IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,161,286
Granted Patent B2
US 12,161,286 · App. 17/258,705 · Granted Dec 10, 2024

Systems and methods for orientation detection and tool installation

Inventors: Andrew J. Hazelton (San Carlos, CA); Teresa G. Gadda (Palo Alto, CA); Changmeng Liu (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
A61B1/000094A61B1/000095A61B17/00234A61B34/20A61B2017/00292A61B2034/2051A61B2034/2055A61B2034/2061A61B34/25
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,161,286
App. No.
17/258,705
Filed
Jan 7, 2021
Granted
Dec 10, 2024
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3797
USPC
600/424
Abstract

A system comprises a tool and a catheter sized to receive the tool. The system also comprises a processor and a memory having computer readable instructions stored thereon. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to receive, via an image sensor of the tool, a plurality of images from within a lumen of the catheter. Each image comprises a plurality of pixels. For each image, a subset of the plurality of pixels associated with a viewable feature is identified. For each image, a likely orientation for the viewable feature is determined based on the identified subset of the plurality of pixels. A composite orientation for the viewable feature is determined based on a combination of the likely orientations of the viewable feature for each image. A rotational offset of the tool relative to the catheter is determined based on the determined composite orientation.

Claims (50)

1. A system comprising:

a tool;

a catheter sized to receive the tool;

a processor;

a memory having computer readable instructions stored thereon, the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

receive, via an image sensor of the tool, a plurality of images from within a lumen of the catheter, each image of the plurality of images comprising a plurality of pixels;

for each image in the plurality of images, identify a subset of the plurality of pixels associated with a viewable feature;

for each image in the plurality of images, determine an orientation for the viewable feature based on the identified subset of the plurality of pixels;

determine a composite orientation for the viewable feature based on a combination of the orientations for the viewable feature for each image in the plurality of images;

determine a rotational offset of the tool relative to the catheter based on the determined composite orientation; and

adjust one or more images captured by the image sensor based on the rotational offset to align an angular position of the tool with an angular position of the catheter.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to:

eliminate, from the plurality of images, one or more images based on a temporal value for the one or more images.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the orientation is a quadrant orientation.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to:

for each image in the plurality of images, determine a confidence score for determined orientation for the viewable feature.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein determining a composite orientation for the viewable feature is also based on a combination of the confidence scores and the orientations of the viewable feature for each image in the plurality of images.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the confidence score is determined from a quantity of graphical units associated with the viewable feature.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the viewable feature is a longitudinal marking that extends longitudinally along an interior wall of the catheter.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein each image of the plurality of images is divided into multiple sections, and wherein the orientations for the viewable feature for each image in the plurality of images indicate in which one of the multiple sections the viewable feature is positioned in each image in the plurality of images.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the multiple sections comprise four equal quadrants.

10. A non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions that, when run by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, via an image sensor of a tool sized to be received within a catheter, a plurality of images from within a lumen of the catheter, each image of the plurality of images comprising a plurality of pixels;

for each image in the plurality of images, identify a subset of the plurality of pixels associated with a viewable feature;

for each image in the plurality of images, determine an orientation for the viewable feature based on the identified subset of the plurality of pixels;

determine a composite orientation for the viewable feature based on a combination of the orientations for the viewable feature for each image in the plurality of images;

determine a rotational offset of the tool relative to the catheter based on the determined composite orientation; and

adjust one or more images captured by the image sensor based on the rotational offset to align an angular position of the tool with an angular position of the catheter.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

eliminate, from the plurality of images, one or more images based on a temporal value for the one or more images.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the orientation is a quadrant orientation.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

for each image in the plurality of images, determine a confidence score for determined orientation for the viewable feature.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 13 , wherein determining a composite orientation for the viewable feature is also based on a combination of the confidence scores and the orientations of the viewable feature for each image in the plurality of images.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the confidence score is determined from a quantity of graphical units associated with the viewable feature.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, via an image sensor of a tool sized to be received within a catheter, a plurality of images from within a lumen of the catheter, each image of the plurality of images comprising a plurality of pixels;

for each image in the plurality of images, identifying a subset of the plurality of pixels associated with a viewable feature;

for each image in the plurality of images, determining an orientation for the viewable feature based on the identified subset of the plurality of pixels;

determining a composite orientation for the viewable feature based on a combination of the orientations for the viewable feature for each image in the plurality of images;

determining a rotational offset of the tool relative to the catheter based on the determined composite orientation; and

adjusting one or more images captured by the image sensor based on the rotational offset to align an angular position of the tool with an angular position of the catheter.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

eliminating, from the plurality of images, one or more images based on a temporal value for the one or more images.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

for each image in the plurality of images, determining a confidence score for determined orientation for the viewable feature.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein determining a composite orientation for the viewable feature is also based on a combination of the confidence scores and the orientations of the viewable feature for each image in the plurality of images.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the confidence score is determined from a quantity of graphical units associated with the viewable feature.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the system to:

display the adjusted one or more images.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2021
From: HAZELTON, ANDREW J.; GADDA, TERESA G.; LIU, CHANGMENG
To: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC
Reel/Frame 054863/0814 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62696178 · Jul 10, 2018
Related Publication 20210267695A1 · Sep 2, 2021
Cited By (3)
US 12,329,397 US 12,377,206 US 12,558,175