Patent US3841953A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5938602A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Catheter tracking system and method
Assignee: Siemens AG
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Filing: 1997-06-03
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Granted: 1999-08-17
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Expires: 2017-06-03
Abstract
Abstract A catheter tracking system for tracking and monitoring a position of a catheter head within the human or animal body includes a self-referencing catheter. The self-referencing catheter includes an inner core, an outer sheath having a plurality of sensors and a cage for fixing the outer sheath at a predetermined position. The sensors receive signals generated by the transducer so as to produce measurement signals in accordance with a time of propagation of the signals for determining the position of the head relative to the outer sheath.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Gregory Lloyd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 16:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S5/00; G01S5/18; G01S5/22; A; A61; A61B; A61B34/00; A61B34/20; A61B8/00; A61B8/08; A61B8/0833; A61B8/42; A61B8/4272; A61B8/4281; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00039; A61B2017/00044; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00247; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22072; A61B2017/22074; A61B2017/22077; A61B18/00; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00392; A61B34/10; A61B2034/101; A61B2034/102; A61B2034/2046; A61B2034/2055; A61B2034/2063; A61B2034/2072; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/061; A61B2090/062; A61B90/08; A61B2090/0807; A61B2090/0811; A61B2090/0818; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378; A61B2090/3782; A61B90/39; A61B2090/3925; A61B2090/3929
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A self-referencing catheter for a catheter tracking system, the catheter comprising: an outer sheath member; deployable fixing means mounted on the outer sheath member for fixing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within a body into which the catheter is inserted; an inner core member slidably mounted within the outer sheath member, the inner core member having a head portion formed thereon which carries transducer means for generating signals; and sensing means located on the deployable fixing means for receiving signals from the transducer means and for producing measurement signals indicative of the location of the head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means in accordance with time propagation of signals generated by the transducer means and received by the sensing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A self-referencing catheter for a catheter tracking system, the catheter comprising: an outer sheath member; deployable fixing means mounted on the outer sheath member for fixing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within a body into which the catheter is inserted; an inner core member slidably mounted within the outer sheath member, the inner core member having a head portion formed thereon which carries transducer means for generating signals; and sensing means located on the deployable fixing means for receiving signals from the transducer means and for producing measurement signals indicative of the location of the head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means in accordance with time propagation of signals generated by the transducer means and received by the sensing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head portion further comprises a measurement sensor for sensing electrical signals in a heart.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the head portion further comprises means for treating adjacent tissue in-situ.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deployable fixing means comprises an extendible cage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing means comprises a plurality of sensors arranged in an array.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transducer means comprises a plurality of transducers arranged in an array.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head portion of the catheter is provided with inner core member comprises an array of transducers for determining an inclination angle of the said head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising signal processing means for processing the signals received.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transducer means comprises at least one acoustic transducer which generates acoustic signals, and wherein the sensing means comprises at least one acoustic sensor for receiving the acoustic signals generated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 9, wherein the acoustic signals are ultrasonic signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
117 words
A self-referencing catheter comprising: an outer sheath member; deployable fixing means mounted on the outer sheath member for fixing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within a body into which the catheter is inserted; transducer means located on the outer sheath for generating signals; and an inner core member slidably mounted within the outer sheath member, the inner core member having a head portion formed thereon which carries sensing means for receiving signals from the transducer means and for producing measurement signals indicative of the location of the head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means in accordance with time propagation of signals generated by the transducer means and received by the sensing means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
117 words
A self-referencing catheter comprising: an outer sheath member; deployable fixing means mounted on the outer sheath member for fixing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within a body into which the catheter is inserted; transducer means located on the outer sheath for generating signals; and an inner core member slidably mounted within the outer sheath member, the inner core member having a head portion formed thereon which carries sensing means for receiving signals from the transducer means and for producing measurement signals indicative of the location of the head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means in accordance with time propagation of signals generated by the transducer means and received by the sensing means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the head portion of the inner core member comprises an array of sensors for determining an inclination angle of the head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the head portion further comprises a measurement sensor for sensing electrical signals in a heart.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the head portion further comprises means for treating adjacent tissue in-situ.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the deployable fixing means comprises an extendible cage.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sensing means comprises a plurality of sensors arranged in an array.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the transducer means comprises a plurality of transducers arranged in an array.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 11, further comprising signal processing means for processing the received signals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the transducer means comprises at least one acoustic transducer which generates acoustic signals and wherein the sensing means comprises at least one acoustic sensor for receiving the acoustic signals generated.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
