Device for determining the longitudinal and angular position of a rotationally symmetrical apparatus
First Claim
1. A device for determining the longitudinal and angular position of a rotationally symmetrical apparatus when guided inside a longitudinal element surrounding said apparatus, the device comprising an optical navigation sensor comprising at least one light source and at least one image capturing transducer, wherein light emitted by said light source is directed onto an outer surface of the rotationally symmetrical apparatus or on the inner surface of said longitudinal element, wherein reflected light from said inner surface or said outer surface is detected by said image capturing transducer to produce a position signal showing a locally varying distribution in the longitudinal direction and in the peripheral direction to enable a relative position and angular measurement.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for determining the longitudinal and angular position of a rotationally symmetrical apparatus when guided inside a longitudinal element surrounding the same, including an imaging optical navigation sensor that measures the motion of the underlying surface by comparing successive images, and translates this image translation into a measurement of the longitudinal and rotational motion of the instrument. Features of the captured image are used to identify the insertion or withdrawal of the instrument, and to identify specific areas of the moving surface passing underneath the sensor, therefore allowing to establish the absolute position of the instrument, or to identify which instrument was inserted or in what cavity a tracking instrument was inserted. The device comprises a light source and a light detector. Light emitted by said light source is directed onto a surface of the rotationally symmetrical apparatus. Reflected light from said surface is detected by said light detector to produce a position signal showing a locally varying distribution in the longitudinal direction and in the peripheral direction to enable said precise position and angular measurement.
-
Citations
17 Claims
- 1. A device for determining the longitudinal and angular position of a rotationally symmetrical apparatus when guided inside a longitudinal element surrounding said apparatus, the device comprising an optical navigation sensor comprising at least one light source and at least one image capturing transducer, wherein light emitted by said light source is directed onto an outer surface of the rotationally symmetrical apparatus or on the inner surface of said longitudinal element, wherein reflected light from said inner surface or said outer surface is detected by said image capturing transducer to produce a position signal showing a locally varying distribution in the longitudinal direction and in the peripheral direction to enable a relative position and angular measurement.
Specification