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: 11547513
    Abstract: A powered user interface for a robotic surgical system includes a base, a handle mounted to the base and moveable relative to the base in at least six degrees of freedom, and actuators. The interface operates in accordance with a first mode of operation in which the actuators are operated to constrain predetermined ones of the joints to permit motion of the handle in only 4DOF with respect to the base, and a second mode of operation in which the actuators permit motion of the handle in at least 6DOF with respect to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Atay, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Paul Wilhelm Schnur, Matthew R Penny
  • Patent number: 11540890
    Abstract: A powered user interface for a robotic surgical system having a manipulator and a surgical instrument mounted to the manipulator includes a base and a linkage assembly that includes two two-bar linkage mechanisms. The linkage assembly is rotatably mounted to the base at a base joint, and a handle mounted to each of the two-bar linkage mechanisms. Sensors and actuators are arranged to measure and actuate the position and orientation of the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Wilhelm Schnur, Stefan Atay, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Matthew R Penny
  • Patent number: 11523730
    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: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall L. Luck, Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20220354613
    Abstract: A system and method allow creation of surgical annotations during surgery. A digital image of a treatment site in a region of patient anatomy is captured using a camera and is displayed on an image display. The system displays an overlay marking an anatomic region of interest in the displayed image. During the course of the surgery, panning of the image results in the anatomic region of interest being outside the displayed field of view. In response to user input, the displayed image is subsequently panned such that the anatomic region of interest and the displayed overlay return to the displayed field of view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Lior Alpert, Tal Nir, Nevo Yokev, Dustin Owen Vaughan, Caleb T. Osborne
  • Patent number: 11457985
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20220265361
    Abstract: A system and method using computer vision to assist surgical suturing includes capturing digital images of a treatment site in a region of patient anatomy and displaying the image in real time on an image display. Computer vision techniques are used to determine the edges of tissue to be sutured. The system determines target needle entry and exit points at desired distances from the tissue edges and at a desired spacing, and displays the target needle entry and exit points as overlays on the image display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Zachary S. Leonard
  • Publication number: 20220265372
    Abstract: In a system and method conveying suture force information in surgery, real times images of a surgical site are captured and displayed on a display. A suture is engaged using at least one surgical instrument, which in some cases is a robotic surgical instrument. The system determines a tension in the suture using force data obtained from force sensors associated with the instrument or a robotic manipulator used to manipulate the instrument, or using computer vision techniques applied to the captured images. An overlay is generated and displayed on the display depicting the determined tension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Caleb T. Osborne
  • Publication number: 20220265371
    Abstract: In a system and method for determining guide points or a guide path for display on an endoscopic display, image data corresponding to a surgical treatment site is captured using a camera. Using the image data, the positions of one or more reference points within the surgical environment, are determined. Based on the positions of the reference points, the positions of guide points spaced from the reference point are estimated or determined, in some cases using predetermined offsets. The guide points or guide path is displayed as an overlay of the image data on an image display. In an embodiment using the system for a sleeve gastrectomy procedure, the reference points are input by a user or determined by the system with reference to a bougie that has been positioned within a stomach at the operative site, and the guide path is used as a guide for stapling and resection to form the sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicant: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Caleb T. Osborne, Arun Mohan, Lior Alpert, Carmel Magan
  • Publication number: 20220117693
    Abstract: A surgical system includes a light source, a sensor for detecting light, and a surgical device including an elongate shaft having a distal part positionable at a surgical working site within a body cavity. A first optical pathway transmits light from the light source to a distal part of the elongate shaft and onto tissue within the body cavity, and a second optical pathway receives light from tissue within the body cavity and transmits the received light to the sensor. A surgical barrier, such as one covering a robotic manipulator arm housing components of the system, is positioned such that at least the first or second optical pathway includes an optically transmissive portion of the surgical barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Matthew Robert Penny
  • Publication number: 20220117687
