Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Steinle

Wolfgang Steinle 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: 11642428
    Abstract: A sterility-preserving robotic frontend-system, including a flexible trajectory-guide including at least one force- and/or torque-transmitting coupling-member, a baffle-member separating a sterile section from a non-sterile section, and a sterility-sleeve attached to the baffle-member; an actuator unit having a sensor unit that senses at least one of a) whether a trajectory-guide is placed with respect to the actuator unit in a manner that allows engaging-members to accurately engage an actuator interface, and b) whether the engaging-members have accurately engaged the actuator-interface; and a retainer-receptacle adapted to temporarily accommodate the trajectory guide, and to restrain flexibility of the trajectory-guide while it is accommodated. A packaging-container having an inner sterile volume containing the retainer-receptacle and the trajectory-guide and a method of setting up such a sterility-preserving robotic frontend-system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Nils Frielinghaus, Stefan Hofberger
  • Patent number: 11589946
    Abstract: A head-holder support for attaching a medical head-holder to a patient table is provided that has a rigid base body, an adjustable and lockable head-holder interface at the base body, which is adapted to adjustably couple the head-holder to the base body by providing at least three degrees of freedom for the spatial relative position between the head-holder and the base body, wherein the at least three degrees of freedom are lockable so as to establish a rigid coupling between the head-holder and the base body, and at least one robotic arm interface at the base body, which is adapted to provide a rigid coupling between a robotic arm and the base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Stefan Hofberger, Wolfgang Steinle, Nils Frielinghaus
  • Patent number: 11494984
    Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-implemented medical method for determining a virtual flight-path (1) with respect to a virtual representation (2) of at least one anatomical structure, the method comprising executing, on a processor of a computer, the steps of:—acquiring, on the processor, patient image data describing at least one patient image showing at least one anatomical structure of a patient; —acquiring, on the processor, atlas data describing at least one model of the at least one anatomical structure; —determining, by the processor and based on the patient image data and the atlas data, representation data describing a virtual representation of the at least one anatomical structure; —acquiring, on the processor, requirement data describing at least one requirement for at least one flight-path (1); and—determining, by the processor and based on the representation data and the requirement data, flight-path data describing at least one virtual flight-path (1) with respect to the virtual representati
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Nils Frielinghaus, Dominik Fischer, Christoffer Hamilton
  • Patent number: 11284964
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical navigation marker device (1; 2; 3) comprising a light reflector, characterised in that the reflector features a marker pattern (11, 12, 13; 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; 27, 28; 34, 37; 35, 37) having the following features:—the marker pattern (11, 12, 13; 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; 27, 28; 34, 37; 35, 37) points in more than one spatial direction; —the marker pattern (11, 12, 13; 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; 27, 28; 34, 37; 35, 37) comprises at least one moire pattern (11, 12, 13; 27; 37) which points in more than one spatial direction; and—the marker pattern (11, 12, 13; 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16; 27, 28; 34, 37; 35, 37) comprises a face identification pattern (14, 15, 16; 25, 26; 34; 35) which identifies the face of the marker being viewed from a particular spatial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Timo Neubauer, Ingmar Hook
  • Patent number: 11141859
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for determining a configuration of a medical robotic arm, wherein the configuration comprises a pose of the robotic arm and a position of a base of the robotic arm, comprising the steps of: —acquiring treatment information data representing information about the treatment to be performed by use of the robotic arm; —acquiring patient position data representing the position of a patient to be treated; and —calculating the configuration from the treatment information data and the patient position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Christoffer Hamilton, Nils Frielinghaus
  • Patent number: 11116580
    Abstract: The present invention relates to computer-implemented medical method of verifying an expected deformation of an elastically deformable and actuator-adjusted medical fine-adjustment unit (1), the method comprising executing, on a processor of a computer, the steps of; —acquiring model data describing a model of the fine-adjustment unit (1), the model reflecting deformation properties of the fine-adjustment unit (1); —acquiring actuator data describing an actuator position of at least one actuator coupled to the fine-adjustment unit (1); —determining, based on the model data and the actuator data, target deformation data describing a target deformation of the fine-adjustment unit (1) caused by the at least one actuator at said actuator position; —acquiring actual deformation data describing an actual deformation of the fine-adjustment unit (1) caused by the at least one actuator at said actuator position; —determining, based on the target deformation data and the actual deformation data, verification data descr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Christian Rabus, Nils Frielinghaus
  • Publication number: 20210220073
