Waldean A Schulz

6608688, Aug 19, 2003

May 16, 2001

09/647365

Ivan Faul - Boulder CO
Waldean A. Schulz - Boulder CO
Brett R. Skelton - Boulder CO
Ronald M. Pasquini - Boulder CO

Image Guided Technologies, Inc.

G01B 1114

356614

Disclosed is a wireless instrument tracking system. The wireless instrument tracking system is used for determining the location of at least one point relative to the instrument in a three-dimensional space relative to a three-dimensional coordinate tracking system. Advantageously, a first wireless instrument can be placed into the optical field with the wireless instrument including a wireless receiver and at least one optical position indicator. The optical position indicator is typically light emitting diodes ( ) and communicates with corresponding measurement sensors ( ) across a wireless optical link. The wireless optical link is time multiplexed with repetitive time frames divided into time slots. Each LED ( ) emits an infrared signal or flashes in a respective time slot of a time frame. The measurement sensors ( ) are preferably CCD cameras.

6611141, Aug 26, 2003

Sep 17, 2001

09/868948

Waldean A. Schulz - Boulder CO
Ivan Faul - Boulder CO

Howmedica Leibinger Inc - Kalamazoo MI

G01B 1114

324226, 32420712, 600427, 702 94, 356614

This invention is a system that tracks the 3-dimensional position and orientation of one or more bodies ( ) in a volume by a light based as well as at least one non-light based mensuration sub-system. This overcomes the limitation of light based mensuration systems to the necessity of the bodies ( ) to be in constant line-of-sight of its light based position sensors ( ). The invention possesses most of the accuracy and stability of its light based position measurement sub-system ( ), but can also work without direct line of sight either for short periods of time or within certain parts of the volume. It does so by incorporating other sensors ( ), such as inertial or magnetic, which are frequently recalibrated against the light based sub-system ( ) while the bodies ( ) are visible by the light based sub-system ( ).

RE39102, May 23, 2006

Aug 18, 2000

09/640794

Waldean A. Schulz - Boulder CO, US
Ivan Faul - Boulder CO, US
Ronald M. Pasquini - Niwot CO, US
Daniel J. Harrison - Nederland CO, US

Image Guided Technologies, Inc. - Boulder CO

G01B 11/26
A61B 19/00

35613903, 3561415, 356614, 600476, 606130

Improved point source electromagnetic radiation emitters including a dispersing element that radiates electromagnetic radiation over a vary wide conical angle of approaching about 180. This light dispersing element can be in any one or more of several illustrated forms such as a light diffusing spherical or hemispherical element, a planar diffusing plate, a tapered light guide, a piano-concave lens, a convex mirror, a light pipe with a large numerical aperture, or the like. The emitter of this invention may be fixed to an object and tracked in a 3-dimensional volume by a system using electro-optical position sensors in order to determine the spatial location of the emitters and therefore to determine, by geometry, the position or orientation of the object. The electromagnetic radiation generator is preferably disposed remote from the emitter and is electrically and magnetically isolated from the emitter. A common optical fiber provides transmission of the radiation from the generator to the emitter.

7049594, May 23, 2006

Mar 28, 2003

10/402586

Chunwu Wu - Portage MI, US
Waldean A. Schulz - Boulder CO, US

Howmedica Leibinger - Kalamazoo MI

G01J 5/08

2503381, 25036306, 25055929, 3631412

A sensor for determining a component of a location of a radiation source within a three dimensional volume includes a mask having a series of openings that has a predetermined mathematical relationship among the openings within the series of openings and defines a mask reference line; a detector surface spaced from the mask where radiation passing through the mask creates a mask image on the detector surface having a series of peaks and an image reference line within the mask image that can be located and where at least 50% of the mask image is projected onto the detection surface; and a calculating unit to determine a location of the image reference line within the mask image and the component of the location of the radiation source from the calculated location of the image reference line within the mask image. A method and system for using this sensor are also disclosed.

7256899, Aug 14, 2007

Oct 4, 2006

11/538753

Ivan Faul - Boulder CO, US
Waldean Allen Schulz - Boulder CO, US

G01B 11/14
G06K 9/00
G06T 17/00
H04N 5/225

356623, 356608, 356639, 382154, 382293, 345420, 348169

Methods for acquiring an approximation of the surface geometry of a 3-dimensional object include projecting pattern of structured light on the object, moving the pattern with respect to the object, acquiring images of the intersection of the light on the object over time, determining local coordinates of points on the intersection with respect to the pattern, tracking the position of the pattern, transforming the local coordinates to object coordinates, and accumulating the points as a model of the surface of the object. The methods include a step for wirelessly and possibly compactly transmitting geometrical data which characterizes an intersection for a given position of the scanner with respect to the object. Systems for embodying the method include a self-powered wireless, non-contact optical scanner, the location and orientation of which may be tracked with respect to an object coordinate system.

7336375, Feb 26, 2008

Jun 3, 2007

11/757374

Ivan Faul - Boulder CO, US
Waldean Allen Schulz - Boulder CO, US

G01B 11/14
G06K 9/00
G06T 17/00
H04N 5/225

356604, 356608, 356639, 382152, 345420, 345168, 600419

Systems for acquiring an approximation of the surface geometry of a 3-dimensional object include a self-powered wireless, non-contact optical scanner, the location and orientation of which may be tracked with respect to an object coordinate system, and a processor configured for projecting a pattern of structured light on the object, moving the pattern with respect to the object, acquiring images of the intersection of the light on the object over time, determining local coordinates of points on the intersection with respect to the pattern, tracking the position of the pattern, transforming the local coordinates to object coordinates, and accumulating the points as a model of the surface of the object. The systems may wirelessly and possibly compactly transmit geometrical data which characterizes an intersection for a given position of the scanner with respect to the object.

7623250, Nov 24, 2009

Feb 4, 2005

11/050920

José Luis Moctezuma de la Barrera - Freiburg, DE
Waldean A. Schulz - Boulder CO, US
Donald W. Malackowski - Schoolcraft MI, US

Stryker Leibinger GmbH & Co. KG. - Freiburg

G01B 11/14
A61B 5/00
G06K 9/00
G06F 19/00

356604, 600424, 382199, 702 85

The shape and orientation of rigid or nearly rigid moveable bodies are determined using a shape characterization. Sensors capture a plurality of representations of different perspectives of the body that are analyzed to determine a bounding volume of the body. The shape of the body is determined from the bounding volume. The position of the body is determined using tracking devices that sense the position of the body. The bounding volume and position information are combined to define the shape and orientation in space of the body, and in particular the position of a point of interest on the body.

7865236, Jan 4, 2011

Oct 19, 2005

11/252568

Phillip C. Cory - Bozeman MT, US
Joan M. Cory - Bozeman MT, US
Waldean A. Schulz - Boulder CO, US

Nervonix, Inc. - Bozeman MT

A61B 5/053

600547, 607 48

Systems and methods for discriminating and locating tissues within a body involve applying a waveform signal to tissue between two electrodes and measuring the electrical characteristics of the signal transmitted through the tissue. At least one of the electrodes is constrained in area so that localized electrical characteristics of the tissue are measured. Such localized electrical characteristics are determined over a portion of a body of the subject by using an array of electrodes or electrodes that can be moved over the body. A controller may implement the process and perform calculations on the measured data to identify tissue types and locations within the measured area, and to present results in graphical form. Results may be combined with other tissue imaging technologies and with image-guided systems.