Computer-implemented method for remote control of an intervention device and intervention system

Abstract

Computer-implemented method for generating control information for the remote control of an intervention device (3) to be used in an intervention, in particular a medical one, at an intervention site (5), wherein at least one first person (8) is present at the intervention site (5) and at least one second person (9) is present at a location (10) different from and remote from the intervention site (5) to cooperate in carrying out the intervention, and the control information of the second person (9) is transmitted from the remote location (10) to the intervention site (5) by means of a communication link (12), characterized in that use of the control information for controlling the intervention device (3) is only enabled if there is a security signal indicating a monitoring activity of the first person (8) and to be emitted by a signaling device (16) that can be actuated by the first person (8).

Description

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for remotely controlling an interventional device to be used in an intervention, in particular medical, intervention at an intervention location, wherein at least one first person is present at the intervention location and at least one second person is present at a location different from the intervention location and remote from this location for cooperation when performing the intervention, and control information of the second person for the interventional device is transmitted from the remote location to the intervention location by means of a communication connection. In addition, the invention relates to an intervention system.In many interventions, in particular medical minimally invasive interventions, a great expert is required, which is not always already present at the site of the intervention itself. It has therefore already been proposed to make possible a "distributed" execution of such interventions by additionally making use of the expert via at least one second person at a remote location. For example, in medical, in particular minimally invasive, interventions, for example for diagnosis and / or therapy, it is known to introduce medical instruments into the human body. Such instruments may include, for example, guidewires, catheters, needles, and the like. Examples of minimally invasive medical interventions include the placement of stents and the detection of stenosis. If work is performed in the blood vessel system, navigation can be carried out, for example, by rotating and advancing a guide wire or else the medical instrument, for example a catheter, even at the introduction point, for example the ledge of the patient. It has already been proposed here to support such interventions by a robot, which can take over, in particular, the manipulation of the at least one medical instrument used. For monitoring the intervention, imaging devices, in particular X-ray devices with a C-arm, can be used as intervention devices, for example. These provide highly accurate additional information, and therefore situation data, which largely cover the influence range of the medical robot, in particular the working range of the medical instrument. In this respect, it has already been proposed to provide the second person at the remote location with this situation data and to leave the control of the robot completely to the second person with his improved expert. Robots of this type have the advantage of performing actions arising from control information of the second person rather slowly, so that any latency of the communication link between the remote location and the intervention location does not oppose a remote control.In particular with regard to other intervention devices, for example imaging devices and treatment devices, which operate with radiation and / or have movable recording components or treatment components, remote control approaches of this type are to be evaluated rather than problematic, since available situation data that can be transmitted to the second person by means of the communication device may not cover the entire range of influence and effect of the intervention device or functions are implemented on a time scale that is significantly faster than any latency present via the communication connection. In particular, safety-relevant functions of intervention devices usually require special safety measures, for example multi-channel approaches and / or a control protected against individual errors. Also, accurate monitoring by the person initiating the function is often required. Such functions of intervention devices include in particular movement functions and radiation-based functions, in particular X-ray functions. In this case, it can occur, for example, that the movement of components, for example recording components and / or treatment components, is blocked by a person or an object and / or is not successful in radiation-based functions of radiation safety, after, for example, a person and / or an object which are not compatible with radiation safety is located at the location of intervention, in particular in the area of influence or area of action of the intervention device.If remote control by the second person at the remote location were permitted, such safety requirements cannot necessarily be fulfilled by situation data covering not the entire influence range or range of action, latencies of the communication connection and / or safety of the line at the remote location. If, for example, the second person located at the remote location triggers a safety-relevant function, the effectiveness of the monitoring by the second person can be greatly limited, for example, by a limited field of a camera supplying situation data and / or other technical limitations in comparison with a local triggering of the safety-relevant function by the first person.It has therefore been proposed in the prior art to allow only parameterizations by the second person with respect