Patents by Inventor Timothy D. Soper

Timothy D. Soper has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11351000
    Abstract: A method of deploying an interventional instrument comprises identifying a target structure within a patient anatomy in an anatomic frame of reference. The method further comprises determining a target region representing a location of the target structure in the the anatomic frame of reference with respect to a current location of the interventional instrument and recording a first engagement location of the interventional instrument within the target. Determining the target region includes determining a probabilistic distribution of the location of the target structure relative to the current location of the interventional instrument and associating each of the plurality of target points with a probability of engaging the target structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Caitlin Q. Donhowe, Tao Zhao, Federico Barbagli, Vincent Duindam, Timothy D. Soper
  • Publication number: 20220160436
    Abstract: A method comprises tracking a set of optical fiducials positioned on a reference portion of a medical instrument. The medical instrument includes an elongated flexible body with a distal end and a rigid proximal body which includes the reference portion. The method further comprises receiving shape information from a shape sensor extending within the medical instrument between the reference portion and the distal end and determining a pose of a portion of the elongated flexible body with respect to the patient anatomy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: VINCENT DUINDAM, Federico Barbagli, Timothy D. Soper, Tao Zhao, Caitlin Q. Donhowe
  • Publication number: 20220142714
    Abstract: A system comprises a medical instrument, a tracking system configured to monitor a position of the medical instrument, and a processor communicatively coupled to the medical instrument and the tracking system. The processor is configured to generate a plurality of model points of an anatomic structure of a patient, receive a set of measured points of a first portion of the anatomic structure of the patient from the tracking system while the medical instrument is disposed within the anatomic structure of the patient, the set of measured points being associated with a first motion cycle of the medical instrument, map the set of measured points to a first model path of the plurality of model paths, and register the set of measured points with a first portion of the plurality of model points, the first portion associated with the first model path of the plurality of model paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventor: Timothy D. Soper
  • Patent number: 11278354
    Abstract: A method includes operating an optical tracking sensor to track configurations of first and second sets of optical fiducials, the first set on a patient and the second set on a reference portion of a medical instrument including an elongated flexible body and a rigid proximal body comprising a reference portion. A teleoperational manipulator is configured to move the rigid proximal body and second set along a fixed linear path. The method includes receiving shape information from a shape sensor and determining, using the second set, a position of a reference point of the shape sensor for a plurality of insertion measurements of a position measuring device. The method also includes determining a pose of a portion of the elongated flexible body with respect to a patient anatomy using the configuration of the first set of optical fiducials, the position of the reference point, and the shape information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Vincent Duindam, Federico Barbagli, Timothy D. Soper, Tao Zhao, Caitlin Q. Donhowe
  • Publication number: 20220071715
    Abstract: A method of registering sets of anatomical data for use during a surgical procedure is provided herein. The method may include segmenting a set of first modality image data representing a model of one or more passageways within a patient and generating a first set of points based on the segmented set of first modality image data representing the model of the one or more passageways. The method may further include determining a set of matches between a second set of points and the first set of points, wherein the second set of points is obtained by a second modality and discarding a subset of the set of matches based on a first heuristic to generate a modified set of matches. The second set of points may then be moved relative to the first set of points based on the modified set of matches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Caitlin Q. Donhowe, Vincent Duindam, Timothy D. Soper, Tao Zhao
  • Publication number: 20220054202
    Abstract: A system may comprise a medical instrument, a tracking subsystem configured to receive position data from the medical instrument, and a control system communicatively coupled to the medical instrument and the tracking subsystem. The control system may be configured to perform operations including accessing a model of an anatomic structure of a patient and receiving an indication that the medical instrument has been delivered to a known anatomical landmark. The operations may also include collecting a plurality of measurement points of the anatomic structure along a measurement path extending from a measurement initiation position proximate the known anatomical landmark within the anatomic structure of the patient as the medical instrument moves along the measurement path. The operations may also include determining a location of the medical instrument relative to the anatomic structure and registering the collected plurality of measurement points to the model of the anatomic structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Timothy D. Soper, Vincent Duindam
  • Patent number: 11202680
    Abstract: A method comprises segmenting first modality image data representing a model of one or more passageways within a patient; generating a first set of points based on the segmented image data; registering the first set of points to a second set of points obtained by a second modality by: determining a set of matches between the first and second sets of points, and discarding a first subset of the set of matches based on a heuristic to generate a modified set of matches by ignoring an associated set of matches between the first and second sets of points when computing a corrective motion for the second set of points—an ignored match is included in a second subset of the set of matches when computing a second corrective motion for the second set of points; and displaying a visual representation of the passageways based on the modified set of matches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Caitlin Q. Donhowe, Tao Zhao, Vincent Duindam, Timothy D. Soper
