# US 12,594,131 B2 · System and method for navigation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,594,131 B2 - Document ID: US12594131B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/524,898 - Filed: 2023-11-30 - Published: 2025-06-05 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2023-11-30 - Assignees: Medtronic Navigation, Inc. - Applicants: Medtronic Navigation, Inc. - Inventors: Bradley W. Jacobsen; Victor D. Snyder; Andrew J. Wald - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594131B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis - G06T 1/0007: {Image acquisition} - G06T 7/00: Image analysis - A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems} - A61B 2034/2063: {Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound} - A61B 2034/2072: {Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient} - G06T 2207/10132: Ultrasound image - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Disclosed is a system for assisting in guiding and performing a procedure on a subject. The subject may be any appropriate subject such as a living or non-living subject or inanimate object and/or an animate object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tracking system, comprising: a tracking assembly including: a composite member having at least a piezoelectric material, wherein the composite member is configured to transduce in an ultrasound tracking system and an electromagnetic tracking system, and a conductive coil electrically coupled to the piezoelectric material and configured to transmit a voltage to the piezoelectric material to cause the piezoelectric material to emit an ultrasound signal; wherein the tracking assembly is configured to be associated with a tracked object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive coil is formed of a coil of conductive material; wherein the coil of conductive material is separate from the composite member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive coil is formed of a coil of conductive material; wherein the coil of conductive material is integral with the composite member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the composite member and the conductive coil are both wrapped around an axis of the tracked object. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein a first of the composite member or the conductive coil is wrapped over a second of the composite member or the conductive coil. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the composite member is placed parallel to an axis of the tracked object. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the composite member includes a conductor to at least one of (1) impose a first voltage on the piezoelectric material or (2) have a voltage induced therein based on a movement of the piezoelectric material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the composite member is configured to transduce an ultrasound signal; wherein (1) the ultrasound signal is sensed by the composite member and the composite member imposes the second voltage on the conductor or (2) the first voltage causes a physical change in the piezoelectric material that generates the ultrasound signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an electromagnetic tracking system configured to track the tracking assembly; an ultrasound tracking system configured to track the tracking assembly; an ultrasound imaging device configured to emit an ultrasound imaging region; wherein a tracked pose of the tracked object relative to a tracked pose of the ultrasound imaging region is operable to be determined at least by one of the electromagnetic tracking system or the ultrasound tracking system based on tracking the tracking assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an ultrasound imaging device configured to emit an ultrasound imaging region and receive an ultrasound signal from the tracking assembly; an electromagnetic tracking system configured to track the ultrasound imaging device; wherein a tracked pose of the tracked object relative to a tracked pose of the ultrasound imaging region is operable to be determined at least by one of the electromagnetic tracking system or an ultrasound tracking system based on the received ultrasound signal from the tracking assembly. ### Claim 11 A method to track an object, comprising: providing a tracking assembly including: a composite member having at least a piezoelectric material, and a conductive coil electrically coupled to the piezoelectric material and configured to transmit a voltage to the piezoelectric material to cause the piezoelectric material to emit an ultrasound signal; configuring the tracking assembly to be associated with the object and disposed on an exterior surface of the object. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: forming the conductive coil of a coil of conductive material; and positioning the coil of conductive material separate from the composite member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: forming the conductive coil of a coil of conductive material; and forming the coil of conductive material integral with the composite member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: wrapping a first of the composite member or the conductive coil over a second of the composite member or the conductive coil. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: wrapping both the composite member and the conductive coil around an axis of the instrument. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: placing the composite member parallel to an axis of the instrument. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: configuring the composite member to transduce an ultrasound signal including (1) sensing the second voltage imposed on the conductor by the composite member based on the ultrasound signal or (2) controlling a physical change in the piezoelectric material with the first voltage to generate the ultrasound signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: providing the composite member with a conductor to at least one of (1) impose a first voltage on the piezoelectric material or (2) have a voltage induced therein based on a movement of the piezoelectric material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: tracking the tracking assembly with an electromagnetic tracking system; tracking the tracking assembly with an ultrasound tracking system; operating an ultrasound imaging device to emit an ultrasound imaging region; and determining a pose of the object relative to a tracked pose of the ultrasound imaging region at least by one of the electromagnetic tracking system or the ultrasound tracking system based on tracking the tracking assembly. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: operating an ultrasound imaging device to emit an ultrasound imaging region and receive an ultrasound signal from the tracking assembly; tracking the ultrasound imaging device with an electromagnetic tracking system; determining a pose of the object relative to a tracked pose of the ultrasound imaging region at least by one of the electromagnetic tracking system or an ultrasound tracking system based on the received ultrasound signal from the tracking assembly. ### Claim 21 A tracking assembly comprising a composite member and a conductive coil, wherein the composite member comprises: a piezoelectric material; a conductor electrically coupled to the piezoelectric material and configured to at least one of (1) impose a first voltage on the piezoelectric material or (2) have a voltage induced therein based on a movement of the piezoelectric material; a support material that encases the piezoelectric material and the conductor; and a housing that surrounds the piezoelectric material, the conductor and the support material; wherein the tracking assembly is configured to be associated with a tracked object and disposed on an exterior surface of the tracked object.