Patent ID: 8454538

Claim:
A method of monitoring a degree of contact between a probe and a tissue surface within a patient's body, comprising: moving the probe within the patient's body; measuring a location of the probe a plurality of times as it moves; and generating a signal indicative of a change in a degree of contact between the probe and the tissue surface based upon a distance moved by the probe over time, wherein the step of generating a signal indicative of a change in a degree of contact between the probe and the tissue surface based upon a distance moved by the probe over time comprises: converting the plurality of measured locations of the probe into a first output signal; filtering the plurality of measured locations of the probe using a low pass filter to create a second output signal; comparing the first output signal with the second output signal; and generating a signal indicative of a change in a degree of contact between the probe and the tissue surface if the first output signal and the second output signal diverge by more than an expected amount.