Surgical Robot Power Switch Control for Accidental Shutdown Prevention

The patent combines hardware shutdown circuit and software control into a unified shutdown system. The hardware shutdown button can trigger shutdown through either hardware circuit directly or software control, and the system integrates both pathways to work together. This merging allows the system to benefit from both hardware's immediate response and software's operational safety checks, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.

The patent introduces a controller as an intermediary between the hardware shutdown button and the shutdown execution. When the shutdown button is pressed, the controller detects the signal and determines whether to execute shutdown based on system state and safety conditions. This intermediary layer prevents direct hardware shutdown while maintaining operational safety, addressing both ease of operation and reliability concerns.

The patent implements preliminary action by having the controller detect and process the shutdown button signal before actual shutdown execution. The controller performs preliminary determination of whether shutdown conditions are met, and only then proceeds to execute the shutdown. This preliminary step prevents accidental shutdown while maintaining quick response capability when shutdown is truly needed.

The patent employs feedback mechanism where the controller continuously monitors system state and evaluates whether shutdown should be executed based on the shutdown button signal. The controller provides feedback by determining the appropriateness of shutdown action, and this feedback loop ensures that shutdown occurs only when safe and appropriate, preventing accidental shutdown while maintaining productivity.

The patent uses the controller as an intermediary that already exists in the system to prevent software failure misshutdown. Instead of adding redundant hardware, the controller's determination function acts as a smart intermediary that filters out erroneous shutdown signals caused by software failures. This approach improves reliability without increasing device complexity through additional chips.

The patent implements self-service by enabling the existing controller to perform the additional function of determining whether to execute shutdown based on system state. The controller uses its existing processing capabilities to evaluate shutdown appropriateness, eliminating the need for separate redundant hardware components. This self-service approach maintains reliability improvement while avoiding increased device complexity.