System for determining spatial position and/or orientation of one or more objects

• US 6,288,785 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northern Digital Inc. (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Northern Digital Inc. (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirsch, Stefan, Leis, Stephen Eldon, Frantz, Donald Dieter, Schilling, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Hoa Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/428,834
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 356/375, 356/376, 356/141.1, 356/614, 356/622, 356/623, 600/424, 600/429, 600/478, 600/130, 600/407, 600/427, 324/226, 324/207.14, 324/207.22, 735/10, 250/215, 250/559.29, 250/559.31
• US Class Current: 356/614
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/163 Determination of attitude using inertial means G01C9/00; control of attitude G05D1/49

Abstract

A system for determining spatial position and/or orientation of one or more objects. The system includes an optical subsystem and a non-optical subsystem. The optical subsystem includes optical subsystem light sources mounted to one or more of the objects and an optical subsystem sensor adapted to detect energy from the optical subsystem light sources. The optical subsystem has an optical subsystem coordinate system in a fixed relationship with the optical subsystem sensor. The optical subsystem sensor produces position and/or orientation signals relative to the optical subsystem coordinate system in response to optical subsystem light source detected energy. The non-optical subsystem has a non-optical coordinate system and is adapted to produce position and/or orientation signals of one or more of the objects relative to the non-optical subsystem coordinate system. A coupling arrangement is provided for producing position and/or orientation signals indicative of the position and/or orientation of the selected one of the optical or non-optical subsystems relative to the coordinate system of the other one of the optical or non-optical subsystems. A processor is responsive to signals produced by the coupling arrangement and the individual subsystem sensors for determining the position and/or orientation of one or more of the objects relative to some conveniently defined coordinate system.

Claims

1. A system for determining the location of one or more objects, comprising:

a first subsystem having a first set of sensors and a first coordinate system, said first set of sensors producing a first data signal indicative of the position and orientation of said one or more objects within said first coordinate system, wherein said first subsystem produces a first subsystem location signal, responsive to said first data signal, which is indicative of the location of said one or more objects within said first coordinate system, wherein said first data signal is also provided to a second subsystem;

said second subsystem having a second set of sensors and a second coordinate system, said second set of sensors producing a second data signal indicative of the position and orientation of said one or more objects within said second coordinate system, wherein said second subsystem produces a second subsystem location signal, responsive to said second data signal, which is indicative of the location of said one or more objects within said second coordinate system, wherein said second data signal is also provided to said first subsystem;

a coupling arrangement for producing a coupling location signal indicative of the location of said first subsystem within said second coordinate system of said second subsystem; and

a processor responsive to said coupling location signal and at least one of said subsystem location signals for locating said one or more objects within said first coordinate system of said first subsystem;

wherein said first subsystem uses said second data signal to enhance the robustness and accuracy of said first subsystem location signal;

wherein said second subsystem uses said first data signal to enhance the robustness and accuracy of said second subsystem location signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first subsystem is an optical subsystem and said second subsystem is a magnetic subsystem.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said optical subsystem comprises:

at least one optical light source positioned proximate said one or more objects; and

an optical sensor configured to detect energy from said at least one optical light source;

wherein said optical sensor is in a fixed spatial relationship with said first coordinate system;

wherein said optical sensor produces said first data signal representative of energy detected from said at least one optical light source.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said magnetic subsystem comprises:

a magnetic transmitter; and

at least one magnetic sensor positioned proximate said one or more objects, said at least one magnetic sensor being configured to detect energy from said magnetic transmitter;

wherein said magnetic transmitter is in a fixed spatial relationship with said second coordinate system;

wherein said at least one magnetic sensor produces said second data signal representative of energy detected from said magnetic transmitter.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said coupling arrangement comprises:

a magnetic subsystem sensor in a fixed relationship with said first coordinate system;

wherein said magnetic subsystem sensor produces said coupling location signal representative of energy detected from said magnetic transmitter.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first subsystem is a magnetic subsystem and said second subsystem is an optical subsystem.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said magnetic subsystem comprises:

a magnetic transmitter; and

at least one magnetic sensor positioned proximate said one or more objects, said at least one magnetic sensor being configured to detect energy from said magnetic transmitter;

wherein said magnetic transmitter is in a fixed spatial relationship with said first coordinate system;

wherein said at least one magnetic sensor produces said first data signal representative of energy detected from said magnetic transmitter.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said optical subsystem comprises:

at least one optical light source positioned proximate said one or more objects; and

an optical sensor configured to detect energy from said at least one optical light source;

wherein said optical sensor is in a fixed spatial relationship with said second coordinate system;

wherein said optical sensor produces said second data signal representative of energy detected from said at least one optical light source.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said coupling arrangement comprises:

a optical subsystem light source in a fixed relationship with said first coordinate system;

wherein said optical sensor is further configured to detect energy from said optical subsystem light source;

wherein said optical sensor produces said coupling location signal representative of energy detected from said optical subsystem light source.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said subsystem location signals each include a position signal indicative of the position of said one or more objects within said first and second coordinate systems.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said subsystem location signals each include an orientation signal indicative of the orientation of said one or more objects within said first and second coordinate systems.

