Systems and methods for data filtering of passageway sensor data

1 . A method comprising:

inserting, via a drive unit, a flexible elongate device into a passageway;

recording, via one or more hardware processors communicatively coupled to a tracking system that is communicatively coupled to the drive unit, a first positional data point of a portion of the flexible elongate device when the portion of the flexible elongate device is at a first insertion position during the inserting;

retracting, via the drive unit, the flexible elongate device;

recording, via the one or more hardware processors, a second positional data point of the portion of the flexible elongate device when the portion of the flexible elongate device is at the first insertion position during the retracting;

combining the first and second positional data points to create a third positional data point; and

registering, via the one or more hardware processors, the third positional data point with a model of the passageway, wherein the registering includes matching the third positional data point with a corresponding common passageway model data point.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first insertion position is a quantized insertion distance.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the first insertion position using at least one of a shape sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, or a proximal tracking sensor.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein combining the first and second positional data points comprises aggregating the first and second positional data points to create an aggregate positional data point, wherein the third positional data point is the aggregate positional data point.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising displaying the aggregate positional data point on a display as part of a passageway map.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the first positional data point, prior to combining the first and second positional data points, in a first cell in a matrix;

storing the second positional data point, prior to combining the first and second positional data points, in a second cell in the matrix; and

clearing the first and second positional data points from the matrix after combining the first and second positional data points.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the combining the first and second positional data points occurs when the portion of the flexible elongate device is retracted to the first insertion position.

8 . A medical system comprising:

a flexible elongate device;

a tracking system that determines positional data points of the flexible elongate device;

an actuator system that provides motion of the flexible elongate device within an anatomical passageway of a patient; and

one or more processors coupled to the tracking system and the actuator system, the one or more processors configured to:

receive instructions to insert, via the actuator system, the flexible elongate device into the anatomical passageway;

record a first positional data point of a portion of the flexible elongate device when the portion of the flexible elongate device is at a first insertion position during the insertion;

receive instructions to retract, via the actuator system, the flexible elongate device;

record a second positional data point of the portion of the flexible elongate device when the portion of the flexible elongate device is at the first insertion position during the retraction;

combine the first and second positional data points to create a third positional data point; and

register the third positional data point with a model of the anatomical passageway, wherein the registering includes matching the third positional data point with a corresponding common passageway model data point.

9 . The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the first insertion position is a quantized insertion distance.

10 . The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the tracking system includes a positional sensor on a distal section of a flexible body portion of the flexible elongate device.

11 . The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the tracking system includes a shape sensor positioned along a length of a flexible body portion of the flexible elongate device.

12 . The medical system of claim 8 , wherein combining the first and second positional data points comprises aggregating the first and second positional data points to create an aggregate positional data point, wherein the third positional data point is the aggregate positional data point.

13 . The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

display the aggregate positional data point on a display as part of a passageway map.

14 . The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

store the first positional data point, prior to combining the first and second positional data points, in a first cell in a matrix;

store the second positional data point, prior to combining the first and second positional data points, in a second cell in the matrix; and

clear the first and second positional data points from the matrix after combining the first and second positional data points.

15 . The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the combining the first and second positional data points occurs when the portion of the flexible elongate device is retracted to the first insertion position.

16 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by one or more processors associated with a device are adapted to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

inserting, via a drive unit, a flexible elongate device into a passageway;

recording, via one or more hardware processors communicatively coupled to a tracking system that is communicatively coupled to the drive unit, a first positional data point of a portion of the flexible elongate device when the portion of the flexible elongate device is at a first insertion position during the inserting;

retracting, via the drive unit, the flexible elongate device;

recording, via the one or more hardware processors, a second positional data point of the portion of the flexible elongate device when the portion of the flexible elongate device is at the first insertion position during the retracting;

combining the first and second positional data points to create a third positional data point; and

registering, via the one or more hardware processors, the third positional data point with a model of the passageway, wherein the registering includes matching the third positional data point with a corresponding common passageway model data point.

17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

determining the first insertion position using at least one of a shape sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, or a proximal tracking sensor.

18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein combining the first and second positional data points comprises aggregating the first and second positional data points to create an aggregate positional data point, wherein the third positional data point is the aggregate positional data point.

19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

storing the first positional data point, prior to combining the first and second positional data points, in a first cell in a matrix;

storing the second positional data point, prior to combining the first and second positional data points, in a second cell in the matrix; and

clearing the first and second positional data points from the matrix after combining the first and second positional data points.

20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the combining the first and second positional data points occurs when the portion of the flexible elongate device is retracted to the first insertion position.