcated navigation control system defines a propulsion limitation for the manipulator cart during the navigation of the manipulator cart along the path. The bifurcated navigation control system directs the manipulator cart to navigate along at least part of the path in a bifurcated navigation control mode in which the bifurcated navigation control system is configured to autonomously control a steering of the manipulator cart while allowing operator control of a propulsion of the manipulator cart in accordance with the propulsion limitation. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

A bifurcated navigation control system defines a path whereby a manipulator cart is to navigate from an initial location to a target location. The system directs the manipulator cart to navigate, in a first bifurcated navigation control mode associated with a primary control interface that facilitates both operator control of steering and propulsion, along at least part of a first portion of the path from the initial to an intermediate location. The system further directs the manipulator cart to navigate, in a second bifurcated navigation control mode associated with a secondary control interface that facilitates operator control of propulsion but not steering, along at least part of a second portion of the path from the intermediate to the target location. In the first and second bifurcated navigation control modes, the system autonomously controls the steering of the manipulator cart while allowing operator control of the propulsion of the manipulator cart.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Omid Mohareri