US 11,744,649 B2
Method and apparatus for identification of multiple navigated instruments
Justin Kemp, Erie, CO (US); and Victor D. Snyder, Erie, CO (US)
Assigned to Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Lafayette, CO (US)
Filed by Medtronic Navigation, Inc., Louisville, CO (US)
Filed on Dec. 9, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/116,050.
Application 17/116,050 is a continuation of application No. 14/753,885, filed on Jun. 29, 2015, granted, now 10,898,271.
Prior Publication US 2021/0085405 A1, Mar. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 34/20 (2016.01); A61B 90/92 (2016.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); A61B 90/98 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 34/20 (2016.02) [A61B 34/25 (2016.02); A61B 90/37 (2016.02); A61B 90/92 (2016.02); A61B 90/98 (2016.02); A61B 90/39 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2051 (2016.02); A61B 2034/2055 (2016.02); A61B 2034/256 (2016.02); A61B 2090/376 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3983 (2016.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of distinguishing two tracked instruments, comprising:
determining a first tracking device characteristic of a first tracking device associated with a first instrument;
determining a second tracking device characteristic of a second tracking device different from the first tracking device associated with a second instrument;
looking up in a first database a first tracking device indicia of the first tracking device, wherein the first tracking device indicia is user distinguishable;
looking up in a second database a second tracking device indicia of the second tracking device, wherein the second tracking device indicia is user distinguishable from the first tracking device indicia;
customizing a user interface to illustrate a first icon including a first icon indicia based on the first tracking device indicia and a second icon including a second icon indicia based on the second tracking device indicia; and
displaying the customized user interface associated with the first tracking device and the second tracking device;
wherein customizing the user interface to illustrate the first icon including the first icon indicia based on the first tracking device indicia includes forming the first icon to include a first color that matches a first color of the first tracking device indicia in only a first image;
wherein customizing the user interface to illustrate the second icon including the second icon indicia based on the second tracking device indicia includes forming the second icon to include a second color that matches a second color of the second tracking device indicia in only a second image;
wherein the first and second images are simultaneously displayed.