Surgical positioning circuit
US11369281B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 18, 2017 |
| Grant date | Jun 28, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 4, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2562/04
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A surgical locator circuit identifies a surgical target such as a kidney stone by disposing an emitter such as a magnetic source behind or adjacent the surgical target, and employing the circuit to identify an axis to the emitter, thus defining an axis or path to the surgical target. An array of sensors arranged in an equidistant, coplanar arrangement each senses a signal indicative of a distance to the emitter. A magneto resistor sensor generates a variable resistance is responsive to the distance to a magnetic coil emitting a magnetic field. An equal signal from each of the coplanar sensors indicates positioning on an axis passing through a point central to the sensors and orthogonal to the plane. A fixed element and signal conditioner augments and normalizes the signal received from each of the sensors to accommodate subtle differences in magneto resistive response among the plurality of sensors.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.