  • Publication number: 20210386487
    Abstract: A method performed by a computing system comprises receiving a collected set of spatial information for a distal portion of an instrument at a plurality of locations within a set of anatomic passageways and receiving a set of position into for a reference portion of the instrument when the distal portion of the instrument is at each of the plurality of locations. The method also comprises determining a reference set of spatial information for the distal portion of the instrument based on the collected set of spatial information and the set of position information for the reference portion of the instrument and registering the reference set of spatial information with a set of anatomical model information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Vincent Duindam, Federico Barbagli, Timothy D. Soper
  • Publication number: 20210307837
    Abstract: Methods and systems of registering a model of one or more anatomic passageways of a patient to a patient space are provided herein. An exemplary method may include accessing a set of model points of the model of the passageways, the model points being associated with a model space, collecting measured points along a length of a catheter inserted into the passageways of the patient, the measured points determined by a shape of the catheter, and assigning points of the first set to a plurality of subsets. The exemplary method may further include registering each of the subsets with the model points to produce a plurality of registration candidates, comparing the candidates to identify an optimal subset associated with an optimal registration of the plurality of candidates that translates the set of model points and at least one set of the sets of measured points into a common space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy D. Soper, Vincent Duindam
  • Patent number: 11116581
    Abstract: A method performed by a computing system comprises receiving a collected set of spatial information for a distal portion of an instrument at a plurality of locations within a set of anatomic passageways and receiving a set of position information for a reference portion of the instrument when the distal portion of the instrument is at each of the plurality of locations. The method also comprises determining a reference set of spatial information for the distal portion of the instrument based on the collected set of spatial information and the set of position information for the reference portion of the instrument and registering the reference set of spatial information with a set of anatomical model information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Vincent Duindam, Federico Barbagli, Timothy D. Soper
  • Publication number: 20210259783
    Abstract: A system includes one or more processors configured to read instructions to cause the system to perform operations including accessing a set of model points of a model of an anatomic structure of a patient. The model points is associated with a model space. The operations further include collecting a set of measured points of the anatomic structure of the patient, the measured points being associated with a patient space, determining a set of matches between the set of model points and the set of measured points, determining a first plurality of weights for the set of matches, and registering the set of model points to the set of measured points based on the first plurality of weights to generate a first registration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Teresa G. Gadda, Troy K Adebar, Vincent Duindam, Timothy D. Soper
  • Publication number: 20210233263
    Abstract: A system is configured to perform operations includes accessing a set of model points of a model of an anatomic structure of a patient, the model points being associated with a model space. A set of measured points of the anatomic structure of the patient are collected, the measured points being associated with a patient space. The set of model points are registered to the set of measured points using a first set of initial parameters to generate a first transformation. One or more sets of perturbed initial parameters are generated based on the first set of initial parameters. One or more perturbed registration processes are performed to register the set of model points to the set of measured points using the one or more sets of perturbed initial parameters respectively to generate corresponding perturbed transformations. A registration quality indicator is generated based on the first transformation and the one or more perturbed transformations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. SOPER, Vincent DUINDAM
  • Patent number: 11065059
    Abstract: Methods and systems of registering a model of one or more anatomic passageways of a patient to a patient space are provided herein. An exemplary method may include accessing a set of model points of the model of the passageways, the model points being associated with a model space, collecting measured points along a length of a catheter inserted into the passageways of the patient, the measured points determined by a shape of the catheter, and assigning points of the first set to a plurality of subsets. The exemplary method may further include registering each of the subsets with the model points to produce a plurality of registration candidates, comparing the candidates to identify an optimal subset associated with an optimal registration of the plurality of candidates that translates the set of model points and at least one set of the sets of measured points into a common space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Soper, Vincent Duindam
  • Publication number: 20210106289
    Abstract: A method of modeling a cyclic anatomical motion comprises receiving a pose dataset for an identified point on an interventional instrument retained within and in compliant movement with a cyclically moving patient anatomy for a plurality of time parameters. The method also includes determining a set of pose differentials for the identified point with respect to a reference point at each of the plurality of time parameters and identifying a periodic signal for the cyclic anatomical motion from the set of pose differentials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Prashant Chopra, Vincent Duindam, Caitlin Q. Donhowe, Tao Zhao, Timothy D. Soper, Federico Barbagli