to such quickly acting and / or situational data in their influence and / or effect range at the remote location, while the function is then triggered by the first person at the intervention location. This can lead to problems, as will be explained below using the example of a planned movement of a recording component and / or treatment component of an intervention device.In this case, the second person at the remote location first determines that there is a need for movement. Thereupon, the communication link is spokenly requested for the first person at the intervention location to perform the necessary movements. The first person then performs the movement on the interventional device by local control after instruction. The removed second person observes the movement from the situation data as far as possible. If necessary, a new assessment of the need for a movement is then to be carried out, which can lead to further, correcting instructions and local control measures. This solution thus requires complicated coordination across the intervention site and the remote site and complicates the activities, in particular for the second person. Particular complexity occurs when, in addition, a medical instrument is to be guided by remote control by means of a medical robot, since then an image recording with an imaging device as an intervention device requires a previous precise positioning of recording components, in particular for tracking, before the radiation for the image recording can be triggered.In summary, a high complexity of the workflow therefore occurs due to necessary coordination, wherein an expert is also required for executing the functions of the intervention devices at the intervention location.The invention is therefore based on the object of making possible a possibility for the remote control of an interventional device, which satisfies safety requirements, in particular in the case of incomplete detectability of its influence and / or effect range by situation data at the remote location.To achieve this object, a computer-implemented method having the features of claim 1 and an intervention system having the features of claim 12 are provided according to the invention. Advantageous embodiments are evident from the dependent claims.In a method of the type mentioned at the beginning, it is provided according to the invention that generation of the control information for controlling the intervention device is enabled only when a safety signal is present, which indicates a monitoring activity of the first person and is to be given by a signaling device that can be actuated by the latter.In this case, the control information can relate in particular to functions of the intervention device which are triggered by the control information and have, in particular, safety requirements with regard to their execution. Such functions can be, for example, those which comprise the triggering of radiation, in particular X-ray radiation, and / or relate to a movement of at least one component of the intervention device. In particular, within the scope of the method, situation data are recorded with at least one situation data acquisition device and transmitted to the remote location where they are displayed to the second person, wherein the situation data do not cover the entire influence and / or effect range of the interventional device. Additionally or alternatively, a communication connection can be used, the latency of which is, for example, more than 300 ms, in particular at least 500 ms. The communication connection can be, in particular, a conventional telephone and / or Internet connection. The communication connection is thus in particular single-channel.In order to be able to meet functional safety requirements, in particular with regard to monitoring and the possibility of rapid intervention, even in the presence of such, exemplary adverse circumstances, it is proposed according to the invention to use the first person as a monitoring person and to check and ensure as far as possible their presence and monitoring activity by technical measures. In other words, the first person is the "eye and ear" of the second person. In this way, a safe operation of the intervention device can be established, which enables safety even in the presence of a single fault, for example on the part of the second person, since in the example the first person monitors the conversion of the control information.In order to be able to ensure the presence and monitoring activity of the first person as much as possible, it is proposed to use a signaling device that can be actuated by the first person, so that a corresponding safety signal can be provided, which is logically combined with the control information (remote control signal), for example as an "AND" link forming a prerequisite for the implementation of the control information. In this way, a possibility for combined monitoring of the functionality of the intervention device by the second person and by the first person is provided, wherein the first person can cover, in particular, portions of the influence and / or effect range of the intervention device that are not detected in the situation data and / or can react quickly.The invention thus enables the generation of control information for the direct remote control of the intervention device by the second person, in particular for a function initiation of safety-relevant functions as well, after the local, first person provides additional monitoring, in particular in order also to cover areas which are not covered by the feedback channels, that is to say the situation data, for the remote location. For example, the first person can check that no unprotected person and / or no unprotected object is present in the influence and / or range of action when radiation is triggered. Generally speaking, the first person has the possibility of preventing or stopping the execution of the conversion of the control information in a risk case.In addition, mechanisms are