Patent Application
20190290367
This invention pertains in general to the field of navigation systems for tracking objects in an area of interest, such as instruments. More particularly, the invention can be implemented into a surgical navigation system for tracking position and orientation of surgical instruments, including implants, relative position and orientation of patient anatomy during surgery. The position and orientation data of the instrument may be presented in real-time in relation to a pre-operative plan including a virtual representation of the patient anatomy. The navigation system comprises a plurality of trackers. A tracker is attached to the instrument using an uncalibrated attachment component with an arbitrary shape unknown to the navigation system. Each of the tracker and the attachment component comprises a tracker interface. The position and orientation of the tracker interface of the tracker relative a position and orientation of a transmitter of the tracker is predetermined and known to the navigation system. The navigation system reports the position and orientation of the tracker interface of the tracker. According to a method, position and orientation of the instrument is tracked by tracking the position and orientation of the tracker interface of the attachment component.
Orthopedic replacement systems, such as hip, knee, foot and ankle, shoulder, elbow, and spine replacement systems are commonly available. These systems comprise implants including various components for total replacements of a piece of the patient's anatomy. Each system comprises a range of components, including various sizes. For example, a hip replacement system can comprise an acetabular component, which includes an acetabular shell, and acetabular insert, and a bearing, and the femoral component, which includes the femoral stem. The systems can be cemented or press-fit. Furthermore, a wide variety of system specific instruments are used with each replacement system. Again taking a hip replacement system as an example, such as system may include instruments including osteotomes, reamers, saws, handles, planars, reamers, stem inserters, stem impactors, head impactors, chisels, broach handles, and trial components. Many times, the instruments are combined in kits, which include the required instrumentation for a particular replacement system. The instruments are to a large extent for multiple use.
Different replacement systems may be available on different markets. On each market, a number of competitive replacement systems are often available. On top of this, different replacement systems are available for the various surgical fields exemplified above. In summary, that means that there are a large number of replacement systems, and an even larger number of implant components and instruments, available on the global market. Providing a generic navigation system that is applicable to all of these replacement systems is challenging.
Surgeons generally select to work with a few replacement systems for a particular surgical intervention, such that a replacement surgery suitable to the individual patient can be provided. This means that the surgeon can have the required instruments available, and have a limited number of implant components in stock to be able to select amongst a few suitable implant components during surgery. Since the surgeon only works with a limited number of replacement systems, the surgeon can master these replacement systems in order to perform a surgery at the best of his/her ability. Yet, there are a large number of surgical interventions where the implant components are positioned in non-optimal positions, with non-optimal surgical outcome for the patient. Hence, there is a need for improvement of the positioning of implant components for orthopedic replacement systems. However, the surgeon do not want to work with different surgical navigation systems that are each specific for a single replacement system. Instead, the flexibility to select the most appropriate navigation system is desired and at the same time use the replacement system with which the surgeon is familiar.
Various Computer Assisted Orthopedic Systems (CAOS) exist, which range from active robotic to passive or navigation systems. Active robotic systems are capable of performing surgery autonomously without interaction by the surgeon. Semi-automatic robotic systems also exist, which give the surgeon more freedom, but still within certain limitations. Many times, the surgeon wants to be in control of the surgery. In such situations, passive or semi-automatic navigation systems are preferred, which provide additional information during a procedure compared to conventional surgery but do not perform the surgical action. The surgeon controls the intervention but acts on additional patient information obtained from a pre-operative scan. During surgery with a robotic system, the surgical instrument is not in the hands of the surgeon but carried by a robot, which is only indirectly controlled by the surgeon.
Common to the robotic and surgical navigation systems is that they use some type of passive or active marker, which a receiver or locator can follow in real time. Many of these systems use a number of passive geometrical objects, such as spheres, arranged in a particular patter from which the instruments' position and orientation in space can be tracked. These geometrical objects have a predefined fixed relationship relative the position and orientation of the end effector of the surgical instrument. Therefore, also common to these robotic and surgical navigation systems is that system specific surgical instruments are required for each navigation system to accurately and reproducibly align implant components with the pre-operative plan. That means, in order for a surgeon who wants to use a navigated replacement system in order to improve the accuracy of replacement component positioning, but who currently uses a particular replacement system that is not designed for surgical navigation, the surgeon has to switch to a new unfamiliar replacement system, including new an unfamiliar instruments. Furthermore, if the surgeon currently is using multiple replacement systems that are not navigated, the surgeon may be limited to choose a single navigated surgical replacement system, since it is not economically viable to have multiple navigated replacement systems, it is simply too expensive. The navigated replacement system may provide a better surgical outcome, but still not be optimal. Even an experienced surgeon will be, at least initially, inexperienced with a new surgical navigation system. Therefore, there exists a need for a surgical navigation system that can be used with any orthopedic replacement system, also non-navigated replacement systems, already available on the marked and with which the surgeon is already familiar, such that the surgeon does not need any training on the replacement system, with which he/she is already experienced.
WO2011134083 discloses systems and methods for surgical guidance and image registration, in which three-dimensional image data associated with an object or patient, is registered to topological image data obtained using a surface topology imaging device. The surface topology imaging device may include fiducial markers, which may be tracked by an optical position measurement system that also tracks fiducial markers on a movable system specific instrument. The system specific instrument may be registered to the topological image data, such that the topological image data and the movable system specific instrument are registered to the three-dimensional image data. The system may also co-register images pertaining to a surgical plan with the three-dimensional image data. The fiducial markers may be tracked according to surface texture. The system utilizes fiducial markers attached to system specific surgical instruments that have a fixed relationship relative to an end-effector of the instrument. Hence, the system becomes complicated and expensive, since system specific surgical instruments with fiducial markers are required. The position of the end-effector of the surgical instrument is determined and recorded using a 3D model of the surgical instrument, which is imported from computer aided design (CAD) drawings, in which the instrument tip is known. Alternatively, the surgical instrument including the fiducial markers can be profiled with a structured light scanner to obtain its 3D geometry. The instrument tip and orientation axis are determined from an acquired point cloud. These are time-consuming processes for obtaining the positions of the instrument tip relative the fiducial markers, which is undesired during surgical action where time is a scarce resource, not only during the surgical action itself but also in preparation therefore.
