We claim:
1. A railway system to enhance loading and unloading of at least one railway car, said railway system comprising:
(a) at least one sliding surface engageable with a moveable portion of a railway track for moving a first predetermined end of a first railway car to a predetermined position; and
(b) at least one platform of a predetermined size, height, and grade disposed adjacent such railway track, said platform having a first end and a second end, said first end being aligned with such first predetermined end of such first railway car when such first railway car is moved to such predetermined position, whereby such first railway car can be loaded and unloaded without removing such first railway car from such railway track.
3. The railway system according to claim 1 wherein said moveable portion of such railway track is substantially straight.
4. The railway system according to claim 1 wherein a truck of such first railway car is positioned on said moveable portion of such railway track.
5. The railway system according to claim 1 wherein said moveable portion is moved at least one of electronically and hydraulically.
6. The railway system according to claim 1 wherein said platform is at least one of a ramp and dock.
7. The railway system according to claim 1 wherein said height of at least one end of said platform is substantially equal in height to a floor of such first railway car.
8. The railway system according to claim 1 wherein such first railway car is a freight car.
9. The railway system according to claim 8 wherein such freight car is at least one of a box, automotive, and flat car.
10. The railway system according to claim 1 wherein said system further includes at least one said platform engageable with said sliding surface.
11. The railway system according to claim 10 wherein said platform engageable with said sliding surface simultaneously moves into a predetermined position when such first railway car is moved to such predetermined position.
12. The railway system according to claim 11 wherein said first end of said platform engageable with said sliding surface is aligned with a second predetermined end of a second railway car.
13. The railway system according to claim 1 wherein said system includes a plurality of sliding surfaces engageable with moveable portions of such railway track.
14. The railway system according to claim 1 wherein said system includes a plurality of stationary platforms and a plurality of platforms engageable with sliding surfaces.
15. A railway system to enhance loading and unloading of railway cars, said railway system comprising:
(a) a plurality of sliding surfaces engageable with moveable portions of a railway track for moving a first predetermined end of such railway cars to a predetermined position; and
b) a plurality of platforms of a predetermined size, height, and grade disposed adjacent such railway track, said platforms having a first end and a second end, said first end being aligned with such first predetermined end of such railway cars when such railway cars are moved to such predetermined position, whereby such railway cars can be loaded and unloaded without removing such railway cars from such railway track.
16. The railway system according to claim 15 wherein said height of at least one end of said platforms is substantially equal in height to the floors of such railway cars.
17. The railway system according to claim 15 wherein such railway cars are freight cars.
18. The railway system according to claim 15 wherein said system further includes a plurality of platforms engageable with said sliding surfaces.
19. The railway system according to claim 18 wherein said platforms engageable with said sliding surfaces simultaneously move into a predetermined position when such railway cars are moved to such predetermined position.
20. The railway system according to claim 19 wherein said first end of said platforms engageable with said sliding surfaces are aligned with a second predetermined end of such railway cars.
21. A method to enhance loading and unloading of railway cars, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) providing at least one sliding surface engageable with a moveable portion of a railway track for moving a predetermined end of a first railway car to a predetermined position;
(b) providing at least one platform of a predetermined size, height, and grade disposed adjacent such railway track, said platform having a first end and a second end;
(c) positioning a truck of said predetermined end of such first railway car on said moveable portion of such railway track;
(d) moving said moveable portion of such railway track to a predetermined position, wherein such truck and such predetermined end of such first railway car move respectively; and
(e) substantially aligning said predetermined end of such first railway car with said first end of said platform; whereby such first railway car can be loaded and unloaded without removing such first railway car from such track.
22. The method to enhance loading and unloading of railway cars according to claim 21 wherein step (d) includes moving said moveable portion at least one of electronically and hydraulically.
23. The method to enhance loading and unloading of railway cars according to claim 21 wherein said method further includes engaging at least one platform with said sliding surface.
24. The method to enhance loading and unloading of railway cars according to claim 23 wherein said method includes simultaneously moving said platform engageable with said sliding surface into a predetermined position when such first railway car is moved to such predetermined position.
25. The method to enhance loading and unloading of railway cars according to claim 24 wherein said method includes aligning said first end of said platform engageable with said sliding surface with a second predetermined end of a second railway car.
26. The method to enhance loading and unloading of railway cars according to claim 21 wherein said method includes providing a plurality of sliding surfaces engageable with moveable portions of such railway track.
