The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 03, 2013
Filed:
Jul. 01, 2010
Keith Williams, Seattle, WA (US);
Paul Thurman Dunham, Bothell, WA (US);
Steven Russell Marquis, Fall City, WA (US);
Keith Williams, Seattle, WA (US);
Paul Thurman Dunham, Bothell, WA (US);
Steven Russell Marquis, Fall City, WA (US);
SonoSite, Inc., Bothell, WA (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods which determine the position of an instrument internal to an object using an opto-mechanical sensor are shown. Embodiments utilize an opto-mechanical sensor system in which a mechanical instrument interface provides instrument movement information to a corresponding optical sensor system to determine instrument movement. Determinations of instrument movement preferably provide information regarding movement direction and speed. Such information, when used in combination with other information such as starting position or starting position offset, insertion angle or angle of attack, and/or insertion plane, is utilized by embodiments of the invention to determine the position of an instrument or portion thereof. Embodiments are adapted to accommodate different instrument configurations. Position information may be utilized in combination with an ultrasound image to display a visual representation of the instrument, or portion thereof, within a object being imaged.