Dynamic reference frame for surgical navigation system

Abstract

A device and manufacturing method for a surgical navigation system, comprising a rigid frame member having a top portion, a plurality of mounts each having a top surface, wherein the plurality of mounts are disposed at prescribed locations of the top portion. The top surface of the plurality of mounts are configured to align on a common horizontal plane that extends in parallel with the top portion of the frame member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a rigid frame member having a top portion;   a plurality of mounts each having a top surface, wherein the plurality of mounts are disposed at prescribed locations of the top portion; and   wherein the top surface of the plurality of mounts are configured to align on a common horizontal plane that extends in parallel with the top portion of the frame member.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein indicia for respective functional icons are disposed on the top portion at respective prescribed locations registered to respective image space locations in an image space comprising radiological image data for a patient. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein a function is executed when the indicia representing the function is touched. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the mounts comprise mounting posts. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein one or more tracking marker elements are mounted to the mounting posts such that upon mounting, a centerline of the one or more tracking marker elements align on the common horizontal plane that extends in parallel with the top portion of the frame member. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the tracking marker elements are spherical. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the tracking marker elements are light-reflecting spherical markers. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the frame member comprises an asymmetrical configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the asymmetrical configuration comprises an astroid design rotated about a central normal axis of the frame member. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein a rotation angle is between 22 and 23 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein an external contour of the astroid design comprises concave (inwardly-curved) sides. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the astroid design has four concave (inwardly-curved) sides. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the concave (inwardly-curved) sides terminate at a cusp. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the cusp comprises rounded corners. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the mounts are disposed at each cusp. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is disposable. 
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a device comprising:
 connecting a plurality of mounts on a top surface of a frame member,   wherein each plurality of mounts has a top surface,   wherein the top surface of the plurality of mounts are configured to align on a common horizontal plane that extends in parallel with the top surface of the frame member; and   mounting one or more tracking marker elements on each mount and aligning a centerline of each tracking marker element with the top surface.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising disposing indicia for respective functional icons at respective prescribed physical locations on the top surface of the frame member, wherein each respective prescribed physical locations is registered to a respective image space location corresponding to a respective functional icon disposed on a display unit configured to display patient radiological image data. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising executing a function associated with a functional icon by touching the respective indicia for the functional icon. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein executing the function associated with the functional icon comprises invoking an appropriate software routine. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the frame member comprises an asymmetric configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the asymmetric configuration comprises an astroid design rotated about a central normal axis of the frame member. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein a rotation angle is between 22 and 23 degrees. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein an external contour of the astroid design comprises concave (inwardly-curved) sides. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the astroid design has four concave (inwardly-curved) sides. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the concave (inwardly-curved) sides terminate at a cusp. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the cusp comprises rounded corners. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the mounts are disposed at each cusp. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein mounting the one or more tracking marker elements on each mount and aligning a centerline of each tracking marker element with the top surface forms a pre-attached marker assembly on the device.