Patents by Inventor Kevin Andrew Hufford

Kevin Andrew Hufford 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).

  • Patent number: 11969218
    Abstract: A system and method provide feedback to guide a user to arrange components of a surgical robotic system in a suitable arrangement for the surgical procedure to be performed. An image of a medical procedure site at which a robotic manipulator and a second object such as a second robotic manipulator, patient table, patient, and bedside staff are located. The image is displayed for a user. The system uses computer vision to recognize the robotic manipulator and second object in the image and determine their relative positions. Based on the type of surgical procedure that is to be performed, the system determines a target position for the robotic manipulator and/or the second object, and displays, as an overlay to the displayed image, a graphical indication of the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Bruce Wiggin, Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Patent number: 11937891
    Abstract: A surgical robotic system includes at least one eye tracking system positioned detect the direction of at least one user's gaze. Input derived from the eye tracking system may be used to enter commands to the surgical robotic system depending on the directions of the gaze detected or other aspects of the gaze such as pupil dilation or speed of eye movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Nicholas J Bender, Alexander John Maret, Matthew Robert Penny, Paul Wilhelm Schnur, Dustin Owen Vaughan, Sevan Abashian, Michael Okyen
  • Publication number: 20240024064
    Abstract: A system and method for augmenting an endoscopic display during a medical procedure including capturing a real-time image of a working space within a body cavity during a medical procedure. A feature of interest in the image is identified to the system using eye tracking input, and a graphical tag is displayed on the image marking the feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, David J. Meagher
  • Patent number: 11877817
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system in which the system applies a scaling factor between user input from a user input device and corresponding movements of the robotic manipulator. Scaling factors may be applied or adjusted based on detected conditions such as the type of instrument being manipulated, detected distance between multiple instruments being manipulated, user biometric parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Alexander John Maret, Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20230404702
    Abstract: One or more imagers are positioned in an operating room to capture images of equipment, instruments and or personnel in the operating room. A processor receives image data from the imagers and determines the relevant positions of the objects of interest. The user is with visual or auditory feedback, haptic guidance, or other feedback relative to the relevant positions to facilitate surgical setup, positioning of robotic manipulators, or to alert the user to close proximity of the manipulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Nevo Yokev
  • Publication number: 20230390016
    Abstract: A robotic system assembly comprises a robotic manipulator including an actuator assembly and a surgical instrument having a base body mountable to the actuator assembly. The base includes a first control input and a second control input, wherein the first and second control inputs are positioned on different sides of the base. The actuator assembly is moveable between open and closed positions to facilitate removal and replacement of surgical instruments. When in the closed positions, drive elements of the actuator assembly are positioned to drive the first and second control inputs of the surgical instrument to cause end effector movement or actuation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Paul Wilhelm Schnur
  • Patent number: 11819189
    Abstract: A wireless power transmission system for a robotic surgical system includes features for optical data transmission. A first component of the surgical system includes a control element, a power transmission element and an optical data transmission element; and a second component of the surgical system including a wireless power receiving element and an optical data receiving element, the second component is removably mountable to the first component. In some embodiments, a barrier such as a surgical drape and/or hermetic enclosure is positioned between the first and second components. In one example, of the components is a robotic manipulator arm and another is a powered instrument removably mountable to the manipulator arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall L. Luck, Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Patent number: 11771518
    Abstract: A system and method for augmenting an endoscopic display during a medical procedure including capturing a real-time image of a working space within a body cavity during a medical procedure. A feature of interest in the image is identified to the system using a user input handle of a surgical robotic system, and a graphical tag is displayed on the image marking the feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, David J. Meagher
  • Patent number: 11768204
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system includes a fluid drive system and a surgical instrument removably positioned in operative engagement with the drive system. A sterile barrier covers non-sterile portions of the surgical system. Features of the sterile barrier are used to transfer motion output from the fluid drive system to the instrument for actuation of the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew R. Penny, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Nicholas J. Bender, Alexander John Maret, Paul Wilhelm Schnur, Sevan Abashian, Dustin Vaughan
  • Patent number: 11751959
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system in which the system applies a scaling factor between user input from a user input device and corresponding movements of the robotic manipulator. Scaling factors may be applied or adjusted based on detected conditions such as the type of instrument being manipulated, detected distance between multiple instruments being manipulated, user biometric parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Alexander John Maret, Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20230263574
