Systems and methods for navigating through airways in a virtual bronchoscopy view

1. A method for displaying virtual bronchoscopy views while navigating through an airway of a virtual bronchoscopy, the method comprising:

determining a first location and a first direction at the first location;

storing the first location and the first direction in memory;

displaying a first virtual camera view corresponding to the first location;

determining a second location corresponding to forward movement through the airway of the virtual bronchoscopy;

storing the second location in the memory;

displaying a second virtual camera view corresponding to the second location;

determining a second direction based on the first location and the second location;

storing the second direction in the memory;

determining a third location corresponding to further movement through the virtual bronchoscopy; and

determining whether the further movement is in a forward direction or a backward direction;

if it is determined that the further movement is in the forward direction:

displaying a third virtual camera view corresponding to the third location; and

if it is determined that movement is in the backward direction:

retrieving the stored first direction and the stored second direction from the memory;

determining a smoothing vector in a forward direction as a function of the stored first direction and the stored second direction when movement is in the backward direction;

obtaining a smoothed virtual camera view based on the smoothing vector; and

displaying the smoothed virtual camera view.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining whether the further movement is in a forward direction or a backward direction includes:

determining a next pointer location and a current pointer location on a virtual bronchoscopy screen;

calculating the difference between a coordinate of the next pointer location and a coordinate of the next pointer location;

if the calculated difference is positive, determining that the further movement is in the backward direction; and

if the calculated difference is negative, determining that the further movement is in the forward direction.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first location, the second location, and the third location are determined based on the location of a pointer or cursor on a screen which is displaying the virtual camera views.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, if it is determined that the further movement is in the forward direction:

determining a third direction based on the second location and the third location; and

storing the third direction in the memory.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the smoothing vector includes:

determining a first vector based on the first location and first direction;

determining a second vector based on the first location and the second direction; and

averaging the first vector and the second vector to obtain the smoothing vector.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the smoothing vector includes:

determining a first vector based on the first location and first direction;

determining a second vector based on the first location and the second direction; and

applying a spline or a Lanczos algorithm to the first vector and the second vector to obtain the smoothing vector.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the spline is a spline of order two or a spline of order four.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an input from a user which alters the first, second, third, or smoothed virtual camera views; and

storing the altered first, second, third, or smoothed virtual camera view.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the smoothing vector includes determining a vector having a direction between the first direction and the second direction.

10. An apparatus for displaying virtual bronchoscopy views while navigating through an airway of a virtual bronchoscopy, comprising:

a network interface configured to receive position information of a navigation instrument from at least one position sensor of the navigation instrument, the position information including physical locations;

a memory storing a plurality of virtual camera views of the virtual bronchoscopy, instructions, a first location, a first direction at the first location, a second location corresponding to forward movement through the airway of the virtual bronchoscopy, and a second direction at the second location;

a processor configured to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine whether movement through the airway of the virtual bronchoscopy is in a forward direction or a backward direction;

if it is determined that the movement is in the forward direction:

determine a third location corresponding to the movement through the airway of the virtual bronchoscopy; and

determine a third direction based on the second location and the third location; and

if it is determined that movement is in the backward direction:

retrieve the first direction and the second direction from the memory; and

determine a smoothing vector in a forward direction as a function of the first direction and the second direction when movement is in the backward direction; and

a display configured to dynamically display, on a screen, images of a smoothed virtual camera view corresponding to the determined smoothing vector.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first location, the second location, and the third location are determined based on the location of a pointer on the screen.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

determine a first pointer location and a second pointer location on the screen displaying the virtual camera view;

calculate the difference between a coordinate of the first pointer location and a coordinate of the second pointer location;

if the calculated difference is positive, determine that the movement is in the backward direction; and

if the calculated difference is negative, determine that the movement is in the forward direction.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

determine a first vector based on the first location and the first direction;

determine a second vector based on the first location and the second direction; and

average the first vector and the second vector to obtain the smoothing vector.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine the smoothing vector having a direction that is between the first direction and the second direction.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine a first vector based on the first location and first direction;

determine a second vector based on the first location and the second direction; and

apply a spline to the first vector and the second vector to obtain the smoothing vector.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the spline is a spline of order two or a spline of order four.

17. A method for displaying virtual bronchoscopy views while navigating through an airway of a virtual bronchoscopy, the method comprising:

determining a first location and a first direction at the first location;

storing a first location and the first direction in memory;

displaying a first virtual camera view corresponding to the first location;

determining a second location corresponding to forward movement through the airway of the virtual bronchoscopy and a second direction;

determining a smoothing vector based on the stored first direction and the second direction;

storing the smoothing vector in the memory;

displaying a second virtual camera view corresponding to the second location;

determining a third location corresponding to further movement through the airway of the virtual bronchoscopy; and

determining whether the further movement is in a forward direction or a backward direction;

if it is determined that the further movement is in the forward direction:

displaying a third virtual camera view corresponding to the third location; and if it is determined that movement is in the backward direction:

retrieving the smoothing vector stored in the memory;

obtaining a smoothed virtual camera view in a forward direction as a function of the retrieved smoothing vector when movement is in the backward direction; and

displaying the smoothed virtual camera view.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein determining the smoothing vector includes:

determining a first vector based on the first location and first direction;

determining a second vector based on the first location and the second direction; and

averaging the first vector and the second vector to obtain the smoothing vector.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein determining the smoothing vector includes:

determining a first vector based on the first location and first direction;

determining a second vector based on the first location and the second direction; and

applying a spline or a Lanczos algorithm to the first vector and the second vector to obtain the smoothing vector.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the spline is a spline of order two or a spline of order four.