Patent ID: 6243599
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: A61B,G01S

Abstract:
A method of determining an obscured contact point based on a visible portion of an acoustic sensor of a medical device contacting a patient from at least a first image containing an upper surface of the acoustic sensor from a first viewpoint and a second image containing the upper surface of the acoustic sensor from a second viewpoint different from the first viewpoint, the method comprising the steps of:locating the acoustic sensor in the first image and the second image;determining the location of a point on the upper surface of the acoustic sensor based on the location of the acoustic sensor in the first image and the corresponding location of the acoustic sensor in the second image;determining a plane of the upper surface of the acoustic sensor based on the acoustic sensor in the first image and the corresponding acoustic sensor in the second image; andprojecting a predetermined depth through the located point on the upper surface of the acoustic sensor in a direction having a predefined relationship with the plane of the visible portion of the acoustic sensor so as to determine the contact point of the obscured portion of the acoustic sensor.