Tool Memory Software Upgrades Robotic Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic surgical systems face challenges in updating their software and hardware to accommodate new surgical instruments, leading to delays and increased costs, especially when deployed in various locations worldwide, including countries with different system capabilities.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a memory into robotic surgical tools that can transmit and store update data, allowing processors to download and store new software revisions, enabling the use of new tools without repeated downloads and ensuring compatibility with existing systems by prioritizing update data over native data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If software updates are distributed through centralized channels to existing robotic surgical systems, then system compatibility and control are maintained, but update deployment time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds software update capability directly into the surgical tools themselves before they reach the customer. Tools are pre-configured with update functionality and can autonomously download and install software updates when connected to the robotic system, eliminating the need for manual centralized update deployment and significantly reducing update time while maintaining system compatibility through controlled update protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical tools are equipped with autonomous software update capabilities, allowing them to self-update when connected to the robotic surgical system. The tool's processor can independently download, validate, and install software updates from embedded storage or network sources, freeing the system from requiring manual intervention for each update deployment while maintaining version control and compatibility
2Adaptability or versatility
If new surgical instruments with advanced features are developed, then surgical capabilities are expanded, but system integration complexity and update difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal update mechanism that works across all surgical tool types through standardized interfaces. The update system can handle different tool configurations, processor architectures, and software formats through a common update protocol, allowing new surgical instruments with diverse capabilities to be integrated without increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the update functionality into independent modular components: embedded storage for update data, dedicated update processors, and standardized communication interfaces. This segmentation allows new surgical instruments to be developed with specific capabilities while using common update infrastructure, reducing integration complexity
3Productivity
If software updates are performed during surgical procedures by repeatedly attaching and detaching tools, then real-time capability expansion is achieved, but procedure time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-loads software updates into the tool's embedded storage memory before the surgical procedure begins. When a tool is attached to the robotic system, the processor automatically detects available updates and installs them in the background without requiring tool detachment or interrupting the surgical workflow, enabling real-time capability expansion without configuration delays
Solution Approach 2:
The update mechanism operates continuously in the background during surgical procedures. The processor manages update installation asynchronously, allowing the surgical system to maintain continuous operation while software capabilities are expanded, eliminating interruptions and maintaining procedural continuity
Data Source
AI summary
Robotic devices, systems, and methods for use in robotic surgery and other robotic applications, and/or medical instrument devices, systems, and methods includes both a reusable processor and a limited-use robotic tool or medical treatment probe. A memory the limited-use component includes machine readable code with data and/or programming instructions to be implemented by the processor. Programming of the processor can be updated by shipping of new data once downloaded by the processor from a component, subsequent components can take advantage of the updated processor without repeated downloading.