US 12,329,593 B2
Surgical robotic automation with tracking markers
Neil R. Crawford, Chandler, AZ (US); Stephen Cicchini, North Wales, PA (US); and Norbert Johnson, North Andover, MA (US)
Assigned to Globus Medical, Inc., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed by GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC., Audubon, PA (US)
Filed on Feb. 12, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/438,549.
Application 18/438,549 is a continuation of application No. 15/157,444, filed on May 18, 2016, granted, now 11,896,446.
Application 15/157,444 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/095,883, filed on Apr. 11, 2016, granted, now 10,893,912, issued on Jan. 19, 2021.
Application 15/095,883 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/062,707, filed on Oct. 24, 2013, granted, now 10,357,184, issued on Jul. 23, 2019.
Application 14/062,707 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/924,505, filed on Jun. 21, 2013, granted, now 9,782,229, issued on Oct. 10, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/800,527, filed on Mar. 15, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/662,702, filed on Jun. 21, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2024/0180666 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
Int. Cl. A61B 90/98 (2016.01); A61B 5/06 (2006.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 34/32 (2016.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); A61B 90/96 (2016.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/17 (2006.01); A61B 90/11 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 90/98 (2016.02) [A61B 5/064 (2013.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.02); A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 34/32 (2016.02); A61B 90/96 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00876 (2013.01); A61B 17/17 (2013.01); A61B 2034/2051 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2055 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2057 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2072 (2016.02); A61B 2090/034 (2016.02); A61B 2090/0811 (2016.02); A61B 90/11 (2016.02); A61B 2090/376 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3762 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3937 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3945 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3983 (2016.02)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical robot system comprising:
a robot having a robot base, a robot arm coupled to the robot base, and an end-effector coupled to the robot arm, the end-effector having a base and a tool holder adapted to be coupled to a surgical instrument;
a plurality of fixed tracking markers rigidly affixed to the base of the end-effector;
a plurality of repositionable tracking markers rigidly affixed to the tool holder of the end-effector, wherein the tool holder is repositionable between a first position and a second position relative to the base of the end-effector, the plurality of fixed tracking markers together with the plurality of repositionable tracking markers in the first position defining a first array template and the plurality of fixed tracking markers together with the plurality of repositionable tracking markers in the second position defining a second array template; and
a camera configured to detect the plurality of fixed tracking markers and the plurality of repositionable tracking markers in the first and second positions, wherein the robot is configured to determine a 3-dimensional position of the end-effector based on determining whether the detected plurality of fixed tracking markers and the detected plurality of repositionable tracking markers define the first or the second array template.