US 6,963,792 · Granted 2005-11-08

The Remote Surgery Patent That Lets Doctors Operate From Across the Room

Imagine a surgeon controlling robotic arms with handheld controllers—like playing a video game, but with real surgical instruments inside a patient. This patent describes the system that makes remote-controlled surgery possible, with motors and sensors that let a doctor perform delicate operations from a distance.

Curated and verified by the IsItPatented Editorial team

The plain-English version

What it protects

The claim covers a teleoperator system where hand controllers command robotic surgical manipulators through computer-controlled servomechanisms. What's protected here is the combination of right and left hand controllers paired with matching right and left robotic arms, plus the mechanical design of the surgical instrument itself—including the insertion section with a forearm, wrist, and interchangeable end effectors like forceps, scissors, electrosurgical cutters, and irrigators. The specific linkage mechanism that lets the robotic forearm insert, retract, rotate, and pivot is also covered.

Why it matters

This patent represents the foundational technology behind modern robot-assisted surgery. By combining remote control with telepresence (letting the surgeon see what the robot sees), it enabled less invasive endoscopic procedures where surgeons could make smaller incisions while maintaining full precision. The system reduces patient trauma and recovery time compared to open surgery, making it a significant advance in surgical care and a commercially valuable area of medical robotics.

Real-world use

Every time a surgeon uses a robot-assisted surgical system to remove a gallbladder or perform a hysterectomy, they're using the core technology this patent locked down—controlling precise robotic arms that operate through tiny incisions.

Original USPTO abstract

A teleoperator system with telepresence is shown which includes right and left hand controllers ( 72 R and 72 L) for control of right and left manipulators ( 24 R and 24 L) through use of a servomechanism that includes computer. The teleoperator system comprises a surgical system suited for endoscopic surgery. The surgical system includes a surgical instrument, a servomechanism and a controller. The surgical includes an insertion section and a control section. The insertion section comprises a forearm, a wrist and an end effector in the form of a surgical instrument head selected from the group consisting of retractors, electrosurgical cutters, electrosurgical coagulators, forceps, needle holders, scissors, blades and irrigators. The control section comprises a plurality of motors and linkages which operate to insert and retract the forearm, rotate the forearm, pivot the forearm, and pivot the wrist link about the wrist joint.

Patent details

Publication number: US 6,963,792
Filing date: 1996-09-09
Grant date: 2005-11-08
Assignee: Sri International
Inventor(s): GREEN PHILIP S.
CPC class: A61B1/00193

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