US2009234217A1, US2011251607, and US2007238981A1 disclose various aspects of navigation systems. However, utilizing various types of fiducial markers, they all suffer from at least the same issues as the navigation system disclosed in WO2011134083, such as in relation to the calibration of the position of the end-effector or tool-tip relative fiducial markers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,992 discloses intraoperative calibration of an arbitrary surgical instrument relative a surgical navigation digitizing system. The system comprises a calibration guide that has markers in known positions relative a guide tube. Hence, the entire calibration guide is pre-calibrated relative a camera system and its position is known in the navigation system. Alternatively, a calibrated guide has a chuck that can be closed on a probe end of an instrument. The instrument is an existing calibrated instrument so that its probe end and tip position are already known in the coordinate system of the cameras. Inserting the pre-calibrated instrument will determine the position of the calibration guide. Then, the pre-calibrated instrument is removed from the chuck, and the position of other instruments having the same shape as the pre-calibrated instrument can be calibrated into the coordinate system of the cameras by inserting its probe into the chuck. An array of light markers can be directly clamped to the instrument before calibration. This system is very inflexible, since it may only be used together with instruments having identical shapes and positions of the probe end. Also, if the calibration instrument is moved, it has to be re-calibrated. Adding a new instrument, or using the system together with a different replacement system, requires multiple calibration guides and/or new calibration probes.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,166,114 discloses a surgical navigation system that does not require a calibration system to track the axis of an instrument. Instead, a tracker is attached to the instrument using a pre-calibrated adapter. The adapter has a known relation between the coordinate system of the tracker and the surgical tool or tool axis. This is done by having precise knowledge of location of the adapter relative the tool axis when the adapter is attached to the surgical tool. This requires pre-characterisation of each adapter of the system to each surgical tool with which it is used. Utilizing the tracker for different replacement systems, or even surgical tools with different geometrical shapes, requires a database where the location of the surgical tool axis relative the adapter and tracker coordinate system is stored. The adapter and tracker have to be characterised in the same coordinate system. Adopting the navigation system to new replacement systems or surgical instruments is complex, expensive and time-consuming and requires precise characterization of each adapter.
US2005/0288575 recognizes that adapters such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,166,114 are expensive and time-consuming to develop. The solution is to have an adapter that is coupled to a surgical tool in a non-fixed manner, and can be calibrated by moving the adapter along the tool axis. It is only possible to track the tool axis, but not the end-effector of the tool. Also, it is only possible to track position, not orientation. Similar to other adapter based systems, the navigation system knows the identity of the particular adapter and the surgical instrument. The system is queried with regard to the dimensions of the interface and channel configuration of the adapter, and the dimensions of the surgical tool and its effector axis. Hence, the adapter needs to be pre-calibrated, i.e. its shape between an interface for attaching the tracker to the adapter and an interface for coupling the adapter in a non-fixed manner to the surgical tool is known and stored in a database. Again, this system requires pre-characterisation of each adapter of the system to each surgical tool with which it is used, with the same challenges as with regard to the system of U.S. Pat. No. 7,166,114.
Hence, an improved surgical navigation method and system and associated attachments would be advantageous, and in particular allowing for improved guidance, precision, increased flexibility, cost-effectiveness, calibration and/or patient safety for use together with any orthopedic replacement system and surgical instruments of arbitrary shape available on the market would be advantageous.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention preferably seek to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more deficiencies, disadvantages or issues in the art, such as the above-identified, singly or in any combination by providing the method and system according to the appended patent claims.
Embodiments comprises an attachment component for attaching a tracker of a navigation system to an instrument that comprises a body, an instrument interface attached to the body and configured for detachable attachment of the attachment component to an instrument or implant, a tracker interface attached to the body and having a fixed pre-defined shape for engagement with a calibrated tracker interface of the tracker. The instrument interface has in an arbitrary un-calibrated position relative the tracker interface.
At least the body and the instrument interface may be formed as an integral unit. The instrument interface may comprise at least one recess for engagement with the surgical instrument. Alternatively or additionally, the instrument interface comprises at least one clamp for clamping the attachment component to surgical instrument.
At least one of position and orientation of the tracker interface may be adjustable relative the position and orientation of the instrument interface.
The fixed predefined shape of the tracker interface may comprise an anti-rotational feature, which is non-circular and non-spherical, for anti-rotational engagement to a surface of the tracker interface of the tracker having a complementary shape. The tracker interface may comprise a locking feature, for locking engagement of the tracker interface to a tracked surface of the tracker.
Embodiments disclosed herein comprise a set of attachment components. The set may comprise at least two attachment components according to the embodiments of the attachment components disclose herein. The instrument interface of at least two of the attachment components may have different geometrical shapes. The tracker interface of at least two of said attachment components have identical geometrical shapes. Each attachment component of the set may further comprise an electronically readable identifier configured to identify at least one of instrument brand and instrument type of the surgical instrument, for which the instrument interface of the attachment component is configured. The electronically readable identifier may comprise a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting an identification code unique for said at least one of instrument brand and instrument type of the surgical instrument, for which the instrument interface of the attachment component is configured.
Embodiments disclosed herein also comprise a combination of an attachment component according the disclosed embodiments and a calibration station having a tracker interface identical to the tracker interface of the attachment component. The calibration station may be associated with a known calibration location for an end effector of an instrument. The tracker interface of the calibration station has a fixed position relative the calibration location. A tracker is attachable to the tracker interface of the calibration station. The combination may also comprise an instrument, and at least two trackers of a navigation system. Each tracker may comprise a tracker interface with a trackable surface having a pre-defined shape and location. The instrument interface of the attachment component may be attachable to the instrument, a first tracker may be attachable to the tracker interface of the attachment component, and a second tracker may be attachable to the tracker interface of the calibration station.
Embodiments disclosed herein comprises a navigation system comprising at least one tracker attachable to an instrument to be tracked, a localizer for tracking at least one of position and orientation of the at least one tracker; and at least one tracker that comprises a position transmitter and a tracker interface for attaching the at least one tracker to the instrument. The navigation system is arranged to report position and orientation of the tracker interface of at least one of the trackers. The navigation system may be a surgical navigation system and the instrument may be a surgical instrument.
