# US 11,298,150 B2 · Positioning unit with a plurality of indicators for guiding a needle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,150 B2 - Document ID: US11298150B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/871,023 - Filed: 2020-05-10 - Published: 2020-11-12 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-10 - Assignees: Siemens Healthcare GmbH - Applicants: Siemens Healthcare GmbH - Inventors: Alois Regensburger; Heiko Mehldau; Amilcar Alzaga - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298150B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/3403: {Needle locating or guiding means} - A61B 90/11: with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints - A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis - A61B 90/13: guided by light, e.g. laser pointers - A61B 2017/00716: {simulating physical properties} - A61B 2017/3405: {using mechanical guide means} - A61B 2034/107: {Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions} - A61B 2034/2048: {using an accelerometer or inertia sensor} - A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems} - A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems} - A61B 2034/2063: {Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound} - A61B 2090/0807: {Indication means} - A61B 2090/309: {using white LEDs} - A61B 2090/3966: {Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image} - A61B 2090/3983: {Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A positioning unit for guiding a medical object such as a needle includes a securing unit by which the positioning unit may be arranged on the medical object. In order to enable an improved guidance for the medical object, an indicating element with a plurality of indicators is provided. The indicating element is arranged in a fixed position relative to the securing unit. An acquisition unit acquires an item of movement information. The positioning unit is configured to control the plurality of indicators dependent upon the movement information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A positioning unit for guiding a medical object, the positioning unit comprising: a securing unit, by which the positioning unit is arrangeable on the medical object; an indicating element that is arranged in a fixed position relative to the securing unit, the indicating element comprising: two plates that are each arrangeable on the medical object by a respective part of the securing unit independently of one another, and a plurality of indicators, wherein at least three first indicators of the plurality of indicators are arranged on a first of the two plates, and at least three second indicators of the plurality of indicators are arranged on a second of the two plates, and wherein the securing unit is arrangeable on the medical object such that the medical object extends through the first plate between one of the at least three first indicators and another of the at least three first indicators and through the second plate between one of the at least three second indicators and another of the at least three second indicators; and an acquisition unit for acquiring an item of movement information, wherein the positioning unit is configured to control the plurality of indicators dependent upon item of the movement information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the medical object is a needle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the two plates are round plates. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein each indicator of the plurality of indicators is configured as a lighting device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The positioning unit of claim 4, wherein the lighting device is a light-emitting diode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of indicators are arranged such that the plurality of indicators lie on a same circle or a same envelope surface of a cylinder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The positioning unit of claim 6, wherein the securing unit is configured to arrange the positioning unit on the medical object such that a line of gravity, which extends along a main extent direction of the medical object, extends through a midpoint of the circle or the envelope surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The positioning unit of claim 6, wherein two adjacent items of the plurality of indicators that are arranged together on the circle or on the cylinder each have an even spacing from one another in a peripheral direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the indicating element further comprises a plurality of linear lights, wherein the plurality of indicators are part of the plurality of linear lights, and wherein the securing unit is configured to arrange the positioning unit on the medical object such that the plurality of linear lights extend parallel to a main extent of the medical object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the positioning unit is configured, through corresponding control of the plurality of indicators, to indicate a direction in which the positioning unit is to be turned, moved, or turned and moved according to the item of movement information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the positioning unit is configured to: in a first illumination step, indicate a direction in which the positioning unit is to be turned according to the item of movement information; and in a second illumination step, indicate the direction in which the positioning unit is to be moved according to the item of movement information, and wherein the first illumination step and the second illumination step take place one after the other. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the positioning unit is configured, through corresponding control of the plurality of indicators, to indicate simultaneously for at least two subregions along a main extent direction of the positioning unit a direction in which a relevant subregion of the at least two subregions is to be turned, moved, or turned and moved according to the item of movement information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the at least three first indicators comprise four first indicators arranged on the first plate, and the at least three second indicators comprise four second indicators arranged on the second plate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the item of movement information includes a translation of the positioning unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The positioning unit of claim 1, wherein the positioning unit is arrangeable on the medical object, via the securing unit, such that the first plate is at a distance away from the second plate along the medical object and the first plate and the second plate are physically connected to each other only indirectly via the medical object. ### Claim 16 A positioning system comprising: a positioning unit for guiding a medical object, the positioning unit comprising: a securing unit, by which the positioning unit is arrangeable on the medical object; an indicating element that is arranged in a fixed position relative to the securing unit, the indicating element comprising: two plates that are each arrangeable on the medical object by a respective part of the securing unit independently of one another, and a plurality of indicators, wherein at least three first indicators of the plurality of indicators are arranged on a first of the two plates, and at least three second indicators of the plurality of indicators are arranged on a second of the two plates, and wherein the securing unit is arrangeable on the medical object such that the medical object extends through the first plate between one of the at least three first indicators and another of the at least three first indicators and through the second plate between one of the at least three second indicators and another of the at least three second indicators; and an acquisition unit for acquiring an item of movement information, wherein the positioning unit is configured to control the plurality of indicators dependent upon the item of movement information; a sensor unit configured to acquire a position, orientation, or position and orientation of the positioning unit; and a processor configured to determine the movement information dependent upon the acquired position, orientation, or position and orientation of the positioning unit and a target position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The positioning system of claim 16, further comprising a registration unit configured to acquire a positioning of the positioning unit on the medical object. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The positioning system of claim 16, wherein the sensor unit comprises an acceleration sensor that is arranged on the positioning unit, and the sensor unit is configured to determine the position, orientation, or position and orientation of the positioning unit based on acceleration data of the acceleration sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The positioning system of claim 16, wherein the sensor unit comprises an ultrasound sensor, a radar sensor, an X-ray sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, or a camera. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The positioning system of claim 16, wherein the sensor unit is configured to acquire the position or the position and the orientation of the positioning unit.