Wireless medical location tracking

A location pad apparatus, comprising:

• a driver comprising:
• a signal generator configured to generate at least three alternating current (AC) signals having at least three corresponding different signal frequencies;
• and
• wireless communication circuitry configured to wirelessly share data about a current amplitude and a phase of the at least three AC signals with a patient interface unit (PIU);
• and
• at least three magnetic field generator coils disposed at different orientations to generate at least three corresponding alternating magnetic fields in a region around the location pad responsively to the at least three AC signals being applied to the at least three magnetic field generator coils, respectively.

A location pad driver apparatus, comprising:

• a connector configured to be physically connected to a location pad;
• wireless communication circuitry configured to wirelessly receive data about a current amplitude and a phase of at least three first alternating current (AC) signals generated at a patient interface unit (PIU) or a dongle connected to the PIU;
• and
• a signal generator configured to:
• generate at least three second AC signals responsively to the wirelessly received data about the current amplitude and phase;
• and
• provide the at least three second AC signals to at least three magnetic field generator coils disposed in the location pad in order to generate at least three corresponding alternating magnetic fields in a region around the location pad.

A catheter position tracking system, comprising:

• a patient interface unit (PIU) comprising:
• an interface configured to be connected to at least one catheter and a dongle which is configured to wirelessly connect to a location pad;
• and
• signal processing circuitry configured to process signals received from the at least one catheter;
• the dongle, which is configured to augment the PIU, the dongle comprising:
• a connector configured to be physically connected to the PIU;
• at least three load circuits configured to receive at least three corresponding first alternating current (AC) signals from the PIU via the connector and mimic a load of at least three corresponding magnetic field generator coils of a location pad;
• sampling circuitry configured to sample a current amplitude and a phase of the at least three corresponding first AC signals in the at least three load circuits;
• and
• wireless communication circuitry configured to wirelessly send data about the current amplitude and the phase of the at least three corresponding first AC signals to the location pad;
• and
• the location pad comprising:
• a driver including wireless communication circuitry configured to wirelessly receive data about the current amplitude and the phase of the at least three corresponding first AC signals from the PIU;
• and
• a signal generator configured to generate at least three second alternating current (AC) signals having at least three corresponding different signal frequencies responsively to the data about the current amplitude and the phase of the at least three corresponding first AC signals;
• and
• at least three magnetic field generator coils disposed at different orientations to generate at least three corresponding alternating magnetic fields in a region around the location pad responsively to the at least three second AC signals being applied to the coils.