Embodiments disclosed herein comprise a method for tracking position and orientation of an instrument using a navigation system including a plurality of trackers and a localizer for identifying the position and orientation of the tracker. The method comprises receiving identity data from at least one tracker of the navigation system, said tracker identity data being unique for each tracker in the navigation system; receiving position and orientation data of a tracker interface being attached to a tracker interface of an attachment component; obtaining calibration data defining the position and orientation of a portion of the instrument relative a tracker interface of the attachment component; and translating the position and orientation data of the tracker interface into position and orientation data of the instrument using said identity data and said calibration data.
Embodiments disclosed herein comprise a computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to carry out the embodiment of the methods disclosed herein when executed.
The embodiments of attachment components, calibrations stations and methods, and methods for associating a pre-operative plan with tracking data discloses a system that is flexible and may be adapted to any orthopedic replacement system already existing on the market. The system is particularly useful for replacement systems where multiple differently shaped instruments are used during the course of the intervention. Furthermore, solutions described herein provides for configuring the system such that the system may be installed in different environments with maintained accuracy and without affecting the way the surgeon is used to work with the instruments he/she is familiar with. The shape of the instruments do need to be known to the system. Hence, the attachment components and trackers do not need to be characterized in the system, which becomes less complex than previous systems. The embodiments do not impair the capabilities of the existing instruments; rather the operator gets access to real time data as well as data from a pre-operative plan that enhances the use of the instruments for a better outcome of the procedure. Furthermore, the system can be adapted to any tool of any orthopedic replacement system, even without prior knowledge of its shape. This means that the same system may be used by different surgeons for different interventions, only by exchanging attachment components. Different surgeons for the same intervention can adapt positions and orientations of the components to his/her desire without impairing tracking of the instruments. Even the position tracker can be positioned in an optimal position, and the position and orientation of the tracker attached to the instrument be adapted to an optimal position and orientation relative the position tracker within the specific environment within which the system is deployed. This means that the system can be used with any replacement system in virtually any environment with maintained accuracy while the operator uses the tools and instruments he/she is familiar with.
Further embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.
It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of which embodiments of the invention are capable of will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.
The following description focuses on embodiments of the present invention applicable to a surgical navigation system. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this application but may be applied to many other procedures, such as other navigation systems where the position and/or orientation of an object is tracked. The examples given in the below embodiments relate to a hip replacement surgery and spine surgery. Other embodiments include knee surgery, spine surgery, elbow surgery, ankle surgery, and other replacement surgeries.
In the below embodiments, reference is made to tracking position and orientation of instruments. In this context, the term instruments, in addition to instruments for the surgical examples given herein, include implant components, such as for replacement of patient anatomy or adding into the patient anatomy, as well as for temporary attachment of components of the replacement system during the surgical intervention. Such temporary components may include threaded screws or unthreaded nails for temporary attaching trackers to the patient anatomy during surgery in the same way as the trackers are attached to the attachment components, as will be described herein. Furthermore, instruments include surgical guides that may attached to the anatomy or implants for guiding the instrument or checking accuracy of an installed implant, such as checking rotation, position, and/or orientation of an implant.
The surgical navigation system comprises a calibration unit 1. Furthermore, the navigation system comprises at least two trackers 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e. In the present example, five trackers 2a-2e are illustrated. However, a particular tracker may be moved between various instruments 3a, 3b depending on the particular work-flow of the surgery at which the system is used. The complete system may be used with only two trackers 2a-2e. A particular tracker 2c, 2d may also be attached to an implant, e.g. a temporary screw or nail, which in turn is attached to patient anatomy for tracking position and orientation of the patient anatomy during surgery. A tracker may also be attached to an implant to guide positioning of the implant and/or check positing and orientation of the implant after it has been seated. The calibration unit 1 may be adapted to calibrate at least one of position and orientation of any tracker 2a-2e associated with an instrument or implant within the surgical navigation system. Calibrating the tracker position and/or orientation allows for calibrating the position and orientation of the surgical instrument 3a, 3b, such as an end-effector and/or axis thereof. The surgical navigation system is provided within the surgical theatre or operating room.
According to embodiments, the tracker 2a-2e comprises a tracker interface, i.e. an attachment interface, for attaching the tracker to another object in a fixed position. The coordinate system of each tracker 2a-2e is defined relative the tracker interface. Other objects or structures of the tracker are calibrated or characterized against the tracker interface. This means that the tracker can track an object, such as an instrument, of arbitrary shape and be attached at an arbitrary position relative to the object. For example, the tracker interface may comprise a chuck. In the embodiments of a surgical navigation system, this means that the tracker can be attached to any surgical instrument at any position thereof, to which the chuck can be attached. This, in turn, means that the navigation system can be easily adapted to track components of any replacement system, such as surgical instruments and implants. Hence, the surgical navigation system is very flexible.
In order to make the system even easier to implement, and/or configure to a replacement system that has not been previously supported, embodiments of the present invention comprises an attachment component. The attachment component provides a precise tracker interface on an instrument that does not have such a tracker interface when it was made. Hence, replacement systems already available can be retrofitted with a navigation system. The attachment component can be produced by rapid productions techniques, such as 3D printing. It may be designed such that it fits to the instrument in a position where it may be fixed, and the attachment component and instrument form a rigid body, at least temporarily.
The attachment component 10a-10d is provided for attaching the tracker to the instrument such that the tracker 2a-2e, the attachment component 10a-10d, and the instrument 3a-3b forms a rigid body in use. The attachment component 10a-10d may be retrofitted into a fixed non-moveable position relative the instrument such that the position and orientation of the instrument may be tracked by tracking the position and orientation of the tracker 2a-2e. The position and orientation of the tracker relative the instrument is arbitrary and does not need to be known.
Each attachment component 10a-10d comprises a body 11a-11d, an instrument interface 12a-12d, and a tracker interface 13a-13d. The instrument interface 12a-12d is attached to the body 13a-13d. Also, it may be configured for detachable attachment of the attachment component to the surgical instrument 3a-3b, such as at a predefined position and orientation. Hence, the tracker is not moveable relative the instrument 3a-3b while it is tracking the instrument 3a-3b. However, it may be removed at other times, such as during sterilization of the instrument 3a-3b. The attachment component may be delivered as a pre-sterilized consumable or be a sterilizable multiple-use component.
