Patent Document ID: 20020198448
Application ID: 09884097
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A dual pointing device to be used in cooperation with an imaging apparatus, a tracking system, and an object to be imaged, the pointing device comprising: a. a pointing member of a predetermined shape; b. at least one sample of material responsive to the imaging apparatus, located on or inside said pointing member in a predetermined position and arranged, according to its composition, shape, or geometry, to register as a distinct point in an image acquired by the imaging apparatus; c. at least one marker registerable on the tracking system, the marker located within said pointing member in a predetermined position and arranged, according to its geometry or other properties, so that the tracking system can determine information about the pointing member such as the location of the pointing member's tip and the pointing member's direction; d. a processing means adapted to communicate with the tracking system and the imaging apparatus, to determine the relation between the coordinate set of the imaging apparatus and the coordinate set of the tracking means, and to translate the coordinates of said pointing member's tip as determined by the tracking system, from the absolute coordinate set of the tracking means to the coordinate set of the imaging apparatus and to superimpose it on the image; whereby the location of said pointing member's tip in the image coordinates and its location in the tracking system coordinates are superimposed in an image acquired by the imaging apparatus.