12. A system for determining the location of one or more objects, comprising:

a first subsystem having a first set of sensors and a first coordinate system, said first set of sensors producing a first data signal indicative of the position and orientation of said one or more objects within said first coordinate system, wherein said first subsystem produces a first subsystem location signal, responsive to said first data signal, which is indicative of the location of said one or more objects within said first coordinate system, wherein said first data signal is also provided to a second subsystem;

said second subsystem having a second set of sensors and a second coordinate system, said second set of sensors producing a second data signal indicative of the position and orientation of said one or more objects within said second coordinate system, wherein said second subsystem produces a second subsystem location signal, responsive to said second data signal, which is indicative of the location of said one or more objects within said second coordinate system, wherein said second data signal is also provided to said first subsystem;

a coupling arrangement for producing a coupling location signal indicative of the location of said first subsystem within said second coordinate system of said second subsystem; and

a processor responsive to said coupling location signal and at least one of said subsystem location signals for locating said one or more objects within said second coordinate system of said second subsystem;

wherein said first subsystem uses said second data signal to enhance the robustness and accuracy of said first subsystem location signal;

wherein said second subsystem uses said first data signal to enhance the robustness and accuracy of said second subsystem location signal.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said first subsystem is an optical subsystem and said second subsystem is a magnetic subsystem.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said optical subsystem comprises:

at least one optical light source positioned proximate said one or more objects; and

an optical sensor configured to detect energy from said at least one optical light source;

wherein said optical sensor is in a fixed spatial relationship with said first coordinate system;

wherein said optical sensor produces said first data signal representative of energy detected from said at least one optical light source.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said magnetic subsystem comprises:

a magnetic transmitter; and

at least one magnetic sensor positioned proximate said one or more objects, said at least one magnetic sensor being configured to detect energy from said magnetic transmitter;

wherein said magnetic transmitter is in a fixed spatial relationship with said second coordinate system;

wherein said at least one magnetic sensor produces said second data signal representative of energy detected from said magnetic transmitter.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said coupling arrangement comprises:

a magnetic subsystem sensor in a fixed relationship with said first coordinate system;

wherein said magnetic subsystem sensor produces said coupling location signal representative of energy detected from said magnetic transmitter.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein said first subsystem is a magnetic subsystem and said second subsystem is an optical subsystem.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said magnetic subsystem comprises:

a magnetic transmitter; and

at least one magnetic sensor positioned proximate said one or more objects, said at least one magnetic sensor being configured to detect energy from said magnetic transmitter;

wherein said magnetic transmitter is in a fixed spatial relationship with said first coordinate system;

wherein said at least one magnetic sensor produces said first data signal representative of energy detected from said magnetic transmitter.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said optical subsystem comprises:

at least one optical light source positioned proximate said one or more objects; and

an optical sensor configured to detect energy from said at least one optical light source;

wherein said optical sensor is in a fixed spatial relationship with said second coordinate system;

wherein said optical sensor produces said second data signal representative of energy detected from said at least one optical light source.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said coupling arrangement comprises:

a optical subsystem light source in a fixed relationship with said first coordinate system;

wherein said optical sensor is further configured to detect energy from said optical subsystem light source,

wherein said optical sensor produces said coupling location signal representative of energy detected from said optical subsystem light source.

21. A system for determining the location of one or more objects, comprising:

a first subsystem having a first set of sensors and a first coordinate system, said first set of sensors producing a first data signal indicative of the position and orientation of said one or more objects within said first coordinate system, wherein said first subsystem produces a first subsystem location signal, responsive to said first data signal, which is indicative of the location of said one or more objects within said first coordinate system, wherein said first data signal is also provided to a second subsystem;

said second subsystem having a second set of sensors and a second coordinate system, said second set of sensors producing a second data signal indicative of the position and orientation of said one or more objects within said second coordinate system, wherein said second subsystem produces a second subsystem location signal, responsive to said second data signal, which is indicative of the location of said one or more objects within said second coordinate system, wherein said second data signal is also provided to said first subsystem;

a coupling arrangement for producing a coupling location signal indicative of the location of one of said first and second subsystems within the coordinate system of the other subsystem; and

a processor responsive to said coupling location signal and at least one of said subsystem location signals for locating said one or more objects within said first coordinate system of said first subsystem;

wherein said first subsystem uses said second data signal to enhance the robustness and accuracy of said first subsystem location signal;

wherein said second subsystem uses said first data signal to enhance the robustness and accuracy of said second subsystem location signal.