Position locating and maintaining method and means

Claim 3

The device according to claim 1 wherein said light source means is further defined as including a light source and a diffusing means for receiving light from said light source and for diffusing it into a diffuse beam of concentrically patterned light.

Claim 4

The device according to claim 2 wherein said diffusing means is further defined as means for receiving the light from said light source and for diverging said light to form said diffuse beam of concentrically patterned light.

Claim 5

The device according to claim 1 further defined as a device for establishing and maintaining a locational relationship between the objects wherein a drive means is coupled to one of the objects for moving the object and wherein said control means is interposed between said light sensor and said drive means and is responsive to the light intensity signal for causing said drive means to move the object so as to place the target in the center of said beam of said concentrically patterned light.

Claim 6

The device according to claim 4 wherein said drive means is further defined as coupled to the second of said objects.

Claim 7

The device according to claim 5 wherein said drive means is further defined as moving the second object in said light beam in a plane normal to the beam.

Claim 8

The device according to claim 6 wherein said drive means is further defined as moving the second object along mutually perpendicular axes in a plane normal to the light beam.

Claim 9

The device according to claim 7 wherein said drive means is coupled to the second object for moving the object in a direction parallel to the light beam, said movement altering the levels of the light intensity signals in accordance with the location of the second object in said parallel direction, and wherein said control means includes means responsive to the levels of the light intensity signals for causing said drive means to move said second object to a desired location along a path parallel to the light beam.

Claim 10

The device according to claim 8 wherein said control means includes means for providing a reference signal proportional to a light intensity signal level corresponding to the desired location of the second object along a path parallel to the light beam and a means for comparing said reference signal and said light intensity signal level and providing an error signal to said drive means to cause said drive means to move the second object to the desired location.

Claim 11

The device according to claim 7 wherein said drive means moves said second object along coplanar, mutually perpendicular axes normal to the beam and the control means includes means for causing said drive means to move said second object along said pair of axes so as to place the target in the center of said beam of concentric patterned light.

Claim 12

The device according to claim 10 wherein said control means is so constructed as to move said second object Along one of said axes and thereafter move said second object along the other of said axes.

Claim 13

The device according to claim 5 wherein said drive means is further defined as having means for angularly moving said object about at least one axis perpendicular to said beam of light.

Claim 14

The device according to claim 12 further including: a pair of light source means generating oppositely directed, parallel, diffuse beams of concentrically patterned light and for applying same to said second object, said diffuse beams having varying intensities from the centers to the extremities thereof; a pair of reflecting targets substantially smaller in dimension than the diffuse beams of light mounted on opposite sides of said second object for reflecting portions of the beams of concentrically patterned light, the intensities of the reflections being indicative of the position of said second object in the diffuse light beams; a pair of light sensors for receiving the reflections of the targets and for providing signals proportional to their intensities; and wherein said control means is further defined as interposed between said light sensors and said drive means for causing said drive means to angularly move said object about an axis perpendicular to said light beams so as to place the targets in center of said beams of concentrically patterned light.

Claim 15

The device according to claim 5 including: a second light source means for generating a second diffuse beam of concentrically patterned light bearing a predetermined orientation with respect to said first light beam and for applying same to said second object, said second diffuse light beam having a varying intensity from the center to the extremities thereof; said drive means further including means for moving said second object in said second light beam in a plane normal thereto; a second reflecting target substantially smaller in dimension than said second diffuse beam of light mounted on said second object for reflecting a portion of said second beam of concentrically patterned light, the intensity of the reflection being indicative of the position of said second object in said second light beam; a second light sensor for receiving the reflection of the second target and for providing a signal proportional to its intensity; and wherein said control means is further defined as interposed between said second light sensor and said drive means and is responsive to the light intensity signal of said second light sensor for causing said drive means to move said second object so as to place the second target in the center of said second beam of concentrically patterned light.

Claim 16

The device according to claim 14 wherein said drive means is further defined as angularly moving said object about at least one axis perpendicular to said pair of light beams.

Claim 17

The device according to claim 14 wherein said control means includes means responsive to the magnitude of the light sensor signal of said second light sensor for sensing an extreme light intensity light condition thereof and for providing a pulse output and said control means includes said pulse responsive means for operating said drive means.

Claim 18

The device according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes means responsive to the magnitude of the light sensor signal for sensing an extreme light intensity condition thereof.

Claim 19

The device according to claim 17 wherein said extreme condition sensing means comprises means for providing a pulse output upon sensing an extreme light intensity condition of said signal and said control means includes pulse responsive means for operating said drive means.

Claim 20

The device according to claim 18 wherein said control means further includes a pulse responsive bi-stable logic means coupled to said extreme value sensing means and to said drive means for controlling the direction of movement of said second object in accordance with the pulse output of said extreme Value sensing means.

