Position detecting apparatus using the magnetic field direction of the earth's magnetic field
US8050738B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 27, 2007 |
| Grant date | Nov 1, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 22, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2034/256
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A position detecting apparatus includes a linear magnetic-field generator that generates a linear magnetic field in an area inside the subject; a diffuse magnetic-field generator that generates a diffuse magnetic field having position dependency on magnetic field direction in the area; a magnetic-field line orientation database in which a correspondence between magnetic field direction and position of the diffuse magnetic field in a reference coordinate axis is recorded; an orientation calculator that calculates orientation information of a body-insertable device introduced into a subject in the reference coordinate axis based on linear magnetic-field information and the earth magnetism direction; and a position calculator that calculates a magnetic field direction of the diffuse magnetic field at the position of the body-insertable device based on the linear magnetic-field information, orientation information, and diffuse magnetic-field information, and calculates the position of the body-insertable device based on the magnetic field direction and correspondence recorded.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.