The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 22, 2021
Filed:
Apr. 06, 2020
Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Keith P. Laby, San Francisco, CA (US);
Amir Belson, Los Altos, CA (US);
Robert M. Ohline, Redwood City, CA (US);
Christoph M. Pistor, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Charles E. Swinehart, San Jose, CA (US);
Bruce R. Woodley, Palo Alto, CA (US);
INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A system for controlling movement of a remotely controlled steerable instrument may comprise a flexible instrument comprising a steerable portion configured to articulate to change a shape of the steerable portion. The system may also comprise a shape sensing device comprising a first resistance-changing flexible sensor. The first resistance-changing flexible sensor may be configured to generate a signal indicative of a first bend change in the steerable portion. The system may also comprise a controller in signal communication with the first resistance-changing flexible sensor. The controller may be logically coupled to the flexible instrument and is configured to output a control signal to articulate the steerable portion of the flexible instrument in response to receiving at least the signal from the first resistance-changing flexible sensor.