Methods and systems for generating a patch surface model of a geometric structure

1. A system for generating a patch surface model of a heart, the system comprising:

a computer-based model construction system configured to be coupled to a catheter including a distal end configured to be navigated through a vein and into the heart of a patient, the catheter comprising a sensor disposed at the distal end and configured to contact a surface of the heart and determine a set of original location data points corresponding to respective locations on the surface of the heart, the computer-based model construction system further configured to receive the set of original location data points, the computer-based model construction system further configured to:

generate a reference surface based on the acquired original location data points;

subdivide the reference surface into a plurality of triangles;

project at least some of the original location data points onto a respective nearest point on the subdivided reference surface;

compute a function that morphs the projected location data points towards the original location data points to generate a patch surface model;

define a bounding box and erode away a portion of the plurality of triangles that do not contain projected original location data points from edges of the bounding box to determine a boundary for the patch surface model; and

generate the patch surface model for display on a display system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reference surface is one of a plane and a sphere.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein to compute the function, the computer-based model construction system is configured to compute a thin plate spline function.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein to determine a boundary for the patch surface model, the computer-based model construction system is configured to:

for each outer boundary vertex on the patch surface model, determine a closest original location data point;

draw edges between successive closest original location data points to form a closed curve;

project the closed curve onto the patch surface model; and

trim away triangles and partial triangles outside the projected closed curve.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein to compute a function, the computer-based model construction system is configured to compute a function that generates a patch surface model that is an open surface model.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein to compute a function, the computer-based model construction system is configured to compute a function based on a smoothness coefficient selected by a user.

7. A method of generating a patch surface model of a heart of a patient, the method comprising:

generating a set of original location data points corresponding to respective locations on a surface of the heart determined using a catheter comprising a sensor disposed at a distal end thereof and configured to contact a surface of the heart;

receiving the set of original location data points;

generating a reference surface based on the acquired original location data points;

subdividing the reference surface into a plurality of triangles;

projecting at least some of the original location data points onto a respective nearest point on the subdivided reference surface;

computing a function that morphs the projected location data points towards the original location data points to generate a patch surface model; and

defining a bounding box and eroding away a portion of the plurality of triangles that do not contain projected original location data points from edges of the bounding box to determine a boundary for the patch surface model.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein generating a reference surface comprises generating one of a plane and a sphere.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein subdividing the reference surface into a plurality of triangles comprises subdividing the reference surface into a plurality of equilateral triangles.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining a boundary for the patch surface model comprises:

for each outer boundary vertex on the patch surface model, determining a closest original location data point;

drawing edges between successive closest original location data points to form a closed curve;

projecting the closed curve onto the patch surface model; and

trimming away triangles and partial triangles outside the projected closed curve.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining a boundary for the patch surface model comprises determining a boundary based on a user-specified border distance.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein computing a function comprises computing a based on a smoothness coefficient selected by a user.

13. A processing apparatus for generating a patch surface model of a heart of a patient, the processing apparatus configured to:

detect a location of a sensor when it contacts a surface of the heart of a patient, the sensor disposed at a distal end of a catheter, the catheter disposed within the heart of the patient;

generate a set of original location data points corresponding to respective locations on the surface of the heart;

receive the set of original location data points;

generate a reference surface based on the acquired original location data points;

subdivide the reference surface into a plurality of triangles;

project at least some of the original location data points onto a respective nearest point on the subdivided reference surface;

compute a function that morphs the projected location data points towards the original location data points to generate a patch surface model; and

define a bounding box and erode away a portion of the plurality of triangles that do not contain projected original location data points from edges of the bounding box to determine a boundary for the patch surface model.

14. The processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein to generate a reference surface based on the acquired original location data points, the processing apparatus is configured to generate a plane.

15. The processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein to generate a reference surface based on the acquired original location data points, the processing apparatus is configured to generate a sphere.

16. The processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein to subdivide the reference surface into a plurality of triangles, the processing apparatus is configured to subdivide the reference surface into a plurality of equilateral triangles.

17. The processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein to compute a function, the processing apparatus is configured to compute a function that generates a patch surface model that is an open surface model.

18. The processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein to compute a function, the processing apparatus is configured to compute a function based on a smoothness coefficient selected by a user.