27. The method to enhance loading and unloading of railway cars according to claim 21 wherein said method includes providing a plurality of stationary platforms and a plurality of said platforms engageable with sliding surfaces.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A medical robotic system comprising:
an entry guide;
a plurality of articulated instruments extending through the entry guide;
an input device associated with one of the plurality of articulated instruments; and
a controller configured to command manipulation of the associated articulated instrument towards a state commanded by operator manipulation of the input device while commanding sensory feedback to the operator indicating a difference between the operator commanded state and a preferred pose of the associated articulated instrument.
2. The medical robotic system according to claim 1, wherein the sensory feedback comprises haptic feedback to the input device.
3. The medical robotic system according to claim 2, wherein the haptic feedback comprises a restoring sensation applied to the input device that urges the operator to manipulate the input device so as to command the associated articulated instrument to the preferred pose.
4. The medical robotic system according to claim 3, wherein the restoring sensation comprises a restoring force exerted against each translational movement of the input device commanding the associated articulated instrument away from the preferred pose and a restoring torque exerted against rotational movement of the input device commanding the associated articulated instrument away from the preferred pose.
5. The medical robotic system according to claim 4, wherein the controller generates individual of the restoring forces and torques according to a spring function.
6. The medical robotic system according to claim 5, wherein the spring function is characterized by a dead zone.
7. The medical robotic system according to claim 5, wherein the spring function is characterized by friction compensation.
8. The medical robotic system according to claim 5, wherein the spring function increases is non-linear.
9. The medical robotic system according to claim 2, wherein the associated articulated instrument is an articulated camera instrument and the preferred pose of the articulated camera instrument corresponds to an optimal pose for viewing others of the plurality of articulated instruments by a camera of the articulated camera instrument.
10. The medical robotic system according to claim 9, wherein the optimal pose maximizes viewability of the others of the plurality of articulated instruments within a field of view of the camera and minimizes chances of collisions between the articulated camera instrument and the others of the plurality of articulated instruments.
11. The medical robotic system according to claim 9, wherein the optimal pose is characterized by the camera being extended directly above a longitudinal axis of a proximal link of the articulated camera instrument and oriented downwards towards the longitudinal axis so as to capture end effectors of the others of the plurality of articulated instruments in a field of view of the camera.
12. The medical robotic system according to claim 2, wherein the associated articulated instrument is an articulated camera instrument and the preferred pose of the articulated camera instrument corresponds to an operator selected pose.
13. The medical robotic system according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to store information of the operator selected pose in a memory by storing information of a current pose of the articulated camera instrument upon receiving an indication to do so from the operator.
14. The medical robotic system according to claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to receive information of the operator selected pose by receiving an operator selection of one of a plurality of programmed poses for the articulated camera instrument.
15. The medical robotic system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to generate a command for manipulation of the associated articulated instrument towards the operator commanded state using a weighted average of the operator commanded state and the preferred pose of the associated articulated instrument.
16. The medical robotic system according to claim 15, wherein the weighted average is calculated by an interpolation of the operator commanded state and the preferred pose of the associated articulated instrument.
17. The medical robotic system according to claim 15, wherein the operator commanded state includes Cartesian position and orientation variables and the weighted average is calculated by applying weights to the position and orientation variables.
18. The medical robotic system according to claim 17, wherein individual of the position and orientation variables has a corresponding programmable weight applied to it.
19. The medical robotic system according to claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to receive information of the corresponding programmable weight from a graphical user interface operated by the operator.
20. The medical robotic system according to claim 18, wherein the controller generates the haptic feedback according to a plurality of spring functions wherein individual of the plurality of spring functions applies to a different one of the position and orientation variables.
21. The medical robotic system according to claim 17, wherein the operator commanded state includes Cartesian translational and angular velocity variables and the weighted average is calculated by applying weights to the translational and angular velocity variables.
22. The medical robotic system according to claim 21, wherein each of the translational and angular velocity variables has a corresponding programmable weight applied to it.
23. The medical robotic system according to claim 22, wherein the controller is configured to receive information of the corresponding programmable weight from a graphical user interface operated by the operator.
24. The medical robotic system according to claim 2, wherein the associated articulated instrument is an articulated tool instrument.
25. The medical robotic system according to claim 24, wherein the preferred pose is a pose wherein all links of the articulated tool instrument are aligned.
26. The medical robotic system according to claim 24, wherein the preferred pose of the articulated tool instrument corresponds to an operator selected pose.
27. A medical robotic system comprising:
an entry guide;
a plurality of articulated instruments extending through the entry guide;
an input device associated with the entry guide; and
a controller configured to command manipulation of the entry guide towards a state commanded by operator manipulation of the input device while commanding sensory feedback to the operator indicating a difference between the operator commanded state and a preferred pose of the entry guide.
