Endoscope with integrated measurement of distance to objects of interest
First Claim
1. A method for determining a distance of an object from a tip of an endoscope during an endoscopic procedure, wherein said tip comprises a housing having a distal end and a curved side wall and a first viewing element positioned on said distal end, wherein said first viewing element comprises at least one lens and a sensor, wherein the at least one lens is configured to converge light from outside said tip onto said sensor, wherein said sensor comprises a plurality of photodiodes and wherein a portion of said plurality of photodiodes are adjacent pairs of photodiodes configured to be phase detection pixels, said method comprising:
- receiving light into each adjacent pair of photodiodes, wherein said light is reflected off a surface of said object;
determining, for a first photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes, a first response curve of the first photodiode to said light, and determining, for a second photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes, a second response curve of the second photodiode to said light;
identifying an intersection between the first response curve and the second response curve; and
using data derived from said intersection to determine said distance to the object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present specification describes a method for determining the distance of an object from the tip of an endoscope during an endoscopic procedure, wherein at least one lens is configured to converge light from outside the tip onto a sensor that includes a plurality of photodiodes a portion of which are adjacent pairs of photodiodes configured to be phase detection pixels. The method includes receiving light into each adjacent pair of photodiodes, wherein said light is reflected off a surface of said object; determining a first response curve to said light for a first photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes and a second response curve to said light for a second photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes; identifying an intersection between the first response curve and the second response curve; and using data derived from said intersection to determine said distance to the object.
413 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for determining a distance of an object from a tip of an endoscope during an endoscopic procedure, wherein said tip comprises a housing having a distal end and a curved side wall and a first viewing element positioned on said distal end, wherein said first viewing element comprises at least one lens and a sensor, wherein the at least one lens is configured to converge light from outside said tip onto said sensor, wherein said sensor comprises a plurality of photodiodes and wherein a portion of said plurality of photodiodes are adjacent pairs of photodiodes configured to be phase detection pixels, said method comprising:
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receiving light into each adjacent pair of photodiodes, wherein said light is reflected off a surface of said object; determining, for a first photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes, a first response curve of the first photodiode to said light, and determining, for a second photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes, a second response curve of the second photodiode to said light; identifying an intersection between the first response curve and the second response curve; and using data derived from said intersection to determine said distance to the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for determining a distance of an object from a tip of an endoscope during an endoscopic procedure, wherein said tip comprises a housing having a distal end and a curved side wall and a viewing element positioned on said distal end, wherein said viewing element comprises at least one lens and a sensor, wherein the at least one lens is configured to converge light from outside said tip onto said sensor, wherein said sensor comprises a plurality of photodiodes and wherein a portion of said plurality of photodiodes are adjacent pairs of photodiodes configured to be phase detection pixels, said method comprising:
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receiving light into each adjacent pair of photodiodes, wherein said light is reflected off a surface of said object; determining, for a first photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes, a first response of the first photodiode to said light, and determining, for a second photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes, a second response of the second photodiode to said light; identifying a value indicative of an intersection point between the first response and the second response; and using data derived from said value to determine said distance to the object. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method for determining a distance of an object from a tip of an endoscope during an endoscopic procedure, wherein said tip comprises a housing having a distal end and a curved side wall and a first viewing element positioned on said distal end, wherein said viewing element comprises at least one lens and a sensor, wherein the at least one lens is configured to converge light from outside said tip onto said sensor, wherein said sensor comprises a plurality of photodiodes and wherein a portion of said plurality of photodiodes are adjacent pairs of photodiodes configured to be phase detection pixels, said method comprising:
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receiving light into each adjacent pair of photodiodes, wherein said light is reflected off a surface of said object, and wherein said received light induces a response in each of the adjacent pair of photodiodes; determining an intersection point between a first response curve, of a first photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes, to said light, and a second response curve, of a second photodiode of said adjacent pair of photodiodes, to said light; and using data derived from said intersection point to determine said distance to the object.
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Specification