Arm control method and arm control device

{
  "publication_number": "US11000338B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Arm control method and arm control device",
  "abstract": "An arm control method including determining, using a processor, whether or not there is an abnormality in an arm that operates by being driven by an actuator in a state in which the arm is fixed by a brake mechanism, to make it possible to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in an arm in a state in which the arm is fixed by a brake mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to more safely determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the arm. In addition, it is possible to more reliably prevent the arm from performing an abnormal operation.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A surgery arm system comprising: a multiple-joint arm that has a plurality of joints coupled by a plurality of links such that the joints are configured to turn and a tip end to which an imaging device configured to observe a surgical site is configured to be coupled; and processing circuitry configured to control the multiple-joint arm such that a position and a posture of the imaging device are changed, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control electric power supply to the actuator and the imaging device, determine whether or not there is an abnormality in sensors provided at the joints when the multiple-joint arm is activated after electric power supply to a brake is cut off, in a state in which the multiple-joint arm that operates by being driven by an actuator provided at least one of the plurality of the joints is fixed by the brake, and in a case in which the abnormality in the sensors is detected, stop the electric power supply to the actuator and continue the electric power supply to the imaging device.",
    "2. The surgery arm system according to claim 1, wherein the sensors are configured to detect a state of the multiple-joint arm when the multiple-joint arm is fixed by the brake, and the processing circuitry is configured to determine whether or not there is the abnormality in the sensors on a basis of output values of the sensors.",
    "3. The surgery arm system according to claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine whether or not there is the abnormality in the sensors on a basis of structure parameters related to a structure of the multiple-joint arm.",
    "4. The surgery arm system according to claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to calculate expected output values of the sensors on a basis of the structure parameters and determines whether or not there is the abnormality in the sensors on a basis of the expected output values of the sensors and actual output values of the sensors.",
    "5. The surgery arm system according to claim 4, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that there is no abnormality in the sensor in a case in which a difference between the expected output value of the sensor and the actual output value of the sensor is a value within a predetermined range.",
    "6. The surgery arm system according to claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform calibration by using the differences between the expected output values of the sensors and the actual output values of the sensors as correction values.",
    "7. The surgery arm system according to claim 3, wherein parameters related to the joints are included in the structure parameters.",
    "8. The surgery arm system according to claim 7, wherein rotation angles of the joints are included in the structure parameters.",
    "9. The surgery arm system according to claim 3, wherein a parameter related to a link that couples the joints is included in the structure parameters.",
    "10. The surgery arm system according to claim 9, wherein at least one or more of a dimension of the link, a center of gravity of the link, and a mass of the link are included in the structure parameters.",
    "11. The surgery arm system according to claim 3, wherein in a case in which a counterweight is coupled to the joint, a parameter related to the counterweight is included in the structure parameters.",
    "12. The surgery arm system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of a torque sensor that detects torque that acts on an output shaft of the joint and a rotation angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of the joint is included in the sensor.",
    "13. The surgery arm system according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to release the brake in a case in which it is determined that there is no abnormality in the multiple-joint arm.",
    "14. The surgery arm system according to claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform control such that the actuator is caused to be driven in a case in which it is determined that there is no abnormality in the multiple-joint arm.",
    "15. The surgery arm system according to claim 1, wherein brake force caused by the brake is adjusted such that a rotation shaft of the actuator is able to be rotated by external force that is equal to or greater than a predetermined value while electric power supply is cut off."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to an arm control method and an arm control device.\n\nPatent literature 1 discloses a technology of determining whether or not there is an abnormality in an arm. According to the technology, the arm is caused to perform an operation of a preset operation pattern, and the result thereof is detected by a sensor. Then, it is determined whether or not there is an abnormality in the arm on the basis of the result of the detection performed by the sensor. Then, in a case in which it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the arm, the operation of the arm is stopped.\n\nPatent Literature Patent Literature 1: JP 2011-88219A\n\nTechnical Problem However, according to the aforementioned technology, it is not possible to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the arm unless the arm is caused to operate in practice. Therefore, a technology with which it is possible to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the arm in a state in which the arm is fixed has strongly been required. Solution to Problem According to the present disclosure, there is provided an arm control method including determining, using a processor, whether or not there is an abnormality in an arm that operates by being driven by an actuator in a state in which the arm is fixed by a brake mechanism. According to the present disclosure, there is provided an arm control device including a control unit that determines whether or not there is an abnormality in an arm that operates by being driven by an actuator in a state in which the arm is fixed by a brake mechanism.",
  "cpc": [
    "A61B 34/37",
    "A61B 2090/031",
    "A61B 2090/064",
    "A61B 34/30",
    "A61B 90/25",
    "A61B 90/361",
    "B25J 19/0004",
    "B25J 19/02",
    "B25J 19/06",
    "B25J 9/06",
    "B25J 9/1674"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61B 34/30",
    "A61B 34/37",
    "A61B 90/00",
    "A61B 90/25",
    "B25J 19/00",
    "B25J 19/02",
    "B25J 19/06",
    "B25J 9/06",
    "B25J 9/16",
    "G05B 19/04",
    "G05B 19/18"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "SONY CORP"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "NAGAO DAISUKE",
    "KASAI TAKARA"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-02-03",
  "publication_date": "2021-05-11",
  "grant_date": "2021-05-11",
  "priority_date": "2016-03-30",
  "application_number": "US-201716087437-A",
  "family_id": "59962854",
  "citations": [
    "JP2001145634A",
    "JP2010082309A",
    "JP2011088219A",
    "JP2013094452A",
    "JPH0716239A",
    "JPH0739190A",
    "US2001013764A1",
    "US2001020200A1",
    "US2008294285A1",
    "US2011257785A1",
    "US2012150347A1",
    "US2013310973A1",
    "US2015032257A1",
    "US2015258690A1",
    "US2017007336A1",
    "US2017143429A1",
    "US2018242938A1",
    "US5667186A",
    "WO2015137038A1"
  ]
}