Patent · US Active

System and method for identifying a landmark

US9220514B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by

88References

36Claims

0Family size

Assignee

SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. · US

Inventors

James K. Rains · Cordova, US
Nicholas S. Ritchey · Collierville, US
Gene Edward Austin · Bartlett, US
Nathaniel Kelly Grusin · Germantown, US
Sied W. Janna · Memphis, US
Charles C. Heotis · Germantown, US

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 27, 2008
Grant date	Dec 29, 2015
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Sep 10, 2028

Classification

Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
CPC primaryA61B2090/397
WIPO fieldMedical technology
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A system (1010, 1110) for identifying a landmark is disclosed. The system includes a field generator (1016, 1116) for generating a magnetic field, an orthopaedic implant (1030, 1130) located within the magnetic field, the implant having at least one landmark (1028, 1128), a removable probe (1029, 1129) with a first magnetic sensor (1026, 1126), a landmark identifier (1016, 1116) with a second magnetic sensor (1020, 1120) and a processor (1012, 1112) for comparing sensor data from the first and second sensor and using the set distance to calculate the position of the landmark identifier relative to the at least one landmark. The system allows for blind targeting of one or more landmarks.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.