Methods and apparatus for displaying three-dimensional orientation of a steerable distal tip of an endoscope

1. A system for graphically visualizing an approximate overall bend of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument relative to an x-y-z reference frame, comprising:

an instrument having an elongate body, said elongate body comprising a proximal portion and a steerable distal portion extending longitudinally along a z-axis of the reference frame when in an approximately straight position;

at least one tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion, wherein actuation of said at least one tensioning member results in an approximate y-bend and an approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion, and wherein said approximate y-bend and approximate x-bend define the approximate overall bend of said steerable distal portion;

a graphical user interface representing an x-y plane of the reference frame; and

an icon displayed on the graphical user interface, the icon representing a magnitude and a direction of the approximate overall bend of the steerable distal portion

wherein:

an origin is defined on the graphical user interface, the origin corresponding to an intersection of the x-y plane and the z-axis;

a distance between the icon and the origin corresponds to the magnitude of the approximate overall bend; and

an orientation of the icon with reference to the origin corresponds to the direction of the approximate overall bend.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said graphical user interface further comprises an indicator, and wherein a location of said icon on said indicator relevant to a point of reference on said indicator represents the magnitude of said approximate overall bend.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said indicator comprises at least one oval.

4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said indicator comprises at least one square.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said graphical user interface further comprises an indicator, and wherein a location of said icon on said indicator relevant to a point of reference on said indicator represents the magnitude and direction of said approximate overall bend.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein said indicator comprises a cross-hair, and wherein the location of said icon along a horizontal axis of said cross-hair represents said approximate x-bend and the location of said icon along a vertical axis of said cross-hair represents said approximate y-bend of said steerable distal portion.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein an intersection of said cross-hair represents an the approximately straight position of said steerable distal portion.

8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein a distance from a center of said cross-hair to said icon represents a degree of said approximate overall bend of said steerable distal portion.

9. The system according to claim 6 , wherein said cross-hair extends through an approximate center of at least one non-circular shape.

10. The system according to claim 6 , wherein said cross-hair extends through an approximate center of at least one circle.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said at least one circle comprises a plurality of concentric circles.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein an inner circle of the concentric circles represents 90 degrees of the approximate overall bend and an outer circle of the concentric circles represents 180 degrees of the approximate overall bend of said steerable distal portion.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the origin represents a proximal end of the steerable distal portion.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the x-y-z reference frame comprises a Cartesian reference frame.

15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the icon is a single icon.

16. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of pull-distances of the at least one tensioning member correlates to a plurality of bends in the x-z and y-z planes.

17. A system for graphically visualizing an approximate overall bend of a steerable distal portion of an elongate instrument relative to an x-y-z reference frame, comprising:

an instrument having an elongate body, said elongate body comprising a proximal portion and a steerable distal portion extending longitudinally along a z-axis of the reference frame when in an approximately straight position;

at least one tensioning member attached to said steerable distal portion, wherein actuation of said at least one tensioning member results in an approximate y-bend and an approximate x-bend of said steerable distal portion, and wherein said approximate y-bend and approximate x-bend define an approximate overall bend of said steerable distal portion;

a graphical user interface representing an x-y plane of the reference frame; and

a vector diagram displayed on the graphical user interface, the vector diagram representing a magnitude and a direction of the approximate overall bend of the steerable distal portion,

wherein:

an origin is defined on the graphical user interface, the origin corresponding to an intersection of the x-y plane and the z-axis;

a distance between at least a portion of the origin and an end of a vector of the vector diagram corresponds to the magnitude of the approximate overall bend; and

an orientation of at least a portion of the vector with reference to the origin corresponds to the direction of the approximate overall bend.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein a magnitude of a vector of the vector diagram represents the magnitude in degrees of the approximate overall bend.

19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein a direction of the vector represents the direction of the approximate overall bend.