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US 12,004,822 B2Granted
System and method for determining a configuration of an expandable portion
AssigneeMedtronic Navigation, Inc.
InventorsBrad Jacobsen, Bruce M. Burg, Andrew Bzostek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a system and method for determining a location and configuration of an expandable member. A flexible coil can be provided on a shape changing portion, such as the expandable member, to measure a signal as the shape changes.
Claims20
A system for determining a configuration of an expandable portion, comprising:
- an instrument extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first end and a second end and an expandable portion between the first end and the second end;
- a sensing member positioned with the expandable portion of the instrument and configured to change configuration with the expandable portion;
- wherein the expandable portion is configured to change from a first configuration to a second configuration;
- wherein the sensing member is configured to sense a field generated with a localizer and generate a signal based on the sensed field;
- wherein the sensing member is formed around the longitudinal axis and with the expandable member in a wave pattern, where a transverse distance that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of two adjacent transverse peaks varies from the first configuration to the second configuration.
2 more elements
A system for determining a configuration of an expandable portion, comprising:
- a field generating coil configured to generate an electromagnetic field;
- an instrument having a shape changing portion configured to change configuration during a procedure;
- a flexible coil formed from a flexible conductive wire wrapped around the shape changing portion, wherein the flexible coil is configured to sense the electromagnetic field generated with the field generating coil and generate a signal based on the sensed electromagnetic field;
- a memory system having stored therein a look-up table of at least one predetermined configuration, including shape or size, of the shape changing portion;
- and
- a navigation processor configured to execute instructions to access the look-up table to determine a current configuration of the shape changing portion based on the sensed field;
- wherein the sensed electromagnetic field of the flexible coil varies upon the shape changing portion changing from a first configuration to a second configuration.
4 more elements
A method of determining a configuration of an expandable portion, comprising:
- positioning an expandable coil formed from a flexible conductive wire with an expandable member in an area of an instrument;
- providing the expandable coil to generate a signal due to an electromagnetic field in which the expandable coil is configured to be placed;
- and
- determining at least one of a current size or a current configuration of the expandable member due to the generated signal;
- wherein a flux from the electromagnetic field through the expandable coil varies upon the expandable member changing from a first configuration to a second configuration.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.