    Abstract: A head-holder support for attaching a medical head-holder to a patient table is provided that has a rigid base body, an adjustable and lockable head-holder interface at the base body, which is adapted to adjustably couple the head-holder to the base body by providing at least three degrees of freedom for the spatial relative position between the head-holder and the base body, wherein the at least three degrees of freedom are lockable so as to establish a rigid coupling between the head-holder and the base body, and at least one robotic arm interface at the base body, which is adapted to provide a rigid coupling between a robotic arm and the base body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Stefan HOFBERGER, Wolfgang STEINLE, Nils FRIELINGHAUS
  • Publication number: 20210178002
    Abstract: A sterility-preserving robotic frontend-system, including a flexible trajectory-guide including at least one force- and/or torque-transmitting coupling-member, a baffle-member separating a sterile section from a non-sterile section, and a sterility-sleeve attached to the baffle-member; an actuator unit having a sensor unit that senses at least one of a) whether a trajectory-guide is placed with respect to the actuator unit in a manner that allows engaging-members to accurately engage an actuator interface, and b) whether the engaging-members have accurately engaged the actuator-interface; and a retainer-receptacle adapted to temporarily accommodate the trajectory guide, and to restrain flexibility of the trajectory-guide while it is accommodated. A packaging-container having an inner sterile volume containing the retainer-receptacle and the trajectory-guide and a method of setting up such a sterility-preserving robotic frontend-system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Wolfgang STEINLE, Nils FRIELINGHAUS, Stefan Hofberger
  • Publication number: 20210169331
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a medical data processing method of determining a three-dimensional shape of a medical support device for supporting an anatomical body part of a patient, the method being constituted to be executed by a computer and comprising the following steps acquiring body part geometry data describing a geometry of the anatomical body part; acquiring medical procedure data describing an envisaged medical procedure to be carried out on the patient; acquiring atlas data describing a general three-dimensional shape of the anatomical body part; determining, based on the body part geometry data and the medical procedure data and the atlas data, support device geometry data describing the geometry of the support device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Christoffer Hamilton, Nils Frielinghaus
  • Patent number: 10973587
    Abstract: Provided is a reference array holder, including a first segment configured to be mounted to a reference structure, and a second segment supporting a reference array having at least one tracking marker, wherein the second segment is movably coupled to the first segment via at least one coupling, and wherein the at least one coupling includes a sensor that provides information as to the spatial position of the second segment relative to the first segment. Also provided is tracking and/or navigation system including such reference array holder and to a computer implemented method of controlling a reference array holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Christoffer Hamilton, Nils Frielinghaus
  • Patent number: 10925492
    Abstract: A system and method of producing a medical support device is disclosed. The disclosure determining a three-dimensional shape of the medical support device for supporting an anatomical body part of a patient, the method executed by a computer and including acquiring body part geometry data describing a geometry of the anatomical body part; acquiring medical procedure data describing a medical procedure to be carried out on the patient; acquiring atlas data describing a general three-dimensional shape of the anatomical body part; determining, based on the body part geometry data and the medical procedure data and the atlas data, support device geometry data describing the geometry of the support device. The method and system further includes generative forming of the device by issuing at least one control command to the generative forming device for forming the medical support device based on the support device geometry data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Christoffer Hamilton, Nils Frielinghaus
  • Patent number: 10905517
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a medical apparatus, wherein: patient image data is generated using an image-generating medical apparatus; a patient image is produced on the basis of this data and displayed on an image output unit; and a medical apparatus is in turn controlled by an interaction with the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Nils Frielinghaus, Christoffer Hamilton
  • Patent number: 10621736
    Abstract: A method of operating a medical registration system, the medical registration system comprising a robot which carries a surface point sampling device and comprising a computer connected to the robot, to obtain a registration of a 3D image of a patient with the patient (P) by: a) acquiring the 3D image of the patient; b) acquiring an initial registration of the 3D image with the patient as the registration; c) instructing the robot to sample the spatial locations of N different points on the surface of the patient using the surface point sampling device, wherein N is a positive integer; d) updating the registration based on the spatial locations of the N sampled points; and e) repeating steps c) and d) until a predetermined exit condition is fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Christoffer Hamilton, Nils Frielinghaus
  • Patent number: 10603120
    Abstract: Disclosed is a medical data processing method for determining control data for an automated movement of a robotic system (1) to move a tool operatively associated with the robotic system (1), wherein the method comprises executing, on at least one processor of at least one computer (4), steps of: a) acquiring (S1) image data describing an image of an anatomical structure of a patient; b) determining (S2) planned position data, based on the image data, describing at least one planned position of the tool relative to the anatomical structure of the patient; c) acquiring (S3) status change data describing the change of data a status of the robotic system (1) from a first status to a second status, wherein in the first status a manual movement of at least one part of the robotic system (1) is allowed and in the second status a manual movement of the at least one part of the robotic system is inhibited; d) acquiring (S4) actual position data describing the actual position of an element of the statue change data ro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: BRAINLAB AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Christian Rabus, Nils Frielinghaus
