Granted Patent B2

US 12,573,063 · App. 18/549,819 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Inventors: Lucas S. Gordon (Sunnyvale, CA); Julie Walker (San Francisco, CA); Troy K. Adebar (San Jose, CA); Benjamin G. Cohn (Oakhurst, CA); Randall L. Schlesinger (San Mateo, CA); Worth B. Walters (Campbell, CA)

Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.

G06T7/337A61B8/12A61B8/4254A61B8/54G06T7/74G06T2207/10132

Abstract

Claims (61)

1 . A medical system comprising:

an elongate device;

an elongate sheath configured to extend within the elongate device, the elongate sheath including an identification feature;

an imaging probe configured to extend within the elongate sheath; and

a control system configured to:

receive imaging data from the imaging probe, the imaging data being captured by the imaging probe;

analyze the imaging data to identify an appearance of the identification feature within the imaging data; and

based on the appearance of the identification feature:

register the imaging data to a reference frame of the elongate device; and

determine (a) an off-axis bending of the imaging probe or (b) an insertion distance of the imaging probe relative to the elongate sheath as the imaging probe is extended within the sheath.

2 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein:

the elongate sheath is slidably insertable relative to the elongate device;

the imaging probe is slidably insertable relative to the elongate sheath;

a distal end of the elongate sheath is configured to extend distally of a distal end of the elongate device; and

a distal end of the imaging probe is configured to extend distally of the distal end of the elongate sheath.

3 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging probe comprises an ultrasound probe, and wherein the imaging data comprises an ultrasound image.

4 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to register the imaging data to the reference frame of the elongate device by identifying a rotational orientation of the imaging data relative to the elongate device.

5 . The medical system of claim 4 , wherein:

the elongate device includes a keyed feature and the elongate sheath includes a corresponding keyed feature that receives the keyed feature to fix a rotational orientation of the elongate sheath to a rotational orientation of the elongate device; and

identifying the rotational orientation of the imaging data relative to the elongate device comprises:

determining a rotational orientation of the imaging data relative to the rotational orientation of the elongate sheath based on the appearance of the identification feature within the imaging data; and

determining the rotational orientation of the imaging data relative to the rotational orientation of the elongate device based on the fixed rotational orientation of the elongate sheath to the rotational orientation of the elongate device.

6 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein:

the appearance of the identification feature within the imaging data is different for different off-axis bending of the elongate sheath.

7 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein:

the appearance of the identification feature within the imaging data is different for different insertion distances of the imaging probe relative to the elongate sheath.

8 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to register the imaging data to the reference frame of the elongate device by determining the insertion distance of the imaging probe relative to the elongate device based on the insertion distance of the imaging probe relative to the elongate sheath and an insertion distance of the elongate sheath relative to the elongate device.

9 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the appearance of the identification feature within the imaging data comprises at least one of:

a shape of the identification feature within the imaging data; or

a location of the identification feature within the imaging data.

10 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to register one or more objects captured in the imaging data to the reference frame of the elongate device based on the appearance of the identification feature.

11 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to register, based on the registration of the imaging data to the reference frame of the elongate device, at least one of:

a position of the imaging probe to the reference frame of the elongate device; or

a position of the elongate sheath to the reference frame of the elongate device.

12 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the identification feature comprises an elongate wire.

13 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the identification feature is positioned within a wall of the elongate sheath.

14 . The medical system of claim 13 , wherein:

a non-concentric portion of the wall of the elongate sheath extends radially outward from a longitudinal axis of the elongate sheath;

a first portion of the identification feature is positioned within a concentric portion of the wall;

a second portion of the identification feature is positioned within the non-concentric portion of the wall;

the first portion of the identification feature is a first thickness; and

the second portion of the identification feature is a second thickness different from the first thickness.

15 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the identification feature is coupled to an outer surface of the elongate sheath.

16 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the identification feature is configured to emit a signal, and wherein the control system is configured to analyze the signal to determine a rotational orientation of the imaging data relative to the elongate device.

17 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the identification feature includes a pattern of markers.

18 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the identification feature comprises an expandable member configured to radially expand when the elongate sheath is extended distally from a distal end of the elongate device.

19 . The medical system of claim 1 , wherein:

the imaging probe includes a shape sensor; and

the control system is configured to determine a shape of the imaging probe based on shape data captured by the shape sensor.

20 . The medical system of claim 19 , wherein the control system is further configured to determine, based on the shape data, at least one of:

a rotational orientation of the imaging data relative to the elongate device; or

an insertion distance of a distal end of the imaging probe relative to a distal end of the elongate device.

21 . A method comprising:

receiving imaging data from an imaging probe, the imaging data being captured by the imaging probe, wherein the imaging probe is configured to extend within an elongate sheath, the elongate sheath configured to extend within an elongate device, the elongate sheath including an identification feature;

analyzing the imaging data to identify an appearance of the identification feature within the imaging data; and

based on the appearance of the identification feature:

registering the imaging data to a reference frame of the elongate device; and

determining (a) an off-axis bending of the imaging probe or (b) an insertion distance of the imaging probe relative to the elongate sheath as the imaging probe is extended within the sheath.

22 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising registering the imaging data to the reference frame of the elongate device by identifying a rotational orientation of the imaging data relative to the elongate device.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the appearance of the identification feature within the imaging data is different for different off-axis bending of the elongate sheath.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the appearance of the identification feature within the imaging data is different for different insertion distances of the imaging probe relative to the elongate sheath.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (113)