DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-2, 5-9, 11, 13-14, 16, 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harris [US 20180049824 A1] in view of Lau [US 20190186907 A1].
As per claim 1, Harris teaches a surgical robotic system (Harris Fig 1), comprising:
a robotic arm (Harris Fig 1 item 1120),;
a docking interface coupled to the robotic arm to receive a trocar (Harris Fig 1 item 1130 is a tool assembly with trocar holding member 1133, which is capable of docking the trocar. Hence 1130 corresponds to a docking interface),;
one or more sensors operable to sense a magnetic field generated by the trocar, wherein the one more sensors are coupled to the arm and the magnetic field is generated by a plurality of magnets embedded in the trocar (Harris ¶0064 “the trocar holding member 1300 can include one or more sensors, such as hall effect sensors, that can detect the presence of the ferrous ring 1308 of the trocar 1306”); and
one or more processors (Harris Fig 1, ¶0045 “a control system 315 for controlling the movement of the robotic arms 1120”, ¶0095), configured to:
a) determine a position of the trocar based on the sensed magnetic field (Harris ¶0056 “ trocar holding member 1133 is configured with any one or more of the following capabilities: (1) sensing a location of a trocar positioned within a patient”), and
b) guide the robotic arm toward the determined position of the trocar (Harris ¶0011 “… instructions from a sensor on a trocar relating to a position and orientation of the trocar, and to transmit instructions to the electromechanical robotic arm to cause the electromechanical robotic arm to orient the trocar holding member based on the position and orientation of the trocar”. ¶0062 “ trocar holding member 1300 can be positioned in the vicinity of a trocar 1306”), and
c) Harris ¶0011, ¶0062 as discussed above),
determine an orientation of the trocar based on the sensed magnetic field (Harris ¶0056 “the trocar holding member 1133 is configured …(3) orienting the trocar into a desired predetermined orientation”, ¶0066 “Prior to an attempt to engage with the trocar 1306, the trocar holding member 1300 can be brought within a threshold distance … threshold angle … When the angle 1330 between the trocar central axis 1326 and the trocar holding member central axis 1328 is within a threshold range, the electromagnet 1318 of the trocar holding member 1300 (illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B) can be activated attracting the trocar 1306” ),
As stroked out above, Haris does not expressly teach while guiding to a predetermined position, determine orientation and further guiding the robotic arm by controlling a plurality of actuators of the robotic arm to re-orient the docking interface.
Lau, in a related field of determining the position and orientation of the objects (Lau ¶0002), teaches while guiding to a predetermined position, determine orientation and further guiding the robotic arm by controlling a plurality of actuators of the robotic arm to re-orient the docking interface (Lau ¶0050 “The control unit 50 can also be arranged to understand the desired or correct position of the object over time, and, if the position or rotational orientation of the object is incorrect, the control unit 50 can send information and data via wired or wireless signal to the mechanism controlling the position and rotational orientation of the object to correct the object's position and rotational orientation. In the example….If the real-time position and rotational orientation of the weld head does not correspond the desired position and orientation of the weld bead, the control unit 50 can send a signal to the mechanism controlling the robotic arm to adjust the position and/or rotational orientation of the weld head to correspond to the desired position and orientation of the weld bead” correction in real time corresponds to “while guiding”).
As per MPEP 143.I, example of rationales that may support a conclusion of obviousness include: (F) Known work in one field of endeavor may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or a different one based on design incentives or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art. In the instant case, real time updating was known in the art of robotics including the field of automobile assembly line or welding, which Lau, provides as example of applications. The real time control in Lau provides the system to make any correction or adjustments to the rotational orientation (Lau ¶0009). Hence, the teachings were obvious since the predictable result of real time corrections and adjustments could be provided to the robotic arm of Harris, to ensure that the trocar holding member is correctly positioned / oriented on its path to the trocar, thereby providing precise automation control.
As per claim 2, Harris in view of Lau further teaches wherein the one or more processors are configured to guide the robotic arm by automatically controlling a plurality of actuators of the robotic arm to drive the arm toward the determined position of the trocar (Harris ¶0054).
As per claim 5, Harris in view of Lau further teaches wherein the docking interface defines a chamber, and one or more clamp components are disposed in the chamber (Harris Figs 2-3, chamber defined by components of the holding member. Item 1310 are pivoting arms, corresponding to clamp components).
As per claim 6, Harris in view of Lau further teaches wherein the one or more clamp components is movably coupled to the docking interface and configured to move to secure an attachment portion of the trocar to the docking interface (Harris ¶0057, ¶0043 “one or more magnets on the trocar holding member can be configured to engage the trocar”).
As per claim 7, Harris in view of Lau further teaches wherein the attachment portion of the trocar is a protrusion extending from an upper portion of the trocar (Harris Fig 4A neck portion 1314).
As per claim 8, Harris in view of Lau further teaches a lever positioned on the docking interface, and wherein movement of the lever causes movement of the one or more clamp components (Harris ¶0057, some lever implied for pivoting arm since lever action / pivoting is performed).
