Patent Document ID: 9554729
Application ID: 14951279
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for visually guiding a flexible endoscope through linked passages within a patient's body, the method comprising: providing the flexible endoscope to guide through the linked passages within the patient's body; determining positions of branching points of a three-dimensional model of the linked passages; using the flexible endoscope to generate a current view from within the linked passages as the flexible endoscope is advanced therethrough; producing an output signal at a distal end of the flexible endoscope, the output signal indicating coordinates that define a three-dimensional disposition of the distal end of the flexible endoscope relative to the three-dimensional model as the flexible endoscope is advanced; displaying the current view from within the linked passages and a current position of the flexible endoscope relative to the three-dimensional model of the linked passages, wherein the current position is determined from the output signal; advancing the distal end of the flexible endoscope through the linked passages along a path determined at least in part by the current view and the current position; and updating the three-dimensional model based on the coordinates indicated by the output signal in response to the flexible endoscope being advanced beyond a limit of the three-dimensional model.