System and method for monitoring kinematic motion of a patient

• US 20070238982A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Depuy Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Depuy Products Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Caylor, Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/392,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20070238982A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2068 using pointers, e.g. pointers having reference marks for determining coordinates of body points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/367 creating a 3D dataset from 2D images using position information
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/397 electromagnetic other than visible, e.g. microwave
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/745 using a holographic display
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/02 with movable endless bands , e.g. treadmills other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/203 in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2213/00 Exercising combined with therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/06 for rowing or sculling

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method for monitoring kinematic motion of a patient includes a patient exercise machine, an array of directional antennas coupled to a frame of the patient exercise machine, and a controller. The array of directional antennas includes a number of coplanar directional antennas and one or more additional directional antenna positioned non-coplanar with respect to the coplanar directional antennas. The controller is electrically coupled to the array of directional antennas and configured to determine a location of a wireless transmitter coupled to the patient based on output signals received from the directional antennas in response to a wireless signal transmitted by the wireless transmitter. The controller may also be configured to determine a location of one or more bones of the patient based on the location of the wireless transmitter.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring kinematic motion of a patient, the system comprising:

a patient exercise machine;

a first wireless transmitter configured to (i) be implanted into the patient and (ii) transmit a first wireless signal when the patient is operating the patient exercise machine;

a plurality of first antennas coupled to the patient exercise machine substantially coplanar with each other;

a second antenna coupled to the patient exercise machine non-coplanar with respect to the plurality of first antennas; and

a controller electrically coupled to the plurality of first antennas and the second antenna, the controller being configured to determine a location of the first wireless transmitter based on output signals received from the plurality of first antennas and the second antenna in response to the first wireless signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient exercise machine is an exercise machine selected from the group consisting of:

a treadmill, a stairstepper machine, a stationary bicycle, an elliptical trainer, a rowing machine, or a ski machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless signal is a non-modulated wireless signal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first antennas and the second antenna are directional antennas.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of first antennas and the second antenna are spiral directional antennas.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of first antennas and the second antenna are positioned such that a boresight of each antenna is directed toward a common volume of space occupied by a relevant portion of the patient when the patient is using the patient exercise machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first antennas includes:

(i) a first directional antenna coupled toward a first longitudinal side of the patient exercise machine such that a boresight of the first directional antenna is directed toward the patient exercise machine,

(ii) a second directional antenna coupled toward a second longitudinal side of the patient exercise machine such that a boresight of the second directional antenna is directed toward the patient exercise machine, and

(iii) a third directional antenna coupled toward a front side of the patient exercise machine such that a boresight of the third directional coupled antenna is directed toward the patient exercise machine.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the location of the first wireless transmitter by comparing the output signals received from the plurality of first antennas and the second antenna.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to determine the location of the first wireless transmitter based on the output signals using a radio frequency direction finding algorithm.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device electrically coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to display indicia of the location of the first wireless transmitter on the display device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless transmitter is coupled to an orthopaedic implant.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless transmitter is configured to be implanted in a first bone of the patient.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the system further comprises a display device and the controller is configured to:

(i) determine first location data indicative of a location of the first bone of the patient based on the determined location of the first wireless transmitter, and

(ii) display indicia of the location of the first bone of the patient on the display device based on the first location data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to store the location data in a storage device.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a second wireless transmitter configured to transmit a non-modulated second wireless signal at a frequency different than the frequency of the first wireless signal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second wireless transmitter is configured to be coupled to a second bone of the patient and the controller is configured to:

(i) determine a location of the second wireless transmitter based on output signals received from the plurality of first antennas and the second antenna in response to the second wireless signal.

(i) determine second location data indicative of a location of the second bone of the patient based on the determined location of the first wireless transmitter, and

(ii) display indicia of the location of the second bone of the patient on the display device based on the second location data.

17. An apparatus for monitoring kinematic motion of a patient comprising:

a patient exercise machine;

a first directional antenna coupled to the patient exercise machine;

a second directional antenna coupled to the patient exercise machine coplanar with the first directional antenna;

a third directional antenna coupled to the patient exercise machine coplanar with the first and second directional antennas; and

a fourth directional antenna coupled to the patient exercise machine non-coplanar with respect to the first, second, and third directional antennas.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the patient exercise machine is an exercise machine selected from the group consisting of:

a treadmill, a stairstepper machine, a stationary bicycle, an elliptical trainer, a rowing machine, or a ski machine.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth directional antennas are spiral directional antennas.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth directional antennas are positioned such that a boresight of each antenna is directed toward a common volume of space.

21. A method for monitoring kinematic motion of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a wireless signal from a wireless transmitter coupled to the patient with a plurality of coplanar directional antennas while the patient is exercising on a patient exercise machine;

receiving the wireless signal with a directional antenna positioned non-coplanar with respect to the plurality of coplanar directional antennas while the patient is exercising on the patient exercise machine;

receiving output signals from each of the directional antennas;

comparing the output signals; and

determining data indicative of a location of the wireless transmitter based on the comparing step.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wireless signal is a non-modulated wireless signal.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving the wireless signal from the wireless transmitter coupled to the patient with the plurality of coplanar directional antennas comprises receiving the wireless signal from the wireless transmitter with a plurality of spiral directional antennas.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving the wireless signal with the directional antenna positioned non-coplanar with respect to the plurality of coplanar directional antennas comprises receiving the wireless signal with a spiral directional antenna.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein comparing step comprises comparing the amplitude of the output signals.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein comparing step comprises comparing the phase of the output signals.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein comparing step comprises comparing the Doppler frequency shift of the output signals.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein comparing step comprises comparing the differential time of arrival of the output signals.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying indicia of the location of the wireless transmitter on a display device based on the determining step.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the displaying step comprises displaying indicia on the display device indicative of a location of a patient'"'"'s bone based on the determining step.