Patents by Inventor Christopher Alan LIGHTCAP

Christopher Alan LIGHTCAP has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • System and method for providing substantially stable control of a surgical tool
    Patent number: 9921712
    Abstract: A system for providing substantially stable control of a surgical instrument is provided. The system includes a surgical manipulator for manipulating the surgical instrument and at least one computer configured to identify a first subset and a second subset of interaction geometric primitives associated with a virtual tool; determine, based on the first subset, control forces in a first subspace; and determine based on the second subset, control forces in a second subspace having at least one additional dimension. Control forces in the additional dimension are only determined based on the second subset of primitives, which is different than the first subset of primitives. The computer is further configured to determine a torque to constrain an orientation of the surgical instrument, wherein determining the torque comprises defining a virtual tool normal and a control plane normal and using the virtual tool normal and control plane normal to calculate the torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: MAKO Surgical Corp.
    Inventors: Christopher Alan Lightcap, Hyosig Kang, David Gene Bowling, John Michael Stuart, Jerry A. Culp, Donald W. Malackowski, Jose Luis Moctezuma de la Barrera, Patrick Roessler, Joel N. Beer
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SUBSTANTIALLY STABLE CONTROL OF A SURGICAL TOOL
    Publication number: 20170177191
    Abstract: A system for providing substantially stable control of a surgical instrument is provided. The system includes a surgical manipulator for manipulating the surgical instrument and at least one computer configured to identify a first subset and a second subset of interaction geometric primitives associated with a virtual tool; determine, based on the first subset, control forces in a first subspace; and determine based on the second subset, control forces in a second subspace having at least one additional dimension. Control forces in the additional dimension are only determined based on the second subset of primitives, which is different than the first subset of primitives. The computer is further configured to determine a torque to constrain an orientation of the surgical instrument, wherein determining the torque comprises defining a virtual tool normal and a control plane normal and using the virtual tool normal and control plane normal to calculate the torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: MAKO Surgical Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Alan Lightcap, Hyosig Kang, David Gene Bowling, John Michael Stuart, Jerry A. Culp, Donald W. Malackowski, Jose Luis Moctezuma de la Barrera, Patrick Roessler, Joel N. Beer
  • System and method for providing substantially stable haptics
    Patent number: 9588583
    Abstract: A system for providing substantially stable haptics includes at least one computer configured to identify a first subset and a second subset of haptic interaction geometric primitives for a virtual tool. The computer is configured to determine based on the first subset, haptic forces in a first subspace. The computer is also configured to determine based on the second subset, haptic forces in a second subspace different from the first subspace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: MAKO Surgical Corp.
    Inventors: Christopher Alan Lightcap, Hyosig Kang
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SUBSTANTIALLY STABLE HAPTICS
    Publication number: 20120176306
    Abstract: A system for providing substantially stable haptics includes at least one computer configured to identify a first subset and a second subset of haptic interaction geometric primitives for a virtual tool. The computer is configured to determine based on the first subset, haptic forces in a first subspace. The computer is also configured to determine based on the second subset, haptic forces in a second subspace different from the first subspace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher Alan LIGHTCAP, Hyosig Kang