    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: December 30, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Alexander John Maret, Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20220117686
    Abstract: A robotic surgical system configured to control movement of a first instrument and a second instrument, each of which is on a robotic manipulator. In described modes of operation, movement of the first instrument is surgeon controlled based on surgeon input to the robotic system. Movement of the second instrument is also surgeon controlled, but its motion is defined by the chosen mode of operation which sets the amplitude and direction of the second instrument's motion relative to the actual or instructed motion of the first instrument. In this way, two instruments are simultaneously moved based on input from a single surgeon input device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Asensus Surgical US, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Matthew Robert Penny, Mohan Nathan, Glenn Warren
  • Publication number: 20220117688
    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: December 30, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Alexander John Maret, Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20220104887
    Abstract: A system for capturing records of a surgical procedure includes a camera that captures real time video images of a surgical treatment site. The system detects completion of a predetermined step of a surgical procedure by analyzing the image data using computer vision or analyzing kinematic information from a robotic component. Upon detecting completion of the predetermined step, the system stores a frame from the image data in a surgical record for the procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Caleb T. Osborne, Lior Alpert
  • Publication number: 20220104898
    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: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Nicholas J. Bender, Alexander John Maret, Matthew Robert Penny, Paul Wilhelm Schnur, Dustin Owen Vaughan, Sevan Abashian, Michael Oyken
  • Publication number: 20220104890
    Abstract: An open platform surgical robotic system for use in manipulating and actuating a surgical hand instrument of the type having a handle configured to be grasped by a human hand and actuation members of elements configured to be operated by fingers of a human hand. The system includes a robotic arm including an end effector having a gripper comprising a plurality of digits. The digits are configured to receive the handle of the manual surgical instrument and operate the actuation members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Penny, Stefan Atay, Alexander John Maret, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Nicholas J Bender, Sevan Abashian
  • Publication number: 20220104687
    Abstract: Surgical assistance is provided in the form of an image of the surgical site that has overlays marking anatomical structures of interest to the surgeon. The system uses computer vision to detect the anatomical structures of interest that are visible to the camera, and predicts the location, shape and/or orientation of portions of the anatomical structures that are not visible to the camera. The overlays mark both the visible portions of the anatomical structures and the predicted location, shape and orientation of the invisible portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Tal Nir, Lior Alpert
  • Publication number: 20220104892
    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: October 6, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin Andrew Hufford, Matthew Robert Penny
  • Publication number: 20220101533
    Abstract: Edges of areas of interest within a surgical site are detected using a combination of image segmentation techniques based on color, brightness or other differences in the image data captured of the surgical site. Edges of the areas of interest are also determined through an analysis of depth data derived from stereoscopic images or other 3D images of surgical site. The image data is displayed with overlays marking both edges as detected using the image segmentation techniques and edges as determined from the depth data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventor: Kevin Andrew Hufford
  • Publication number: 20220061942
    Abstract: A powered user interface for a robotic surgical system includes a base, a handle mounted to the base and moveable relative to the base in at least six degrees of freedom, and actuators. The interface operates in accordance with a first mode of operation in which the actuators are operated to constrain predetermined ones of the joints to permit motion of the handle in only 4DOF with respect to the base, and a second mode of operation in which the actuators permit motion of the handle in at least 6DOF with respect to the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan Atay, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Paul Wilhelm Schnur, Matthew R Penny
  • Publication number: 20220061943
    Abstract: A powered user interface for a robotic surgical system having a manipulator and a surgical instrument mounted to the manipulator includes a base and a linkage assembly that includes two two-bar linkage mechanisms. The linkage assembly is rotatably mounted to the base at a base joint, and a handle mounted to each of the two-bar linkage mechanisms. Sensors and actuators are arranged to measure and actuate the position and orientation of the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Paul Wilhelm Schnur, Stefan Atay, Kevin Andrew Hufford, Matthew R Penny