provided, in particular in the form of the signaling device and a control device which correspondingly evaluates the safety signal and ensures that the first person is present and attentive. In particular, less expert at the site of intervention is required, since complex control processes can be triggered by the second person and only have to be monitored by the first person. For example, in the case of medical interventions, such an expert is often present anyway in the case of the at least one first person.As already mentioned, the present invention relates in particular to control information for carrying out a medical intervention, in particular on a patient. The medical intervention can be, in particular, a minimally invasive examination or a minimally invasive intervention. For example, the medical intervention can serve for a treatment and / or a diagnosis. The medical intervention can be an insertion of an implant, for example a stent, and / or an examination with a medical instrument, in particular a catheter. The intervention can comprise a plurality of working steps which can build up one upon the other, in particular can depend on one another.The remote location is remote from the intervention location, which may mean in particular that there is no direct visual and / or acoustic contact between the first and the second person. The second person and thus the remote location can be located in a different room and / or in a different building and / or in a different city and / or in a different country and / or on a different continent than the first person, i.e. the intervention location. A visual and / or acoustic communication of the persons with one another can also be made possible via the communication connection.In the specific, preferred exemplary embodiment in the present invention, the intervention device can be an imaging device having a radiation-based and / or a movable recording component. Particularly in the case of radiation-based imaging devices, for example X-ray devices, the influence and / or range of action of the imaging device affected by the radiation is often not completely detected by the situation data. Imaging devices of this type also usually offer a plurality of degrees of freedom for moving recording components, for example by providing a C-arm on which X-ray source and an X-ray detector are arranged opposite one another, as part of an X-ray device. In addition, in the case of a complex, highly accurate three-dimensional positioning, correct interpretation of, in particular, two-dimensional and / or relative situation data is at least made more difficult. Therefore, the present invention can be applied to such intervention devices with particular advantage.With regard to the imaging device as an intervention device, it can also be provided that the imaging device is provided in addition to an intervention robot, which can likewise be remotely controlled. For example, the interventional device can form part of a mobile treatment device, for example a mobile catheter laboratory, in which an interventional robot serves for controlling, in particular navigation and application, at least one medical instrument during minimally invasive intervention and by means of the imaging device, for example an X-ray device with a C-arm, corresponding monitoring image material is supplied, which can be at least partially based on the remote control of the interventional robot. For example, such mobile intervention systems can be used for the treatment of stroke and the like. Here, the present invention now allows the remote control not only for the interventional robot to be transmitted to the second person, while achieving sufficient functional safety, but also allows the remote control of the imaging device, which significantly simplifies and intuitively allows the intervention to be carried out.For generating the safety signal by the signaling device, different, advantageous embodiments are conceivable within the scope of the present invention.Thus, a first embodiment of the present invention provides that a permanently actuated operating element, in particular a foot switch, is used as the operating element of the signaling device to be actuated by the first person. In this embodiment, the first person, while taking monitoring action, continuously delivers a confirmation of his presence, so that the control information is only converted if it is present as a remote control signal and the safety signal is present as a local confirmation signal. For example, in this case, a local foot switch, i.e. a foot switch located at the site of intervention, of the intervention device, for example an X-ray device, can be actuated as the operating element of the signaling device, wherein in exemplary embodiments, in particular also on the part of the remote site, an operating device is provided, via which the control information can be transmitted. This remote control device can also comprise a foot switch, for example. In the case of a triggering of X-ray radiation, the safety signal of the local foot switch and the control information of the remote foot switch can then be logically "AND" combined as a control signal in order to trigger the X-ray radiation.In order to produce the functional safety further improved here, it can furthermore be provided that, in order to check the presence of the first person, the latter is requested, in particular regularly, by means of an instruction output, to briefly interrupt the actuation of the operating element, the presence of which is checked, wherein, in the case of non-detection of the interruption within a time window after the instruction, the safety signal is deactivated. For example, the notification output can take place regularly at a predefined time interval, for example 10-60 seconds.With regard to functional safety, further measures can therefore be provided in order to avoid a faulty continuous state in which the safety signal is permanently present, even though the first person is not taking care. In