Position sensing system
First Claim
1. A system for sensing relative positions of first and second points, comprising:
- first and second substantially spherical transponders, said first transponder disposed at the first point and said second transponder disposed at the second point and each of said first and second transponders including;
communication circuitry for communicating between said first and second transponders, said first transponder transmitting a signal and said second transponder receiving the signal therefrom, distance determination circuitry for determining from the signal received a relative distance between said first and second transponders, and a transmitter for transmitting from said second transponder data relating to the relative distance determined by said second transponder to an external source; and
a processing unit for receiving the data transmitted by said second transponder related to the relative distance data and processing that data to determine the relative positions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An anatomical position sensing system (100) using one or more substantially spherical transponders for measuring relative positions and distances. Transponders (P) and (S) are capable of receiving and transmitting RF signals, and communicating between themselves and with a separate CPU (112). The CPU (112) is controlled by an operator at an operator control panel (114), interacts with an alarm (120) for providing audible alerts to the operator, and a display for displaying information to the operator. The CPU (112) controls a broadband antenna (118) to transmit, at a frequency f1, a low-frequency RF power signal (122) across a wide field to energize the transponders (P) and (S). Directional components (122a) and (122b) intercept and energize the transponders (P) and (S). Once energized, transponder (P) transmits a range signal in all directions including component (124) at a very high RF frequency f2, extending from transponder (P) to transponder (S). Upon receipt of the range signal (124), transponder (S) emits a data signal at a very high RF frequency f3 in all directions, including component (126), which is directed at the antenna (118). The distance (D) is determined by measuring the attenuation of the range signal (124) as it is received by transponder (S). Transponder (S) then modulates the value of the strength of the incoming range signal (124) onto the data signal. The CPU (112) computes the distance (D) from the incoming data signal (126) from a lookup table derived from a sequence of calibration steps prior to beginning normal operation.
391 Citations
50 Claims
-
1. A system for sensing relative positions of first and second points, comprising:
-
first and second substantially spherical transponders, said first transponder disposed at the first point and said second transponder disposed at the second point and each of said first and second transponders including;
communication circuitry for communicating between said first and second transponders, said first transponder transmitting a signal and said second transponder receiving the signal therefrom, distance determination circuitry for determining from the signal received a relative distance between said first and second transponders, and a transmitter for transmitting from said second transponder data relating to the relative distance determined by said second transponder to an external source; and
a processing unit for receiving the data transmitted by said second transponder related to the relative distance data and processing that data to determine the relative positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method for sensing relative positions of first and second points within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising the steps of:
-
disposing within the patient'"'"'s body a first transponder at the first point and a second transponder at the second point;
communicating between the first and second transponders, the first transponder transmitting a signal and the second transponder receiving the signal therefrom;
determining from the signal received a relative distance between the first and second transponders;
transmitting from the second transponder data relating to the relative distance determined by the second transponder to an external source;
receiving the data transmitted by the second transponder related to the relative distance data; and
processing that data to determine the relative positions of the first and second points within the patient'"'"'s body. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
attaching one or more secondary transponders to a catheter or guidewire which is inserted into a body cavity in the step of disposing; and
activating an alarm when the distance between the primary transponder of the cutting instrument and any of the secondary transponders is less than a predetermined value.
-
-
25. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second transponders are used to measure the distance of separation of the pelvic bones.
-
26. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second transponders are used to measure cervical dilatation of a cervix during labor and delivery at childbirth by implanting at least the first and second transponders in the cervix.
-
27. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of preventing injury to the ureter during pelvic surgery.
-
28. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of preventing injury to a blood vessel during pelvic surgery.
-
29. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of preventing injury to the biliary tract during surgery.
-
30. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of radiating energy to the first and second transponders at a first frequency to enable operation thereof according to instructions stored internal to each of the first and second transponders.
-
31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of transmitting instructions from a processing unit in which the step of processing is performed.
-
32. The method of claim 30, wherein in response to the first transponder being energized, the first transponder generates a first omnidirectional signal at a second frequency which is received by the second transponder.
-
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first omnidirectional signal is of a frequency different from the first frequency.
-
34. The method of claim 32, wherein after the second transponder is energized, the second transponder receives the first omnidirectional signal, and in response, generates a second omnidirectional signal at a third frequency which is received by the processing unit.
-
35. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of performing a sequence of calibration steps over an approximate operable range prior to normal operation of the system to develop a lookup table of values used in determining the distance.
-
36. The method of claim 20, wherein the distance is determined by the second transponder and modulated onto a signal which is transmitted from the second transponder to the processing unit in which the step of processing is performed.
-
37. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the transponders comprises three sets of substantially orthogonal coils, each set having a power coil, a transmit coil and a receive coil, and each set for communicating with a processing unit.
-
38. The method of claim 20, wherein select ones of the transponders contain a stimulus circuit for stimulating tissue during operation of the system.
-
39. A method for sensing relative positions of first and second points, comprising the steps of:
-
disposing a first transponder at the first point and a second transponder at the second point;
radiating energy at a first frequency to the first and second transponders to enable operation thereof;
transmitting a first set of instructions from a processing unit to the first transponder;
transmitting a second set of instructions from the processing unit to the second transponder;
storing the respective instruction sets in the first and second transponders for operation thereof, each according to its own internally stored instructions;
communicating between the first and second transponders, the first transponder transmitting a signal and the second transponder receiving the signal therefrom;
determining from the signal received a relative distance between the first and second transponders;
transmitting data to the processing unit from the second transponder, the data including the relative distance determined by the second transponder;
receiving the data by the processing unit; and
processing the data relating to the relative positions between the first and second transponders. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
-
45. A method for sensing relative positions of first and second points, comprising the steps of:
-
disposing a first transponder at the first point and a second transponder at the second point;
physically measuring the distance between the first and second points;
communicating between the first and second transponders, the first transponder transmitting a signal and the second transponder receiving the signal therefrom;
calibrating the signal received to the measured distance between the first and second transponders;
repeating the above-recited sequence of steps at additional separation distances between the transponders over an approximate operable range to develop a lookup table of values in determining separation distance;
beginning normal operation by positioning the transmitters at an unmeasured distance apart within the operable range;
transmitting from the second transponder data relating to the relative distance determined by the second transponder to an processing unit. receiving the data transmitted by the second transponder related to the relative difference data; and
processing that data to determine the relative positions. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
Specification