Furthermore, the tracker interface 13a-13d may be attached to, such as formed integral with or be connectable to, the body 13a-12c. The tracker interface 13a-13d may have a fixed pre-defined shape for engagement with a tracker interface of the tracker, which may be calibrated. This means that the attachment component 10a-10d, and any object attached in an arbitrary position and orientation thereto are defined relative the tracker interface 13a-13d of the attachment component 10a-10d. Furthermore, the instrument interface 12a-12d has an arbitrary un-calibrated position relative the tracker interface 13a-13d. Hence, the navigation system does not know the position and orientation of the instrument interface 12a-12d relative the tracker interface 13a-13d. This is possible since the coordinate system of the tracker 2a-2e is provided at a location that may be shared by the tracker interface of the tracker 2a-2e and the tracker interface 13a-13d of the attachment component 10a-10d. The body 11a-11d, the instrument interface 12a-12d, and the tracker interface 13a-13d of the attachment component 10a-10d may form a rigid body in use. Hence, the tracker 2a-2e, the attachment component 10a-10d, and the instrument 3a-3b form a rigid body unit in use when the tracker 2a-2e is attached to the tracker interface 13a-13d of the attachment component 10a-10d and the instrument 3a-3b is attached to the instrument interface 12a-12d to provide a fixed relationship between the tracker interface of the tracker 2a-2e and the surgical instrument 3a-3b.
In some embodiments, the instrument interface 13a-13d is arranged at an arbitrary un-calibrated position and orientation relative the tracker interface 13a-13d. This arbitrary un-calibrated position and orientation may be adjustable, such as to different fixed relative positions and/or orientations. In order for the tracker interface 13a-13d to form a rigid body with the body 11a-11d and the instrument interface 12a-12d, the adjustable arbitrary un-calibrated position and orientation may be locked at different positions and orientations such that the tracker interface 13a-13d has a fixed position and orientation relative the body 11a-11d in use. This provides for arranging the tracker 2a-2e in an optimal position and orientation relative the position tracker 6 independent of the position and orientation of the position tracker 6. For example, the layout or the operating room and other surgical equipment may impose restrictions on the position and orientation of the position tracker 6. It may need to be positioned differently relative the patient in different operating rooms, or even in the same operating room depending on the circumstances, type of surgical procedure etc. That means that the line of sight between the position tracker 6 and the tracker 2a-2e when the surgeon uses the instrument may be sufficient at one position of the position tracker 6, but blocked from another positions of the position tracker 6 if the relative position of the tracker interface 13a-13d is fixed and not adjustable. On the other hand, when the tracker interface 13a-13d is adjustable relative the instrument interface 12a-12d, the position and orientation of the tracker 2a-2e, when attached to the instrument 3a-3b, relative the position tracker 6 can be adjusted to an optimal position for a clear line of sight while instrument can be used as desired. The same applies if different surgeons orient the same instrument differently during use. The tracker 2a-2e can be arranged at an optimal position for a clear line of sight for each surgeon. Hence, the system is more flexible. Once the position of the tracker interface 13a-13d relative the instrument interface 12a-12d has been adjusted and locked, calibration may commence as is described below.
At least the body 11a-11d and the instrument interface 12a-12d of the attachment component 10a-10d may be formed as an integral unit. Hence, precision and accuracy is provided for. Furthermore, the instrument interface 12a-12b may comprise at least one recess 20b-20d for engagement with the surgical instrument, such as is illustrated in
Alternatively or additionally, the instrument interface 12a-12d of the attachment component 10a-10d may comprise at least one clamp for clamping the attachment component 10a-10d to the instrument 3a-3b. In the embodiment of
As is illustrated in the embodiment of
The body 11d may comprise several recesses for receiving the stud. Hence, also the position of the tracker interface 13d relative the instrument interface 12d may be adjusted. The tracker interface 13 may be fixed in a desired location and orientation relative the body 11d, such as by applying an adhesive in the recess 21d. Additionally or alternatively, a press fit connection between the stud and recess 21d may provide sufficient fixation of the tracker interface 13d such that it does not move during operation of the instrument. In this embodiment as well as in the embodiment of
Furthermore, in some embodiments, the base of the tracker interface comprises a lockable swivel joint, by means of which the tracker interface 13a-13d may be rotated and/or tilted relative the instrument interface 12a-12d. Such a swivel joint may be provided by a ball received in a seat or socket, and the ball locked to the socket by a screw or nut pressing the ball towards the socket to a locked position. The swivel joint provides for an adjustable position and/or orientation of the tracker interface 13a-13d.
As is illustrated in
The attachment component may be made by a sterilizable material, such as medical grade plastics or metal. Components made of medical grade material are particularly suitable for rapid prototyping, such that attachment components easily can be manufactured and navigation of additional instruments made possible without any adaptation of other components of the navigation system or databases in the system.
The tracker interface 25 of the tracker may comprise a boss 30 with a generally flat or planar end surface 31, which may be part of or form a tip of the tracker, and a recess 32, which is indicated with phantom lines. The recess 32 may have a shape that is at least partially complementary to the shape of the envelope surface 29, such that the tracker interface 25 provides a location fit, i.e. the tracker interface 24 of the attachment component does not move relative the tracker interface 25 of the tracker when the tracker interfaces 24, 25 are completely seated. As is indicated in
The tracker interface 23 of the attachment component comprises a locking feature, for locking engagement of the tracker interface to a tracked surface of the tracker, which may be formed by the end surface 31. The tracker interface 25 of the tracker may comprise a chuck, as will be discussed below.
The tracker interface of the attachment component has been disclosed as having a protrusion and the tracker interface of the tracker as having a recess for receiving the protrusion. In other embodiments, the system is reversed such that the tracker interface of the attachment component comprises the boss and recess and the tracker interface of the tracker comprises the protrusion and base.
Returning to
Each attachment component may further comprises an electronically readable identifier configured to identify at least one of instrument brand and instrument type of the instrument, for which the instrument interface of the attachment component is configured. The electronically readable identifier may comprise a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting an identification code. Such an electronically readable identifier may include an RFID tag, a bar code, a QR code, or similar code that is electronically readable. If the system identifies that the attachment component is not configured for a particular replacement procedure, the system may present warnings. For example, a warning may indicate that a particular replacement component may not be accurately or reliably attached to the instrument to be used for the surgery. The instrument to be used may be defined in the system or in a preoperative plan.
As is illustrated in
The pre-operative plan is not described in further detail herein. For further details of the pre-operative plan, reference is made to PCT/SE2013/051210. The pre-operative plan may e.g. be imported into the CAD module 42. Alternatively or additionally, a module for preparing the pre-operative plan is provided as a module within the CAD module 42.
Initially, the pre-operative plan is not associated with the position and orientation of the surgical instrument 3a, 3b. Embodiments herein provide a system and a method, wherein the pre-operative plan is associated with the position and orientation of a tracked surgical instrument. According to these embodiments, a link is provided between the pre-operative plan and the navigation system while the instrument is used. Hence, the system can continuously update a virtual representation of the pre-operative plan while the surgeon moves the surgical instrument. Hence, the system makes the pre-operative plan useful also during use of the instruments that are planned for in the pre-operative plan.
The surgical instrument may comprise a probe to locate a particular landmark. The surgical instrument may also comprise a surgical template, such as a template to be attached to an implant or anatomical structure in order to indicate its position and/or orientation. Hence, the method may be non-invasive and exercised by a non-medically trained operator. In the following, reference is made to a surgeon, but this may equally be a non-medically trained operator. The embodiments provides a user friendly system, wherein user interaction with the system is minimized and still the surgeon can benefit from the data that was used during the pre-operative plan in real time during surgery. Since this may be combined with the surgical navigation system presented herein, the surgeon may operate with conventional tools that he/she is familiar with but guided by enhanced information that was also used during a pre-operative planning process.
The method and system for associating a pre-operative plan with tracked position and orientation of the instrument will now be described in relation to
A pre-operative plan including patient anatomy data is provided. In some embodiments, the pre-operative plan includes only patient anatomy data, such as scan data. An instrument is associated relative the patient anatomy data only such as relative bone tissue of the anatomy data. This is useful e.g. in order to locate various structures of the patient without having to manually manipulate the patient data on a display. It is difficult to manually orient the patient data in the system such that it is oriented relative to an instrument using an input device, such as a mouse. The instrument in such an embodiment may be a pointer or probe. In other embodiments, the preoperative plan comprises planned position and orientation of a surgical object relative the patient anatomy data. The surgical object may be an implant, surgical guides, surgical instruments, incision or cutting lines or planes etc. i.e. an object that is external to the patient anatomy data and/or external to scan data of the patient.
The pre-operative plan may be imported into the CAD module 42, such as indicated above. The position and orientation of a patient anatomy within the navigation system is obtained, such as by the navigation system, when a tracker is attached to the patient anatomy. Also, the patient anatomy is referenced to a virtual representation of the patient anatomy data in the preoperative plan using the navigation system, such as has been described above. The patient anatomy and the virtual representation of the patient anatomy may be dynamically referenced such that position and orientation of the patient anatomy is continuously tracked and displayed on the display 4.
The tracking data contains information of position and orientation of the instrument 3a, 3b within the navigation system, such as is described herein, i.e. relative the patient anatomy.
The method and system for associating the pre-operative plan with the tracking data comprises a split window 50. The split window comprises separate parts 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d. Multiple virtual representations of the surgical instrument 52 are generated relative multiple virtual representations of the pre-operative plan depending on the tracking data. Each virtual representation of the surgical instrument 52 is generated in relation to a virtual representation of the pre-operative plan in one part of the split window 50. The multiple virtual representations of the pre-operative plan are updated based on the position and orientation of the instrument, i.e. they are dependent on the tracking data. Different aspects of the pre-operative plan may be displayed in the separate parts 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d depending on the position and orientation of the instrument relative the patient anatomy. This provides the surgeon with different types of data and/or different views of the same data without having to manually interact with the system, which is controlled by the tracked position and orientation of the instrument. This makes the system more intuitive and flexible to requirements of different replacement systems and procedures. Different replacement systems or procedures may require access to different types of data. This is catered for with embodiments of the system for associating the pre-operative plan with the tracking data.
As is illustrated in
Returning to
In the embodiment of
The implant component 57 has a fixed planned position and orientation relative the patient anatomy data. Hence, the display planes 56a, 56b, 56c may also be fixed relative the patient anatomy data. The display planes 56a, 56b, 56c provide the viewing orientations of the virtual representation of the pre-operative plan in the various parts 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d of the split window 50.
In some embodiments, the display planes 56a, 56b, 56c are fixed relative a structure of the patient anatomy, such as a landmark of the patient anatomy, for example a ridge of the patient anatomy. A spinous process or a transverse process of a vertebrae may present such a landmark. Also, a portion of the pelvis, such as the acetabulum and/or the ridge thereof, may present such a landmark.
