Mechanical optical pointer
AssigneeOrthosoft Inc.
InventorsEmily Gogarty, Pierre Couture
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of a system and method for digitizing locations within a coordinate system are generally described herein. A device may include a sleeve including a sleeve tracking marker and a tracked probe portion including an array of tracking markers and a probe tip. Movement of the probe tip relative to the sleeve between at least a first position and a second position may be monitored by tracking the sleeve tracking marker relative to at least one tracking marker of the array of tracking markers.
Claims20
A pointer device for digitizing locations within a coordinate system, the pointer device comprising:
- a first portion including a distal end and a proximal end, the first portion including a first tracking marker;
- and
- a tracked probe including a proximal end configured to support an array of tracking markers, a distal end including a probe tip, and an intermediate section adapted to slidably engage the first portion, wherein the intermediate section extends along a longitudinal axis from the distal end to the proximal end;
- wherein movement of the probe tip relative to the first portion between at least a first position and a second position can be monitored by tracking the first tracking marker relative to an intermediate point between the array of tracking markers, wherein a distance between the first tracking marker and the intermediate point is shorter along the longitudinal axis when the probe tip is at the second position than when the probe tip is at the first position, wherein movement of the probe tip into the second position indicates a location to be digitized at the probe tip through transgressing a threshold distance between the first tracking marker and the intermediate point.
A method for tracking objects in a coordinate system, the method comprising:
- tracking, using an optical navigation system, a pointer device including a first tracking marker mounted on a first portion of the pointer device and an array of tracking markers mounted on a tracked probe frame portion of the pointer device, wherein the first tracking marker is configured to move relative to the tracked probe frame portion;
- detecting, using the optical navigation system, that a distance from the first tracking marker to at least one tracking marker of the array of tracking markers has changed;
- determining whether the distance from the first tracking marker to the at least one tracking marker has transgressed a threshold, wherein determining whether the distance has transgressed the threshold includes determining an intermediate point on the tracked probe frame portion, and determining a distance from the intermediate point to the first tracking marker;
- and
- registering, in response to determining that the threshold has been transgressed, one or more locations of a probe tip of the pointer device.
A system for tracking objects in a coordinate system, the system comprising:
- a pointer device including a first tracking marker, an array of tracking markers mounted on a tracked probe frame portion of the pointer device, and a probe tip, wherein the first tracking marker is configured to be movable relative to the tracked probe frame portion;
- and
- an optical navigation system including two or more cameras, an infrared light source, and a processor, the processor to:
- receive information from the two or more cameras;
- determine whether a distance from the first tracking marker to at least one tracking marker of the array of tracking markers has transgressed a threshold, wherein determining whether the distance has transgressed the threshold includes determining an intermediate point on the tracked probe frame portion, and determining a distance from the intermediate point to the first tracking marker;
- and
- register, in response to determining that the threshold has been transgressed, one or more locations of the probe tip of the pointer device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.