Patent ID: 9176580
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: A61B,G06F,G06T

Abstract:
1. A surgical mechanism control system for controlling the movement of an endoscope, the surgical mechanism control system comprising: a monitor for displaying an image from the endoscope; a beam emitter unit configured to emit only a single beam and adapted to be attached to a surgeon; a first pair of discrete beam detectors comprising a first and a second discrete beam detector, the first discrete beam detector being adapted to detect the single beam emitted by the beam emitter unit and output a first control signal when the single beam is detected, the second discrete beam detector being adapted to detect the single beam emitted by the beam emitter unit and output a second control signal when the single beam is detected, and the first pair of discrete beam detectors being positioned around the monitor; a control unit configured to receive the first and second control signals output by the beam detectors and control a surgical mechanism in accordance with the first and second control signals; and a surgeon actuatable switch, wherein actuation of the switch by the surgeon selectively switches between a first control signal handling mode of operation and a second control signal handling mode of operation of the control unit, wherein: in the first control signal handling mode of operation, the first and second control signals output by the beam detectors result in the use of a motor or power circuit to move the endoscope in a first degree of freedom of movement, and in the second control signal handling mode of operation, the first and second control signals output by the beam detectors result in the use of a different motor or power circuit of the surgical mechanism to move the endoscope in a second degree of freedom of movement, such that the first pair of discrete beam detectors is useable to move the endoscope in two degrees of freedom of movement.