Implantable and insertable passive tags
First Claim
1. Apparatus for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject, comprising:
- at least one acoustic wave generator, adapted to direct a first acoustic wave toward the body at a first frequency;
an acoustic tag adapted to be fixed to the object, the tag being wireless and comprising a shell defining a cavity therein and a medium contained within the shell, such that responsive to incidence thereon of the first acoustic wave, the tag emits a second acoustic wave at a second frequency, different from the first frequency;
one or more detectors, adapted to detect the second acoustic wave and to generate signals responsive thereto; and
a signal processor, coupled to process the signals so as to determine six-dimensional position and orientation coordinates of the object in the body.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject includes at least one acoustic wave generator, adapted to direct a first acoustic wave toward the body at a first frequency. An acoustic tag is adapted to be fixed to the object, the tag including a shell defining a cavity therein and a medium contained within the shell, such that responsive to incidence thereon of the first acoustic wave, the tag emits a second acoustic wave at a second frequency, different from the first frequency. One or more detectors are adapted to detect the second acoustic wave and to generate signals responsive thereto. A signal processor is coupled to process the signals so as to determine coordinates of the object in the body.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject, comprising:
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at least one acoustic wave generator, adapted to direct a first acoustic wave toward the body at a first frequency; an acoustic tag adapted to be fixed to the object, the tag being wireless and comprising a shell defining a cavity therein and a medium contained within the shell, such that responsive to incidence thereon of the first acoustic wave, the tag emits a second acoustic wave at a second frequency, different from the first frequency; one or more detectors, adapted to detect the second acoustic wave and to generate signals responsive thereto; and a signal processor, coupled to process the signals so as to determine six-dimensional position and orientation coordinates of the object in the body. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. Apparatus for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject, comprising:
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at least one acoustic wave generator, adapted to direct acoustic waves toward the body over a range of frequencies, including at least first and second frequencies; an acoustic tag adapted to be fixed to the object, the tag being wireless and constructed so as to reflect the acoustic waves at the first frequency with a first spatial pattern of intensity variation, and to reflect the acoustic waves at the second frequency with a second spatial pattern of intensity variation; one or more detectors, adapted to detect the reflected acoustic waves and to generate signals responsive thereto; and a signal processor, coupled to process the signals so as to determine six-dimensional position and orientation coordinates of the object in the body responsive to a difference between the first and second spatial patterns. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. Apparatus for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject, comprising:
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at least one acoustic wave generator, adapted to direct acoustic waves toward the body; a transducer adapted to be fixed to the object, the transducer being wireless and constructed to emit electromagnetic radiation responsive to the acoustic waves with a response that varies depending on an orientation angle of the transducer relative to the at least one acoustic wave generator; one or more detectors, adapted to detect the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transducer and to generate signals responsive thereto; and a signal processor, coupled to process the signals so as to determine six-dimensional position and orientation coordinates of the object in the body. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject, comprising:
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at least one field generator, adapted to generate an electromagnetic field within the body; a transducer adapted to be fixed to the object, the transducer being wireless and constructed to emit acoustic waves responsive to the electromagnetic field; one or more acoustic detectors, adapted to detect the acoustic waves emitted by the transducer and to generate signals responsive thereto; and a signal processor, coupled to process the signals so as to determine six-dimensional position and orientation coordinates of the object in the body. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject, comprising:
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fixing an acoustic tag to the object, the tag being wireless and comprising a shell defining a cavity therein and a medium contained within the shell, such that responsive to incidence thereon of a first acoustic wave at a first frequency, the tag emits a second acoustic wave at a second frequency, different from the first frequency; inserting the object into the body of the subject; directing the first acoustic wave toward the body at the first frequency, causing the tag to emit the second acoustic wave at the second frequency; detecting the second acoustic wave and generating signals responsive thereto; and processing the signals so as to determine six-dimensional position and orientation coordinates of the object in the body. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject, comprising:
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fixing an acoustic tag to the object, the tag being wireless and constructed so as to reflect acoustic waves at a first frequency with a first spatial pattern of intensity variation, and to reflect acoustic waves at a second frequency with a second spatial pattern of intensity variation; inserting the object into the body of the subject; directing the acoustic waves toward the body over a range of frequencies, including at least the first and second frequencies; detecting the reflected acoustic waves and generating signals responsive thereto; and processing the signals so as to determine six-dimensional position and orientation coordinates of the object in the body responsive to a difference between the first and second spatial patterns. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject, comprising:
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fixing a transducer to the object, the transducer being wireless and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation responsive to acoustic waves incident thereon with a response that varies depending on an orientation angle of the transducer relative to a source of the acoustic waves; inserting the object into the body of the subject; directing the acoustic waves toward the body; detecting the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transducer responsive to the acoustic waves, and generating signals responsive thereto; and processing the signals so as to determine six-dimensional position and orientation coordinates of the object in the body. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for determining the position of an object within a body of a subject, comprising:
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fixing a transducer to the object, the transducer being wireless and configured to emit acoustic waves responsive to an electromagnetic field that is incident thereon; inserting the object into the body of the subject; generating the electromagnetic field within the body; detecting the acoustic waves emitted by the transducer and generating signals responsive thereto; and
processing the signals so as to determine six-dimensional position and orientation coordinates of the object in the body. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification