Using proximal location sensors to improve accuracy and location immunity to interference

• US 10,578,737 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Gliner, Vadim, Govari, Assaf, Altmann, Andres Claudio
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US15/599,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20180335519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 702150, 600424, 600513, 600 11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

A system and method for determining location of a tool having a distal end sensor and at least one other sensor is presented. The method includes obtaining data from the distal end sensor, performing convergence on the obtained data, the convergence indicating whether or not the obtained data is disturbed, when the convergence indicates the obtained data is not disturbed, calculate the location of the tool using the obtained data, and when the convergence indicates the obtained data is disturbed, obtaining additional data from the at least one other sensor, performing the convergence on the obtained additional data, and calculating the location of the tool using the obtained additional data.

Claims

1. A method for locating a tool in a three dimensional (3D) space which improves processing performance, comprising:

obtaining, from a first sensor disposed at the tool, a plurality of first data each generated in response to receiving one of a plurality of magnetic fields at a location of the first sensor;

determining whether the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor;

when the plurality of first data is determined to converge at the location of the first sensor, calculating a location of the tool to be displayed using the plurality of first data; and

when the plurality of first data is determined not to converge at the location of the first sensor;

obtaining, from at least one other sensor disposed at a second portion of the tool spaced from the first sensor, a plurality of second data each generated in response to receiving one of the plurality of magnetic fields at a location of the at least one other sensor; and

calculating the location of the tool to be displayed using the plurality of second data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining whether the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor further comprises:

calculating a difference between values of the magnetic fields indicated by the plurality of first data and predetermined magnetic field values at the location of the first sensor.

3. The method according to claim 2,

wherein the plurality of first data is determined to converge at the location of the first sensor if the difference is less than a predetermined threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving each of the plurality of magnetic fields from one of a plurality of magnetic field generators at different locations,

wherein each of the plurality of magnetic fields comprising a different frequency.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining whether the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor comprises calculating a difference between a root means square error (RMSE) of values of each of the plurality of data and predetermined magnetic field values at the location of the first sensor.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor is disposed at a distal end of the tool and the at least one other sensor is disposed at a proximal end of the tool.

7. A system for locating a tool in a three dimensional (3D) space which improves processing performance, the system comprising:

a display device; and

a processor configured to;

obtain, from a first sensor disposed at the tool, a plurality of first data each generated in response to receiving one of a plurality of magnetic fields at a location of the first sensor;

determining whether the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor;

when the plurality of first data is determined to converge at the location of the first sensor, calculate a location of the tool to be displayed using the plurality of first data; and

when the plurality of first data is determined not to converge at the location of the first sensor;

obtain, from at least one other sensor disposed at a second portion of the tool spaced from the first sensor, a plurality of second data each generated in response to receiving one of the plurality of magnetic fields at a location of the at least one other sensor; and

calculate the location of the tool to be displayed using the plurality of second data.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor by calculating a difference between values of the magnetic fields indicated by the plurality of first data and predetermined magnetic field values at the location of the first sensor.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor if the difference is less than a predetermined threshold.

10. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a display screen and the processor is further configured to display the location of the tool on the display screen.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to receive each of the plurality of magnetic fields from one of a plurality of magnetic field generators at different locations,

wherein each of the plurality of magnetic fields comprising a different frequency.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor by calculating a difference between a root means square error (RMSE) of values of each of the plurality of data and predetermined magnetic field values at the location of the first sensor.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein the first sensor is disposed at a distal end of the tool and the at least one other sensor is disposed at a proximal end of the tool.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium in which computer program instructions are stored, which instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute a method of locating a tool in a three dimensional (3D) space comprising:

obtaining from a first sensor disposed at the tool, a plurality of first data each generated in response to receiving one of a plurality of magnetic fields at a location of the first sensor;

determining whether the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor;

when the plurality of first data is determined to converge at the location of the first sensor, calculating a location of the tool to be displayed using the plurality of first data; and

when the plurality of first data is determined not to converge at the location of the first sensor;

obtaining, from at least one other sensor disposed at a second portion of the tool spaced from the first sensor, a plurality of second data each generated in response to receiving one of the plurality of magnetic fields at a location of the at least one other sensor; and

calculating the location of the tool to be displayed using the plurality of second data.

15. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 14,

wherein determining whether the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor further comprises calculating a difference between values of the magnetic fields indicated by the plurality of first data and predetermined magnetic field values at the location of the first sensor.

16. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 15,

wherein the plurality of first data is determined to converge at the location of the first sensor if the difference is less than a predetermined threshold.

17. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the location of the tool on a display screen.

18. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, further comprising receiving each of the plurality of magnetic fields from one of a plurality of magnetic field generators at different locations,

wherein each of the plurality of magnetic fields comprising a different frequency.

19. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein determining whether the plurality of first data converges at the location of the first sensor comprises calculating a difference between a root means square error (RMSE) of values of each of the plurality of data and predetermined magnetic field values at the location of the first sensor.