Patent ID: 7379077

Claim:
A method for augmented reality guided instrument positioning, comprising the steps of: defining a target point on or within a real object; defining a path to reach the target point with a real instrument; rendering a graphical representation to mark the path in the form of at least one graphical axis marker to be viewed in the direction of the path towards the target on a display overlaid onto a direct optical or video view of a real scene that comprises said real instrument, and said real object, so that a user can perceive said real instrument and said at least one graphical axis marker and their spatial relationship in an augmented reality view, said user performing the following steps: aligning said user's augmented reality line-of-sight with the at least one graphical axis marker so that said path to reach said target point with the real instrument is aligned along said augmented reality line-of-sight; aligning the real instrument to the path by aligning the real instrument with the augmented reality line-of-sight towards the target point; and moving the real instrument along the path towards the actual target point while keeping the real instrument aligned with the augmented reality line-of-sight.