Surgeon Console Touchscreen Controls for Flux Supply Units

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional teleoperated surgical systems require assistants to manage flux supply units, leading to inefficiencies in surgical procedures due to the lack of direct access and intuitive display of settings for surgeons at the console.

Innovation Solution

Integration of a surgeon console with a user interface that includes a touchscreen for displaying and controlling flux supply unit settings, allowing surgeons to directly manage and verify settings without relying on assistants, enhancing autonomy and procedural efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If flux supply units are located at auxiliary control carts separate from the surgeon console, then device complexity is reduced and flux supply functionality is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates as surgeons cannot directly access controls and must rely on assistants

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirect access to flux supply controlsVSAvoidsystem configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the flux supply unit controls directly into the surgeon console, merging previously separate functions (flux supply control and surgical instrument control) into a single unified interface. This allows surgeons to access and adjust flux supply settings without leaving the console or requiring assistant intervention, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity by consolidating control functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If assistants manage flux supply units during surgery, then operational reliability is maintained through dedicated support, but loss of time increases due to repeated requests and waiting for setting changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical procedure timeVSAvoidtime for setting adjustments
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables surgeons to independently control flux supply settings directly at the console without requiring assistant intervention. The integrated interface allows real-time adjustment of flux parameters, eliminating the time lost to repeated communication cycles between surgeon and assistant. This self-service capability directly addresses the productivity-time loss contradiction by empowering the primary operator to manage all controls autonomously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of information

If flux supply settings are displayed on separate auxiliary equipment, then information completeness is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates as information is not readily accessible to the surgeon at the console

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflux supply setting informationVSAvoidaccess to setting information
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent integrates the display of flux supply setting information into the surgeon console interface, merging previously separate information displays (auxiliary equipment screens) with the primary surgical control interface. This ensures that all relevant flux supply parameters are visible and accessible to the surgeon at the console, eliminating information loss while maintaining ease of access without requiring the surgeon to look at or interact with separate auxiliary displays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3307191B1User interfaces and displays for flux supply units
Publication Date: 2024.08.21 INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS INC
  • EP3307191B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3307191B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3307191B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A surgeon console for a teleoperated surgical system includes a user input mechanism configured to be actuated to command a flux supply unit to supply a flux to a surgical instrument operatively coupled to the surgeon console; and a user interface configured to display setting information of the flux supply unit, wherein the user interface comprises actuatable control features configured to change a control setting of the flux supply unit.