Claim 21

The device according to claim 18 wherein said extreme condition sensing means includes a differential amplifier providing an output signal responsive to a reversal of the relative magnitudes of the signals applied to a pair of amplifier input terminals, one of said input terminals receiving said light sensor signal, the other of said input terminals being biased by a capacitor, a diode connected between said input terminals for charging the capacitor and maintaining one input signal relative magnitude condition when the magnitude of the light sensor signal exceeds the capacitor charge and means for discharging the capacitor during a reversed input signal relative magnitude condition when the capacitor charge exceeds the magnitude of the light signal source.

Claim 22

The device according to claim 19 wherein said drive means moves said second object along coplanar, mutually perpendicular axis and said control means is so constructed to cause said drive means to move said second object along one of said axes and thereafter move said second object along the other of said axes.

Claim 23

The device according to claim 21 wherein said control means includes timer means coupled to the output of the pulse output means for sensing the rapidity of the output pulses for causing said drive means to move said second object along one of said axes and, upon sensing a predetermined rapidity of the output pulses, to move said second object along the other of said axes.

Claim 26

The method according to claim 23 further defined in that the step of sensing the magnitude of the reflected light is further defined as sensing an extreme magnitude of the reflected light.

Claim 27

The method according to claim 23 wherein the step of generating a light beam is further defined as generating a second concentrically patterned diffuse light beam having a predetermined orientation with respect to the first light beam, said method being additionally defined as placing a second reflective target on the second object for reflecting the second light beam, moving the second object in the second light beam and sensing the magnitude of the light reflected from the target to ascertain the location of the second object with respect to the second light beam.

Claim 28

The method according to claim 23 further including the steps of: generating a pair of oppositely directed, parallel diffuse, concentrically patterned light beams; placing a pair of reflective targets on opposite sides of the second object; placing the second object in the beams of light; and angularly moving the second object about at least one axis perpendicular to said beams of light to align the pair of targets with the pair of light beams.

Claim 29

The method according to claim 23 wherein the first object comprises a radiation beam emitter and said second object comprises a patient.

Claim 30

The method according to claim 23 wherein the step of moving the second object is further defined as moving the second object in the light beam along mutually perpendicular axes in a plane normal to the beam.

Claim 31

The method according to claim 28 wherein the step of sensing the magnitude of the reflective light is further defined as sensing the levels of the light intensity signals and the step of moving the second object in the light beam is further defined as moving the second object along a path parallel to the light beam in accordance with levels of light intensity signals.

Claim 32

The method according to claim 29 wherein the step of moving the second object is further defined as sequentially moving the second object along one axis and thereafter along another axis.

Claim 33

A patient positioner for establishing and maintaining a locational relationship between a radiation beam emitter and a patient containing couch comprising: light source means for generating a diffuse beam of concentrically patterned light bearing a predetermined orientation with respect to said radiation beam and for applying same to said patient containing couch, said diffuse beam having a varying intensity from the center to the extremities thereof; drive means coupled to the couch for moving the couch in said light beam; a reflecting target substantially smaller in dimension than the diffuse beam of light mounted on a patient on the couch for reflecting a portion of the beam of concentrically patterned light, the intensity of the reflection being indicative of the position of the patient in the diffuse light beam; a light sensor for receiving the reflection of the target and for providing a signal proportional to its intensity; and control means interposed between said light sensor and said drive means and responsive to said signal for causing said drive means to move the couch so as to place the target in the center of said beam of concentrically patterned light, thereby to establish and maintain a locational relationship between the radiation beam and the patient.

Claim 34

A patient positioner for establishing and maintaining a locational relationship between a radiation beam emitter and a patient containing couch comprising: light source means for generating a diffuse beam of concentrically patterned light bearing a predetermined orientation with respect to said radiation beam and for applying same to said patient containing couch, said diffuse beam having a varying intensity from the center to the extremities thereof; drive means coupled to the couch for moving the couch in said light beam; a reflecting target substantially smaller in dimension than the diffuse beam of light mounted on a patient on the couch for reflecting a portion of the beam of concentrically patterned light, the intensity of the reflection being indicative of the position of the patient in the diffuse light beam; a light sensor for receiving the reflection of the target and for providing a signal proportional to its intensity; and control means interposed between said light sensor and said drive means and responsive to said signal for causing said drive means to move the couch so as to place the target in the center of said beam of concentrically patterned light, thereby to establish and maintain a locational relationship between the radiation beam and the patient.

Claim 35

The patient positioner according to claim 31 wherein said light source means is further defined as including a light source and a diffusing means for receiving light from said light source and for diffusing it into a diffuse beam of concentrically patterned light.

Claim 36

The patient positioner according to claim 32 wherein said diffusing means is further defined as means for receiving the light from said light source and for diverging said light to form said diffuse beam of concentrically patterned light.

Claim 37

The patient positioner according to claim 31 wherein said drive means is further defined as moving the couch in said light beam along mutually perpendicular axes in a plane normal to the beam.

