1. A vehicle guidance system (1) comprising means for detecting position of a vehicle (30) and a processor (2) for generating operator instructions to assist the operator to manoeuvre the vehicle, characterised in that
the system comprises range sensors (3-7) and means for using outputs of the sensors to dynamically maintain a space map (12) in real time;
the system comprises an operator model of operator capabilities; and
the processor (2) comprises means for planning a path to a goal position (33) in a confined space using data from the operator model (11) of operator capabilities and data from the space map (12)
2. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system comprises means for maintaining the space map (12) as a set of polygons each defining a spatial area.
3. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said space map (12) maintaining means comprises means for processing three-dimensional space data from the sensors and for breaking said data to two-dimensional space data in a polygon framework.
4. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said space map maintaining means comprises means for maintaining a flag for each polygon, said flag indicating if the polygon is occupied by an object.
5. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operator model (11) comprises time parameter values for the operator to perceive information, for the operator to cognitively process information, and for neuromuscular delay for implementing an action.
6. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the operator model (11) comprises a parameter value for spatial error for performing an action.
7. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor comprises means for storing a vehicle model (10) of movement characteristics of the vehicle (30).
8. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor (2) comprises path planning means for planning (24) a plurality of sub-goals forming a path to the goal position (33).
9. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the path planning means comprises means for determining a sub-goal only if it can be achieved with a single manoeuvre of the vehicle (30) and if it is instructable to the operator.
10. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the path planning means comprises means for determining (47) a set of candidate trajectories for reaching the goal position (33) with collision avoidance, and for performing backchaining to break each candidate trajectory into a plurality of sub-goals starting from the goal position (33) and extending back to the current position (32).
11. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the set of candidate trajectories is determined by generating (47) a first set of candidate trajectories compatible with the space and the vehicle models (10, 12), and for subsequently reducing (48) the first set to those compatible with the operator model (11).
12. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the path planning means comprises means for dynamically repeating path planning (24) in real time at each of a plurality of vehicle positions.
13. A vehicle guidance system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle model (10) is for a boat, and the sensors comprise a sonar device (3), a laser range finder (4), a vision system (5), a radar system (6), and a GPS circuit (7).
14. A guidance system substantially as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.
15. A guidance system substantially as described with reference to FIG. 8.
16. A vehicle comprising a guidance system as claimed in claim 1.
17. A method of guiding a vehicle from a current position (32) to a goal position (33) in a confined space, the method comprising the steps of:
range sensors (3-7) automatically sensing objects around the vehicle (30),
a processor using outputs of the range sensors to dynamically maintain a space map (12) in real time,
the processor planning a path to the goal position (33) using data from the space map (12) and from an operator model of operator capabilities,
an output interface (16-19) outputting instructions to the operator for movement of the vehicle according to the planned path, and
the operator moving the vehicle according to the instructions.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the processor generates instructions for the operator for movement of the vehicle in a single manoeuvre at a time.
19. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the processor performs backchaining to break down a path into a plurality of sub-goals, and generates an operator instruction to achieve each sub-goal in turn.
20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the processor repeats path planning at each position on the basis of the current position.
21. A method as claimed in any of claim 17, wherein the processor generates the operator instructions also using data from a vehicle model of vehicle movement characteristics.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed:
1. A method for positioning a patient (110) for radiation treatment which comprises the steps of:
generating a set of pre-operative images in a region of interest of a patient’s body (110) taken while patient occupies a bodyframe (120).
identifying and locating a target issue within the patient’s body using the pre-operative images of the body;
tracking the position of the bodyframe with an external tracking system (170, 180);
computing displacements of the target tissue position from an isocenter (160) of a radiation therapy machine; and
aligning the bodyframe according to the output parameters so that the target tissue is substantially coincident with the isocenter.
2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of affixing a region of the patient’s body between the patient’s neck and the patient’s hips in a fixture which substantially conforms to the contours of the patient’s body.
3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of generating images using a scanning method.
4. The method of claim 1 further including the step of utilizing at least one fiducial marker on the bodyframe as at least one reference point in the pre-procedural images.
5. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:
placing a plurality of tracking markers on the bodyframe; and
employing the external tracking system with a computer controller and sensor unit for sensing the tracking markers and tracking the position of the bodyframe in real time.
6. The method of claim 1 further including:
generating a transform from pre-procedural image coordinates to external tracking system coordinates by correlating tracking markers and the fiducial markers; and
utilizing the transform to determine the target tissue coordinates in the external tracking system.
7. The method of claim 1 further including:
continuously tracking the bodyframe; and
computing the displacements and displaying the alignment parameters in real-time.
8. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:
displaying output parameters which represent the displacements.
9. The method of claim 5 further including the steps of:
automatically adjusting positioning to align the bodyframe under control of a computer; and
allowing the computer to disengage the radiation treatment if misalignment occurs during treatment.
10. A method of treating a patient (110) using beams of radiation to irradiate a target tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
constraining the patient to a frame (120);
determining the position of the target tissue with respect to an isocenter (160) defined by a location of convergence of the radiation beams;
aligning the target tissue to be substantially co-incident with the isocenter by displacing at least one of the patient and the isocenter; and
after the alignment step, irradiating the patient with the radiation beams.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the frame is a bodyframe.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the patient is constrained by fastening the frame to at least one of the patient’s bones.
13. A device for irradiating a target tissue of a patient using beams of radiation that converge at an isocenter (160), the device comprising:
a radiation beam generator (140) structured to generate the radiation beams and to direct the radiation beams to converge at the isocenter;
a frame (120) structured to constrain a patient with respect to the fame;
a computer system (170, 180, 190) structured and programmed to determine the location of the target tissue with respect to the isocenter when the patient is constrained in the frame; and
alignment hardware (130) structured to displace at least one of the patient and the isocenter so that the isocenter is substantially aligned with the target tissue.
14. The device of claim 13 wherein the frame includes fasteners structured to be fastened to bone.