# US 12,758,116 B2 · Systems and methods for registration of a medical device using a reduced search space > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,758,116 B2 - Document ID: US12758116B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/949,201 - Filed: 2024-11-15 - Published: 2025-02-27 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-14 - Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Vincent Duindam; Prashant Chopra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12758116B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/066: {Superposing sensor position on an image of the patient, e.g. obtained by ultrasound or x-ray imaging} - A61B 5/00: Measuring for diagnostic purposes (radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00); Identification of persons - A61B 5/061: {Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body (A61B1/00158 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/065: {Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe} - A61B 34/10: Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations - A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - A61B 2017/00809: {Lung operations} - A61B 2034/108: {Computer aided selection or customisation of medical implants or cutting guides} - A61B 2034/2051: {Electromagnetic tracking systems} - A61B 2034/2061: {using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings} - A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes} - A61B 2090/365: {augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A method comprises identifying connected anatomical structures in stored images of a patient anatomy and generating a plurality of cylindrical linkage elements representing the connected anatomical structures. The method also comprises receiving tracking data corresponding to a point on an instrument positioned within at least one of the connected anatomical structures; and matching the point on the instrument to one of the plurality of cylindrical linkage elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A medical system comprising: an elongate instrument; a tracking system disposed along at least a portion of the elongate instrument; and one or more processors coupled to the tracking system, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: receive shape information for a portion of the elongate instrument when the portion is disposed in a set of connected passageways of a patient anatomy; compare the received shape information to a plurality of linked elements of a model of the set of connected passageways including determining whether a portion of the shape information is disposed outside the plurality of linked elements; generate adjusted position information for the portion of the elongate instrument based on the comparison; create an adjusted instrument image with the adjusted position information; generate a composite image including the model of the set of connected passageways and the adjusted instrument image within the model; and display the composite image while the elongate instrument is navigated through the set of connected passageways of the patient anatomy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The medical system of claim 1, wherein generating the adjusted position information comprises snapping one or more points of the shape information to a nearest linked element of the plurality of linked elements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The medical system of claim 2, wherein snapping the one or more points of the shape information to the nearest linked element of the plurality of linked elements comprises snapping the one or more points to a wall of the nearest linked element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The medical system of claim 2, wherein snapping the one or more points of the shape information to the nearest linked element of the plurality of linked elements comprises determining a distance between the one or more points and a centerline of the nearest linked element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The medical system of claim 1, wherein the shape information is received from the tracking system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The medical system of claim 5, wherein the tracking system comprises a plurality of position sensors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The medical system of claim 5, wherein the tracking system comprises a shape sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The medical system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: change the adjusted instrument image to depict advancement or withdrawal of the elongate instrument through the model. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The medical system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: generate the model of the set of connected passageways from one or more stored images. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The medical system of claim 1, wherein generating the adjusted position information for the portion of the elongate instrument comprises identifying a nearest linked element of the plurality of linked elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The medical system of claim 1, wherein generating the adjusted position information for the portion of the elongate instrument comprises determining a set of distances between the portion of the elongate instrument and centerlines of the plurality of linked elements. ### Claim 12 A medical system comprising: an elongate instrument; a tracking system disposed along at least a portion of the elongate instrument; and one or more processors coupled to the tracking system, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: receive shape information for a portion of the elongate instrument when the portion is disposed in a set of connected passageways of a patient anatomy; compare the received shape information to a plurality of linked elements of a model of the set of connected passageways; generate adjusted position information for the portion of the elongate instrument based on the comparison, wherein generating the adjusted position information for the portion of the elongate instrument comprises determining a set of distances between the portion of the elongate instrument and centerlines of the plurality of linked elements, identifying a smallest distance of the set of distances, and identifying a nearest linked element of the plurality of the linked elements associated with the smallest distance; create an adjusted instrument image with the adjusted position information; generate a composite image including the model of the set of connected passageways and the adjusted instrument image within the model; and display the composite image while the elongate instrument is navigated through the set of connected passageways of the patient anatomy. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The medical system of claim 11, wherein generating the adjusted position information for the portion of the elongate instrument comprises generating a projection between the portion of the elongate instrument and a centerline of a nearest linked element of the plurality of linked elements. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The medical system of claim 13, wherein the adjusted position information includes an adjusted position for the portion of the elongate instrument that is along the projection. ### Claim 15 A method comprising: receiving shape information for a portion of an elongate instrument when the portion is disposed in a set of connected passageways of a patient anatomy; comparing the received shape information to a plurality of linked elements of a model of the set of connected passageways; generating adjusted position information for the portion of the elongate instrument based on the comparison including determining a set of distances between the portion of the elongate instrument and centerlines of the plurality of linked elements, identifying a smallest distance of the set of distances, and identifying a nearest linked element of the plurality of the linked elements associated with the smallest distance; creating an adjusted instrument image with the adjusted position information; generating a composite image including the model of the set of connected passageways and the adjusted instrument image within the model; and displaying the composite image while the elongate instrument is navigated through the set of connected passageways of the patient anatomy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein generating the adjusted position information comprises snapping one or more points of the shape information to a nearest linked element of the plurality of linked elements. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the shape information is received from a tracking system extending along at least the portion of the elongate instrument.