  • Publication number: 20210100627
    Abstract: A medical system includes a catheter and a processor. The catheter includes a first channel and a distal end portion associated with a catheter frame of reference. The processor is configured to receive a first image captured by a first imaging device provided by the catheter within a patient anatomy, and receive a second image of the patient anatomy captured by a second imaging device from outside the patient anatomy. The second image includes the catheter and the first imaging device. The processor is further configured to determine a relative pose between the first imaging device and the distal end of the catheter based on the second image, determine a target location associated with a target structure in the first image, and transform the target location in an image frame of reference associated with the first image to the catheter frame of reference based on the relative pose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy D. Soper, Troy K. Adebar, Christopher R. Carlson, Vincent Duindam, Teresa G. Gadda, Oliver J. Wagner, Benjamin G. Cohn
  • Publication number: 20210073989
    Abstract: A method performed by a computing system comprises receiving a fluoroscopic image of a patient anatomy while a portion of a medical instrument is positioned within the patient anatomy. The fluoroscopic image has a fluoroscopic frame of reference. The portion has a sensed position in an anatomic model frame of reference. The method further comprises identifying the portion in the fluoroscopic image and identifying an extracted position of the portion in the fluoroscopic frame of reference using the identified portion in the fluoroscopic image. The method further comprises registering the fluoroscopic frame of reference to the anatomic model frame of reference based on the sensed position of the portion and the extracted position of the portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Tao Zhao, Federico Barbagli, Caitlin Q. Donhowe, Vincent Duindam, Michael D. Paris, Timothy D. Soper, Oliver J. Wagner
  • Patent number: 10896506
    Abstract: A method performed by a computing system comprises receiving a fluoroscopic image of a patient anatomy while a portion of a medical instrument is positioned within the patient anatomy. The fluoroscopic image has a fluoroscopic frame of reference. The portion has a sensed position and sensed orientation in an anatomic model frame of reference. The method further comprises identifying the portion in the fluoroscopic image and identifying an extracted position and an extracted orientation of the portion in the fluoroscopic frame of reference using the identified portion in the fluoroscopic image. The method further comprises registering the fluoroscopic frame of reference to the anatomic model frame of reference based on the sensed position of the portion, the extracted position of the portion, the sensed orientation of the portion, and the extracted orientation of the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc
    Inventors: Tao Zhao, Federico Barbagli, Caitlin Q. Donhowe, Vincent Duindam, Michael D. Paris, Timothy D. Soper, Oliver J. Wagner
  • Publication number: 20200364865
    Abstract: A system includes a catheter, a display system, and a control system in communication with the catheter and the display system. The control system includes one or more processors configured for receiving a set of model points of a model of one or more passageways of a patient and receiving a first set of measures points collected from within the patient passageways. Each point includes coordinates within a surgical environment occupied by the patient. The one or more processors are also configured for generating a first registration between the set of measured points and the set of model points, generating a second registration between a second set of measured points and the set of model points, and determining whether to implement the second registration in place of the first registration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Caitlin Q. Donhowe, Vincent Duindam, Timothy D. Soper, Tao Zhao
  • Patent number: 10772485
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an instrument including an elongated shaft and a shape sensor including an elongated optical fiber extending within the elongated shaft at a first radial distance from a neutral axis. The apparatus may also comprise a reference sensor disposed within the elongated shaft. The shape sensor may be fixed in a known first position relative to the reference sensor. The apparatus may also comprise a twist resistant feature disposed within the elongated shaft. The twist resistant feature may be coupled to the shape sensor to reduce twisting of the elongated optical fiber relative to the elongated shaft while permitting axial translation of the elongated optical fiber within the elongated shaft. The shape sensor may be coupled to the twist resistant feature at a known second position relative to the reference sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Randall L. Schlesinger, Stephen J. Blumenkranz, Christopher R. Carlson, Vincent Duindam, Anoop B. Kowshik, Timothy D. Soper
  • Publication number: 20200242767
    Abstract: A method performed by a computing system comprises receiving a fluoroscopic image of a patient anatomy while a portion of a medical instrument is positioned within the patient anatomy. The fluoroscopic image has a fluoroscopic frame of reference. The portion has a sensed position in an anatomic model frame of reference. The method further comprises identifying the portion in the fluoroscopic image and identifying an extracted position of the portion in the fluoroscopic frame of reference using the identified portion in the fluoroscopic image. The method further comprises registering the fluoroscopic frame of reference to the anatomic model frame of reference based on the sensed position of the portion and the extracted position of the portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Tao ZHAO, Federico BARBAGLI, Caitlin Q DONHOWE, Vincent DUINDAM, Micheal D. PARIS, Timothy D. SOPER, Oliver J. WAGNER