Systems and methods for filtering localization data

Abstract

A method performed by a computing system comprises providing instructions to a teleoperational assembly to move an instrument within an anatomic passageway according to a commanded velocity profile. The method also comprises receiving a set of spatial information from the instrument positioned within the anatomic passageway and filtering the set of spatial information to select a quantity of spatial data records from the set of spatial information proportionate to the commanded velocity profile.

1 . A method performed by a computing system, the method comprising:
 providing instructions to a teleoperational assembly to move an instrument within an anatomic passageway according to a commanded velocity profile;   receiving a set of spatial information from the instrument positioned within the anatomic passageway; and   filtering the set of spatial information to select a quantity of spatial data records from the set of spatial information proportionate to the commanded velocity profile.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the spatial information includes position information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the spatial information includes orientation information. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the spatial information in received from an electromagnetic sensor on the instrument. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the commanded velocity profile includes a commanded first velocity and a commanded second velocity greater than the first velocity and wherein filtering the set of spatial information includes selecting fewer spatial data records during a first time period for the first velocity than during a second time period for the second velocity. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 receiving a set of model spatial information for a model of the anatomic passageway; 
 registering the selected quantity of spatial data records from the set of spatial information to the set of model spatial information. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the commanded velocity profile is received at an operator control device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a signal from a force sensor; 
 terminating the receipt of the set of spatial information from the instrument based upon the received signal from the force sensor. 
 
     
     
         9 . A method performed by a computing system, the method comprising:
 receiving a first set of spatial information from an instrument positioned within an anatomic passageway, the first set of spatial information including a plurality of spatial data records including position information for a distal end of the instrument at a plurality of time periods;   ordering the plurality of spatial data records in a time-gathered order;   evaluating a spatial relationship between first and second consecutive spatial data records of the plurality of spatial data records; and   filtering the first set of spatial information based upon the evaluated spatial relationship.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the spatial relationship is a distance and filtering includes
 determining if the distance between the first and second consecutive spatial data records is below a distance threshold value and 
 removing one of the first or second consecutive spatial data records from the plurality of spatial data records if the distance is below the distance threshold value. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the spatial relationship is a distance and filtering includes
 determining if the distance between the first and second consecutive spatial data records is greater than a distance threshold value and 
 removing one of the first or second consecutive spatial data records from the plurality of spatial data records if the distance is above the distance threshold value. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the spatial relationship is a distance and a distance threshold value for comparison with the distance is determined from a known maximum speed of the instrument. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the spatial relationship is a distance and a distance threshold value for comparison with the distance is determined from a known speed of the instrument both before and after the second consecutive spatial data record is obtained. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein filtering the first set of spatial information includes removing at least one spatial data record from the plurality of spatial data records. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein filtering the first set of spatial information includes weighting at least one spatial data record from the plurality of spatial data records differently from another of the spatial data records. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 receiving a second set of spatial information from a model of the anatomic passageway and 
 registering the filtered first set of spatial information to the second set of spatial information. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the second set of spatial information includes a plurality of voxels corresponding to the anatomic passageway. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the second set of spatial information includes a voxel map associated with the anatomic passageway, wherein evaluating the spatial relationship between first and second consecutive spatial data records of the plurality of spatial data records includes associating each of the first and second consecutive spatial data records with a voxel in the voxel map and filtering the first set of spatial information based upon the evaluated spatial relationship includes tracking a quantity of the spatial data records from the first set of spatial information that corresponds to each voxel in the voxel map. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein filtering includes averaging the quantity of spatial data records for each voxel in the voxel map. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising rendering an image of the instrument based on the filtered first set of spatial information on a common display with an image of the anatomic passageway. 
     
     
         21 - 29 . (canceled)