order to prevent the first person from using, for example, mechanical means to keep the operating element continuously operated, the need for a regular interruption of the operation of the operating element may be implemented. This is equivalent to a safety drive circuit known in drivers of a rail vehicle, wherein a continuously pressed accelerator pedal must be released for a short time when a certain time interval has elapsed or after a certain distance has been covered. Expediently, in this regard, an indication is output so that the monitoring first person can fully devote himself to his monitoring activity without having to simultaneously concentrate on the expiration of time intervals. For example, the time window after the indication has been output to the first person via a suitable output means can have a duration of a few seconds, for example 1-4 seconds. If no interruption of the actuation of the operating element has been detected in this time, the safety signal is deactivated.Expediently, in this first embodiment, the operating element of the signaling device can also be simultaneously usable in order to at least partially prevent the conversion of the control information and / or even to at least partially deactivate the intervention device, for example in the sense of an emergency stop switch. Thus, for example, it can be provided that, when the actuation of the operating element is ended, in particular for longer than a predetermined time, the controllability of the intervention device is suspended and / or this is at least partially deactivated. It is known to make the possibility of radiation output dependent on the permanent actuation of a corresponding foot pedal as an operating element, especially with regard to imaging devices as intervention devices, for example the foot switch of the already mentioned X-ray device, so that this operating element can also be supplied more generally to a double use within the scope of the present invention.The operating element of the signaling device then also corresponds to an emergency stop or emergency off function, since, when it is released, in particular a conversion or a starting of safety-critical functions, in particular with respect to radiation and / or movement, is no longer possible. If the monitoring person thus establishes, for example, that a risk or risk could occur, for example because, when radiation is triggered, another person is still located in an exposed position at the site of intervention, he simply has to release the operating element or end the actuation in order to avoid the conversion of the control information or to immediately abort the currently already running conversion operation.If the particularly advantageous check of the presence of the first person by means of a notification output is provided for the brief interruption of the actuation of the operating element, it is particularly advantageous if a notification output does not take place while a control information item of the second person is being converted. In this way, it can be avoided that a rejection / interruption is accidentally triggered by the brief termination of the actuation of the operating element without this being wanted.In a second, alternative embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the signaling device has an operating element, in particular an operating button, embodied as a dead man switch, wherein the safety signal is generated when the operating element is actuated, in particular regularly and / or after an indication is issued. Specifically, it can be provided that after an actuation of the operating element, the safety signal is generated for a predetermined time period, in particular 10-60 seconds, wherein after the expiration of this time period, without detection of a further actuation of the operating element, an indication is output and after the elapse of a time window after the indication, the safety signal is terminated. The length of the time window can again be a few seconds, for example 1-4 seconds.In this implementation, the first person therefore does not continuously confirm his monitoring activity, but only for certain short intervals, so that a time period arises in which the remote control is permitted on account of the presence of the safety signal. For example, the first person must actuate the operating element every n seconds in order to confirm that the first person is present and monitors the operation of the intervention device, in particular is able to prevent or interrupt the conversion of control information, for example by actuating a corresponding emergency operating element (emergency off switch).In this context, it is particularly advantageous if an operating element located in, in particular directly, proximity to an emergency-off switch of the intervention device is used as the operating element of the signaling device, in particular in such a way that the emergency-off switch is located in an access environment of the first person when said person actuates the operating element. For example, the operating element of the signaling device can be located in a circle of less than one meter, in particular less than 50 centimeters, around the emergency stop switch. This ensures that the first person is in a position in which the emergency stop switch can also be actuated quickly if a problem occurs or threatens to occur.If the time period has expired, the first person must again actuate the operating element, wherein an acoustic and / or visual notification output can reminder the first person that the confirmation is running. In this case, a short time window can be given in order to actuate the operating element again. This configuration is therefore comparable to a dead man's shift, as is also used in rail vehicles.In a third embodiment, if the first person receives concrete knowledge of the content of the control information, a confirmation can also be carried out "per case" by means of the signaling device. This is expedient in particular