As per claim 9, Harris in view of Lau further teaches determine the position of the trocar based on the sensed magnetic field and guide the robotic arm to dock with the trocar (Harris ¶0040). Harris in view of Lau does not expressly teach comprising a switch mounted on the docking interface that, when actuated, signals the processors. However, ¶0060, ¶0064 of Harris discloses utilizing electromagnetic fields and generating field using hall effect sensor, to activate the electromagnet, thereby acting as switch. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to modify Harris by using other embodiments disclosed. The motivation would be to provide activation only when presence of signal is detected.
As per claim 11, Harris in view of Lau further teaches wherein the one or more sensors is a plurality of sensors in a chamber of the docking interface (Harris ¶0043 "one or more magnets on the trocar holding member providing corresponding magnets”).
As per claim 13, Harris in view of Lau further teaches wherein the one or more sensors comprises a first plurality of sensors coupled to a first sensor board and a second plurality of sensors coupled to a second sensor board, the first sensor board and the second sensor board are on opposite sides of a chamber of the docking interface (Harris Fig 3A items 1304 on opposing sides).
As per claim 14, Harris in view of Lau further teaches wherein the one or
more processors are configured to guide the robotic arm so that the docking interface moves toward the trocar until an attachment portion of the trocar is at least partially disposed in a chamber of the docking interface (Harris ¶0040 " sensing a location of a trocar positioned within a patient, (2) acquiring/engaging the trocar "), wherein the attachment portion of the trocar is a protrusion extending from an upper portion of the trocar (Harris Fig 4A neck portion 1314 shown explicitly).
As per claim 16, Harris in view of Lau further teaches wherein the docking interface comprises a lever operable to lock the trocar to the docking interface (Harris ¶0015 "a cam mechanism on the trocar holding member locks the trocar', lever implied for cam locking mechanism). Harris in view of Lau does not expressly teach comprising a switch mounted on the docking interface that, when actuated, signals the processors. However, ¶0060, ¶0064 of Harris discloses utilizing electromagnetic fields and generating field using hall effect sensor, to activate the electromagnet, thereby acting as switch. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to modify Harris by using other embodiments disclosed. The motivation would be to provide activation only when presence of signal is detected.
Claims 18-19 are directed to method of apparatus claims 1-2 and are rejected for same reasons as above.
Claims 3-4, 20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Harris in view of Lau as applied to claims 1, 19 above, and further in view of Kostrzewski [US 20150366624 A1].
As per claim 3-4, 20, Harris in view of Lau further teaches wherein the one or more processors are configured to guide the robotic arm in b)by automatically controlling a plurality of actuators of the robotic arms (Harris ¶0054)
Harris in view of Lau does not expressly teach to assist a user who is manually guiding the robotic arm toward the determined position of the trocar, or wherein when the robotic arm is being manually guided by a user, to resist the user's manual guidance of the robotic arm when the user's manual guidance is directing the robotic arm away from the determined position of the trocar.
Kostrzewski, in a similar field of robotic-assisted surgical systems, teaches assist a user who is manually guiding the robotic arm toward the determined position (Kostrzewski ¶0041"providing resistive haptic feedback (e.g., force and/or torque) to resist movement", assistance via feedback) or wherein when the robotic arm is being manually guided by a user, to resist the user's manual guidance of the robotic arm when the user's manual guidance is directing the robotic arm away from the determined position of the trocar (Kostrzewski ¶0041" assist a surgeon in bringing the surgical tool holder to the desired trajectory, wherein assisting the surgeon in bringing the surgical tool holder to the desired trajectory comprises at least one of (i) and (ii): (i) providing attractive haptic feedback (e.g., force and/or torque) to guide the surgeon to bring the surgical tool holder to the target position, and/or (ii) providing resistive haptic feedback (e.g., force and/or torque) to resist movement of the surgical tool holder in directions away from the desired trajectory").
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus in Harris by integrating haptic feedback functionality as discussed in Kostrzewski, for the positioning of the trocar. The motivation would be to enhance the precision in performing surgeries (Kostrzewski ¶0008).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10, 12, 17 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 10 requires wherein the switch is positioned such that movement of the lever actuates the switch. Examiner does not find any references of record teaching a switch with structural and functional limitations as in this claim. Claim 12 requires at least three sensors positioned at respective different depths measured from a frontal opening of the docking interface. Examiner does not find any references of record teaching sensors positioned at different depths in relation to a trocar holder / docking interface. Claim 17 requires the one or more processors respond to the lever moving in one direction into contact with the switch, by processing a measured sensor reading, and the docking interface becomes locked to the trocar in response to the lever moving in another direction. None of references of record teaches such locking in response ot a lever motion as recited in this claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OOMMEN JACOB whose telephone number is (571)270-5166. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ANNE M KOZAK can be reached at 571-270-0552. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Oommen Jacob/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3797
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