At least one of the virtual representations of the pre-operative plan is continuously updated depending on the tracking data. Also, the virtual representation of the surgical instrument 52 may be continuously updated in at least one part 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d of the split window 50 depending on the tracking data. As is illustrated in
Each display plane 56a, 56b, 56c may be orthogonal to the other display planes 56a, 56b, 56c. Furthermore, at least one of the display planes 56a, 56b, 56c may be parallel and/or coincide with a resliced plane for generating grey values from volumetric scan data, such as CT data. This is illustrated in
As indicated above, a plurality of orthogonally arranged display planes 56a, 56b, 56c may be fixed relative at least one dimension of the virtual representation of the surgical instrument 52 or a portion of the pre-operative plan. The origin of the display planes 56a, 56b, 56c may e.g. be fixed relative the tip, center, and/or longitudinal or insertion axis of an implant component of the pre-operative plan. The position and orientation of the virtual representations of the surgical instrument 52 relative the plurality of orthogonally arranged display planes 56a, 56b, 56c may be continuously updated. Hence, it is also continuously updated relative the virtual representations of the pre-operative plan in each part of said split window depending on said tracking data. For example, axial or transverse data of the pre-operative plan may be generated in the second part 51b of the split window 50 depending on the position and orientation of the virtual representation of the surgical instrument 52 relative the virtual representation of the pre-operative plan. For example, as the virtual representation of the instrument 52 moves along the coronal display plane 56c, the virtual representation of the pre-operative plan is continuously updated in the transverse display plane 56a, such as if the display plane tracks the virtual representation of the surgical instrument 52. For example, the axial or transverse display plane 56a may be provided at fixed position relative the longitudinal direction of the virtual representation of the surgical instrument 52. The fixed position may be at the center of the virtual representation of the surgical instrument 52, such as illustrated in
The position and orientation of the display planes 56a, 56b, 56c may be based on a planned position and/or a planned orientation of the implant component of the pre-operative plane relative the patient anatomy data of said pre-operative plan. For example, the axial or transverse plane 56a may be oriented in the insertion direction of the implant component. In other embodiments, the axial or transverse plane 56a is aligned with the axial or transverse plane of the patient anatomy, for example if the axial or transverse plane of the patient anatomy is defined during the pre-operative planning. An indication of the orientation of the patient anatomy may be included in the pre-operative plan.
As is illustrated in
Furthermore, grey value data from the patient anatomy data of the pre-operative plan may be generated in at least one of said separate parts 51a-51d of the split window 50 depending on the tracking data. As is illustrated in
In some embodiments, orientation settings for at least one part 51a-51d of the split window 52 are obtained from the pre-operative plan. This may be user defined during the pre-operative planning procedure. Hence, the surgical navigation system may be used by different surgeons having their respective planning modules but yet do not have to define settings in the CAD module before commencing surgery using the same surgical navigation system. The settings may be automatically applied upon importing the pre-operative plan. Hence, the system is more user-friendly and intuitive. Alternatively, the settings are set in a user profile and applied upon logging into the surgical navigation system. The orientation setting defines the orientation of at least one virtual representation of the pre-operative plan in at least one part 51a-51d of the split window 50.
As is illustrated in
As is illustrated in
In still other embodiments the orientation of at least one display plane is fixed relative the orientation of scan data of the pre-operative plan, such as the orientation of volumetric data, e.g. CT slices of DICOM files.
In some embodiments, enabling and/or disabling the display planes 56a-56d is initiated from an actuator, such as a push button, of the tracker 2a-2e. Hence, the surgeon can operate the system without interacting with a computer running the surgical navigation system. Furthermore, any of the parts 51a-51d of the split window 50 may be enabled or disabled depending on a particular step of the surgical procedure, such as insertion of the particular implant component, such as a cup or stem of a hip replacement procedure. The step of the procedure may be indicated in a graphical user interface or depending on an identified attachment component.
The method and system for associating the pre-operative plan may be used together with the navigation system presented herein. Hence identity data may be received from at least one tracker 2a-2e of the navigation system, wherein the tracker identity data is unique for each tracker 2a-2e in the navigation system. Position and orientation data of a tracker interface attached to the tracker interface of an attachment component is received. Calibration data defining the position and orientation of a portion of the surgical instrument relative a tracker interface of the attachment component is obtained. The position and orientation data of the tracker interface is translated into position and orientation data of the instrument using the identity data and said calibration data before generating the virtual representations of the surgical instrument relative the virtual representation of the patient anatomy. In other embodiments, the method and system for associating the pre-operative plan may be used with other navigation systems wherein the position and orientation of a surgical instrument is tracked. However, common to these systems is that the virtual representation of the surgical instrument 52 relative the pre-operative plan corresponds to the position and orientation of the surgical instrument relative patient during the operation one the patient anatomy is referenced. Hence, the virtual representations of the surgical instrument relative multiple virtual representations of the pre-operative plan are dependent on the tracking data, which provides the position and orientation of the surgical instrument.
The system for associating a pre-operative plan with position and orientation of a surgical instrument in a surgical navigation system comprises a surgical navigation module, such as the surgical navigation system 40. The system may be configured to generate a preoperative plan with a virtual representation of patient anatomy and a planned position and orientation of a surgical object. The navigation system 41 comprises at least one tracker attachable to an instrument to be tracked, and a localizer for tracking at least one of position and orientation of said at least one tracker, such as is disclosed in embodiments herein. The at least one tracker may comprise the position transmitter and the tracker interface for attaching the at least one tracker to the instrument. The navigation system 41 may be arranged to report tracking data comprising position and orientation of the tracker to the surgical navigation module. The surgical navigation module may be configured to generate tracked position and orientation of the surgical instrument as virtual representations of the surgical instrument relative virtual representations of pre-operative plan in separate parts of a split window depending on the tracking data. The surgical navigation module may comprise the display 4 and the computer 5 comprising a processor and memory for running software instructions for implementing the method for associating the pre-operative plan with position and orientation of the surgical instrument in the surgical navigation system 40.
The position and orientation data of the first tracker 102e may comprise position and orientation of a tracker interface of the first tracker 102e obtained while the tracker interface of the first tracker 102e is attached to the tracker interface of the calibration station 101. In other embodiments, the calibration station 101 has an integrated tracker. However, having a tracker interface makes the calibration station independent in the navigation system, which makes it more flexible and the navigation system exchangeable and possible to upgrade to new navigation technology without replacing the calibration station.
The position and orientation data of the second tracker 102b may be received while the second tracker 102b is attached to the tracker interface of the attachment component, which in turn is attached to the instrument. Utilizing an attachment component for attaching the tracker makes the system flexible, and the tracker may be retrofitted to any instrument. Hence, the surgeon may continue to use the instrument with which he is familiar while benefitting of enhanced information via the navigation system.
Tracker identity data for at least the second tracker 102b, which uniquely identifies the second 102b tracker in the navigation system 41 may be received while obtaining the position and orientation data of the tracker interface of the second tracker 102b, as will also be further discussed below. Also, the determined position and orientation of the instrument relative the second tracker may be stored in a database together with the tracker identity data of the second tracker 102b, and preferably with instrument data identifying a specific combination of an instrument and attachment component. Hence, it is not necessary to calibrate the specific combination of an instrument and attachment component every time the tracker is attached to the combination. Rather the combination may be identified in the surgical navigation system 40 and associated with a particular tracker. The identification may be made by an operator of the system. Re-calibration is only necessary if the attachment component has been detached from the instrument from a previous calibration.