when the intervention device can be voice-controlled, i.e. in particular can interpret spoken words of an operator and convert them into corresponding control action names. In this context, it can be provided that the control information is transmitted as a voice command, which is evaluated by the intervention device, wherein the voice command is also audibly output for the first person in the intervention location and the securing signal is generated in a voice command-specific manner when an operating element of the signaling device is actuated. For example, the second person can therefore speak a voice command which is transmitted via the communication link and is output acoustically at the location of intervention, such that said voice command can be received and interpreted by the intervention device and can also be heard by the first person. If the monitoring first person sees problems, he does not confirm them, he sees the situation as problem-free, he can generate the safety signal in a voice command-specific manner by actuating the operating element, for example an operating button, of the signaling device and thus release this voice command as control information for conversion.In this context, it may also be expedient if the operating device arranged at the remote location, via which control information can also be given in another way-in particular for the interventional robot-can have a voice command confirmation element, for example a button or switch, in order additionally to confirm that a voice command has actually been given. This confirmation can form part of the control information or only identify the voice command as control information.In a general, expedient embodiment of the present invention, it can be provided that image data of the first person is evaluated by means of the signaling device for detecting a gesture of the first person determining the signal generation of the safety signal. This means that operating elements for the signaling device can also be realized using corresponding imaging sensors, in particular a 3D camera, together with gesture recognition. For example, in the first embodiment, a continuous actuation of the operating element can mean to remain continuously in a specific gesture, for example with a raised right hand or left hand. A lowering hand then means termination of the actuation. With regard to the second or third exemplary embodiment, a specific gesture can likewise be used, for example, to bring about an actuation of the operating element, for example the administration of an OK character with the fingers and / or a "thumb up".In addition to the method, the invention also relates to an intervention system, having at an intervention location an intervention device to be used in an, in particular medical, intervention and operable by a first person at the intervention location, at a location different from the intervention location and remote from this an operating device usable by a second person for a control information for the intervention device, a communication link for transmitting the control information from the remote location to the intervention location, and a control device which is designed to use the control information for controlling the intervention device. The intervention system is characterized in that the intervention system further comprises a signaling device actuatable by the first person and the control device is configured to use the control information for controlling the intervention device only when a safety signal indicating a monitoring activity of the first person is present and can be generated by actuation of the signaling device. All embodiments with respect to the method according to the invention can be transferred analogously to the intervention system according to the invention, so that the already mentioned advantages can also be obtained therewith. In particular, the control device is thus designed to carry out the method according to the invention, wherein it can also be designed accordingly to carry out the described preferred embodiments.Further advantages and details of the present invention are evident from the exemplary embodiments described below and on the basis of the drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an intervention system according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a first possible embodiment of the signaling device, FIG. 3 shows a second possible embodiment of the signaling device, FIG. 4 shows a third possible embodiment of the signaling device, FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of a first exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of a second exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, and FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of a third exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention.FIG. 1 shows an intervention system 1 according to the invention for carrying out an intervention, in the present case a medical intervention on a patient. The interventional system 1 is specifically designed to perform a minimally invasive intervention as a medical intervention, wherein at least one medical instrument, for example a catheter, can be used, which can be moved and operated within the patient by means of an interventional robot 2. For tracking the at least one medical instrument and / or for supplying further information from the interior of the patient, the interventional system 1 or the interventional device 3 has an imaging device 4, which is embodied in the present case as an X-ray device with a C-arm. Both the interventional robot 2 and the imaging device 4 can be operated or controlled at the interventional site 5 at which they are located, for example by means of a corresponding local operating device 6.The medical intervention in the intervention system 1 can be carried out in a distributed manner, that is to say that, in addition to at least one first person 8 at the intervention site, a second person 9, which in particular has special