# US 2023/0053668 A1 · Navigation Systems and Methods for Reducing Tracking Interruptions During a Surgical Procedure

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2023/0053668 A1
- Document ID: US20230053668A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/982,845
- Filed: 2022-11-08
- Published: 2023-02-23
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-25
- Assignees: MAKO Surgical Corp.
- Applicants: MAKO Surgical Corp.
- Inventors: Donald W. Malackowski; José Luis Moctezuma de la Barrera
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230053668A1

## CPC

- A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback}
- A61B 2034/2055: {Optical tracking systems}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed involving a navigation system including a localizer and a tracker detected within a field-of-view of the localizer. In one example, a virtual line-of-sight boundary is generated based on a line-of-sight relationship between the tracker and localizer. Additionally, or alternatively, a virtual field-of-view boundary is generated based on the field-of-view of the localizer. A virtual object is associated with a physical object and/or the tracker. Controller(s) detect whether a virtual collision occurs between the virtual object and the virtual line-of-sight boundary and/or virtual field-of-view boundary. The controller(s) enable a response based on detecting the virtual collision.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a surgical system comprising a navigation system including a localizer including a field-of-view and a tracker, and one or more controllers coupled to the navigation system, the method comprising the one or more controllers:
detecting the tracker within the field-of-view of the localizer by establishing a line-of-sight relationship between the tracker and the localizer;
generating a virtual line-of-sight boundary based on the line-of-sight relationship;
associating a virtual object with a physical object;
detecting a virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual line-of-sight boundary; and
enabling a response based on detecting the virtual collision.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising the one or more controllers detecting the virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual line-of-sight boundary by:
monitoring, over a plurality of time frames, movement of the virtual object relative to the virtual line-of-sight boundary; and
determining, at one or more of the time frames, that a geometric feature of the virtual object causes the virtual collision by meeting or exceeding a threshold distance to the virtual line-of-sight boundary.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the response comprises the one or more controllers indicating, on a display device, presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the response comprises the one or more controllers providing, on a display device, an instruction to eliminate presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the response comprises the one or more controllers generating one or more of: audible, visual, vibrational, or haptic feedback.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the response comprises the one or more controllers:
commanding a change in position of the physical object to eliminate presence of the virtual collision; or
constraining movement of the physical object to eliminate presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 7

A method of operating a surgical system comprising a navigation system including a localizer including a field-of-view and a tracker, and one or more controllers coupled to the navigation system, the method comprising the one or more controllers:
detecting the tracker within the field-of-view of the localizer;
generating a virtual field-of-view boundary based on the field-of-view of the localizer;
associating a virtual object with the tracker;
detecting a virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual field-of-view boundary; and
enabling a response based on detecting the virtual collision.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, comprising the one or more controllers detecting the virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual field-of-view boundary by:
monitoring, over a plurality of time frames, movement of the virtual object relative to the virtual field-of-view boundary; and
determining, at one or more of the time frames, that a geometric feature of the virtual object causes the virtual collision by meeting or exceeding a threshold distance to the virtual field-of-view boundary.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein enabling the response comprises the one or more controllers indicating, on a display device, presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein enabling the response comprises the one or more controllers providing, on a display device, an instruction to eliminate presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein enabling the response comprises the one or more controllers generating one or more of: audible, visual, vibrational, or haptic feedback.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the tracker is coupled to a physical object, and wherein enabling the response comprises the one or more controllers:
commanding a change in position of the physical object to eliminate presence of the virtual collision; or
constraining movement of the physical object to eliminate presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 13

A surgical system comprising:
a navigation system including a localizer including a field-of-view and a tracker; and
one or more controllers coupled to the navigation system, wherein the one or more controllers are configured to:
detect the tracker within the field-of-view of the localizer with a line-of-sight relationship between the tracker and the localizer;
generate a virtual line-of-sight boundary based on the line-of-sight relationship;
associate a virtual object with a physical object;
detect a virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual line-of-sight boundary; and
enable a response based on detection of the virtual collision.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The surgical system of claim 13, wherein the one or more controllers detect the virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual line-of-sight boundary by further being configured to:
monitor, over a plurality of time frames, movement of the virtual object relative to the virtual line-of-sight boundary; and
determine, at one or more of the time frames, that a geometric feature of the virtual object causes the virtual collision by meeting or exceeding a threshold distance to the virtual line-of-sight boundary.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The surgical system of claim 13, further comprising a display device coupled to the one or more controllers, wherein the one or more controllers enable the response by being configured to indicate, on the display device, presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The surgical system of claim 13, further comprising a display device coupled to the one or more controllers, wherein the one or more controllers enable the response by being configured to provide, on the display device, an instruction to eliminate presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The surgical system of claim 13, wherein the one or more controllers enable the response by being configured to generate one or more of: audible, visual, vibrational, or haptic feedback.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The surgical system of claim 13, wherein the one or more controllers enable the response by being configured to:
command a change in position of the physical object to eliminate presence of the virtual collision; or
constrain movement of the physical object to eliminate presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 19

A surgical system comprising:
a navigation system including a localizer including a field-of-view and a tracker; and
one or more controllers coupled to the navigation system, wherein the one or more controllers are configured to:
detect the tracker within the field-of-view of the localizer;
generate a virtual field-of-view boundary based on the field-of-view of the localizer;
associate a virtual object with the tracker;
detect a virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual field-of-view boundary; and
enable a response based on detection of the virtual collision.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The surgical system of claim 19, wherein the one or more controllers detect the virtual collision between the virtual object and the virtual field-of-view boundary by being configured to:
monitor, over a plurality of time frames, movement of the virtual object relative to the virtual field-of-view boundary; and
determine, at one or more of the time frames, that a geometric feature of the virtual object causes the virtual collision by meeting or exceeding a threshold distance to the virtual field-of-view boundary.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The surgical system of claim 19, further comprising a display device coupled to the one or more controllers, wherein the one or more controllers enable the response by being configured to indicate, on the display device, presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The surgical system of claim 19, further comprising a display device coupled to the one or more controllers, wherein the one or more controllers enable the response by being configured to provide, on the display device, an instruction to eliminate presence of the virtual collision.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The surgical system of claim 19, wherein the one or more controllers enable the response by being configured to generate one or more of: audible, visual, vibrational, or haptic feedback.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The surgical system of claim 19, wherein the tracker is coupled to a physical object, and wherein the one or more controllers enable the response by being configured to:
command a change in position of the physical object to eliminate presence of the virtual collision; or
constrain movement of the physical object to eliminate presence of the virtual collision.