A system may be used for calibrating the position and orientation of the instrument within the navigation system. As discussed above, a first tracker 101e is attachable to the calibration station 101 and the second tracker 101b attachable to the attachment component. The calibration station 101 has a calibration location for receiving a portion of the instrument. At least one attachment component is provided for attaching the second tracker 102b to the instrument. At least the second tracker 102b comprises the tracker interface for attaching the second tracker 102b to a tracker interface of the attachment component.
The first tracker 102e may comprise a tracker interface for attaching the first tracker 102e to a tracker interface of the calibration station 101. The tracker interface of the calibration station 101 has a fixed position and orientation relative the calibration location.
The tracker interface of the attachment component may be identical to the tracker interface of the calibration station. This makes the system accurate and reliable. If the tracker interfaces comprises an anti-rotational feature, the tracker cannot be accidentally rotated. However, in other embodiments the tracker interface of the calibration station 101 comprises an anti-rotational feature, and the second tracker 102b is rotationally attachable relative the tracker interface of the attachment component. Hence, it is easier to orient the tracker 102b relative the instrument such that it is in a suitable orientation relative the localizer during surgery.
The tracker interface 124 of the calibration station 101 has a fixed predetermined position and orientation relative the calibration location 108. The position and orientation of the calibration location relative the position and orientation of the tracker interface 124 of the calibration station 101 is known to the surgical navigation system 30, such as to the CAD module 42. The tracker interface 124 of the calibration station 101 may be defined as the origin for the calibration, relative which other components positions and orientations are reported.
Calibrating the position and orientation of the instrument 103b may be made using two trackers 102b, 102c. Each tracker 102b, 102c comprises a tracker interface, as has been discussed above. Hence, each tracker 102b, 102c comprises a trackable surface within the navigation system 41. The instrument interface of the attachment component 110 is attachable to the surgical instrument 103b. A first tracker 102e is attachable to the tracker interface 124 of the calibration station 101. A second tracker 102b is attachable to the tracker interface of the attachment component 110.
Returning to
Since the position and orientation of the calibration location 108 relative the first tracker 102e, i.e. relative the calibration origin, is known, the position and orientation of the second tracker 102b relative the end-effector of the surgical instrument 103b can be determined and stored, such as in a transformation table or database. This may also be stored together with tracker identity and instrument identity, for example if multiple tools are used at the same time, or if the tracker is connected to different instruments during various steps of the surgical procedure. Hence, the coordinate systems are coordinated, and the position and orientation of the end-effector of the surgical instrument 103b may be continuously determined by tracking and translating the position and orientation of the second tracker 102b, i.e. the position and orientation of the tracker interface thereof.
The calibration method may be used for any instrument and any replacement system. The system may be used with only two trackers in order to track position and orientation of any instrument. Hence, the system is extremely flexible and may easily be adapted to new replacement systems. Furthermore, an intermediate attachment interface that has a predefined shape means that the surgical navigation system 31 can be replaced by new navigation technology. The navigation system simply needs to report the position of the tracker interface relative an origin of the system, such as for calibration.
As discussed above, to calibrate the position and orientation of the surgical instrument 103b in the first coordinate system, the end-effector is positioned at the calibration location 108. The calibration location may be a recess or a protrusion in or at a surface of the calibration station 101, such that it has a substantially fixed position at one point and/or in one plane, e.g. the x1-z1 plane, illustrated in
In some embodiments, the position of the tracker interface of the second tracker 102b may be registered while moving the surgical instrument, and thus the attachment component and the second tracker 102b attached thereto. The attached components may be moved in at least a second plane, such as the x1-y1 plane and/or y1-z1 plane, and while the end-effector is positioned at the calibration location 108, i.e. has a relatively fixed position in one point or one plane, such as the x1-z1 plane. Multiple positions and orientations of the tracker interface of the second tracker 102b are registered while moving in the second plane. At the same time, the position and orientation of the first tracker 102e is registered. Based on these registered positions and orientations, the position and orientation of the center of rotation of the second tracker 102b, and thus the center of rotation of the end-effector, may be calculated. Also, the position and orientation of the axis of the surgical instrument 103b relative the tracker interface of the second tracker 102b may be calculated.
In
The navigation system may comprise at least one tracker attachable to an instrument to be tracked and a localizer for tracking at least one of position and orientation of said at least one tracker. The at least one tracker may comprise a position transmitter and a tracker interface for attaching the at least one tracker to the instrument, as has been discussed above. Position and orientation of position transmitter may be used by the navigation system to obtain position and orientation of the tracker interface of the tracker. The positional and orientation relationship between the position transmitter and the tracker interface is predetermined and known to the navigation system, which may be configured to report the position and orientation of the tracker within the navigation system.
Embodiments comprise a method for tracking position and orientation of the instrument using the navigation system 41. The method may be implemented in the surgical navigation system 41, such as a by a computer running the CAD module 42. As is discussed above, the navigation system may include a plurality of trackers 2a-2e and a localizer for identifying the position and orientation of the tracker. Each tracker may have a unique identity in the navigation system, such as an identification no. The tracker identity data is unique for each tracker in the navigation system. Identity data, such as the identification no. may be reported by the tracker 2a-2e, such as using a wireless transmitter, e.g. using wireless radio technology, such as WiFi or Bluetooth technology. The identity is reported to the navigation system. Furthermore, the position and orientation of the tracker interface of the tracker 2a-2e for with identity no. has been received may be determined by the navigation system. Sending the identity data from the tracker may be triggered, such as initiated by a user activating an actuator. The navigation system may determine the position and orientation of the tracker upon receiving the identity data. According to the method, identity data from at least one tracker of the navigation system is received. Also, position and orientation data of the tracker interface being attached to the tracker interface of the attachment component is obtained. The identity data and the related position an orientation data of the reporting tracker may be used to translate the position and orientation data of the tracker interface of the reporting tracker into position and orientation data of the instrument. The identity data may be used to query a database to obtaining calibration data defining the position and orientation of a portion of the instrument, such as discussed above. Then, the position and orientation of the instrument may be determined based on the calibration data. The calibration data may be obtained as discussed above. Similarly, the method may comprise attaching the tracker to the attachment component, and the attachment component to the instrument, as has been discussed above.