clinical expert, can also generate control information both for the intervention robot 2 and for the imaging device 4 at a site 10 remote from the intervention site 5 by means of an operator control device 11 located there. The remote location 10 can be located in a different room, in a different building, in a different city, in a different country and / or on a different continent than the intervention location 5.Between the intervention site 5 and the remote site 10 there is a communication connection 12 which can be established via corresponding communication devices 13, for example as an Internet connection. Not only can a visual and / or acoustic communication be established between the at least one first person and the at least one second person 9 via the communication connection 12, but it also serves for transmitting control information of the second person 9 with respect to the interventional robot 2 and / or the imaging device 4 from the remote location 10 to the interventional location 5 and on the other hand for transmitting situation data describing the interventional situation from the interventional location 5 to the remote location 10. In the present case, although the situation data provides an at least substantially complete image for the second person 9 with respect to the interventional robot 2, which of course operates slowly, this however does not apply to the imaging device 4, since its influence and / or effect range extends into regions not covered by the situation data, in particular with respect to the radiation triggering of the X-ray radiation and persons / objects affected thereby and with respect to a movement of recording components, for example of the C-arm with the recording arrangement of X-ray radiator and X-ray detector fastened thereto.The general operation of the intervention system 1 is controlled via a control device 15. This is shown in the present case by way of example at the intervention location 5, but can also be provided at the remote location 10 or at a third, different location. For example, at least the local portion of the intervention system 1 at the intervention site 5 can be part of a mobile catheter laboratory.Due to the only one-channel communication connection 12, possibly given latencies via the communication connection 12 in comparison to the response speed of the imaging device 4 and the limited coverage by the situation data, so that monitoring by the second person 9 is only possible to a limited extent, further measures are provided for establishing requirements for functional safety in the intervention system 1, which allow the first person 8 to be used for monitoring the operation of the imaging device 4 on the basis of control information of the second person 9 and to technically verify their presence and monitoring activity. For this purpose, the intervention system 1 has a signaling device 16 at the intervention location 5, which can be actuated by the first person 8, wherein a safety signal is provided as a function of the corresponding actuation. The control device 15 allows remote control of the imaging device 4 on the basis of control information of the second person 9 by releasing the control information only if the safety signal is also present, which is therefore "AND-linked" to the presence of the control information. This relates at least to functions related to X-ray radiation triggering and movement of the recording components (or other components).In other words, the control device 15 is designed to carry out the method according to the invention.Depending on the specific embodiment and implementation, there are also different possibilities for configuring the signaling device 16.FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the signaling device 16 has a foot switch 17 as an operating element 18 and an acoustic and / or optical output means 19 for outputting instructions. The foot switch 17 can be a local safety switch of the imaging device 4, which must be actuated so that safety-critical functions, i.e. functions related to the radiation triggering and the movement of components, can be executed. For example, a further, corresponding foot switch can then be provided on the side of the operating device 11 via which the second person 9 can trigger X-ray radiation or a movement as specific control information.In this case, the operating element 18 in the present case simultaneously serves as an emergency stop switch, which means when the first person 8 releases the operating element 18, i.e. ends the actuation, the safety-critical functions on the imaging device 4 are immediately blocked and corresponding conversions of control information are terminated. For example, a photographing operation is ended with emission of X-ray.In order to prevent the monitoring obligation of the first person 8, for example by mechanically detecting the foot switch 17, the latter must regularly indicate its presence by briefly interrupting the actuation of the operating element 18, whereupon it is indicated by the output means 19, i.e. a corresponding indication output. This can be done optically and / or acoustically. The notification output and thus the need for an interruption can take place regularly at predefined time intervals, for example in the range of 10-60 seconds, but does not take place when control information of the second person 9 is currently being converted, so that said second person is not accidentally interrupted by the presence check on account of the further function as an emergency stop switch. After the notification output, a time window exists in which the brief interruption can be carried out by the first person 8, for example 1-4 seconds. If the brief interruption of the actuation of the operating element 18 is not carried out, the safety signal is ended.FIG. 3 shows a second possible embodiment of the signaling device 16 in a second exemplary embodiment. There, the operating element 18 is designed, for example, as an operating knob 20 and is provided on the operating