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In a coupled control mode, the surgeon directly controls movement of an associated slave manipulator with an input device while indirectly controlling movement of one or more non-associated slave manipulators, in response to commanded motion of the directly controlled slave manipulator, to achieve a

In a coupled control mode, the surgeon directly controls movement of an associated slave manipulator with an input device while indirectly controlling movement of one or more non-associated slave manipulators, in response to commanded motion of the directly controlled slave manipulator, to achieve a secondary objective. By automatically performing secondary tasks through coupled control modes, the system's usability is enhanced by reducing the surgeon's need to switch to another direct mode to manually achieve the desired secondary objective. Thus, coupled control modes allow the surgeon to better focus on performing medical procedures and to pay less attention to managing the system.

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1. A robotic system comprising: a master input device;first and second slave manipulators;means for commanding the second slave manipulator to move in response at least in part to commanded movement of the first slave manipulator when the first slave manipulator moves in response to movement of the

1. A robotic system comprising: a master input device;first and second slave manipulators;means for commanding the second slave manipulator to move in response at least in part to commanded movement of the first slave manipulator when the first slave manipulator moves in response to movement of the master input device; andmeans for commanding the first slave manipulator to move in response at least in part to commanded movement of the second slave manipulator when the second slave manipulator moves in response to movement of the master input device. 2. The robotic system according to claim 1, wherein the first slave manipulator is adapted to move an instrument coupled to a base and the second slave manipulator is adapted to move the base, and wherein the means for commanding the second slave manipulator commands the second slave manipulator to move the base so as to optimize a workspace of the instrument when the first slave manipulator is commanded to move the instrument in response to movement of the master input device. 3. The robotic system according to claim 2, wherein the means for commanding the first slave manipulator commands the first slave manipulator to maintain a working end of the instrument at a desired position and orientation when the second slave manipulator is commanded to move the base in response to movement of the master input device. 4. The robotic system according to claim 3, wherein the base comprises a guide tube to which the instrument is coupled so as to be extendable beyond a distal end of the guide tube and to move when the guide tube moves. 5. The robotic system according to claim 1, wherein the first slave manipulator is adapted to move an instrument and the second slave manipulator is adapted to move an imaging system, wherein the means for commanding the second slave manipulator commands the second slave manipulator to move the imaging system so as to maintain a working end of the instrument within a field of view of the imaging system when the first slave manipulator is commanded to move the instrument in response to movement of the master input device. 6. The robotic system according to claim 5, wherein the means for commanding the first slave manipulator commands the first slave manipulator to move the instrument so as to follow movement of the imaging system when the second slave manipulator is commanded to move the imaging system in response to movement of the master input device. 7. The robotic system according to claim 1, wherein the first slave manipulator is adapted to move an imaging system coupled to a base and the second slave manipulator is adapted to move the base, and wherein the means for commanding the second slave manipulator commands the second slave manipulator to move the base so as to optimize a workspace of the imaging system when the first slave manipulator is commanded to move the imaging system in response to movement of the master input device. 8. The robotic system according to claim 7, wherein the means for commanding the first slave manipulator commands the first slave manipulator to move the imaging system so as to maintain an image capturing end of the imaging system at a desired position and orientation when the second slave manipulator is commanded to move the base in response to movement of the master input device. 9. The robotic system according to claim 8, wherein the base comprises a guide tube to which the imaging system is coupled so as to be extendable beyond a distal end of the guide tube and to move when the guide tube moves. 10. A robotic system comprising: a first instrument;a base that the first instrument is coupled to so that the first instrument moves when the base moves;a base controller configured to cause the base to be moved so as to optimize a workspace of the first instrument in response to commanded movement of the first instrument; anda first instrument controller configured to cause the first instrument to be moved according to the commanded movement of the first instrument while automatically compensating for movement of the base. 11. The robotic system according to claim 10, further comprising: a second instrument coupled to the base so that the second instrument moves when the base moves;wherein the base controller is configured to cause the base to be moved so as to continuously optimize workspaces of both the first and second instruments in response to commanded movement of the first and second instruments; anda second instrument controller configured to cause the second instrument to be moved according to commanded movement of the second instrument while automatically compensating for movement of the base. 12. The robotic system according to claim 11, further comprising: an imaging system having an image capturing end and coupled to the base so that the imaging system moves when the base moves;wherein the base controller is configured to cause the base to be moved so as to optimize workspaces of both the first and second instruments subject to a constraint that maintains a position and orientation of the image capturing end relative to a fixed reference frame. 13. The robotic system according to claim 12, further comprising: a surgeon console having operator manipulatable first and second input devices;wherein the base controller is configured to determine whether movement of the base to optimize workspaces of the first and second instruments requires movement from the maintained position and orientation of the image capturing end, andwherein the base controller is configured to provide an indication of such required movement to an operator of at least one of the first and second input devices. 14. The robotic system according to claim 13, wherein the indication is at least one of visual, audio, and haptic indications. 15. The robotic system according to claim 13, wherein the base controller is configured to cause the base to be moved so as to optimize workspaces of the first and second instruments as a priority over an imaging system controller configured to maintain the position and orientation of the image capturing end following receipt of an indication of such priority from the operator of the at least one of the first and second input devices. 16. The robotic system according to claim 11, further comprising: an imaging system having an image capturing end, the imaging system being coupled to the base so that the imaging system moves when the base moves; andan imaging system controller configured to cause the imaging system to be moved so as to maintain a first end effector of the first instrument and a second end effector of the second instrument within a field of view of the image capturing end as the first and second instruments are commanded to move. 17. The robotic system according to claim 16, wherein the imaging system controller is configured to cause the image capturing end to move so as to maintain the first and second end effectors within the field of view by calculating and causing maintenance of a set point for manipulation of the imaging system based upon a calculated centroid of the first and second end effectors in an image from the image capturing system. 18. The robotic system according to claim 17, wherein the imaging system controller is configured to compute the set point by applying the calculated centroid to a low pass filter and applying a dead-zone behavior in causing movement of the imaging system. 19. A robotic system comprising: a plurality of devices, wherein each of the plurality of devices is manipulated by a corresponding one of a plurality of slave manipulators;a master input device; andmeans for concurrently commanding the plurality of slave manipulators to move the plurality of devices in a common degree-of-freedom direction in response to movement of the master input device. 20. The robotic system according to claim 19, wherein the common degree-of-freedom direction is a direction in which distal tips of the plurality of devices move in parallel directions. 21. The robotic system according to claim 19, further comprising: a guide tube through which the plurality of devices is disposed so as to be extendable beyond a distal end of the guide tube, wherein the common degree-of-freedom is defined relative to the guide tube. 22. The robotic system according to claim 21, wherein the common degree-of-freedom is movement in a surge direction relative to a distal end of the guide tube. 23. The robotic system according to claim 21, further comprising: a plurality of device controllers, wherein each of the plurality of device controllers is configured to control movement of a corresponding one of the plurality of slave manipulators; anda guide tube controller configured to control movement of the guide tube in a plurality of degrees-of-freedom not including translational motion parallel to a longitudinal axis of the guide tube, wherein the guide tube controller is configured to receive commanded movement from the master input device, wherein the guide tube controller is configured to control movement of the guide tube for commanded movement in the plurality of degrees-of-freedom, and wherein the guide tube controller is configured to command the plurality of device controllers to control movement of the plurality of devices for commanded movement parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guide tube. 24. The robotic system according to claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of slave manipulators is configured to retract its respective device in a proximal direction in response to a retraction command indicated by the commanded movement from the guide tube controller, and wherein each of the plurality of slave manipulators is configured to drive its respective device to a retraction configuration so that its respective device may freely enter the guide tube. 25. The robotic system according to claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of device controllers is configured to determine when a most proximal pitch or yaw rotated link of its respective device is within a threshold distance from the distal end of the guide tube, and wherein each of the plurality of device controllers is configured to drive its respective device to a retraction configuration upon such determination. 26. The robotic system according to claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of device controllers is configured to extend its respective device in a distal direction in response to an insertion command indicated by the commanded movement from the guide tube controller. 27. The robotic system according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of device controllers is configured to retract the plurality of devices in unison in a proximal direction in response to a retraction command indicated by the commanded movement from the guide tube controller. 28. The robotic system according to claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of device controllers is configured to drive its respective device of the plurality of devices to a retraction configuration so that the plurality of devices may freely enter the guide tube in response to the retraction command. 29. The robotic system according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of device controllers is configured to extend the plurality of devices in unison in a distal direction in response to an insertion command indicated by the commanded movement from the guide tube controller. 30. The robotic system according to claim 29, wherein each of the plurality of device controllers is configured to drive its respective device of the plurality of devices to an operational configuration defined by information of joint positions stored in a memory device in response to the insertion command. 31. The robotic system according to claim 30, wherein the operational configurations indicate configurations corresponding to information stored in the memory device. 32. The robotic system according to claim 19, wherein one of the plurality of devices comprises an imaging system, and the robotic system further comprises: a surgeon console having the master input device and a display, wherein images captured by the imaging system are processed and displayed on the display. 33. The robotic system according to claim 32, further comprising: means for providing haptic feedback on the master input device to indicate movement of an image capturing end of the imaging system. 34. The robotic system according to claim 32, further comprising: means for providing a computer generated auxiliary view of the plurality of devices as taken from a stable perspective. 35. The robotic system according to claim 32, further comprising: means for modifying reference frames used for computing kinematics of the master input device and one of the plurality of slave manipulators such that a position and orientation of the master input device with respect to a display viewable by an operator as the operator moves the master input device constantly corresponds to a position and orientation of a tip of a device manipulatable by the one of the plurality of slave manipulators with respect to an image capturing end of the imaging system. 36. The robotic system according to claim 19, further comprising: a fenestrated guide tube through which the plurality of devices is disposed so as to be extendable beyond a distal end of the fenestrated guide tube, wherein the common degree-of-freedom is movement parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fenestrated guide tube. 37. The robotic system according to claim 36, wherein the means for concurrently commanding the plurality of slave manipulators to move the plurality of devices in a common degree-of-freedom direction in response to movement of the master input device comprises: means for directly controlling one of the plurality of slave manipulators in response to movement of the master input device; andmeans for indirectly controlling another of the plurality of slave manipulators in response to commanded movement of the directly controlled one of the plurality of slave manipulators. 38. The robotic system according to claim 37, wherein the directly controlled slave manipulator of the plurality of slave manipulators manipulates a first instrument, and the indirectly controlled slave manipulator of the plurality of slave manipulators manipulates a second instrument that is interposed between the first instrument and an opening in the fenestrated guide tube when the first instrument is retracted into the fenestrated guide tube, the first and second instruments being in the plurality of devices. 39. The robotic system according to claim 37, wherein the directly controlled slave manipulator of the plurality of slave manipulators manipulates an instrument, and the indirectly controlled slave manipulator of the plurality of slave manipulators manipulates an imaging system, the instruments and the imaging system being in the plurality of devices. 40. The robotic system according to claim 39, further comprising: means for modifying reference frames used for computing kinematics of the master input device and of the directly controlled slave manipulator of the plurality of slave manipulators such that a position and orientation of the master input device with respect to a display, viewable by an operator as the operator moves the master input device, constantly corresponds to a position and orientation of a tip of the instrument, being controlled by the master input device, with respect to an image capturing end of the imaging system. 41. A robotic system comprising: a plurality of instruments, each of the plurality of instruments manipulated by a corresponding one of a plurality of slave manipulators;an imaging system manipulated by an imaging system manipulator;a master input device; andmeans for commanding the plurality of slave manipulators to move their corresponding ones of the plurality of instruments in response to commanded movement of the imaging system when the imaging system manipulator moves in response to movement of the master input device. 42. The robotic system according to claim 41, wherein the means for commanding the plurality of slave manipulators comprises a plurality of subunits, each of the plurality of subunits coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of slave manipulators, wherein each of the plurality of subunits is configured to command its corresponding one of the plurality of slave manipulators to move in response to movement of the master input device. 43. The robotic system according to claim 41, wherein the means for commanding the plurality of slave manipulators commands individual of the plurality of slave manipulators to move its respective instrument of the plurality of instruments so as to be within a field of view of the imaging system as the imaging system manipulator moves in response to movement of the master input device. 44. The robotic system according to claim 41, wherein the means for commanding the plurality of slave manipulators commands individual of the plurality of slave manipulators to move its respective instrument of the plurality of instruments so as to maximize the respective instrument's available range of motion. 45. The robotic system according to claim 41, further comprising: a guide tube through which the plurality of instruments and the imaging system are disposed within and extendable beyond a distal end of the guide tube. 46. The robotic system according to claim 45, further comprising: a guide tube manipulator for manipulating the guide tube; andmeans for commanding the guide tube manipulator to move so as to avoid the imaging system from reaching a boundary limit relative to the guide tube as the imaging system manipulator moves the imaging system in response to movement of the master input device.