28. The medical robotic system according to claim 27, wherein the preferred pose of the entry guide directs a distal end of the entry guide towards a target area.
29. The medical robotic system according to claim 27, wherein the preferred pose of the entry guide corresponds to an operator selected pose.
30. A method implemented in a medical robotic system having an entry guide, a plurality of articulated instruments extending through the entry guide, and an input device associated with one of the plurality of articulated instruments, the method comprising:
manipulating the associated articulated instrument towards a state commanded by operator manipulation of the input device; and
providing sensory feedback to the operator indicating a difference between the operator commanded state and a preferred pose of the associated articulated instrument.
31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the providing of the sensory feedback comprises providing haptic feedback to the input device.
32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the providing of the haptic feedback comprises applying a restoring sensation to the input device that urges the operator to manipulate the input device so as to command the associated articulated instrument to the preferred pose.
33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the applying of the restoring sensation comprises:
exerting a restoring force against each translational movement of the input device commanding the associated articulated instrument away from the preferred pose; and
exerting a restoring torque against each rotational movement of the input device commanding the associated articulated instrument away from the preferred pose.
34. The method according to claim 32, further comprising generating individual of the forces and torques according to a spring function.
35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the spring function is characterized by a dead zone.
36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the spring function is characterized by friction compensation.
37. The method according to claim 34, wherein the spring function is non-linear.
38. The method according to claim 31, wherein the associated articulated instrument is an articulated camera instrument and the preferred pose of the articulated camera instrument corresponds to an optimal pose for viewing others of the plurality of articulated instruments by a camera of the articulated camera instrument.
39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the optimal pose maximizes viewability of the others of the plurality of articulated instruments within a field of view of the camera and minimizes chances of collisions between the articulated camera instrument and the others of the plurality of articulated instruments.
40. The method according to claim 38, wherein the optimal pose is characterized by the camera being extended directly above a longitudinal axis of a proximal link of the articulated camera instrument and oriented downwards towards the longitudinal axis so as to capture end effectors of the others of the plurality of articulated instruments in a field of view of the camera.
41. The method according to claim 31, wherein the associated articulated instrument is an articulated camera instrument and the preferred pose of the articulated camera instrument corresponds to an operator selected pose.
42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising storing information of the operator selected pose in a memory by storing information of a current pose of the articulated camera instrument upon receiving an indication to do so from the operator.
43. The method according to claim 41, further comprising receiving information of the operator selected pose by receiving an operator selection of one of a plurality of programmed poses for the articulated camera instrument.
44. The method according to claim 31, further comprising generating a command for manipulation of the associated articulated instrument towards the operator commanded state using a weighted average of the operator commanded state and the preferred pose of the associated articulated instrument.
45. The method according to claim 44, further comprising calculating the weighted average by an interpolation of the operator commanded state and the preferred pose of the associated articulated instrument.
46. The method according to claim 44, wherein the operator commanded state includes Cartesian position and orientation variables and the weighted average is calculated by applying weights to the position and orientation variables.
47. The method according to claim 46, wherein each of the position and orientation variables has a corresponding programmable weight applied to it.
48. The method according to claim 47, further comprising receiving information of the corresponding programmable weight from a graphical user interface operated by the operator.
49. The method according to claim 47, further comprising generating the haptic feedback according to a plurality of spring functions wherein individual of the plurality of spring functions applies to a different one of the position and orientation variables.
50. The method according to claim 46, wherein the operator commanded state includes Cartesian translational and angular velocity variables and the weighted average is calculated by applying weights to the translational and angular velocity variables.
51. The method according to claim 50, wherein individual of the translational and angular velocity variables has a corresponding programmable weight applied to it.
52. The method according to claim 51, further comprising receiving information of the corresponding programmable weight from a graphical user interface operated by the operator.
53. The method according to claim 31, wherein the associated articulated instrument is an articulated tool instrument.
54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the preferred pose is a pose wherein all links of the articulated tool instrument are aligned.
55. The method according to claim 53, wherein the preferred pose of the articulated tool instrument corresponds to an operator selected pose.
56. A method implemented in a medical robotic system having an entry guide, a plurality of articulated instruments extending through the entry guide, and an input device associated with one of the plurality of articulated instruments, the method comprising:
manipulating the entry guide towards a state commanded by operator manipulation of the input device; and
providing sensory feedback to the operator indicating a difference between the operator commanded state and a preferred pose of the entry guide.
57. The method according to claim 56, wherein the preferred pose of the entry guide directs a distal end of the entry guide towards a target area.
58. The method according to claim 56, wherein the preferred pose of the entry guide corresponds to an operator selected pose.