As is illustrated in
As is illustrated in
As is illustrated with a locked pad lock symbol in
Furthermore, the tracker interface 213 of the tracker 202 is a calibrated tracker interface, wherein its exact position and orientation in the navigation system is predefined and known and does not need to be calibrated. The position and orientation within the navigation system may be pre-calibrated during manufacturing, such as against a master calibration tool, e.g. including an interface corresponding to the tracker interface of the attachment component, which is mounted in a fixed relationship relative calibration markers. Reading the position and orientation of the position transmitter relative the coordinate system of the master tool calibration markers may pre-calibrate or characterize the tracker interface of the tracker to the master tool. This may be done prior to delivery of the navigation system.
The calibration station 101 described with regard to
As the previous embodiments discussed above, the embodiments of
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In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
Returning to
As is illustrated in
The calibration object 101c, 101d may have a body that comprises the tracker interface for attachment to the tracker and an instrument attachment interface for engagement to the tool-engaging end of the instrument 103b. The instrument attachment interface has a fixed predetermined location relative the end-effector end of the instrument 103b. Hence, by calibrating against the tool-engaging end, the location of the end-effector end of the instrument 103b may be determined and tracked using the tracker 102b attached to the attachment components 10a-10d and 110 as discussed above.
As is illustrated in
The calibration object 101a, 101b may comprise the body 111a, 111b, which may comprises at least one of the calibration location 108a, 108b and the tracker interface. The calibration location 108a, 108b may be integrally formed with the body. Additionally or alternatively, the tracker interface of the calibration body may be integrally formed with the calibration body 111a, 111b. Hence, the calibration location 108a, 108b and/or the tracker interface of the calibration object 101a, 101b, as well as the calibration body 111a, 111b, may be formed as a single unit, such as in a single material. Alternatively, the tracker interface is detachably attached to the calibration body at a predetermined location relative the calibration location 108a, 108b in the same way as the tracker interface 13d relative the body 11d of
As described above, the system for calibrating position and orientation of an instrument within a navigation system may comprise a calibration object, such as a stationary and/or mobile calibration body, wherein the tracker interface of the calibration object is a first tracker interface, the attachment component comprises a tracker interface, which is a second tracker interface. The navigation system comprises the first tracker 102e attachable to the first tracker interface and a second tracker 102b attachable to the second tracker interface. The first tracker interface and the second tracker interface may be identical.
As will be apparent, the features and attributes of the specific embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
Any process descriptions, elements, or blocks in the flow diagrams described herein and/or depicted in the attached figures should be understood as potentially representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process. Alternate implementations are included within the scope of the embodiments described herein in which elements or functions may be deleted, executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would be understood by those skilled in the art.
The processes and systems described herein may be performed on or encompass various types of hardware, such as computer systems. In some embodiments, computer, display, and/or input device, may each be separate computer systems, applications, or processes or may run as part of the same computer systems, applications, or processes—or one of more may be combined to run as part of one application or process—and/or each or one or more may be part of or run on a computer system. A computer system may include a bus or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor coupled with the bus for processing information. The computer systems may have a main memory, such as a random access memory or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus. The main memory may be used to store instructions and temporary variables. The computer systems may also include a read-only memory or other static storage device coupled to the bus for storing static information and instructions. The computer systems may also be coupled to a display, such as a CRT or LCD monitor. Input devices may also be coupled to the computer system. These input devices may include a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys.
Each computer system may be implemented using one or more physical computers or computer systems or portions thereof. The instructions executed by the computer system may also be read in from a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may be a CD, DVD, optical or magnetic disk, laserdisc, carrier wave, or any other medium that is readable by the computer system. In some embodiments, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions executed by the processor. Communication among modules, systems, devices, and elements may be over a direct or a switched connection, and wired or wireless networks or connections, via directly connected wires, or any other appropriate communication mechanism. The communication among modules, systems, devices, and elements may include handshaking, notifications, coordination, encapsulation, encryption, headers, such as routing or error detecting headers, or any other appropriate communication protocol or attribute. Communication may also be messages related to HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, TCP, IP, ebMS OASIS/ebXML, secure sockets, VPN, encrypted or unencrypted pipes, MIME, SMTP, MIME Multipart/Related Content-type, SQL, etc.
Any appropriate 3D graphics processing may be used for displaying or rendering including processing based on OpenGL, Direct3D, Java 3D, etc. Whole, partial, or modified 3D graphics packages may also be used, such packages including 3DS Max, SolidWorks, Maya, Form Z, Cybermotion 3D, or any others. In some embodiments, various parts of the needed rendering may occur on traditional or specialized graphics hardware. The rendering may also occur on the general CPU, on programmable hardware, on a separate processor, be distributed over multiple processors, over multiple dedicated graphics cards, or using any other appropriate combination of hardware or technique.
As will be apparent, the features and attributes of the specific embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
Any process descriptions, elements, or blocks in the flow diagrams described herein and/or depicted in the attached figures should be understood as potentially representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process. Alternate implementations are included within the scope of the embodiments described herein in which elements or functions may be deleted, executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would be understood by those skilled in the art.
All of the methods and processes described above may be embodied in, and fully automated via, software code modules executed by one or more general purpose computers or processors, such as those computer systems described above. The code modules may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. Some or all of the methods may alternatively be embodied in specialized computer hardware.
It should be emphasized that many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, the elements of which are to be understood as being among other acceptable examples. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.
The present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, other embodiments than the above described are equally possible within the scope of the invention. Different method steps than those described above may be provided within the scope of the invention. The different features and steps of the invention may be combined in other combinations than those described. The scope of the invention is only limited by the appended patent claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1650650-3 | May 2016 | SE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/SE2016/051118 | 11/14/2016 | WO | 00 |