A catheter as claimed in claim 19, wherein the acoustic signals are ultrasonic signals.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
237 words
A method for tracking a catheter comprising an outer sheath member, deployable fixing means mounted on the outer sheath member for fixing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within a body into which the catheter is inserted, an inner core member slidably mounted within the outer sheath member, the inner core member having a head portion formed thereon which carries transducer means for generating signals, and sensing means located on the deployable fixing means for receiving signals from the transducer means and for producing measurement signals indicative of the location of the head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means in accordance with time propagation of signals generated by the transducer means and received by the sensing means, the method comprising the steps of: placing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within the body; deploying the deployable fixing means to fix the catheter in the predetermined position; moving the head portion of the inner core member into a position within the body to be detected; generating signals from the transducer means carried by the head portion of the inner core member; transmitting the generated signals; receiving the generated signals at the sensing means on the deployable fixing means; determining a propagation time for the signals between the transducer means and the sensing means; and calculating the position of the head portion relative to the deployable fixing means using the propagation time determined.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
237 words
A method for tracking a catheter comprising an outer sheath member, deployable fixing means mounted on the outer sheath member for fixing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within a body into which the catheter is inserted, an inner core member slidably mounted within the outer sheath member, the inner core member having a head portion formed thereon which carries transducer means for generating signals, and sensing means located on the deployable fixing means for receiving signals from the transducer means and for producing measurement signals indicative of the location of the head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means in accordance with time propagation of signals generated by the transducer means and received by the sensing means, the method comprising the steps of: placing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within the body; deploying the deployable fixing means to fix the catheter in the predetermined position; moving the head portion of the inner core member into a position within the body to be detected; generating signals from the transducer means carried by the head portion of the inner core member; transmitting the generated signals; receiving the generated signals at the sensing means on the deployable fixing means; determining a propagation time for the signals between the transducer means and the sensing means; and calculating the position of the head portion relative to the deployable fixing means using the propagation time determined.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the transducer means comprises at least one acoustic transducer which generates acoustic signals and the sensing means comprises at least one acoustic sensor for receiving the acoustic signals generated.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said outer sheath member is positioned and fixed in a blood vessel.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
235 words
A method for tracking a catheter comprising an outer sheath member, deployable fixing means mounted on the outer sheath member for fixing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within a body into which the catheter is inserted, transducer means located on the outer sheath for generating signals, and an inner core member slidably mounted within the outer sheath member, the inner core member having a head portion formed thereon which carries sensing means for receiving signals from the transducer means and for producing measurement signals indicative of the location of the head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means in accordance with time propagation of signals generated by the transducer means and received by the sensing means, the method comprising the steps of: placing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within the body; deploying the deployable fixing means to fix the catheter in the predetermined position; moving the head portion of the inner core member into a position within the body to be detected; generating signals from the transducer means located on the outer sheath; transmitting the generated signals; receiving the generated signals at the sensing means on the head portion of the inner core member; determining a propagation time for the signals between the transducer means and the sensing means; and calculating the position of the head portion relative to the deployable fixing means using the propagation time determined.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
235 words
A method for tracking a catheter comprising an outer sheath member, deployable fixing means mounted on the outer sheath member for fixing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within a body into which the catheter is inserted, transducer means located on the outer sheath for generating signals, and an inner core member slidably mounted within the outer sheath member, the inner core member having a head portion formed thereon which carries sensing means for receiving signals from the transducer means and for producing measurement signals indicative of the location of the head portion with respect to the deployable fixing means in accordance with time propagation of signals generated by the transducer means and received by the sensing means, the method comprising the steps of: placing the outer sheath member at a predetermined position within the body; deploying the deployable fixing means to fix the catheter in the predetermined position; moving the head portion of the inner core member into a position within the body to be detected; generating signals from the transducer means located on the outer sheath; transmitting the generated signals; receiving the generated signals at the sensing means on the head portion of the inner core member; determining a propagation time for the signals between the transducer means and the sensing means; and calculating the position of the head portion relative to the deployable fixing means using the propagation time determined.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the transducer means comprises at least one acoustic transducer which generates acoustic signals and wherein the sensing means comprises at least one acoustic sensor for receiving the acoustic signals generated.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the outer sheath member is positioned and fixed in a blood vessel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-16 | 2003-02-15 | 2003-08-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-16 | 2007-02-15 | 2007-08-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-16 | 2011-02-15 | 2011-08-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |