Surgical communication and power system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for locating a wireless sensor/transmitter within an anatomical body, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one signal generator for sending reference signals through the anatomical body to be received by the sensor/transmitter and to be wirelessly re-transmitted by the sensor/transmitter as positional signals indicative of a current location of the sensor/transmitter in the anatomical body;
a receiver for receiving positional signals from the wireless sensor/transmitter;
a processor for computing a position of the wireless sensor/transmitter as a function of the positional signals transmitted to the receiver; and
a circuit associated with the processor for outputting position image information to a display device.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for determining the position of a wireless catheter probe being used during a surgical procedure. Magnetic fields are projected into an anatomical body to induce voltage signals in a sensing coil that are sufficient to describe the position of a wireless sensor/transmitter. The voltage signals are wirelessly re-transmitted by the sensor/transmitter as positional signals indicative of a current location of the sensor/transmitter in the anatomical body. In a preferred embodiment, the wireless catheter probe is self-powered using the induced voltage signals on a sensing coil. In another embodiment, induced voltage signals of a separate coil are used to power the device.
161 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for locating a wireless sensor/transmitter within an anatomical body, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one signal generator for sending reference signals through the anatomical body to be received by the sensor/transmitter and to be wirelessly re-transmitted by the sensor/transmitter as positional signals indicative of a current location of the sensor/transmitter in the anatomical body;
a receiver for receiving positional signals from the wireless sensor/transmitter;
a processor for computing a position of the wireless sensor/transmitter as a function of the positional signals transmitted to the receiver; and
a circuit associated with the processor for outputting position image information to a display device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A wireless sensor/transmitter for use in surgical procedures to track the movement of structures within an anatomical body, comprising:
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a portion for receiving a reference signal from a reference signal generator; and
a portion for wirelessly transmitting the reference signal as a positional signal indicative of a current position of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification