Control of a lumen traveling device in a body tube tree

1 . A system comprising:

non-transitory machine readable media, for use in a lumen traveling device control system, including:

one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to activate a propelling mechanism on a lumen traveling device to propel the lumen traveling device within a body tube tree;

one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to determine an arrival of the lumen traveling device at a branch point in the body tube tree based upon a signal from at least one arrival sensor on the lumen traveling device, the branch point including at least two branch channels;

one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to select one of the at least two branch channels substantially randomly;

one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the propelling mechanism on the lumen traveling device to move the lumen traveling device into the selected branch channel;

one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to store information regarding at least one of the at least two branch channels;

one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct sensing of a local parameter value from a parameter sensor on the lumen traveling device; and

one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct an active portion of the lumen traveling device to perform an action based at least in part upon the local parameter value.

2 - 6 . (canceled)

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to override the selection of the selected branch channel if the at least one lumenal dimension of the selected branch channel is less than a specified minimum lumenal dimension.

8 . (canceled)

9 . (canceled)

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to generate a map of at least a portion of the body tube tree.

11 .- 13 . (canceled)

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of at least one position indicator signal.

15 .- 17 . (canceled)

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to generate a map of at least a portion of the body tube tree.

19 .- 24 . (canceled)

25 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of at least one position indicator signal include one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of a plurality of radiological signals from a plurality of remote sources, and wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to determine position information by determining the attenuation of the plurality of radiological signals from the plurality of remote sources at the lumen traveling device.

26 . (canceled)

27 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of at least one position indicator signal include one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of a plurality of ultrasonic signals from a plurality of remote sources, and wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to determine position information from the at least one position indicator signal by determining at least one of the attenuation or phase change of the plurality of ultrasonic signals from the plurality of remote sources.

28 .- 68 . (canceled)

69 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the active portion of the lumen traveling device to perform an action include one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of a second local parameter value.

70 . (canceled)

71 . (canceled)

72 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the active portion of the lumen traveling device to perform an action based at least in part upon the local parameter value include one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the active portion of the lumen traveling device to perform an action based at least in part upon the local parameter value and at least in part upon receipt of an instruction from a remote device.

73 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to communicate information with at least one remote device.

74 .- 87 . (canceled)

88 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of a local parameter value with a parameter sensor on the lumen traveling device include one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of a signal from a second lumen traveling device.

89 . (canceled)

90 . (canceled)

91 . A method of operating a lumen traveling device with a lumen traveling device control system, comprising:

activating a propelling mechanism on the lumen traveling device to propel the lumen traveling device within a body tube tree;

detecting an arrival of the lumen traveling device at a branch point in the body tube tree with at least one arrival sensor on the lumen traveling device, the branch point including at least two branch channels;

selecting one of the at least two branch channels substantially randomly;

causing the propelling mechanism on the lumen traveling device to move the lumen traveling device into the selected branch channel;

storing information regarding at least one of the at least two branch channels;

sensing a local parameter value with a parameter sensor on the lumen traveling device; and

performing an action with an active portion of the lumen traveling device based at least in part upon the local parameter value.

92 .- 99 . (canceled)

100 . The method of claim 91 , further comprising generating a map of at least a portion of the body tube tree.

101 .- 103 . (canceled)

104 . The method of claim 91 , further comprising sensing at least one position indicator signal.

105 .- 154 . (canceled)

155 . The method of claim 91 , wherein performing an action includes sensing a second local parameter value.

156 .- 158 . (canceled)

159 . The method of claim 91 , further comprising communicating information with at least one remote device.

160 .- 171 . (canceled)

172 . The method of claim 91 , wherein sensing a local parameter value with a parameter sensor on the lumen traveling device includes sensing a signal representative of a dimension of a portion of the body tube tree toward which the lumen traveling device is traveling.

173 . (canceled)

174 . The method of claim 91 , wherein sensing a local parameter value with a parameter sensor on the lumen traveling device includes sensing a signal from a second lumen traveling device.

175 . (canceled)

176 . (canceled)

177 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to store information regarding at least one of the at least two branch channels include one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to store information regarding at least one of the direction or orientation of at least one of the at least two branch channels, the length of at least one of the at least two branch channels, the structural configuration of at least one of the at least two branch channels, the branching pattern of at least one of the at least two branch channels, at least one lumenal dimension of at least one of the at least two branch channels, the distance of at least one of the at least two branch channels from another branch point, or the proximity of at least one of the at least two branch channels to a valve or other channel restriction.

178 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to generate a map of at least a portion of the body tube tree include one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to generate at least one of a topological map of at least a portion of the body tube tree, a metric map of at least a portion of the body tube tree, or a conformal map of at least a portion of the body tube tree.

179 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of at least one of at least one encrypted position indicator signal, at least one signal from an inertial navigation system on the lumen traveling device, at least one radiological signal originating from a remote source, at least one ultrasonic signal originating from a remote source, at least one electromagnetic signal originating from a remote source, a signal from an RF beacon, a signal from a GPS, a signal from a wireless network, a signal from a personal area network, a signal from a body area network, or at least one magnetic signal originating from a remote source.

180 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to do at least one of store information derived from the at least one position indicator signal, store a representation of the at least one position indicator signal on the lumen traveling device, generate a map of at least a portion of the body tube tree, read map data from a data storage location on the lumen traveling device, or generate a map of at least a portion of the body tube tree.