Claim 38

The patient positioner according to claim 34 wherein said drive means is coupled to the couch for moving the couch in a direction parallel to the light beam, said movement altering the levels of the light intensity signals in accordance with the location of the couch in said parallel direction, and wherein said control means includes means responsive to the levels of the light intensity signals for causing said drive means to move the couch to a desired location along a path parallel to the light beam.

Claim 39

The patient positioner according to claim 35 wherein said control means includes means for providing a reference signal proportional to a light intensity signal level corresponding to the desired location of the couch along a path parallel to the light beam and a means for comparing said reference signal and said light intensity signal level and providing an error signal to said drive means to cause said drive means to move the couch to the desired location.

Claim 40

The patient positioner according to claim 34 wherein said drive means is so constructed as to move the couch along one of said axes and thereafter move the couch along the other of said axes.

Claim 41

The patient positioner according to claim 34 including: a second light source means for generating a second diffuse beam of concentrically patterned light bearing a predetermined orientation with respect to said first light beam, said second diffuse light beam having a varying intensity from the center to the extremities thereof; said drive means further including means for moving said couch in said second light beam in a plane normal thereto; a second reflecting target substantially smaller in dimension than said second diffuse beam of light mounted oN the patient for reflecting a portion of said second beam of concentrically patterned light, the intensity of the reflection being indicative of the position of the patient in said second light beam; a second light sensor for receiving the reflection of the second target and for providing a signal proportional to its intensity; and wherein said control means is further defined as interposed between said second light sensor and said drive means and is responsive to the light intensity signal of said second light sensor for causing said drive means to move said couch so as to place the second target in the center of said second beam of concentrically patterned light.

Claim 42

The device according to claim 38 wherein said drive means is further defined as angularly moving the couch about at least one axis perpendicular to said pair of light beams.

Claim 43

The patient positioner according to claim 38 wherein said control means includes means responsive to the magnitude of the light sensor signal of said second light sensor for sensing an extreme light intensity light condition thereof and for providing a pulse output and said control means includes said pulses responsive means for operating said drive means.

Claim 44

The patient positioner according to claim 31 wherein said drive means is further defined as having means for angularly moving the couch about at least one axis perpendicular to said beam of light.

Claim 45

The patient positioner according to claim 41 further including: a pair of light source means generating oppositely directed, parallel, diffuse beams of concentrically patterned light, said diffuse beams having varying intensities from the centers to the extremities thereof; a pair of reflecting targets substantially smaller in dimension than the diffuse beams of light mounted on opposite sides of the patient for reflecting portions of the beams of concentrically patterned light, the intensities of the reflections being indicative of the position of the patient in the diffuse light beams; a pair of light sensors for receiving the reflections of the targets and for providing signals proportional to their intensities; and wherein said control means is further defined as interposed between said light sensors and said drive means for causing said drive means to angularly move said object about an axis perpendicular to said light beams so as to place the targets in center of said beams of concentrically patterned light.

Claim 46

The patient positioner according to claim 31 wherein said control means includes means responsive to the magnitude of the light sensor signal for sensing an extreme light intensity condition thereof and for providing a pulse output upon sensing an extreme light intensity condition of said signal and said control means includes pulse responsive means for operating said drive means.

Claim 47

The device according to claim 43 wherein said extreme condition sensing means includes a differential amplifier providing an output signal responsive to a reversal of the relative magnitudes of the signals applied to a pair of amplifier input terminals, one of said input terminals receiving said light sensor signal, the other of said input terminals being biased by a capacitor, a diode connected between said input terminals for charging the capacitor and maintaining one input signal relative magnitude condition when the magnitude of the light sensor signal exceeds the capacitor charge and means for discharging the capacitor during a reversed input signal relative magnitude condition when the capacitor charge exceeds the magnitude of the light signal source.

Claim 48

The patient positioner according to claim 43 wherein said drive means, is so constructed as to move the couch along one of said axes and thereafter move the couch along the other of said axes and wherein said control means includes timer means coupled to the output of the pulse output means for sensing the rapidity of the output pulses for causing said drive means to move sAid second object along one of said axes and, upon sensing a predetermined rapidity of the output pulses, to move said second object along the other of said axes.

Claim 49

The patient positioner according to claim 31 wherein said radiation beam emitter includes means for controlling the shape of the radiation beam.

Claim 50

The patient positioner according to claim 46 wherein said radiation beam control means includes radiation absorbing blocks replaceably inserted in the path of said radiation beam.

Claim 51

The patient positioner according to claim 47 wherein said radiation emitter has a spring loaded shelf extending from a wall thereof for retaining said radiation adsorbing blocks in said radiation beam, said spring loaded shelf being retractable into said wall for removing said radiation absorbing blocks.

Claim 52

The patient positioner according to claim 31 wherein said radiation emitter has a means for removably affixing the light source thereto.

Claim 53

The patient positioner of claim 49 wherein said radiation emitter has a slot and said affixing means has an expandible flange insertable into said slot to affix said light source.

Claim 54

The patient positioner of claim 50 wherein said flange includes a pair of relatively movable members having ramp surfaces for providing the expansion upon relative movement.