US 12,329,487 B2
Master control device with finger grip sensing and methods therefor
Allen C. Thompson, Los Altos, CA (US); and Salvatore J. Brogna, Los Gatos, CA (US)
Assigned to Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/054,109
Filed by Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
PCT Filed May 10, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/031813
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 9, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/217882, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 14, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/669,991, filed on May 11, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0298855 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 5/026 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 34/35 (2016.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/74 (2016.02) [A61B 34/35 (2016.02); A61B 2090/064 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control device comprising:
an elongated control body including a continuous surface;
a force sensor coupled to the elongated control body, the force sensor configured to sense force applied to the continuous surface of the elongated control body and provide sensor signals in accordance with amounts of the force received on sides of the elongated control body caused by a pinching of the continuous surface of the elongated control body between fingers of a user; and
a sensor configured to detect at least one of a position or an orientation of the elongated control body in a working environment of the elongated control body.