1. A method of estimating the position of a device, the method comprising: obtaining a satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device, the satellite positioning based estimate being determined from satellite positioning signals received from one or more satellites of a satellite positioning system; obtaining orbital positioning data indicative of an orbital position of each of the said one or more satellites; and determining an indicator of the accuracy of the satellite positioning based estimate taking into account the said orbital positioning data.
2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising estimating the position of the device using a or the satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device to an extent determined taking into account the said indicator.
3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising determining whether the device is indoors taking into account the said orbital positioning data, andor determining whether the device is outdoors taking into account the said orbital positioning data, and determining the said indicator taking into account whether the device is determined to be indoors andor whether the device is determined to be outdoors.
4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising determining whether the device is at a position which meets one or more proximity criteria with respect to one or more satellite positioning signal blocking features taking into account the said orbital positioning data, and determining the said indicator taking into account the said determination of whether the device is at such a position.
5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: defining a plurality of regions, each region comprising a portion of a 360\xb0 azimuthal range surrounding the device andor a portion of a 90\xb0 elevation range defined relative to the device; using the orbital positioning data to determine the number of regions from which satellite positioning signals have been received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate(s) of the position of the device; and determining the indicator taking into account the determined number of regions.
6. A method according to claim 1 further comprising determining a signal to noise ratio andor a signal power of the said satellite positioning signals received from the said one or more satellites, deriving a second accuracy indicator from the signal to noise ratio andor signal power, and estimating the position of the device using the satellite positioning based estimate to an extent determined taking into account the second accuracy indicator.
7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising obtaining altitude data indicative of an altitude of the device, deriving a third accuracy indicator from the altitude data and estimating the position of the device using the satellite positioning based estimate to an extent determined taking into account the third indicator.
8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: obtaining a first estimated position of the device; determining whether the first estimated position of the device meets one or more proximity criteria with respect to one or more satellite positioning signal blocking features by comparing the first estimated position of the device to location specific geographical descriptive data indicative of the positions of the said one or more satellite positioning signal blocking features; deriving a fourth accuracy indicator responsive to the determination of whether the first estimated position of the device meets the said one or more proximity criteria; and estimating the position of the device using the satellite positioning based estimate to an extent determined taking into account the fourth indicator.
9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: obtaining further satellite positioning data relating to the orbital positions of one or more satellites of the satellite positioning system different from the said one or more satellites from which satellite positioning signals were received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device; and storing the further satellite positioning data with reference to an estimated position of the device andor time.
10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: storing an estimated position of the device at which the said satellite positioning signals were received andor data identifying the said one or more satellites from which satellite positioning signals were received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate andor data identifying one or more satellites of the satellite positioning system from which no satellite positioning signals were received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate andor time data relating to the time of day andor date at which the satellite positioning signals were received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate.
11. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: defining a plurality of regions, each region comprising a portion of a 360\xb0 azimuthal range surrounding the device andor a portion of a 90\xb0 elevation range defined relative to the device; determining one or more regions from which no satellite positioning signals were received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device; obtaining further satellite positioning data relating to the orbital positions of one or more satellites of the satellite positioning system different from the said one or more satellites from which satellite positioning signals were received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device; comparing the said one or more regions with the further satellite positioning data to determine whether one or more satellites of the satellite positioning system were located in the said one or more regions when the said satellite positioning signals were received; and, responsive to a determination that one or more satellites were located in one or more of the said regions, storing the further satellite positioning data andor an estimated position of the device at which the said satellite positioning signals were received andor data identifying the said region(s) in which the said satellites from which no satellite positioning signals were received were located andor data identifying the said one or more satellites from which satellite positioning signals were received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate andor data identifying one or more satellites of the satellite positioning system from which no satellite positioning signals were received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate andor time data relating to the time of day andor date at which the satellite positioning signals were received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate.
12. The method according to claim 9 further comprising: determining an estimated position of one or more satellite blocking features andor an estimated position of at least part of the perimeter of one or more satellite positioning signal blocking features; and storing the estimated position(s) of the satellite blocking feature(s) andor the estimated position of at least part of the perimeter of one or more satellite positioning signal blocking features.
13. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: obtaining a first satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device, the first satellite positioning based estimate being determined from first satellite positioning signals received from one or more satellites of a satellite positioning system; obtaining a second satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device, the second satellite positioning based estimate being determined from second satellite positioning signals received from one or more satellites of a satellite positioning system; comparing the first position to the second position to determine a fifth indicator of the accuracy of the satellite positioning system for estimating the position of the device; and estimating the position of the device using the satellite positioning based estimate to an extent determined taking into account the fifth indicator.
14. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: providing orbital positioning data indicative of the orbital positions of two or more satellites of the satellite positioning system including the said one or more satellites from which satellite positioning data was received to determine the satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device; comparing the number of the said one or more satellites to the number of satellites identified in the orbital positioning data to determine a sixth indicator of the accuracy of the satellite positioning based estimate; and estimating the position of the device using the satellite positioning based estimate to an extent determined taking into account the sixth indicator.
15. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: combining the accuracy indicator with a or the second accuracy indicator andor a or the third accuracy indicator andor a or the fourth accuracy indicator andor a or the fifth accuracy indicator andor a or the sixth accuracy indicator to provide a combined accuracy indicator; and estimating the position of the device using the satellite positioning based estimate to an extent determined taking into account the combined indicator.
16. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: applying a weighting to two or more of the accuracy indicator, a or the second accuracy indicator, a or the third accuracy indicator, a or the fourth accuracy indicator, a or the fifth accuracy indicator andor a or the sixth accuracy indicator.
17. (canceled)
18. Data processing apparatus for estimating the position of a device, the data processing apparatus comprising: two or more positioning modules including a satellite positioning module configured to receive satellite positioning signals from one or more satellites of a satellite positioning system, to determine a satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device from the received satellite positioning signals and to obtain orbital positioning data indicative of an orbital position of each of the said one or more satellites; and a controller in communication with the positioning modules, the controller being configured to determine an indicator of the accuracy of the satellite positioning based estimate taking into account the said orbital positioning data.
19. Data processing apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the controller is further configured to estimate the position of the device using a or the satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device to an extent determined taking into account the accuracy indicator.
20. A method of estimating the position of a device, the method comprising: obtaining a first satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device, the first satellite positioning based estimate being determined from first satellite positioning signals received from one or more satellites of a satellite positioning system; obtaining a second satellite positioning based estimate of the position of the device, the second satellite positioning based estimate being determined from second satellite positioning signals received from one or more satellites of a satellite positioning system; and determining an indicator of the accuracy of the satellite positioning system by comparing the first and second satellite positioning based estimates.
21. The method according to claim 20 further comprising: estimating the position of the device using a, or at least one of the, satellite positioning based estimate(s) of the position of the device to an extent determined taking into account the accuracy indicator.
22.-39. (canceled)
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-13. (canceled)
14. A tissue implant device for implantation into ischemic tissue comprising:
an implant having a first configuration with a first profile and a second configuration having a second profile that is greater than the first profile whereby surrounding tissue into which the implant is placed in stress and is irritated sufficiently to cause an injury response including thrombosis formation that initiates angiogenesis;
the implant comprising a plurality of expandable members each having a free end and an end joined to the implant, each member configured to diverge away from a substantially common central longitudinal axis of the implant during self-expansion from the first configuration to the second configuration.
15. An implant as defined in claim 14 further comprising a flare that is resiliently expandable from the first configuration to the second configuration.
16. An implant device as defined in claim 14 wherein the implant defines a hollow interior.
17. An implant device as defined in claim 14 wherein the implant is flexible after assuming the second configuration.
18. An implant device as defined in claim 14 wherein the implant defines a trunk portion aligned along the longitudinal axis of the implant and defining expandable members that are legs extending from the trunk portion and that diverge away from the longitudinal axis upon expansion.
19. An implant device as defined in claim 14 wherein a first portion of the body aligned along the longitudinal axis of the implant remains static during and after delivery and a second portion of the body is defined by expandable members that move to a different position relative to the first portion after implantation to comprise a second configuration of the device.
20. An implant device as defined in claim 19 wherein the implant comprises an elastic material and the motivational energy to cause the implant to move from the first to the second configuration is the inherent resiliency of the material.
21. A tissue implant device for implantation into ischemic tissue comprising:
an implant having a first configuration with a first profile and a second configuration having a second profile that is greater than the first profile;
the implant comprising a plurality of expandable members each having a free end and an end joined to the implant, each member configured to diverge away from a substantially common central longitudinal axis of the implant during self-expansion from the first configuration to the second configuration.
22. An implant device as defined in claim 21 further comprising a flare, a leg, a flange, a hook, a barb, or a collar that is resiliently expandable from the first configuration to the second configuration.
23. An implant device as defined in claim 21 wherein the implant defines a hollow interior.
24. An implant device as defined in claim 21 wherein the implant is flexible after assuming the second configuration.
25. An implant device as defined in claim 21 wherein the implant defines a trunk portion aligned along the longitudinal axis of the implant and defining expandable members that are legs extending from the trunk portion and that diverge away from the longitudinal axis upon expansion.
26. An implant device as defined in claim 21 wherein a first portion of the body aligned along the longitudinal axis of the implant remains static during and after delivery and a second portion of the body is defined by expandable members that move to a different position relative to the first portion after implantation to comprise a second configuration of the device.
27. An implant device as defined in claim 26 wherein the implant comprises an elastic material and the motivational energy to cause the implant to move from the first to the second configuration is the inherent resiliency of the material.
28. A method for placing a conduit in the wall of a patient’s heart to establish a blood flow path between a coronary vessel and a heart chamber, the method comprising steps of:
(a) positioning a guide member that extends through the coronary vessel and the heart wall into a heart chamber;
(b) using the guide member to deliver a conduit into the heart chamber; and
(c) positioning the conduit in the heart wall to establish a blood flow path between the heart chamber and the interior of the vessel;
wherein the conduit is covered by a sheath, and further comprising covering at least a portion of the conduit while placing the conduit in the heart wall and then removing the sheath.