System and method for determining the three-dimensional location and orientation of identification markers
Inventors
Daon, Ehud • Beckett, Martin Gregory
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8908918-B2
Publication Date
2014-12-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
A three-dimensional position and orientation tracking system comprises one or more pattern tags, each comprising a plurality of contrasting portions, a tracker for obtaining image information about the pattern tags, a database with geometric information describing patterns on pattern tags; and a controller for receiving and processing the image information from the tracker, accessing the database to retrieve geometric information, and comparing the image information with the geometric information. The contrasting portions are arranged in a rotationally asymmetric pattern and at least one of the contrasting portions on a pattern tag has a perimeter that has a mathematically describable curved section. The perimeter of the contrasting portion may comprise a conic section, including for example an ellipse or a circle. The tracking system can be implemented in a surgical monitoring system in which the pattern tags are attached to tracking markers or are themselves tracking markers.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a three-dimensional position and orientation tracking system that uses at least one pattern tag comprising a plurality of contrasting portions arranged in a rotationally asymmetric pattern. At least one contrasting portion includes a perimeter comprising a mathematically describable curved section. Geometric information describing the pattern tag is stored in a database, and a tracker obtains image information about the pattern tag.
A controller communicates with the tracker and the database and processes the image information received from the tracker. The controller accesses the database to retrieve geometric information describing the pattern tag and compares the image information with the geometric information to identify and obtain the orientation of the pattern tag. Obtaining the orientation enables three-dimensional position and orientation tracking based on the rotationally asymmetric pattern and the mathematically describable curved perimeter.
The invention further includes embodiments using at least two pattern tags in which the contrasting portions together constitute a rotationally asymmetric pattern, while at least one of the pattern tags has contrasting portions arranged in a rotationally symmetric pattern. The perimeters of contrasting portions include mathematically describable curved sections, enabling the controller to identify and obtain the orientation of the first and second pattern tags.
Additional implementations include a surgical monitoring system comprising a fiducial reference configured for removably attaching to a location proximate the surgical site, and a tracking marker in fixed three-dimensional spatial relationship with the fiducial reference and observable by the tracker. The controller spatially relates image information to previously obtained scan data and determines the three-dimensional location and orientation of the fiducial reference on the basis of the mathematically describable curved section.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00010, and clm-00019. Across these claims, the core claim coverage centers on rotationally asymmetric imageable pattern tags with contrasting portions and mathematically describable curved perimeters, a tracker that obtains image information, a database storing geometric information, and a controller that compares image information to database geometry to identify orientation, with additional surgical monitoring system structure and spatial relation to scan data.
Rotationally asymmetric pattern tag with curved perimeter geometry
A three-dimensional position and orientation tracking system comprising at least one pattern tag comprising a plurality of contrasting portions arranged in a rotationally asymmetric pattern, wherein at least one of the plurality of contrasting portions has a perimeter comprising a mathematically describable curved section.
Image-to-database geometry comparison for orientation
A controller configured to receive and process image information from the tracker, access the database to retrieve geometric information, and compare the image information with the geometric information to identify and obtain the orientation of the pattern tag.
Multiple pattern tags forming rotational asymmetry
At least two pattern tags including a first pattern tag comprising a first plurality of contrasting portions and a second pattern tag comprising at least one contrasting portion, wherein at least one of the first and second pattern tags has one or more contrasting portions arranged in a rotationally symmetric pattern, and wherein the contrasting portions of the first and second pattern tags together constitute a rotationally asymmetric pattern.
Mathematically describable curved perimeter on each tag
At least one contrasting portion of each of the at least two pattern tags has a perimeter comprising a mathematically describable curved section.
Orientation identification for first and second pattern tags
A controller configured to compare the image information with the geometric information to identify and obtain the orientation of the first and second pattern tags.
Surgical monitoring with removably attached fiducial reference
A surgical monitoring system comprising a fiducial reference configured for removably attaching to a location proximate the surgical site, and a tracking marker in fixed three-dimensional spatial relationship with the fiducial reference and observable by the tracker.
Tracking marker pattern with curved perimeter geometry
The tracking marker bearing at least one pattern comprising a plurality of contrasting portions and at least one of the contrasting portions having a perimeter comprising a mathematically describable curved section.
Spatially relating live image information to scan data for 3D pose of fiducial
A controller configured to spatially relate image information to previously obtained scan data and determine the three-dimensional location and orientation of the fiducial reference by relating the image information to the scan data on the basis of the mathematically describable curved section.
Across clm-00001, clm-00010, and clm-00019, the claims collectively cover a tracking system in which rotationally asymmetric pattern tags with contrasting portions and mathematically describable curved perimeters are observed by a tracker, matched against database-stored geometric information by a controller, and used to identify tag orientation and, in the surgical monitoring system, to determine the three-dimensional location and orientation of a fiducial reference by spatially relating live image information to previously obtained scan data.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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