Reducing incremental measurement sensor error

• US 10,123,755 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Walker, Sean P., Wong, Serena H., Park, June Gyu, Tanner, Neal A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TANINGCO, MARCUS H
• Application Number:
  US15/844,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20180184988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/485 involving fluorescence X-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/586 Detection of faults or malfunction of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/702 automatically during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0108 using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/045 Correction of measurements G01B9/02055 takes precedence

Abstract

For position sensors, e.g., a fiber-based system, that build a shape of an elongated member, such as a catheter, using a sequence of small orientation measurements, a small error in orientation at the proximal end of the sensor will cause large error in position at distal points on the fiber. Exemplary methods and systems are disclosed, which may provide full or partial registration along the length of the sensor to reduce the influence of the measurement error. Additional examples are directed to applying selective filtering at a proximal end of the elongated member to provide a more stable base for distal measurements and thereby reducing the influence of measurement errors.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an elongate member extending between a proximal end and a distal end;

one or more sensing elements positioned on the elongate member, the one or more sensing elements configured to provide at least;

proximal data associated with a proximal region of the elongate member, and

distal data associated with a distal region of the elongate member;

at least one non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions; and

at least one processor in communication with the at least one non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to execute the instructions to;

receive the proximal data and the distal data from the one or more sensing elements,

filter the proximal data to reduce orientation error associated with the proximal region, and

determine a shape of the elongate member based on the filtered proximal data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the distal data is not filtered, and the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to determine the shape of the elongate member based on the distal data and the filtered proximal data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximal data is filtered by averaging over multiple time steps.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximal data is filtered by averaging positions and orientations of the proximal portion over time in a global frame.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximal data is filtered by averaging incremental changes in orientation of the proximal portion, and the shape is determined by integrating the averaged incremental changes.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximal data is filtered in the time domain.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

filter the distal data, wherein the distal data is less filtered than the proximal data; and

determine a shape of the elongate member based on the filtered proximal data and the filtered distal data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the proximal data is filtered at a higher rate than the distal data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

determine a degree of change of shape of the proximal portion; and

when the determined degree of change exceeds a threshold, reduce the filtering of the proximal portion.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to increase the filtering of the proximal portion when the degree of change of the proximal portion remains below the threshold for a period of time.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to increase the filtering of the proximal portion after a predetermined period of time.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

determine a degree of change of shape of the proximal portion; and

when the determined degree of change exceeds a threshold, stop the filtering of the proximal portion.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to implement a temporarily-variable filtering algorithm.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to register a coordinate frame of the elongate member to a reference coordinate frame.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein registering the coordinate frame comprises determining proximal position of the elongate member.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the one or more sensing elements is an electromagnetic sensor positioned on the elongate member, wherein the electromagnetic sensor provides an output from which the proximal position of the elongate member is determined.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the proximal position is determined using a fluoroscopic image.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to register a coordinate frame of the elongate member to a coordinate frame of a 3D model.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a catheter manipulator operably coupled to the elongate member;

a joint arm coupled to the catheter manipulator; and

a control console for manipulating the catheter manipulator.