  • Publication number: 20190080513
    Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-implemented medical method for determining a virtual flight-path (1) with respect to a virtual representation (2) of at least one anatomical structure, the method comprising executing, on a processor of a computer, the steps of:—acquiring, on the processor, patient image data describing at least one patient image showing at least one anatomical structure of a patient;—acquiring, on the processor, atlas data describing at least one model of the at least one anatomical structure;—determining, by the processor and based on the patient image data and the atlas data, representation data describing a virtual representation of the at least one anatomical structure;—acquiring, on the processor, requirement data describing at least one requirement for at least one flight-path (1); and—determining, by the processor and based on the representation data and the requirement data, flight-path data describing at least one virtual flight-path (1) with respect to the virtual representation
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Wolfgang STEINLE, Nils FRIELINGHAUS, Dominik FISCHER, Christoffer HAMILTON
  • Publication number: 20190046278
    Abstract: Disclosed is a medical data processing method for determining control data for an automated movement of a robotic system (1) to move a tool operatively associated with the robotic system (1), wherein the method comprises executing, on at least one processor of at least one computer (4), steps of: a) acquiring (S1) image data describing an image of an anatomical structure of a patient; b) determining (S2) planned position data, based on the image data, describing at least one planned position of the tool relative to the anatomical structure of the patient; c) acquiring (S3) status change data describing the change of data a status of the robotic system (1) from a first status to a second status, wherein in the first status a manual movement of at least one part of the robotic system (1) is allowed and in the second status a manual movement of the at least one part of the robotic system is inhibited; d) acquiring (S4) actual position data describing the actual position of an element of the statue change data ro
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang STEINLE, Christian RABUS, Nils FRIELINGHAUS
  • Publication number: 20190005661
    Abstract: A method of operating a medical registration system, the medical registration system comprising a robot which carries a surface point sampling device and comprising a computer connected to the robot, to obtain a registration of a 3D image of a patient with the patient (P) by: a) acquiring the 3D image of the patient; b) acquiring an initial registration of the 3D image with the patient as the registration; c) instructing the robot to sample the spatial locations of N different points on the surface of the patient using the surface point sampling device, wherein N is a positive integer; d) updating the registration based on the spatial locations of the N sampled points; and e) repeating steps c) and d) until a predetermined exit condition is fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Wolfgang Steinle, Christoffer Hamilton, Nils Frielinghaus
  • Publication number: 20180235710
    Abstract: Provided is a reference array holder, including a first segment configured to be mounted to a reference structure, and a second segment supporting a reference array having at least one tracking marker, wherein the second segment is movably coupled to the first segment via at least one coupling, and wherein the at least one coupling includes a sensor that provides information as to the spatial position of the second segment relative to the first segment. Also provided is tracking and/or navigation system including such reference array holder and to a computer implemented method of controlling a reference array holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Wolfgang STEINLE, Christoffer HAMILTON, Nils FRIELINGHAUS
  • Publication number: 20180228549
    Abstract: The present invention relates to computer-implemented medical method of verifying an expected deformation of an elastically deformable and actuator-adjusted medical fine-adjustment unit (1), the method comprising executing, on a processor of a computer, the steps of; —acquiring model data describing a model of the fine-adjustment unit (1), the model reflecting deformation properties of the fine-adjustment unit (1); —acquiring actuator data describing an actuator position of at least one actuator coupled to the fine-adjustment unit (1); —determining, based on the model data and the actuator data, target deformation data describing a target deformation of the fine-adjustment unit (1) caused by the at least one actuator at said actuator position; —acquiring actual deformation data describing an actual deformation of the fine-adjustment unit (1) caused by the at least one actuator at said actuator position; —determining, based on the target deformation data and the actual deformation data, verification data descr
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: Brainlab AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang STEINLE, Christian RABUS, Nils FRIELINGHAUS
  • Publication number: 20180085175
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for determining a configuration of a medical robotic arm, wherein the configuration comprises a pose of the robotic arm and a position of a base of the robotic arm, comprising the steps of: acquiring treatment information data representing information about the treatment to be performed by use of the robotic arm; acquiring patient position data representing the position of a patient to be treated; and calculating the configuration from the treatment information data and the patient position data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Wolfgang STEINLE, Christoffer HAMILTON, Nils FRIELINGHAUS