    Abstract: A proximity detection system allows monitoring of proximity between the end effectors of first and second independent robotic manipulators. Imagers are circumferentially positioned around the end effector of at least one of the robotic manipulators. Image data from the imagers is analyzed to determine proximity between the end effectors. When determined proximity falls below a defined threshold, the system issues an alert to the user or slows/suspends manipulator motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Matthew Robert Penny, Tal Nir, Anthony Fernando
  • Patent number: 11730556
    Abstract: A robotic system assembly comprises a robotic manipulator including an actuator assembly and a surgical instrument having a base body mountable to the actuator assembly. The base includes a first control input and a second control input, wherein the first and second control inputs are positioned on different sides of the base. The actuator assembly is moveable between open and closed positions to facilitate removal and replacement of surgical instruments. When in the closed positions, drive elements of the actuator assembly are positioned to drive the first and second control inputs of the surgical instrument to cause end effector movement or actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Paul Wilhelm Schnur
  • Publication number: 20230210606
    Abstract: An position sensor such as an IMU is removably positioned on a patient bed used to support a patient during a robotic surgical procedure in which a robotic manipulator is used to manipulate a surgical instrument. When the bed is moved during the course of surgery, signals corresponding to a sensed changed in the bed's position are received by a processor, which causes a corresponding repositioning of the robotic manipulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Alexander John Maret, Matthew Robert Penny, Anthony Fernando
  • Patent number: 11690688
    Abstract: A robotic system assembly comprises a robotic manipulator including an actuator assembly and a surgical instrument having a base body mountable to the actuator assembly. The base includes a first control input and a second control input, wherein the first and second control inputs are positioned on different sides of the base. The actuator assembly is moveable between open and closed positions to facilitate removal and replacement of surgical instruments. When in the closed positions, drive elements of the actuator assembly are positioned to drive the first and second control inputs of the surgical instrument to cause end effector movement or actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Paul Wilhelm Schnur
  • Patent number: 11690677
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system includes an eye gaze sensing system in conjunction with a visual display of a camera image from a surgical work site. Detected gaze of a surgeon towards the display is used as input to the system. This input may be used by the system to assign an instrument to a control input device (when the user is prompted to look at the instrument), or it may be used as input to a computer vision algorithm to aid in object differentiation and seeding information, facilitating identification/differentiation of instruments, anatomical features or regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20230121745
    Abstract: A powered user interface for a robotic surgical system operates in accordance with a mode of operation in which the actuators are operated to permit motion of the handle in pitch and yaw motion constrained with respect to a virtual fulcrum in a work space of the user interface, and insertion motion is constrained along an axis passing through the virtual fulcrum. In a virtual fulcrum setting mode, a user is prompted to give input to the system selecting a desired point in space for the virtual fulcrum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Wilhelm Schnur, Stefan Atay, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Matthew R Penny
  • Publication number: 20230080767
    Abstract: In a robotic surgical system, an organ manipulation device such as a uterine manipulator with a colpotomy cup is positionable on a first robotic manipulator while a surgical instrument is positionable on a second robotic manipulator. During the course of surgery, a user inputs instructions to the robotic surgical system to cause movement of the organ manipulator and surgical instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventor: Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20230080041
    Abstract: A system for determining relative positions of subsystems of a robot-assisted surgical system includes a subsystem component including a plurality of manipulator arms and a surgeon console. Each subsystem component includes at least one of an optical tracker and a light emitter. Image data from the optical trackers is analyzed to determine the relative positions of the subsystems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Federico Campisano, Lior Alpert
  • Publication number: 20230050243
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system in which the system applies a scaling factor between user input from a user input device and corresponding movements of the robotic manipulator. Scaling factors may be applied or adjusted based on detected conditions such as the type of instrument being manipulated, detected distance between multiple instruments being manipulated, user biometric parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Alexander John Maret, Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20230051171
    Abstract: A wireless power transmission system for a robotic surgical system includes features for optical data transmission. A first component of the surgical system includes a control element, a power transmission element and an optical data transmission element; and a second component of the surgical system including a wireless power receiving element and an optical data receiving element, the second component is removably mountable to the first component. In some embodiments, a barrier such as a surgical drape and/or hermetic enclosure is positioned between the first and second components. In one example, of the components is a robotic manipulator arm and another is a powered instrument removably mountable to the manipulator arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall L. Luck, Kevin Andrew Hufford