MULTIFUNCTIONAL VISUALIZATION INSTRUMENT WITH ORIENTATION CONTROL
A multifunctional laryngoscope is provided that includes a handle comprising a proximal end and a distal end and a display screen on the handle. The laryngoscope includes a laryngoscope camera at the distal end of the handle and an introducer comprising an orientation sensor at a distal end of the introducer. The laryngoscope includes a processor programmed to execute instructions for receiving from a steering input a steering command in a first reference frame, and mapping the steering command to a second reference frame oriented to the distal end of the introducer based on an orientation signal from the orientation sensor.
1 .- 20 . (canceled)
21 . A steerable introducer system comprising:
a video laryngoscope comprising:
a touchscreen;
a laryngoscope camera; and
a processor;
an introducer, connected to the video laryngoscope, comprising:
a steering system within the introducer;
a distal steerable portion that bends in response to movements of the steering system; and
an orientation sensor in the distal steerable portion;
wherein the processor within the video laryngoscope is programmed to execute instructions for:
receiving, from the orientation sensor, an orientation signal indicating an orientation of a distal end of the introducer;
receiving a steering command as a touch input to the touchscreen; and
generating a variable actuation control signal as a function of both the steering command and the orientation signal; and
causing the steering system to bend the distal steerable portion based on the variable actuation control signal.
22 . The steerable introducer system of claim 21 , wherein the steering system includes between 2-4 actuators for controlling movement of the distal steerable portion.
23 . The steerable introducer system of claim 22 , wherein causing the steering system to bend the distal steerable portion based on the variable actuation control signal includes:
modeling a distal tip of the introducer as a circle; and
modeling the actuators as occupying discrete locations about a circumference of the circle; and
rotating the circle according to the orientation signal.
24 . The steerable introducer system of claim 21 , wherein the orientation sensor is positioned near a distal tip of the introducer and the orientation signal indicates an orientation of the distal tip of the introducer.
25 . The steerable introducer system of claim 24 , wherein the generating the variable actuation control signal includes changing the steering command based on a current orientation of the distal tip of the introducer as indicated by the orientation signal.
26 . The steerable introducer system of claim 21 , wherein the introducer further comprises an introducer camera.
27 . The steerable introducer system of claim 26 , wherein images captured by the laryngoscope camera and the introducer camera are displayed concurrently.
28 . The steerable introducer system of claim 27 , wherein:
the introducer further comprises an orientation feature positioned at an angular position around the introducer;
the orientation feature indicates a particular steering direction; and
the orientation feature is visible in the images captured by the laryngoscope camera.
29 . The steerable introducer system of claim 28 , wherein the orientation feature is an orientation marker.
30 . The steerable introducer system of claim 27 , wherein the images from the introducer camera are rotated based on the orientation signal.
31 . A method, performed by a video laryngoscope, for steering a steerable introducer coupled to the video laryngoscope, the method comprising:
receiving an orientation signal from an orientation sensor positioned in the introducer near a distal tip of the introducer, wherein the orientation signal indicates an orientation of the distal tip of the introducer;
receiving a steering command as a touch input to a touchscreen of the video laryngoscope;
generating a variable actuation control signal as a function of both the steering command and the orientation signal; and
causing a steering system of the introducer to bend a distal steerable portion of the introducer based on the variable actuation control signal.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the steering system includes between 2-4 actuators for controlling movement of the distal steerable portion.
33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein causing the steering system to bend the distal steerable portion based on the variable actuation control signal includes:
modeling a distal tip of the introducer as a circle; and
modeling the actuators as occupying discrete locations about a circumference of the circle; and
rotating the circle according to the orientation signal.
34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the generating the variable actuation control signal includes changing the steering command based on a current orientation of the distal tip of the introducer as indicated by the orientation signal.
35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the video laryngoscope further comprises a video laryngoscope camera and the introducer further comprises an introducer camera.
36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the method further comprises:
capturing images from the video laryngoscope camera;
receiving images captured by the introducer camera; and
concurrently displaying, on the touchscreen of the video laryngoscope, the images captured by the video laryngoscope camera and the introducer camera.
37 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the images from the introducer camera are rotated based on the orientation signal.
38 . A steerable endoscope system comprising:
a video laryngoscope comprising:
a display screen;
a laryngoscope camera; and
a processor;
an endoscope, connected to the video laryngoscope, comprising:
a steering system within the endoscope;
an endoscope camera;
a distal steerable portion that bends in response to movements of the steering system; and
an orientation sensor in the distal steerable portion;
wherein the processor within the video laryngoscope is programmed to execute instructions for:
receiving, from the orientation sensor, an orientation signal indicating an orientation of a distal end of the endoscope;
receiving a steering command input into the video laryngoscope; and
generating a variable actuation control signal as a function of both the steering command and the orientation signal; and
causing the steering system to bend the distal steerable portion based on the variable actuation control signal.
39 . The system of claim 38 , wherein images captured by the laryngoscope camera and the endoscope camera are displayed concurrently on the display screen of the video laryngoscope.
40 . The system of claim 39 , wherein the wherein the images from the endoscope camera are rotated based on the orientation signal.