Method for improved instantaneous helical axis determination

• US 5,991,701 A
• Filed: 10/13/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kinek Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kinex Iha Corporation
• Inventors: Triano, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US08/949,270
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 702/150, 702/190, 702/191, 600/594, 600/595, 345/6-8, 482/10, 482/136
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0228 using calibration standards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses

Abstract

A method for determining instantaneous helical axis parameters pertaining to the kinematic function of a joint processes the data with a first filter function which is based upon the Woltring IHA filter function. In accordance with the invention, backward propagating noise is eliminated by prefiltering the data utilizing a Butterworth filter.

Claims

1. A method for determining instantaneous helical axis parameters for kinematic movement of a human joint, comprising the steps of:

collecting dynamic data for said human joint;

providing a software Woltring filtering function;

processing said data with said Woltring filtering function;

providing a second software filtering function;

processing said data processed by said woltring filtering function with said second filtering function to remove backward propagating noise; and

processing said data processed by said second filtering function to provide said instantaneous helical axis parameters.

2. A method for determining instantaneous helical axis parameters for kinematic movement of the cervical spine, comprising the steps of:

collecting dynamic data for said cervical spine;

providing first and second software filtering functions;

processing said data with said first software filtering function;

processing said data processed with said first software filtering function with said second software filtering function to remove backward propagating noise introduced by said data being processed; and

processing said data processed by said second filtering function to provide instantaneous helical axis parameters.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

said second filtering function comprises a software Butterworth filter.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein:

said first filtering function is a software Woltring filtering function.

5. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein;

said first filtering function is a software Woltring filtering function.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein:

said second filtering function comprises a software Butterworth filter.