device 6, which is designed, for example, as an operating console. The operating element 18 is in turn assigned an optical and / or acoustic output means 19. In this case, the operating element 18 can be used, for example, as a dead man switch, which means, in order to indicate the presence and monitoring activity of the first person 8, it must be actuated again at the latest after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, wherein this period of time can again be, for example, 10-60 seconds. After this time interval has elapsed, an indication can again be output via the output means 19. However, if no renewed actuation of the operating element 18 acting as dead man switch then takes place within a time window of, for example, 1-4 seconds, the presence of the safety signal is ended again. As can be seen, the operating element 18 is arranged in the immediate vicinity of an emergency stop switch 21, by means of which the execution of safety-relevant functions, here in particular functions relating to the X-ray radiation and the movement of components, can be blocked or, when executed, can be stopped. The person 8 is therefore not only in a suitable monitoring position, but can also react quickly if there is a risk of being distorted.However, the embodiment of FIG. 3 can also be used in an exemplary embodiment in which individual control information of the second person 9, which can likewise be perceived by the first person 8, can be individually confirmed and released by means of the operating element 18. This is the case, for example, when using voice commands that are acoustically received and interpreted by the imaging device 4 itself. The second person 9 then so to speak speaks a voice command, which is output at the intervention location 5 via a corresponding loudspeaker, for example also the output means 19, and can be perceived by both the imaging device 4 and the first person 8. By actuating the operating element 18, the first person 8 can generate the voice command-specific safety signal, so that the corresponding control information can be converted.FIG. 4 shows a third possible embodiment of the signaling device 19, in which the operating element 18 is not realized by hardware, but rather by gesture recognition by means of a gesture recognition unit 22, which evaluates image data of the first person 8, which is provided by a 3D camera 23. In the first exemplary embodiment already mentioned, if a permanent actuation of the operating element 18 is to take place, which is virtual here, it is possible, for example, to use the maintenance of a specific gesture, for example a hand held up, wherein the termination of the actuation can then form the dropping of the hand. However, gestures for the single actuation of the virtual operating element here for the second and the third embodiment, for example "OK" characters and / or "thumb high" characters formed with the fingers, are also conceivable. Here too, an output means 19 can be provided accordingly if a conversion in the manner of a dead man switch or analogously to a safety drive circuit is desired.The various exemplary embodiments already discussed will now be explained in more detail again by the flowcharts of FIGS. 5-7.FIG. 5 shows a flow chart describing a first exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention using the intervention system 1. In a step S 1, the operating element 18 of the signaling device 16 is continuously actuated, so that the safety signal is generated. In a step S 2, it is checked whether a predetermined time interval has elapsed since the start of the actuation of the operating element 18. If this is the case, in a step S 3 an optical and / or acoustic notification is output to the first person 8 that a brief interruption of the actuation of the operating element 18 has to take place, which is suppressed only when control information is currently being converted. In this case, the notification is output after completion of the corresponding conversion. In a step S 4, it is checked whether a brief interruption of the actuation of the operating element 18 has taken place as output in a predetermined time window. If this is the case, the system returns to step S1; if this is not the case, the presence of the safety signal is ended.In the second exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6, the operating element 18 is used as a dead man switch. It is thus checked in a step S 6 whether an actuation of the operating element 18 has taken place. If this is the case, the expiration of a predetermined time period for which the safety signal is present is waited in a step S7. After the predetermined time period has elapsed, in step S 8, an indication is output via the output means 19 which, analogously to step S 3, indicates to the first person 8 that the operating element 18 is to be actuated again. In a step S 9, it is monitored whether the operating element 18 is actuated again within a predetermined time window. If this is the case, the system returns to step S 7, otherwise the presence of the safety signal is ended in step S 10.FIG. 7 finally shows a flow chart of a third exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention. There, in a step S 11, the second person 9 issues a voice command, for example via a microphone of the operating device 11. In a step S 13, it is then checked whether, within a predetermined time interval, for example 2-5 seconds, the first monitoring person 8 actuates the operating element 18 in order to confirm the voice command. If this actuation does not take place, the control information, i.e. the voice command, is not converted. However, if the actuation takes place, the safety signal is generated in step S 15 and the imaging device 4 can interpret the voice command, if necessary by means of the control device 15, and convert the corresponding control information.Although the invention has been illustrated and described in more detail by the preferred exemplary embodiment, the invention is not restricted by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

Computer-implemented method for generating control information for the remote control of an interventional device (3) to be used in an intervention, in particular medical, intervention at an interventional site (5), wherein at least one first person (8) at the interventional site (5) and at least one second person (9) at a location (10) different from the interventional site (5) and remote from the same are present for cooperation when performing the intervention and the control information of the second person (9) is transmitted from the remote site (10) to the interventional site (5) by means of a communication connection (12), characterized in that a use of the control information for controlling the interventional device (3) is enabled only when a securing signal indicating a monitoring activity of the first person (8) is present, to be provided by a signaling device (16) actuatable by the same.Method according to claim 1, characterised in that situation data are recorded with at least one situation data acquisition device (14) and transmitted to the remote location (10), where they are displayed to the second person (9), wherein the situation data do not cover the entire influence and / or effect range of the intervention device (3), and / or that the intervention device (3) is an imaging device (4) which is based on radiation and / or has a movable recording component and which is provided in particular in addition to an intervention robot (2) which is also remotely controllable.Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the operator control element (18) of the signalling device (16) which is to be actuated by the first person (8) used is an operator control element (18) which is to be actuated permanently, in particular a foot switch (17).Method according to Claim 3, characterized in that, in order to check the presence of the first person (8), the latter is requested, in particular regularly, by means of an indication output to briefly interrupt the actuation of the operating element (18), the presence of which is checked, wherein, in the event of non-detection of the interruption within a time window after the indication, the safety signal is deactivated.Method according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, when the actuation of the operating element (18) is ended, in particular for longer than a predetermined period of time, the controllability of the intervention device (3) is suspended and / or this is at least partially deactivated.Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that, when the presence of the first person (8) is checked by a notification output for the brief interruption of the actuation of the operating element (18), a notification output does not take place while a piece of control information of the second person (9) is converted.Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the signaling device (16) has an operating element (18), in particular an operating knob (20), which is designed as a dead man switch, the safety signal being generated when the operating element (18) is actuated, in particular in a regular manner and / or after an indication has been output.Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the operating element (18) used is an operating element (18) located in the vicinity of an emergency stop switch (21) of the intervention device (3), in particular in such a way that the emergency stop switch (21) is located in an access environment of the first person (8) when said person actuates the operating element (18).Method according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that after actuation of the operating element (18), the safety signal is generated for a predetermined time period, in particular 10 to 60 seconds, wherein, after this time period has elapsed, without detection of a further actuation of the operating element (18), an indication output takes place and, after a time window has elapsed after the indication output, the safety signal is ended.Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control information is transmitted as a voice command which is evaluated by the intervention device (3), wherein the voice command is also audibly output at the intervention location (5) for the first person (8) and, when an operating element (18) of the signaling device (16) is actuated, the safety signal is generated in a voice command-specific manner.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that image data of the first person (8) are evaluated by means of the signaling device (16) in order to detect a gesture of the first person (8) determining the signal generation.Intervention system (1), having at an intervention location (5) an intervention device (3) which can be operated by a first person (8) at the intervention location (5) to be used in an intervention, in particular medical intervention, at a location (10) which is different from the intervention location (5) and remote from this intervention location, an operating device which can be used by a second person (9) for a control information item for the intervention device (3), a communication connection (12) for transmitting the control information item from the remote location (10) to the intervention location (5), and a control device (15) which is designed to use the control information item for controlling the intervention device (3), characterized in that, the intervention system (1) further comprises a signaling device (16) actuatable by the first person and the control device (15) is configured to use the control information for controlling the intervention device (3) only when a safety signal indicating a monitoring activity of the first person (8) is present and can be generated by actuation of the signaling device (16).Intervention system according to Claim 12, characterized in that the control device (15) is designed to carry out a method according to one of Claims 1 to 11.

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