US 12,220,194 B2
Flexible medical instrument
Samuel Kwok Wai Au, Mountain View, CA (US)
Assigned to INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/306,827.
Application 18/306,827 is a continuation of application No. 15/931,536, filed on May 13, 2020, granted, now 11,666,398.
Application 15/931,536 is a continuation of application No. 15/509,154, granted, now 10,709,514, issued on Jul. 14, 2020, previously published as PCT/US2015/048252, filed on Sep. 3, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/048,194, filed on Sep. 9, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2023/0338100 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 34/35 (2016.01); A61B 1/005 (2006.01); A61B 1/267 (2006.01); A61M 16/04 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 34/35 (2016.02) [A61B 1/00078 (2013.01); A61B 1/0016 (2013.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 34/71 (2016.02); A61B 34/74 (2016.02); A61B 1/00006 (2013.01); A61B 1/0053 (2013.01); A61B 1/0057 (2013.01); A61B 1/2676 (2013.01); A61B 2034/301 (2016.02); A61B 2034/742 (2016.02); A61B 34/76 (2016.02); A61M 16/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a flexible instrument;
a first user input device remotely coupled to and spaced apart from the flexible instrument;
a second user input device remotely coupled to the flexible instrument;
a third user input device remotely coupled to the flexible instrument; and
a control system configured to:
control an orientation of the flexible instrument based on an input from the first user input device;
adjust a stiffness of the flexible instrument based on an input from the second user input device; and
control insertion of the flexible instrument based on an input from the third user input device.