181 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes at least one of a computer readable media, a non-volatile memory in the lumen traveling device, a ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash memory.

182 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct an active portion of the lumen traveling device to perform an action include at least one of one or more instructions that cause a lumen traveling device control system to direct the active portion of the lumen traveling device to release a material, deliver a material to a wall region of the body tube tree, release a device or structure, release energy, collect a sample, collect a fluid sample, collect a sample from a wall region of the body tube tree, collect a device or structure, attach a structure to a wall of the body tube tree, deliver a material or structure to a receiving portion of a man-made device, receive a material or structure from a delivery portion of a man-made device, receive a signal from a remote source, receive an encrypted signal from a remote source, receive power from a remote source, transmit a signal to a remote location, transmit an encrypted signal to a remote location, perform a surgical step or procedure, remove tissue from at least a portion of the body tube tree, remove components from at least a portion of a fluid within the body tube tree, expose a catalyst, generate a localized electric field, generate a localized magnetic field, produce heat, cause cooling, emit electromagnetic radiation, emit acoustic energy, apply pressure to at least a portion of the body tube tree, or modulate the flow of fluid through at least a portion of the body tube tree.

183 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the active portion of the lumen traveling device to perform an action based at least in part upon the local parameter value include one or more instructions selected from the group consisting of one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the active portion of the lumen traveling device to stop performance of the action if the local parameter value is within a specified range and one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the active portion of the lumen traveling device to initiate performance of the action if the local parameter value is within a specified range.

184 . The system of claim 73 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to communicate information with at least one remote device include one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to communicate at least one of an image, a sensed parameter value, a measured parameter value, a derived parameter value, device status information, or a report of an action.

185 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of a local parameter value with a parameter sensor on the lumen traveling device include one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the sensing of a signal from at least one of a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, a temperature sensor, a chemical sensor, a biosensor, or an image sensor.

186 . The system of claim 88 , wherein the non-transitory machine readable media includes one or more instructions that cause the lumen traveling device control system to direct the propelling mechanism to do at least one of move the lumen traveling device away from the second lumen traveling device or coordinate at least one motion or action of the lumen traveling device with at least one motion or action of the second lumen traveling device.

187 . The method of claim 91 , wherein storing information regarding at least one of the at least two branch channels includes storing information regarding at least one of the direction or orientation of at least one of the at least two branch channels, the length of at least one of the at least two branch channels, the structural configuration of at least one of the at least two branch channels, the branching pattern of at least one of the at least two branch channels, at least one lumenal dimension of at least one of the at least two branch channels, the distance of at least one of the at least two branch channels from another branch point, or the proximity of at least one of the at least two branch channels to a valve or other channel restriction.

188 . The method of claim 100 , wherein generating a map of at least a portion of the body tube tree includes generating at least of a topological map, a metric map, or a conformal map.

189 . The method of claim 104 , further comprising generating a map of at least a portion of the body tube tree based at least in part on the at least one position indicator signal, the map including at least one of a topological map, a metric map of at least a portion of the body tube tree, or a conformal map of at least a portion of the body tube tree.

190 . The method of claim 104 , wherein sensing at least one position indicator signal includes sensing at least one of at least one signal from an inertial navigation system on the lumen traveling device, at least one radiological signal originating from a remote source, a plurality of radiological signals from a plurality of remote sources, at least one ultrasonic signal originating from a remote source, a plurality of ultrasonic signals from a plurality of remote sources, at least one electromagnetic signal originating from a remote source, a signal from an RF beacon, a signal from a GPS, a signal from a wireless network, a signal from a personal area network, a signal from a body area network, or at least one magnetic signal originating from a remote source.

191 . The method of claim 91 , wherein performing an action includes at least one of releasing a material, releasing a device or structure, releasing energy, collecting a sample, collecting a fluid sample, collecting a sample from a wall region of the body tube tree, collecting a device or structure, attaching a structure to a wall of the body tube tree, delivering a material or structure to a receiving portion of a man-made device, receiving a material or structure from a delivery portion of a man-made device, receiving a signal from a remote source, receiving an encrypted signal from a remote source, receiving power from a remote source, transmitting a signal to a remote location, transmitting an encrypted signal to a remote location, performing a surgical step or procedure, removing tissue from at least a portion of the body tube tree, removing specific components from at least a portion of a fluid within the body tube tree, exposing a catalyst, generating a localized electric field, generating a localized magnetic field, producing heating, causing cooling, emitting electromagnetic radiation, emitting acoustic energy, applying pressure to at least a portion of the body tube tree, or modulating the flow of fluid through at least a portion of the body tube tree.

192 . The method of claim 159 , wherein communicating information with at least one remote device includes communicating at least one of an image, a sensed parameter value, a measured parameter value, a derived parameter value, device status information, or a report of an action.

193 . The method of claim 91 , wherein sensing a local parameter value with a parameter sensor on the lumen traveling device includes sensing a signal from At least one of a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, a temperature sensor, a chemical sensor, a biosensor, or an image sensor.

194 . The method of claim 174 , including at least one of causing the propelling mechanism on the lumen traveling device to move the lumen traveling device away from the second lumen traveling device or coordinating at least one motion or action of the lumen traveling device with at least one motion or action of the second lumen traveling device.